Sand based tees

[Mike_Young]

I'm done with constructing sand based tees.  Over the last two winters I have watched ladie's tees constructed from push up materials vs. men's tees built with a sand cap and drainage come out of winter.  There is no comparison.  Winter kill was all over with sand based and almost nonexistent with soil based.  For the average course just not sure it makes sense.
I'm also seeing more supts topdress divots etc on practice areas with a topsoil mix instead of sand. 

[Randy Thompson]

Mike,
Without a doubt the sand based tee will be subject to more low temp kill because of the increased air space between particles, in comparrison to soil based tee. Being in área subject to potential deep or prolonged freezes certainly tilts the scale in favor of a soil base. However in Central america or other áreas not subject to deep freezes I think you should continue with the sand based tees.
Topdressing divots material should depends on the base material. Many get better results with topsoil because it doesn´t dry out as fast as sand thus a better chance of higher percentage of germination. However, using a topsoil on top of a sand based tee will créate a potential long term layering and deminish water infiltration rate.

[Mike_Young]

Randy,
We basically agree.  I'm saying that so often sand get touted as the top of the line tee and extra cost is encountered in building them.  In so many cases I can build a more simple tee and have as good if not better results.

[Chris Cupit]

We did sand capped tees back in 2006 for our zoysia tees and it was a mistake.  They lit up during the summers and we were practically wilt watching zoysia tees--ridiculous!  Anyway, we definitely do not use sand today on our tees.  William at Peachtree has/had the same issue.  We thought it was the best way to do things at the time.  Nope 

[Pat Burke]

As a kid, we flooded bigger bunkers before real cold weather.
When they froze, they 1) did so quicker and
2) where the best ice to skate on

Would imagine a sand base conducts cold very efficiently

[J Sadowsky]

I've always preferred wood tees myself 

[James Bennett]

Would imagine a sand base conducts cold very efficiently

Pat

I wonder if it is the opposite - the sand insulates rather than conducts.  So, the water gets frozen by the air temperature rather than 'heated' by the ground.

Whatever our 'hypothesis', it should also apply in summer - does clay get hotter or does sand?

I emphasise my point about 'wonder', I don't know.

James B

[Jon Wiggett]

Would imagine a sand base conducts cold very efficiently

Pat

I wonder if it is the opposite - the sand insulates rather than conducts.  So, the water gets frozen by the air temperature rather than 'heated' by the ground.

Whatever our 'hypothesis', it should also apply in summer - does clay get hotter or does sand?

I emphasise my point about 'wonder', I don't know.

James B

James,

sand is a much better conductor than a natural soil so experiences much bigger swings (hotter in summer, colder in winter). Soil is a better insulator as the lower a substance conducts the better it insulates.

Jon