Golf Course Irrigation Design with Land F/X
April 18, 2025
Presented by: Cole Chaltas
Webinar Contents:
Note: The following catalog of content covered in this webinar is time stamped to allow you to follow along or skip to sections of the video that are relevant to your questions. You can also search for content on this page using the FIND command in your browser (CTRL + F in Windows, Command + F in Mac OS.)
- Intro/TOC
- Golf Course Irrigation Design Irrigation Resources
- Knowing Your Golf Irrigation Products and Applications
- Client's/Site Requirements
- Head Layout Styles
- Piping Styles
- Irrigation F/X Golf Related Tools
- Demonstration
0:00 – 5:26: Intro/TOC
5:27 – 6:20: Golf Course Irrigation Design Irrigation Resources
Golf Course Irrigation presents its own unique challenges. You need to understand basic irrigation design first!
Golf Course Irrigation Design Resources:
- Golf Irrigation Specific Classes from the Irrigation Association
- Online and in-person classes from manufacturers like Rain Bird and Hunter
- Other online resources and guides/classes
6:21 – 20:36: Knowing Your Golf Irrigation Products and Applications
Valve-in-head rotors (6:21):
- By far, the most popular and appropriate type of sprinkler for golf courses
- Valve-In-Head = Individual Head Control
- Runtimes are individually adjustable at the central controller
- Provides a large variety of radius options (approximately 30' to 90'+ depending on nozzle, inlet pressure, and sprinkler model)
- Even different spray trajectories on some models
Pipe (7:50):
- The two most prevalent pipe types used in golf course irrigation are HDPE and PVC
- HDPE pipe is fused by heating and pressing the pipe with specific fusion tools or fittings
- This makes for a hermetically sealed piping system
- While PVC is either glued or connected via pipe restraints or compression fittings
- PVC used to be the more popular option, but nowadays HDPE is generally cheaper due to its increased availability, and is more reliable/durable over time
Review: Making HDPE the Best it Can Be
Shut-off valves (isolation valves) (10:18):
- Because each head is operated individually, it is typical that all pipe in the system is under constant pressure
- This makes isolation via shut-off valves exceedingly important in a golf course system
- Adds the ability to isolate portions of pipe (laterals or mainline) so that the golf course staff can make repairs without shutting down the full system
- Many different styles of valves depending on pipe type/size so do your research
Quick-coupler valves (12:11):
- An important part of the golf course irrigation system
- Allows the maintenance staff to hand water dry areas/greens/tees, and connect other temporary equipment to the irrigation system
- Also serves as a blowout point for winterization in colder climates
- In general, golf course staff may potentially like to have multiple quick-couplers per golf hole
Central control computer/software (13:04):
- The brains of the golf course irrigation system
- Allows the golf course irrigation staff to create programs to automatically run all sprinklers/valves and pump station(s)
- Can automatically adjust sprinkler run times based on weather and other factors
- Can house a dynamic map of the irrigation system showing what is currently running and any potential issues with the system - As-builts are important to create this map
Controllers (14:48):
- A golf course irrigation system uses either traditional 24VAC controllers, or 2-wire communication
- 24VAC systems use field satellite controllers to power solenoids on each sprinkler/valve actuator
- 2-Wire systems use a signal from either the central controller or 2-wire field satellites to tell a sprinkler/valve decoder when to turn on or off
Pump stations (16:58):
- Generally speaking, a golf course irrigation system is not complete without a pump station
- A golf course irrigation system will have large pressure and flow demands, making a pump station a likely necessity
- Depending on the water source (i.e. a pond, city main connection, a well, etc.), there are different options:
- Vertical Turbine
- Horizontal Centrifugal
- Submersible
- Booster Pump
In-Depth Review: Pumps & Pump Stations
Auxiliary equipment (19:36):
- Golf course irrigation systems can use all sorts of additional auxiliary
- Weather Stations
- Soil Moisture Sensors
- In the field controls like iPads and/or radios
- Flow Sensors
- Controllers for lighting and greens fans
- Sub-Air Systems
20:36 – 29:19: Client's/Site Requirements
Site and client requirements (20:36):
- Golf course irrigation systems can use all sorts of additional auxiliary
- Weather Stations
- Soil Moisture Sensors
- In the field controls like iPads and/or radios
- Flow Sensors
- Controllers for lighting and greens fans
- Sub-Air Systems
Head Layout Styles (22:40)
Typical head layout styles (greens) (22:40):
- Single (full circles)
- Ins-and-outs (part circles)
Typical head layout styles (fairways/tees) (24:44):
- Single row
- Double row
- Triple row
Head layout (spacing) (26:20):
- Typical spacing may be 65' – 80'
- Head layout should never be 100% of sprinkler/nozzle radius. This leads to poor coverage/uniformity
- Typical head spacing may be something closer to 85 – 90% of nozzle radius
- Again, this truly needs to be determined based on the site and client's requirements
- Windy Site? Rocky or Sandy Soils? Southern Warmer or Northern Cooler Climate?
Piping Styles (28:07)
Lateral piping styles (28:07):
- Looped
- Herringbone
29:20 – 38:59: Irrigation F/X Golf Related Tools
Schematic Irrigation (29:20):
- You may need to lay out and size your mainline as part of a preliminary design
- Without placing all of the potential heads and laterals, you can accomplish this using our Schematic Irrigation tool
- Can also be utilized to help determine the water source requirements
Head/pipe layout tools (30:24):
- We have many helpful head Layout Tools that will help you quickly lay out your irrigation design such as: Copy Along, Array, XCOPY, XCORO, and Grid.
- Also, make sure to check out the piping Keyboard Shortcuts like Head Autosnap to speed up your piping tasks.
Flow zones (31:13):
- You will likely need to use our Flow Zone tool to properly size your piping
- This tool will allow you control the flow to each section, hole or area of a golf course
- Thus, allowing you to have a larger high-flow feeder mainline with smaller more limited lateral pipe
- This will allow the irrigation system to water as many heads at one time for any given area, and as many areas at once allowed by the overall mainline
Spot Elevations (32:47):
- If the golf course has elevation changes throughout the course, use our Spot Elevation tool
- This tool will allow the system to recognize the pressure losses from elevation changes throughout the course, and size the pipe accordingly
- Remember to place many spot elevations throughout the course, as the system will assign elevations according to the nearest spot elevation.
- The more spot elevations, the more accurate it will be
Schedules (34:14):
- Important schedules for golf course irrigation design include:
39:00 – end: Demonstration
Irrigation Manager and adding and configuring equipment (39:00)
Pipe Data (41:45)
Source Data (42:37)
Placing equipment (44:58)
Keyboard shortcuts for placing equipment (45:09)
Piping (47:01)
Highlight Station (48:36)
Valve callouts (48:44)
Editing equipment (52:11)
Flow Zones (52:37)
Verify Mainline (54:27)
Sizing the mainline (55:19)
Critical Analysis (57:14)
Valve Schedule (58:06)
Runtime Schedule (59:07)
Contact
- Land F/X
Our software tailors AutoCAD®, Revit®, SketchUp®, and Rhino® to the needs of landscape architects, irrigation designers, and other professionals. We automate your most tedious tasks and ensure accuracy, giving you more time to design.