Coolseasonspeciessuchascreepingbentgrass
andannualbluegrassshouldnotbegroomedduring
hightemperature(andhighhumidity)periodsin
midsummer.
Itisdifculttomakepreciserecommendationsonuse
ofgroomingreelsbecausesomanyvariablesaffect
theperformanceofgrooming,including:
•Thetimeoftheyear(i.e.,thegrowingseason)and
weatherpattern
•Thegeneralconditionofeachgreen
•Thefrequencyofgrooming/cutting—bothhow
manycuttingsperweekandhowmanypasses
percutting
•Theheight-of-cutsettingonthemainreel
•Theheight/depthsettingonthegroomingreel
•Howlongthegroomingreelhasbeeninuseon
thisgreen
•Thetypeofgrassonthegreen
•Theoverallgreensmanagementprogram(i.e.
irrigation,fertilizing,spraying,coring,overseeding,
etc.)
•Trafc
•Stressperiods(i.e.,hightemperatures,high
humidity,unusuallyhightrafc)
Thesefactorscanvaryfromgolfcoursetogolfcourse
andfromgreentogreen.Inspectthegreensfrequently
andvarythegroomingpracticeinaccordancewith
theneed.
Thegroomerissetatthefactorywith13mm(1/2
inch)bladespacing.Byremovingspacersandadding
bladesoraddingspacersandremovingbladesthe
groomercanbechangedto6mm(1/4inch)or19mm
(3/4inch)spacing.
Groomingwith6mm(1/4inch)bladespacingis
recommendedforfastgrowthperiods(springthrough
earlysummer).Groomingwith19mm(3/4inch)blade
spacingisrecommendedforslowergrowthperiods
(latesummerthroughfallandwinter).Donotusethe
groomingreelduringhighstressperiods.
Note:Groomingwith6mm(1/4inch)bladespacing
removesmoregrassbladesandthatchandcutsmore
runnersthangroomingwith13mm(1/2inch)or19
mm(3/4inch)bladespacing.Ifgroomingwith6mm
(1/4inch)bladespacing,oneortwogroomingsper
weekshouldbesufcientexceptduringmaximum
growthperiods.
Note:Thepracticeofchangingthedirectionofcut
eachtimethegreeniscutshouldbecontinuedwhen
agroomerisused.Thisrotationwillenhancethe
effectsofthegrooming.
TestingtheGroomer
Performance
Important:Improperorover-aggressiveuseof
thegroomingreel(i.e.,toodeeportoofrequent
grooming)maycauseunnecessarystressonthe
turf,leadingtoseveregreensdamage.Usethe
groomercautiously.
Itisimportanttodeterminetheperformanceofthe
groomerbeforeputtingitintoregularuseongreens.
Westronglysuggeststhataformaltestprocedurebe
used.Thefollowingisapracticalwayofdetermining
theproperheight/depthsetting:
1.Placethecuttingunitonaatlevelsurface.
2.Setthecuttingreeltotheheightofcutthatwould
normallybeusedwithoutthegroomingreel.Use
aWiehlerollerandscraperforthefrontroller.
3.Setthegroomingreel1/2theheight-of-cut
settingabovetheground(e.g.for3.2mm(1/8
inch)height-of-cutsetting,setthegroomerat
1.6mm(1/16inch)abovetheground).
Note:Ifusingthegroomerbrush,setitatthe
height-of-cutsettingabovetheground(e.g.for
3.2mm(1/8inch)height-of-cutsetting,setthe
groomerat3.2mm(1/8inch)abovetheground).
4.Makeapassoverthetestgreen,thenlowerthe
groomerushwiththegroundlevelandmake
anotherpassoverthetestgreen.
Note:Ifusingthegroomerbrush,loweritto1/2
theheight-of-cutsettingabovetherollerlevel
(e.g.for3.2mm(1/8inch)height-of-cutsetting,
setthegroomerat1.6mm(1/16inch)abovethe
ground).
5.Comparetheresults.Therstgroomedarea
whenthesettingwas1/2theheight-of-cut
settingabovetherollerlevelwillhaveremoved
signicantlylessgrassandthatchthanthe
secondsetting.
Checkthetestgreen2or3daysaftertherst
groomingforgeneralcondition/damage.Ifthe
groomedareasareturningyellow/brown,and
thenon-groomedareasaregreen,thenthe
groomingwastooaggressive.
Note:Thecolorofthegrasswillchange
whenyouusethegroomingreel.Youcan
observethiswiththerstgroominganditwill
continueovertime.Experiencewillallowthe
greenssuperintendenttojudgebythecolorof
theturf(alongwithcloseexamination)ifthe
currentgroomingpracticeisappropriateforthe
particulargreen.Becausethegroomingreel
standsupmoregrassandremovesthatch,the
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