Irrigation collaboration

The City of San Diego operates three golf properties: Torrey Pines, Balboa Park and Mission Bay Golf Course. Designed by Ted Robinson in 1955, Mission Bay was functioning with some of its original irrigation.

“Records are scarce for improvements, but I know the old hydraulic block system was difficult to operate,” says Wayne Carpenter, the senior superintendent for Mission Bay and Balboa Park. “We were doing a lot of hand-watering.”

A system upgrade was overdue.

Work performed for the City of San Diego goes through a public bidding process and contracts were awarded to Brent Harvey Consulting for the irrigation system design and 3-D Enterprises as the general contractor for multiple improvements. Landscapes Unlimited was awarded the subcontract for the irrigation installation on the course. Harvey has worked on the other San Diego courses and Landscapes Unlimited has a long-standing relationship with the city, recently completing extensive renovations at Torrey Pines, including the design and build work for the South course in preparation for the 2021 U.S. Open.

The Mission Bay property covers 46 acres; the course is a par 58. Play extends across 2,706 yards, and people also enjoy FootGolf and disc golf through walk-up or reserved tee times. In addition to 18 executive holes, Mission Bay has a driving range with mats and grass, a short-game area with bunkers, and a putting and chipping green.

Nearby attractions include beaches, fire pits, surfing, dog parks, volleyball courts, playgrounds, running trails, boat launch ramps and so much more. The entire area along the Pacific Coast is beloved and heavily used by a population with diverse interests. The course is for all skill levels and ages and is known as “one course for all.”

The total budget for the improvements was approximately $14.5 million, covering irrigation, new buildings and electrical upgrades. That investment is a healthy indicator for the future of the course. Rates for residents and non-residents are low. The electrical upgrades will make the night lighting fully functional again, and night rounds account for up to 5,000 of the annual totals. The last 9-hole tee-time is at 8 p.m., with course closure at 9:30 p.m.

Communication and execution

Throughout the bidding and appointment process, excitement was growing. Harvey and his team solidified the design of the new irrigation system. “We start with digital aerial photography with topography,” Harvey says. “We then visit the site and use survey-grade GPS equipment to map all the trees in the turf and intended grassing limits. The aerial mapping only shows tree canopies, so we shoot tree trunks and record sizes since many are design obstacles for irrigation head layout.”

The team discusses grass limits with the client because turf designs can be limited by irrigation coverage. Harvey leads clients through a pricing process to choose a system to install, after the quantities associated with the new irrigation system are estimated. Considerations include system features, benefits, service, distribution, warranty and pricing. Toro is the preferred vendor for the City of San Diego, already in use at Balboa and Torrey Pines. The city staff can share design standards, knowledge and equipment, and promote cost savings and efficiency.

“Mission Bay was a fun project,” says Harvey, who also helped the city with its water use goals. “Since they have lighted play and a full tee sheet, we were asked to do our irrigation staking between play, which meant the middle of the night. It was definitely a unique experience.”

Responsible irrigation projects consider local laws for water usage and it is pertinent to be aware of any pending litigation. “We routinely see a water use savings of 10 percent to 15 percent minimum when new designs are implemented,” Harvey adds.

Cheryl Halvorsen, irrigation project manager and senior irrigation estimator, and Eric Wolfert, the project manager on site, both work for Landscapes Unlimited. The new system was installed between February and May 2022, and the pump station was installed upon its arrival in fall 2022.

“Irrigation systems must optimize water usage while providing the coverage necessary. This upgrade for Mission Bay was badly needed as their system was showing its age,” Halvorsen says. “We installed a Toro Lynx central with Smart Satellites at Mission Bay. The majority of irrigation systems now use HDPE pipe, and superintendents are trending toward the use of iPads over handheld radios for their communication with the central.”

Improvements in irrigation have meant more precise delivery of water due to specialized nozzles and trajectories for sprinklers, as well as the ability to communicate with individual sprinklers through wireless technology. Weather stations and soil sensor technology have also improved, as have methods of data tracking to determine the moisture levels at which the course thrives.

“Many courses are also utilizing effluent water sources to reduce or eliminate the need for potable water for the course,” Halvorsen says. Qualified irrigation contractors are being booked one to two years in advance and bidding work as far out as 2027.

“We completely replaced the irrigation system, mainline, laterals, sprinkler heads and valves, and installed a new pump station,” Wolfert says. The pump station was a game changer because the old system ran off of city water pressure which was inconsistent due to normal usage from multiple parties. “We also brought water connections to the new buildings. Added to the project was leveling the driving range tee which was expanded by a third.”

The course was built on dredge material from the bay and they were able to progress through two or three holes a week. All the irrigation work was performed by Landscapes Unlimited crews from Mexico, Arizona and Southern California.

“The work went better than expected, completing installation ahead of schedule, partially due to the favorable soil conditions,” Wolfert says. “We had a lot of assistance from the Mission Bay golf maintenance team in making sure we got around the golf course by keeping play off the holes we were working on for the safety of our crews.”

The new system has changed the maintenance routines and training was quick and easy. The assistant superintendent and irrigator can both run it, in addition to Carpenter. “We are vastly more efficient,” Carpenter says. “We have more than 800 sprinkler heads to work with and nearly all of them can be operated individually. Before, we might have to run a group of heads, where one was on a green, one in the rough and one in the fairway. We can be more precise with our water delivery and coverage, which results in more uniform turf.”

The team has confidence in the longevity of the system. The HDPE piping is expected to last 40 to 60 years. The wiring should last about 40 years. Sprinkler heads may need some maintenance after a decade, but the sprinklers are better organized, grouped by hole and area. Feedback from players on property has been positive.

“The new irrigation system makes the work, the playing experience, and the turf astronomically better,” Carpenter says. “I can be anywhere in the world and run it.”

Numerous stakeholders communicated and collaborated to ensure the irrigation system became everything it needed to be. With the heavy play that Mission Bay hosts, “one course for all” is now an even better recreational facility. It’s also better for those who make it possible.

Lee Carr is a Northeast Ohio-based writer and senior Golf Course Industry contributor.