Course Green and Tee Erosion

[1978]

When you create a course in the woods, you typically compact the ground 2-3 inches. This exposes roots and hardens the soil. Rain moves faster. Something I try to do but dont see on many courses is preventative maintenance for erosion. I figured a discussion thread where we could post erosion concerns and fixes would be helpful. It might create inspire someone to help their local course. It is as easy as tacking down a cedar, and as complex as building a retaining wall.

 

[harr0140]

I am writing a series of articles about Sustainability for the PDGA Weekly newsletter. I just submitted my 3rd one and compaction and erosion are major issues in all of my articles. I am calling for the "Tee Area" to be a used terms instead of just thinking about the tee alone. I think it is important to think of a bigger area than just the tee whether it be natural, mulch, gravel, rubber mat, or concrete. I am recommending that people create "Tee Areas" that are 5-10 times the size of the actual tee. These areas should be level (with only minor pitch to allow for surface drainage without causing erosion and they should be covered in gravel or mulch and retained (with logs, timbers, boulders, or whatever fits the location the best) so that the material does not wash away. The size is important because there will always be people standing around the tee . . . and covering the area in something that will not erode and will not get washed onto and over the teepad because it will keep the compaction and erosion from happening. I guess the argument could be made that if gravel is used it will still compact but the main reason compaction is an issue is because it leads to loss of turf (or groundcover) and eventually erosion. There is still a concern about the compaction affecting the trees immediately surrounding the tee . . . in which case mulch would be the better option but it is not sustainable because it will need constant top-dressing where gravel will stay in play and not need much further maintenance.

 

[nickharrington]

This is a great idea. There are a few holes at Lincoln Ridge in Independence KY that have some good processes in place, but thers could use some help. This is a very busy course at times. They have logs and railroad tie along the "flatter" hillside fairways, but there are 2 holes that are short straight downhill shots that are struggling with erosion and lost of grass.

 

[harr0140]

Nick . . . I played Lincoln Ridge a couple years ago and that course is like so many around the country. It sees a lot of play and erosion will only continue to get worse. I highly recommend proposing this type of improvement to whoever is in charge of that course. Not only does it stop erosion . . . it makes the course look more attractive. We want people walking through the parks to see that we do care about the courses and we want them to be safe and have less environmental impact. This is a good first step in my opinion to improving the image of our courses and our sport.

 

[DikkaD]

Some places I play have extreme erosion throughout the fairways, as well as near the teeboxes. Are there any ideas for preventing this? Maybe a trail through the course to force people to walk there instead of randomly through the fairway.

 

[Violets caddy]

Our course sits in a park made of mostly sand dunes. Many of our concrete tee pads sit on top of sand so erosion from foot traffic/follow through is always an issue. For the areas surrounding the pads and especially the area in front of it where people follow through is gravel still the best option?
The bis issue is that the sand is so soft so anything you place on top just gets pushed under or thrown several feet every time someone lands full force.

Anyone have experience working with these conditions? Any suggestions would be appreciated

 

[New013]

One thing that I think that gets overlooked are ground cover plants and vines many deem invasive yet however do a great job of preventing erosion. Now certainly adding these types of plants right in common footpaths won't work but I've seen courses where even off the beaten path there were huge erosion problems and I think planting something to help hold the soil together is one of the chepaest and easiest solutions of all. The one drawback is discs landing in these types of areas may be hard to find. It's a trade off.

 

[hawk12]

We heavily mulch around the tee pad, not just the fairways and paths between holes. THis hlpes repvent soil compaction, and slows erorsion greatly. Mulching back off the pad, past the nenches we have installed, and up the path to the previous hole really make a difference.
I don't see it practical to have a flat area 5-10 times the size of a tee pad in any wooded course, but giving a cleared out area, with a bench well off the back of the tee pads works quite nicely.
I've also transplanted clumps of field grass (from the field holes) around the tee pads that get a little sun light and can support some grass to prevent erosion.

 

[BrotherDave]

Great thread topic.

Johnson St. in High Point in NC is so popular that it is really badly eroded. I actually think they need to close that park for a few months just to put down mulch, plant grass and reinforce hills but honestly I don't know how much that would really take effect without another course in the area to take a good deal of traffic off of it.

It seems like erosion is a massive afterthought to anybody putting in courses around here.

 

[1978]

I had pictures to upload but I can't at work or on my phone!

 

[DiscChainBasket18]

I had pictures to upload but I can't at work or on my phone!

Hmmmm. Curious I am! LOL opcorn:

 

[Royal Hill]

Some places I play have extreme erosion throughout the fairways, as well as near the teeboxes. Are there any ideas for preventing this? Maybe a trail through the course to force people to walk there instead of randomly through the fairway.

