Guardians of the resource: Toro irrigation and Reesink Hydro-Scapes

Over the past few decades, golf clubs all over the world have faced pressure to become better global citizens by reducing the use of chemicals and conserving precious resources like water. If every golf course across the globe used the exact and right amount of water through precision irrigation, an eye-watering amount could be saved.

Being mindful of water application brings multiple benefits: fewer fertilisers and chemicals are washed away allowing those products to do their job between applications, and reducing the amounts used. And of course, that brings financial savings. But it’s not just the effect on the bottom line anymore, everyone has a duty of care to do everything in their power to use water sensibly and sustainably – and Toro having focused on developing pinpoint accuracy sprinklers and controllers for more than half a century, are the perfect partners to support clubs on that journey.

Barton-on-Sea is experiencing 30 percent savings in efficiencies thanks to its new Toro system

Precision

The practice of precision irrigation has obvious environmental benefits, like conserving water by only delivering the precise amount needed. It contributes to overall turf health by eliminating the possibility of overwatering or under-watering, pointing to gains in playability and player satisfaction. And it helps reduce waste and optimise operational budgets by limiting the amount of chemicals and fertilisers that are washed away due to overwatering.

Precise water delivery from Toro utilises innovative sensors and nozzle technology that keep turf healthy and vibrant using as little water as possible. At the heart of it is Lynx Central Control System which creates an interactive digital map of the course that centralises all essential irrigation data and course conditions. It can be used to schedule and control all irrigation activities, and it also provides real-time reports so any irrigation concerns can be addressed immediately before any course damage is done.

It can calculate runtimes to the second, not just to the nearest minute and this level of precision is exclusive to Toro. With this capability, when you ‘water by amount’, each sprinkler runs for the exact amount of time to apply the exact amount of water needed, allowing for more consistent application of water to all parts of the course.

Sprinkler technology is more advanced than ever as well. Sprinkler run times can be controlled to within one second to prevent overwatering and save money. For example, if a golf course with 1,000 sprinklers at 20gpm ran each sprinkler just 30 seconds less, about 10,000 gallons would be saved every day.

The Lynx Central Control System calculates runtimes to the second

Targeted watering

Stressing the importance of putting water only where it is needed cannot be overdone.

In a system with thousands of sprinklers, even 30 seconds difference in run time makes a big difference and the savings quickly add up.

And its precision tools that make it possible to apply the exact amount of water needed in any given area of the golf course.

Back to Toro’s Lynx Central Control system, this allows clubs to programme the exact sprinkler arc at a time, ensuring it calculates the coverage area accurately. This technology which allows programming in one-degree increments (or to match the sprinklers’ capability) is exclusive to Toro, and it’s only by using Toro that it’s possible to be sure the area calculations for part-circle sprinklers are correct.

Toro Infinity sprinklers feature what’s known as Trujectory adjustment, which allows clubs to change the relative angle at which water leaves the sprinkler from seven to 30 degrees in one-degree increments. So, water can be targeted around obstacles such as tree branches, bunkers and mounds, and can avoid distortion by the wind by putting water exactly where it’s wanted for maximum distribution uniformity.

Making informed irrigation decisions is easier

Toro irrigation products also leverage technology to save time in major ways. For example, the Lynx Map App suite includes a map of the golf course that uses GPS to pinpoint your exact location. The ‘Find Me’ button allows the map to zoom into the users’ location and turn around with the user so the sprinkler they see in front of them on the map is the sprinkler in front of them on the course. There’s no learning curve; finding a sprinkler is as easy as finding a nearby restaurant on a smartphone!

Similarly, this control system offers the ability to see the history of water application, where (and how much) has been watered, information from the weather station data, pump station data, soil moisture data, provides the insights needed to make informed decisions about future applications.

Toro Lynx central control system allows clubs to pinpoint coverage and be more efficient with water application

Good for the budget

Implementing a precision irrigation strategy is good for an operation’s bottom line for a few reasons. Chemical applications are expensive, and prices can fluctuate greatly from month to month.

By scheduling irrigation efforts to the nearest second (as opposed to the industry standard of the nearest minute), superintendents can minimise fertiliser and chemical runoff, essentially making the budget go further. And when they’re able to use fewer chemicals, operations can budget appropriately despite fluctuating chemical costs.

Equally as important, water costs have been consistently on the rise for the past several decades. With water bills now rising above inflation in April, according to the trade body Water UK, a key way clubs can look to stabilise costs in the future is to install a precision irrigation control system.

Speaking of money, Reesink Hydro-Scapes’ irrigation finance allows clubs to spread the cost of a new irrigation system over a tailored plan, which can be as long as 10 years, and cover 100 percent of the cost.

Conclusion

Precision irrigation is no different from dialling in the ideal height of cut and keeping reels sharpened to perfection — and the more precise tools you have, the easier it is to achieve.

For more information, visit reesink-hydroscapes.co.uk