Travels with Terry

Water Weegee

Adam Bagwell, MPS, CGCS, at the Crane Creek Country Club in Boise, Idaho, has implemented a great system for syringing greens. The Toro 464-01mhs quick coupler key ($86) has a 3-foot long piece of galvanized pipe attached to the top (recycled). The handle is unscrewed and welded to the pipe about 2½ feet higher so the employee does not have to bend over to insert it into the QC valve. A Toro 477-00 hose swivel ($58) is attached to the pipe extension with a schedule 40-pipe nipple ($26–$35). Attached to the male end of the hose swivel is an Underhill Cannister, where Aquatrols Advantage wetting agent pellets are used when needed. The Otterbine Pond Bubbler Hose is approximately 30 inches long with a 1 inch OD, ½ inch ID. The greens typically have three QC valves, the tee complexes have two or three and three or four per fairway. QC valves are added wherever perennial dry spots occur, including adjacent to the bunkers and roughs. The operating pressure in the field is between 125–140 PSI. The water pressure is ideal to reach across a typical green and everywhere in-between. It took about 30 minutes to assemble. Dylan Wilder from the Eagle Hills Golf Club in Eagle, Idaho, conceived the original idea. The front 9 holes were recently renovated by David Druzisky, ASGCA, and opened for play in mid-May.

Quick sprayer fill-up

Steve Donchez, equipment manager, and Ed Gross, superintendent, at the Northampton Country Club in Easton, Pa., conceived and built this quick sprayer fill-up idea. One 2011 John Deere 200 gallon and either a 1980 or 1999 John Bean 200 gallon sprayer can be filled up simultaneously at 100 GPM. Irrigation water at 120 PSI is regulated down to 80 PSI. The plumbing is 2-inch diameter galvanized pipe, PVC and brass fittings and ball valves reduced down to 1½-inch diameter for the two rubber hoses, with quick disconnects. The water meter, with protective cap, is used to accurately measure partial spray tank mixes. It costs $300–$400 for new and recycled parts and it took about eight hours to build. Ron Forse and Jim Nagle recently completed a restoration of this course founded in 1899.