Golf is a sport rich in tradition and history. However, several terms, rules and regulations make this sport a little bit tough. On top of this, an unmanaged golf course makes it difficult for players to play the game with their full efficiency. That is why maintaining a golf course and its turf is highly important.

However, maintaining 30 hectares of land is not easy. Golf course maintenance poses several challenges to golf superintendents. For instance, soil conditions can vary with environmental conditions. And unfavorable growing conditions, movement of golf course equipment, and foot traffic can make the soil compact, lead to thatch accumulation, and deteriorate the turf condition over time. Therefore, it is difficult for the superintendents to maintain their golf courses.

In order to provide the players a great gaming experience, it is crucial to relieve soil compaction, reduce the accumulation of thatch and enhance water and air exchange. So, the best cultural practices to make the turf and soil ideal for golf are mowing, verticutting, and rolling. In this guide, we will discuss everything you need to know about mowing.

What is mowing?

Mowing is a process of removing unwanted grass and weeds from the soil using machines, such as Toro golf course mowers. It can offer you a desirable playing surface. It can affect turf texture, color, density, root development, and wear tolerance. Unable to mow the field properly can result in poor quality and weak turf.

Undoubtedly, frequent mowing can aid in improving shoot density. However, over-mowing and improper mowing can result in lower root and rhizome growth. As a result, the turf becomes weaker, making it more vulnerable to drought and insects and difficult to survive in adverse environmental conditions. That is why it is crucial to mow the turf at the correct height and period intervals. 

When you mow the turf at the correct height, the turfgrass doesn’t undergo a stress period due to immediate loss of top growth and can recover more quickly. On the other hand, not mowing the turf/grass periodically leads to elevated crowns, hence scalping and depleting the food reserves in addition.

So, what should be the effective height of the cut (HOC)?

Before we find out what is the right height of cut (HOC), it is vital to know what is HOC and bench set HOC.

  • Height of cut (HOC): The height of the top growth of turf immediately after the grass has been cut is known as the height of cut. While a closer HOC looks more pleasing, it can make the turf prone to pests and other stresses. 
  • Bench set HOC: The bench set HOC is the height of cut that determines how much turf needs to be mowed. It is often measured before cutting the turf. It can be adjusted and varied with the turf species and density.

When a mower is operated on soft ground and a thick, spongy thatch layer, the mower cuts lower than the bench HOC and results in undesirable scalping. That is why it is recommended to determine the effective HOC. 

The best way to determine the best HOC needs to maintain a balance between the stress response and mowing needs, depending on the players’ expectations, mowing frequency, weather conditions, and availability of mowing equipment. 

The thumb rule to mow the turf at the right height is that don’t cut the turf more than one-third of top growth at any one time. On average, an effective fairway HOC and green HOC is between 1.3-1.9 mm and 0.9-1.2 mm lower than the measure bench set HOC, respectively, depending on the turf species.

What is the ideal mowing frequency?

The ideal mowing frequency will depend on the growth rate of the grass, which is influenced by mowing heigh, amount and source of nitrogen, weather, and temperature. Higher the amount of nitrogen, the higher the growth rate and the higher the mowing frequency.

The Bottom Line

Now that you know everything about mowing, we hope that this will help you achieve the desired golf course range. Apart from the mowing height and frequency, you need to pay attention to the mowing pattern. If you mow in the same direction, it can lead to scalping and soil compaction. So, make sure you don’t mow in the same direction for a prolonged time period. Also, remember that you invest in mowing equipment from reputed brands, like Toro golf course equipment or John Deere golf course mowers.