Page 26 - GM summer French 2025

In addition to the shades of
green that are abundant around the
golf course, some employ the
services of a horticultural team
member. Creating garden beds with
aesthetic flowers around the course
and clubhouse can be appreciated
by everyone. Water features and
naturalized areas not only add visual
interest to the course, but they can
also reduce the assets required to
maintain these biodiverse zones.
THE FUTURE OF GOLF COURSE
MAINTENANCE
It seems like we are having to rethink
how everything is being completed
now, do more with less! This is also
occurring in the shop. How do we
keep the turf in playable conditions
while reducing the cost? How can we
get information to the right people to
do a specific task faster? How can we
reduce the cost of everything?
The use of autonomous mowers
might be the answer. These mowers
stationed in selective areas can
reallocate staff members to do other
jobs and be programmed to cut in off
peak times since the noise level is
greatly reduced. The docking stations
for these robot mowers can be set up
with solar charging to remove them
from the main grid. The additional
benefits of removing a hydrocarbon
consuming engine and replacing it
with an electric motor also helps the
environment.
ACCURATE APPLICATIONS
Global Positioning Systems have
proven to help with financial savings
by preventing over spray and to
precisely apply the correct amounts of
nutrients to the turf. This kind of
accuracy will help the turf and reduce
the impact on the environment. With
the development of Artificial
Intelligence and drone technology,
who knows where the next progression
of applications will lead.
Could we be approaching a point
in technology where we plan to
autonomously launch a drone at
nighttime; let it fly over the golf course
on a set flight plan; have the drone
identify the area of concern; let it apply
the correct nutrient to the correct
area; and then have it record its actions
in the correlating computer files to be
ready for review the next morning?
Equipment technology is always
evolving, especially energy sources
such as gasoline, diesel, plug in electrical,
hybrid electrical, and solar electrical.
Which ever power source is installed on
to the equipment, technicians are going
learn about it so they can do the
preventative maintenance and keep the
equipment running.
THE HEART OF THE MAINTENANCE
TEAM
Looking ahead, the future of golf turf
Equipment Technicians will likely
involve greater integration of tech-
nology, a focus on sustainability, and
continued education to stay abreast of
the latest developments in turf science.
Equipment Technicians play a
crucial role in maintaining the beauty
and functionality of golf courses.
Their work blends Science,
Technology, Engineering, Art, and
Mathematics (STEAM) to create and
preserve the perfect playing surfaces
that golfers enjoy.
As the industry continues to
evolve, these professionals will remain
at the forefront, ensuring that golf
courses remain pristine and
sustainable for future generations. GM
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• CGSA • GreenMaster