Key Maintenance Practices for Firm & Fast on Heavy Soils

[JT Taylor]

XGD has been a game changer at our club in Cleveland, Ohio, where it’s all clay soils. It is amazing how quickly our greens drain with that system in place.  About the only complaint now is that the greens firm up much faster than the fairways so the overall presentation of the course can be mis-matched in the first couple of days after a heavy rainfall.  We have installed it in a couple of our approaches as well to help with several holes where the architect’s strategy was to encourage a run up shot. 

[Duncan Cheslett]

How helpful is XGD?

Im not sure how viable XGD would be in fairways. Its not cheap, but has been successful on greens. PC Drainage is starting be an an affordable way to get drainage in with little disturbance.


https://twitter.com/pc_florida/status/1130927989896679424

Seeing that being installed with a mole plough reminds me of Dr Mackenzie's advice in his book "Golf Architecture".


He maintained that mole drainage was the cheapest and most effective way of draining a golf course on clay soil.


Why is mole drainage not ubiquitous on clay based golf courses?

[PCCraig]

How helpful is XGD?

Im not sure how viable XGD would be in fairways. Its not cheap, but has been successful on greens. PC Drainage is starting be an an affordable way to get drainage in with little disturbance.


https://twitter.com/pc_florida/status/1130927989896679424

Sorry - I should have clarified. I had meant XGD on putting surfaces.


The PC Drainage shown above...what is it exactly, shallow surface drainage draining into a deep hole in the middle? And what are the benefits of going that route?   

[Anthony_Nysse]

How helpful is XGD?

Im not sure how viable XGD would be in fairways. Its not cheap, but has been successful on greens. PC Drainage is starting be an an affordable way to get drainage in with little disturbance.


https://twitter.com/pc_florida/status/1130927989896679424

Sorry - I should have clarified. I had meant XGD on putting surfaces.


The PC Drainage shown above...what is it exactly, shallow surface drainage draining into a deep hole in the middle? And what are the benefits of going that route?

Its shallower than conventional drainage, yes. The smaller drain lines tie into existing drain lines or catch basin with minimal disturbance. They can lay 10,000 linear feet in a few short hours.