Best Management Practices for Maryland Golf Courses

Mowing Patterns

Whenever possible, the direction of cut with mowing equipment should be altered to prevent excessive lateral growth (“legginess”) and to maintain the desired HOC. On greens, the direction should be changed every time it is mowed. On most features that are mowed, particularly on fairway-height or lower HOCs, a “clean-up” pass is made around the edge. The frequency with which this area is mowed can often be reduced to alleviate stress, especially in the summer. It may also be necessary to raise the HOC of the clean-up pass at times due to turf loss, thinning, scalping, or other issues negatively impacting the turf.

Best Management Practices

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Vary mowing patterns.

• On greens, change mowing direction every time. • Reduce clean-up passes at times of stress.

Figure 23. Mowing directions should be altered whenever possible to prevent excessive lateral growth and maintain HOC. Photo credit: Chris Harriman.

Mowing Equipment

Several types of mowers are available. Reel mowers are preferred for turf with low HOC (<1.5 inches) because they produce the best quality cut when compared with other types of mowers . Rotary mowers, when the blades are sharp and properly adjusted, deliver acceptable cutting quality for turf that will be cut above 1 inch in height. Flail mowers are most often used to

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