Where Does That Go?

Hello and welcome to The Greenkeeper!  Today is Thursday, November 10th and I want to share something with everyone that came from a conversation yesterday afternoon. A foursome was playing the 14th hole just as I was inspecting the renovation work in the back greenside bunker. The internal drainage had been exposed, which piqued their curiosity.

Firstly, all 81 bunkers and all putting greens on property have an internal network of drain pipe and gravel installed during the 2008 restoration. Our contract on this bunker renovation calls for the removal of all drain pipe and gravel, pipe is then inspected, cleaned, and reinstalled with new gravel. 

Their question was where does the water go because they could not see the pipe exiting the bunker. I explained how the outfall from the back bunker is tied into the drainage of the front bunker, then is piped underground across the fairway, and eventually makes its way underground to the stream channel in front of 17 tee. I could tell from their reaction that was slightly mind blowing so I thought it would be a good idea to take a few photos from our existing Drainage As-Built and share with you the detail.

Photo A

Photo B

Photo A above depicts 14 green with its three greenside bunkers. The first red arrow depicts the pipe connecting the back bunker to the front bunker as mentioned above. The second and third red arrows highlights the pipe making its way across the fairway and rough towards a drainage basin behind the 4th green. You will also notice pipes coming from 14 green and the left greenside bunker appear. Photo B then shows the pipe connections as the network traverses behind the back of the 4th green.

Photo C

Photo D

The red arrows in Photo C pick up the pipe as it makes its way parallel to the golf car path between Holes 4 and 17. Photo D highlights the pipe as it finally terminates in the stream channel fronting the teeing areas for Hole 17. That's right, excess water on Hole 14 travels through an underground network of pipes across three holes to reach one of our three ponds on the golf course. 

As you examined each photo hopefully you noticed how the internal drainage for the 4th green and other bunkers eventually connect to this same "highway" carrying water away from the playing surfaces to our retention ponds. 

Another great benefit to the Capillary Bunker system we are installing is how it expands the drainage capacity. Before, water had to pass through the sand then enter into the pipes. Now the entire bunker floor acts like a drain as the two-inch layer of capillary concrete carries water away making the entire floor space of the bunker part of the drainage system. 

View from behind 17 Right Greenside 

The photo above shows the view of the capillary concrete going in the right, greenside bunker on Hole 17 yesterday with the internal drainage network visible in the background. Now the entire bunker floor is part of the drainage network. 

So, there you have it. Just a little something in case you ever wondered. Feel free to reach out or ask any questions you may have. In the meantime be cautious as the remnants of Nicole make their way to the Queen City. We are expecting several inches rain between tonight and tomorrow along with some gusty winds, so please be weather aware.

See you on the course,

Matthew Wharton, CGCS, MG