Leaf cleanup

Fall colors are terrific. The oranges, reds, and yellows make it a great time to be out on the course. In order for the falling leaves to not impact play, the Grounds department staff works diligently to keep the course clean. This is a very time and labor intensive few weeks.

First, the leaves are blown off of playing surfaces: greens, tees, fairways, and bunkers. The blowers are the initial step in the cleanup process. We have to move the leaves to more accessible areas daily. We use a combination of equipment. We have backpack blowers to clear the greens and bunkers because bigger equipment cannot be used. Leaves on tees and fairways are blown with tow behind blowers or a tractor mounted blower. These machines are very efficient and powerful, and are capable of clearing an entire fairway in about ten minutes. Wherever possible, the leaves are blown to a location where they will not have to be dealt with again. For example, the native grass areas or the trees to right of #15 are areas where leaves can be left. However, not all of the leaves can be moved to these areas.

Anywhere in the open where leaves must be removed, piles or windrows of leaves can be seen.  With the blowers, the leaves are moved into the rough on either side of a fairway or tee or in to an out of the way area. Once collected, there are two main strategies for dealing with the piles. First, we have a giant vacuum that is pulled behind a tractor and sucks the leaves up. This machine works just as it sounds: the vacuum opening is driven directly over the pile and pulls the leaves up. Wet, heavy leaves or very deep piles are much harder to vacuum, but nevertheless, this machine does a very good job. The second way that we handle the piles is by mulching them with a rough mower. By mowing over a pile several times, the cutting action of the blades chops up the leaves into tiny pieces. These tiny pieces fall into the turf canopy and are no longer able to move about the course.

Making matters more complicated are the windy fall days. Not only are we trying to clear the play areas of leaves that have already fallen, but more are continuing to fall. Then the wind shifts and everything that was blown away turns around and blows right back at you. It can seem as though we are not making any progress at all. However, each leaf must be cleared from the course, so although some leaves may avoid collection one day, this time of year we will be cleaning leaves at some point every day.

While it may seem that fall colors and the falling of leaves is short-lived, on the golf course dealing with the mess seems just the opposite. The leaves can seem infinite. But with the right tools and persistence we manage to eventually win each fall against the onslaught of debris.

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org