Creating a trail will not force people to walk it. (as much as we'd like sometimes to have that easy answer)

People will walk the path of least resistence (or perceived path of least resistence) to wherever they want to go. For our sport, that means they will mentally work out in a fraction of a second that easiest, but not necessarily the shortest path from start point to disc location. Repeat many times over. That may include a common walkpath for many for most of that distance IF it is convenient, but then at some point they will of course stray to "cut to" the disc.

This will not be a 90 degree turn from the center fairway path if there was one, it is rather where it suddenly makes more sense to break off at an approach angle.

You multiply that out by all the throw and land possibilities and you see how disc golf foot traffic is not linear. We are not a line sport like hiking, biking. Other than a few discrete line elements, any attempt to turn dg into a line definied sport is futile. It's a patterned randomness. (general patterns of use develop and can be read, observed, and discerned after the fact, or anticipated by a well seasoned course designer, but not predictive for any one single user pass)

However, you could use that human nature in directing flow to your end advantage, much like you would do with water flow. Water flows downhill. People take the easiest path. You can divert, corral, obstruct, or curtail boots on the ground by the placement of obstacles if it aids in achieving some end such as mitigating erosion effects. Or entice it one way or another by creating a way that looks easy.

In wooded areas this could be the dragging in of a three man log, or a rockpile. A well placed mound of dirt could significantly steer most walkers. Mulching a walkpath "suggests" to the viewer that this is the easiest path, even if it is not. In the field, it could be a ditch, well placed hedgerow, etc, etc. Sometimes the simplest of measures can have a big effect.

So I can see erosion/compaction mitigation being approached in many ways, some by planning/design/redesign, some by maintenance or repair, some by diversion or obstruction to behavior we don't want, and some by enticements to patterns we do want.

 

[tom12003]

As far as near tee pads, we planted "monkey grass" about 2-3 feet from the concrete pad for those tees that actually see sunlight. Advantage is a stable plant that needs no maintenance that adds to soil stability near the tee; another advantage is the tee is clearly visible even if in an open field.

 

[Royal Hill]

I like the monkey grass on a couple levels.

It looks hearty enough to do the job, and to my esthetic sense much better than a construction project solution.

I wonder if the Steve Brinsters of the world (right side run up) hate it... but again it looks hearty!

but back to my esthetic sense, it's telling me things look unbalanced! ha. (I get it, its on the slope side) I would think a both sided treatment could look rightly smart on the first tee to set a classy tone.

 

[Jukeshoe]

What can people tell me about French drains?

I've seen them on a couple of courses, and they don't look too terribly difficult to install.

Pros, cons, other thoughts and/or suggestions?

TIA!

 

[harr0140]

French drains are a simple way to install a trench perpendicular to the flow of water. It will collect in the drain; sometimes a plastic perforated draintile goes in the bottom of the trench with gravel going to the surface and sometimes it is simply filled with gravel to the top. I am in the process of asking the parks department if I can put one in on my local course . . .

 

[agentdozzer]

Earlier this year I started trying to slow down the erosion on hole 6 at Banklick now this thread pops up and I feel I have unfinished business. The small amount of work A buddy and I did had a impact if I ever had time that hole really needs some TLC.

 

[Jukeshoe]

French drains are a simple way to install a trench perpendicular to the flow of water. It will collect in the drain; sometimes a plastic perforated draintile goes in the bottom of the trench with gravel going to the surface and sometimes it is simply filled with gravel to the top. I am in the process of asking the parks department if I can put one in on my local course . . .

Thanks, Mike!

Does the drain need to be sloped in one direction to facilitate water flow, or does the pressure from in-coming water get the job done? I'm guessing the trench needs to be fairly level at the very least.

Also, is water supposed to only flow out one end? Or both?

Thank you!

 

[nickharrington]

Earlier this year I started trying to slow down the erosion on hole 6 at Banklick now this thread pops up and I feel I have unfinished business. The small amount of work A buddy and I did had a impact if I ever had time that hole really needs some TLC.

Are you talking about the hill just past the bridge? That one along with hole 7 and 14 worry me. It's a beautiful course and would spend most of my free time working there if I had the $$ and supplies! The county does an awesome job, but Dan Bayless sounded slightly offended when I asked about a work day to fix some issues.

 

[tom12003]

I like the monkey grass on a couple levels.

It looks hearty enough to do the job, and to my esthetic sense much better than a construction project solution.

I wonder if the Steve Brinsters of the world (right side run up) hate it... but again it looks hearty!

but back to my esthetic sense, it's telling me things look unbalanced! ha. (I get it, its on the slope side) I would think a both sided treatment could look rightly smart on the first tee to set a classy tone.

We normally put about a 4 ft strip of the grass (to avoid run-up issues) on BOTH sides. The pic I posted was the only convenient one I had.