Pickup Truck One pickup truck is needed on almost every golf course for transportation and moving purposes. Power Sod Cutter At least one power sod cutter is recommended. Heavy-Duty Wood Chipper A heavy-duty wood chipper will prove exceptionally helpful at every golf course that has a reasonable number of trees. Trencher One trencher is needed for drainage and other installations. Small Equipment Three or four hand rotary mowers, three or four weedeaters, two power bunker edgers, one clubhouse reel mower, etc., are minimum requirements. by KEITH McLAIN INC. Houston, Texas THE SPRINKLER heads pop up and water rushes forth. The water is projected across the greens, tees, and fairways, sustaining the life of the turf. The value of water to golf course maintenance cannot be over-stated. Without functioning irrigation systems, most courses would cease to exist. Water is the life's blood of a golf course. The irrigation lines to the sprinkler heads act as the circulatory veins and the pump station as the heart of the system. What comprises a typical pump station? The irrigation needs of each golf course are as individual as the courses themselves, but the average station consists of a jockey pump, two booster Sheer/Seeder For use on heavy wear areas. Fairway Vertical Mower Depending on area and grass type, a self-propelled vertical mower or inter-changeable attachment is needed for overseeding purposes, especially on those golf courses with fairway thatch problems. Tree-Pruning Equipment This to include one or two chain saws, extendable pole saws, and regular pruning equipment. Shop Equipment To include bedknife and reel grinders, table saws, a steam cleaner, air com-pressors, a small hydraulic hoist, a welder, paint sprayers, drill press, and many other pieces of equipment vital to golf course operations. or main pumps, a hydropneumatic tank, a control valve, and a controller. The jockey and booster pumps can be verti-cal turbine or centrifugal pumps. The simplest explanation describing the two types of pumps would be: A vertical turbine pump sits below water level with the motor above water level. The bell-shaped pump is at the end of a standard six-foot column. It has multi-stage impellers creating pressure that forces the water up the pump column. With a centrifugal pump, both the pump and motor sit above water level and have a suction pipe with a foot valve and intake screen going into the water. The different components are situated on a steel base or concrete slab near a lake or pond. Each part contributes to the overall purpose of bringing a con-Irrigation Equipment Equipment needed for irrigation and pumping stations will vary according to the type of system in operation. If any tools are needed to operate the irrigation system, include them in this list. Miscellaneous Hand Equipment This area covers shovels, picks, cup cutters, rakes, and all other small items needed for regular golf course mainte-nance. Because of regional variations, this list may not include all the equipment your club might require, or it may exceed the necessities of your area, but it is suggested as a basic list of equip-ment required for maintaining a nine-hole or 18-hole golf course. If you wish to streamline your mainte-nance operation and derive maximum benefit from your maintenance staff, equip them with the necessary tools to provide the maintenance results expected by the membership. trolled water supply to the irrigation system. A jockey pump is a small pump, usually with a 10- to 25-horsepower motor, that maintains irrigation line pressure. It allows for minimum power use without the expense of a booster pump. The jockey pump is the first pump to come on. It begins the job of supplying water while maintaining pressure. When more water is needed, the booster pumps come on. What does a booster or main pump do? A booster pump is a pump with a 50-to 125-horsepower motor. Most pump stations generally have two, but it varies according to the demands of the golf course. Booster pumps force water from Answering the Most-Asked Questions About the Golf Course Pump Station 10 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORDthe pond into the hydropneumatic tank.They come on in stages. The moresprinkler heads that are on, the morepumps come on. Pressure and flowdetermine how many pumps operate;the greater the demand for water, thegreater the need for pumping capacity.What is the purpose of thehydropneumatic tank?The hydropneumatic tank, which isalso known as the surge tank, has twofunctions:1.When the pumps start, they try tosend a shock or surge of air into theirrigation system. The tank absorbs thisshock and the air that precedes theflow of water. The tank is filled with60 percent water and 40 percent air.There is an air-release valve on the tankthat regulates and monitors the air /water ratio.2. The pressure in the tank is used tostart the various pumps.Where does the air come from?The air seeps into the column pipethrough the stuffing boxes or reversedcheck valves when the vertical turbinepumps are not running.When the pumps are turned off, thewater seeks its own level. This allowsthe air to fill the space between thepump head check valves and the pondlevel. When the pumps start, the air istrapped in the column and forced intothe hydropneumatic tank.Ifthe tankdid not absorb the shock, the water(mass) following the free-flowing air(non-mass) would shatter the irrigationpipes. It is desirable to have the pipescompletely filled with water at all times.The irrigation lines should maintain aconstant pressure. When the pressuredrops, the pipes contract; with thepressure, they expand. This createswear and tear on the irrigation system.What is the control valve?The control valve regulates the waterfrom the hydropneumatic tank to theirrigation system. The standard controlvalve has a cast-iron body, and is pipedwith three different pilots. These threepilots serve to regulate the irrigationpressure, act as a safety for the irrigationpressure, and maintain tank pressure.The pressure-reducing pilot is affec-tionately known as the husband. Itmaintains a set pressure on the irrigationsystem.A surge-protection pilot is known asthe mother-in-law.Itoverrides thehusband if he fails to close at the setpressure. The key words here are over-ride the husband (standard procedurefor most mothers-in-law).The sustaining pilot, or the wife, isset to make sure there is always back-pressure against the pumps when theystart. This is to keep the pumps