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Alternative to blowing debris off greens

9 posts
  1. Kathy Hauff
    Kathy Hauff avatar
    4 posts
    11/10/2022 3:11 PM
    We have a 7:00 am noise ordinance and my 1st green is right across the street from a huge apartment complex.  Does anyone have an alternative to backpack or turbine blowing for cleaning debris from greens?  I don't think electric blowers would satisfy them either.



  2. Corey Eastwood
    Corey Eastwood avatar
    80 posts
    11/11/2022 10:11 AM in reply to Kathy Hauff
    Hose

    Corey Eastwood CGCS, Stockton Golf & CC, Retired

  3. James Smith
    James Smith avatar
    112 posts
    11/14/2022 6:11 AM
    For clippings we have used dew Whips. Leaves is another issue. I would invest into a battery powered backpack and try it just to see. it shows you are trying and you can switch out after the time passes.



  4. Kathy Hauff
    Kathy Hauff avatar
    4 posts
    11/14/2022 6:11 AM
    Has anybody used the “green sweep” from Australia on your greens? It’s meant for artificial turf, but it looks like it can be used on tennis greens as well.



  5. Chris Nicholas
    Chris Nicholas avatar
    5 posts
    12/6/2022 9:12 AM
    Have you tried blowing with a backpack at idle or just slightly above? We've got a weekday 7:00, Saturday 8:00 and Sunday 10:00 noise ordinance. Luckily for us it's only early shotguns that cause an issue but occasionally we will blow a couple greens off at idle and never had a complaint. It takes a bit longer but it works and is in my opinion quieter than any of the electric blowers I've heard. This is with a Stihl BR800.



  6. Kenneth Ingram
    Kenneth Ingram avatar
    18 posts
    12/12/2022 10:12 AM in reply to Kathy Hauff
    Google "lawn sweepers". Parker Sweepers were pretty common 20 years ago. They used to sweep the Super Bowl field at halftime. Great advertising. I understand Parker went out of business a few years ago but there are some others out there. Pretty cheap push models. Kind of a reel of brushes which throws debris into a hopper. I used to have a putting green under towering oaks and would leave our sweeper up there for acorns. Members enjoyed pushing the thing around. Someone commented above about using backpacks at idle. That works well. Kenneth Ingram, UMD.



  7. Kathy Hauff
    Kathy Hauff avatar
    4 posts
    12/12/2022 10:12 AM in reply to Kenneth Ingram
    Thanks for the suggestion.  I actually thought about using a lawn sweeper but I didn't know how low they would go, since it is green height and not lawn height.  I might just try one and see how it goes.  We could always use it for a lawn that has sweet gum trees on it.



  8. Christopher Thuer
    Christopher Thuer avatar
    101 posts
    12/19/2022 8:12 AM
    We are not included in a noise ordinance area but some in a couple of towns nearby are.  I have had conversations with them about this.  One has had to go to court several times over this issue as my dad's neighbor, dad used to live on the course with #2 approach directly behind his house, was a "Ken" who would call the police on the grounds crew, and even the trash truck.  "Ken" even threatened my dad with calling the police for trespass for my dad stepping across the property line when mowing his lawn.  "Ken" was not a golfer and the course was there before the city passed the noise ordinance.

    One super has said they altered their mowing order to start away from the houses, then get to #1 and #2 about 7.  Another has said that they did a noise study and their decibel level was below the violation limit at the property line even though the course equipment could be easily heard.  Another said their atty found a loophole in the ordinance that has the course exempt from the noise ordinance, some kind of an agricultural use exception or something like that.

    Chris Thuer, CGCS, Bear Slide Golf Club, Cicero, IN

  9. John Alexander_2
    John Alexander_2 avatar
    1 posts
    1/17/2023 3:01 PM in reply to Kathy Hauff
    A hose with a high pressure nozzle.
    The right operator can clean a green cleaner than with a blower without putting much water on the putting surface.



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