Guidelines for Choosing an Irrigation System

Superintendents offer a number of tips to follow when selecting a new irrigation system.

by Betsy Gilliland (editor@clubandresortbusiness.com)
July 2008
 

• Do your research, and conduct your own field tests.
• Talk to other superintendents. Visit their courses and see how their irrigation systems operate.
• Choose an irrigation system that is user-friendly. The superintendent should not be the only person who knows how to use it.
• Select a system from a vendor that knows the product and offers reliable service.
• Determine the brand you want to use, and consult a designer for details such as the proper spacing of irrigation heads.
• Consult a manufacturer for technical expertise.
• Pay close attention to the control package that accompanies the system.
• Check your irrigation system annually to see how to make it better—even if you don’t upgrade every year.
• Replace your irrigation system when you start spending too much time repairing it and when you no longer get the results you need.
• BE AWARE It could take at least a year to fine-tune a new irrigation system.