Nuzzo's Blog A Course Worth Studying

[Adam Clayman]

For any of you newbies who aren't familiar, Mike Nuzzo, Rocket scientist turn GCA, has been lovingly building his first solo effort, Wolf Point Club, down in Texas.

Here's a link to his blog which has pix and information on the team's motus operandi.

http://nuzzogolfcoursedesign.blogspot.com/

Is that a big pump or are you just happy to see me?

I wondered about Water Hammer. As I understand it, if the irrigation lines have ends to them (not a circular system) water hammer is not a concern. However, if the system is a complete loop, water hammer can cause repeated headaches.

Here at West Wind, Corey inherited the loop type system. Pipes kept blowing up on him until he buried "The Pig". The Pig was a huge tank shaped with a nose that resembled a pig. Ergo the name. The Pig is partially filled with water and is attached to his loop system. Any water hammer is absorbed by the pig, causing many fewer headaches.

To the supers and Irrigation specialists out there, is my descriptionf water hammer and a plausible solution good enough for T.V.?

[Mike Nuzzo]

Thank you Adam,
I have most certainly chronicled the design and construction of the course.  This forum didn't seem the best place to share because of quantity, promotion and interest.

I don't know much about water hammer or that pig thing, but Don explains that the way he programmed the system has the bigger impact - the cause for hammer has more to do with sending too much water down a pipe.  Someone help if I am wrong.

And yes our laterals are a herringbone configuration -- they end and don't loop -- with some ladders thrown in for good measure.

[Adam Clayman]

One of the busiest man in show business IM'd me about
Water Hammer.
He writes;

Water hammer is caused by water starting and stopping too fast. If a demand in the irrigation system is too great too quickly the plastic pipes must act as an expansion device. We try to keep air out of the systems because it can compact which causes excessive pressures or can cause a vacuum lock in the high points. The "Pig" you mention is a great buffer tank for systems that can not start or stop slowly.

[Jeff Doerr]

Mike,

Thanks for the inside look!

It is really fun to see the nuts and bolts for those of us outside the industry.

[Mike Nuzzo]

Thank you Jeff.
There is quite a bit of information in the pictures.

Adam,
I assume your hollywood friend is referring to a VFD (variable frequency drive) in part.  Old pumps were either on full bore or off.  Now they start and stop gradually.
I'd assume Ballyneal has a VFD - Larry Rodgers is very good.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Here is a bit of history, yours truly put the first VFD pump on a golf course.  The then new (to golf) technology of VFD had been used sucessfully in oil fields of West Texas forever and the first VFD pump company was in Dallas.

I would call myself a pioneer, but actually, I wrote one of those "cover my ass" letters to the client calling it unproven technology that we shouldn't be the first to use, but he overrode me, knowing it would work.

[Adam Clayman]

Jeff, Having learned your pedigree, I've alway considered you a pioneer.

BTW, When was that? 1984?

Mike, Yes Larry Rodgers designed a great system for us at Ballyneal. Besides burying the mainline deep, for winter watering, he minimized the potential over-throw into the native.
After this years heavy spring rains, I was shocked at how little of the surrounds grew-in with vegetation. I'm sure Dave Hensley's crew had something to do with that also, but surely, it was made easier due to Larry's thoughtful design.

[RJ_Daley]

I haven't been on Mike's blog recently.   Wow, you really have plenty more content added.  It looks great, and very informative.  

I can only imagine the building excitement now that grassing grow-in is in full swing.  The contouring looks very appealing as the definintion is coming out with turf and shadows.

Thanks for the chronical Mike.