Rough Mowing

As in past years, the question I get asked the most around this time is "When are you going to cut the rough?"  In case you're wondering, we maintain 110 acres of primary rough and 70 acres of outer rough (tall grass areas).  The primary rough is what surrounds greens, tees, and fairways, and is mowed at 2.25 inches.  As mentioned in last week's post, 5 mowers are out every day cutting primary rough, and with good weather and normal growth it requires 4 full days to get thru the property one time.  I mentioned good weather, which consists of sunny, dry days and lower humidity so the turf isn't so lush.  Normal growth refers to one inch of new leaf tissue over a week's time.  For the most part, this year has seen the exact opposite.  Rain every day or two, limited sunshine, and high humidity, which has resulted in lush, dense turf that will grow 2 inches or more in one week.  Mowing this tall, dense turf requires more power for the blades so the mower can't travel as fast to achieve a uniform cut.  Going slower requires close to 6 days to mow all the primary rough one time, so don't be surprised if you see mowers out on the weekends.  Normally, this springtime growth flush will subside by Memorial Day, but I'm not sure what to expect this year.

We have 2 of these articulating trim mowers that are ideal for hilly terrain around greens, tees, and bunkers.  They cut 82 inches wide and cost $30,000 each.

We have 3 of these big units that maintain the large, open areas.  They cut 108 inches wide and cost $80,000 each.