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Is propane the answer for the golf industry?

By |  November 24, 2014 0 Comments

As our industry gets more and more regulated each year it will continue to be important for golf course managers to look at new and creative ways to manage their facilities. Superintendents are constantly fine-tuning their maintenance practices and using techniques today that may have not been in the mainstream a few years ago.

Some golf courses are reducing the amount of turfgrass that has to be maintained at a high level, others are regularly using plant growth regulators to manage how much the turf grows, therefore reducing mowing and the many costs that go with it.

Another new strategy that is making some headway is the use of propane-powered equipment. One of the golf courses I manage in Tucson, Ariz., has been using experimental propane mowers provided by R&R Products for quite some time. It is my understanding that R&R is now partnering with the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC) to expand this experimental program to eight highly visible golf course operations in the United States over the next 12 months (“Golf piques PERC’s interest,” page 8, August 2014 issue).

Although it’s still relatively early in the overall process of superintendents regularly using propane powered equipment, I personally think the idea has merit.

From our limited experience using this equipment in Tucson, we have found that there are pros and cons related to the use of propane-powered equipment.

Obviously, propane provides a cleaner fuel source compared to gasoline and diesel fuel sources, therefore reducing emissions. Also, the operators have fewer worries about leaks and spills on highly sensitive green surfaces.

I can’t speak on fuel savings just yet, but PERC indicates that the savings will be there — what those savings are will be an important factor moving forward.

Comparing our propane units with the three major equipment manufacturers in terms of design, the propane mowers are somewhat cumbersome and not as sleek. There is some design work that still needs to be done, in my view. The units R&R is using in this latest partnership with PERC may be different than the ones we have been using, but there are occasional issues with pressure spikes and the fuel-sending units freezing up.

There is also some different staff training that goes along with using propane, but for the most part it is minor. For example, the operators must shut the fuel systems down or bleed-off of the propane may occur.

One issue that you normally wouldn’t think about is the odor of the propane — it has made some of our operators nauseous.

Another very important factor that needs consideration is that our society is getting more and more aware of the environmental impact of everything we do on our golf courses. The use of propane definitely sends a positive message that the golf industry is once again taking a proactive approach in being good environmental stewards.

With all this being said, those of us who manage and maintain golf courses must use the appropriate equipment on our facilities that will continue to provide the highest possible conditions that our members, golfers and owners have come to expect. In some cases it makes no difference what the fuel source is: gasoline, diesel, electric or propane. All that matters is exceeding expectations.

I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that all three of the major manufacturers of golf course maintenance equipment have made great strides in designing equipment that uses more traditional fuel sources that are more environmentally sound with fewer emissions.

It will be interesting to see the results of the PERC partnership with R&R products and see if this fuel source truly is applicable to the golf industry. Only time will tell.

This is posted in Columns, Maintenance

About the Author: Mark Woodward

Mark Woodward is president of Mark Woodward and Associates, principal of DaMarCo Golf, CEO of MasterStep Golf Group and a contributing editor for Golfdom.


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