Aesthetics are a crucial component of golf course maintenance. However, some properties are foregoing striping the fairways in favor of in a “Zamboni,” “tuxedo” or “Old English” cut that mows half the turf in one direction and the other half in the opposite direction, to save time and costs.
At Kennsington Golf Club in Canfield, Ohio, the crew started cutting back its fairway striping (above) last summer in favor of an Old English cut that leaves half the turf light and the other half dark (see photo below). “If you need to skip a day [of mowing], no one can even tell,” says Superintendent Sean Novotny.
Alex Hultz, Golf Course Superintendent at Lake Valley Golf & Country Club in Camdenton, Mo., says his staff stripes the tees and fairways twice a week, but not the rough. Although they use the technique primarily for aesthetic reasons, he adds, the pattern also can benefit golfers.
“If you’ve got a straight stripe, you can shoot it straight down the fairway,” Hultz explains.
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