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Turf Talk -- Earth-shaking idea hits greens
"It helps work the sand down into the thatch," says Paul Diegnau, CGCS, an 11-year GCSAA member. Mounted in place of cutting heads on a triplex greensmower, the rollers generate 5,000 rpm utilizing the mower's hydraulic motors and off-center shafts. The product is patented and marketed by Turfline Inc. of St. Charles, Mo., under the brand name True-Surface. Although Diegnau, superintendent at Keller Golf Course in Maplewood, Minn., has occasionally rolled greens across the mowing "grain," the simplest technique is to operate the vibratory triplex roller directly behind a triplex mower, he says. The mower provides the initial flattening of grass blades before the rolling unit presses the blades down even more. Diegnau's rollers are on an old triplex unit that he would have otherwise discarded. Even so, he says the rollers offer easy-on, easy-off convenience, so they're little hassle to install if a dedicated unit isn't available. Diegnau's sand-based greens aren't the only surfaces at his course receiving treatments from the vibratory rollers. He also uses the machine on six native soil greens. Compaction is not a problem because the 55-pound rollers are cushioned by decades of sand topdressing applied since the golf course opened in 1929. Most superintendents who use the rollers tout the benefits of being able to grow the grass longer because rollers flatten leaf blades and reduce their interference with ball roll. "You can actually cut your turf higher," Diegnau says. That means healthier turf because roots grow better when leaves grow longer. The rollers also flatten sand or soil high spots after core or spike aerification to provide a smooth, true putting surface. The manufacturer claims that all greens on a course may produce roughly the same ball-roll distance if slower greens receive prolonged vibratory treatment, which is achieved by reducing the triplex's ground speed. The vibratory rollers have even played a role in a major championship -- they were used at the 1996 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills Golf Club (although greens at the 1997 U.S. Open at Congressional were smoothed with push rollers). Research at Ohio State University documents the longer ball roll resulting from lightweight rolling and reports no reduction in water infiltration on greens receiving lightweight rolling. The manufacturer also asserts that seeded greens grow in faster when they're treated regularly with the vibratory rollers. Finally, the triplex vibratory roller offers a relatively painless method for new crew members to learn their duties. "It's a great way to train new employees on the triplex," Diegnau says. -- Mark Kind, GCM technical editor Contact Turf Talk c/o Information Services, 1421 Research Park Drive, Lawrence, KS 66049-3859, or mention Turf Talk in an e-mail message to mkind@gcsaa.org. Questions are also taken from the members' discussion forum on this site. |
We just started using vibratory rollers on our greens for increased
ball-roll distance. Are there any specific practices we should follow?
Traditional,
non-vibrating rollers typically see greatest use before or during golf
tournaments, when low-handicap golfers present their strongest demands
for long, smooth-rolling putts. Vibratory rollers are likewise put to
work during tournaments, as well as after disruptive maintenance
practices such as aerifying and topdressing.