Syringing Turf

Those of you who have dared the heat to play golf over the last week have surely noticed all of the watering taking place in the afternoons. This process is known as syringing where we apply small rates of water to help cool the turf canopy.

On our greens, the process is performed by hand with hoses. Unfortunately, due to the size of the fairways we are unable to perform this process by hand. Instead, we employ the overhead irrigation system. We try to run each head between 6-9 minutes, depending on the environmental conditions of the area. This process usually takes place between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. when daytime temperatures are at their peak points. While it is easy to get carried away with the amount of water applied,  the most important thing to keep in mind is too much water is far worse than too little. Apply too much water during the heat of the day and wet wilt becomes an issue.

Many golfers have asked me if I understand that large portions of the water being applied are being lost to evaportation. Evaporation is exactly what we want to happen. The process of evaporation is an endothermic reaction which is a chemical reaction that absorbs heat from its environment. In order for the applied water to evaporate, it must first absorb heat from the leaf blade and turf canopy. This absorbtion of heat provides a cooling effect much like the cooling effect we feel when sweat evaporates from our skin.

Unfortunately in the heat we are experiencing, the cooling effects don't last long which makes multiple syringe cycles a reality. This forces us to run water while golf is going on and I understand that can be a hassle. I thank you all for your patience while we try and survive this weather.

A syringe cycle on 4 Black Bird Fairway