Irrigation System Refurbishment

Since its installation in 1989 the course irrigation system has undergone a number of upgrades. These include replacing the main pumps with bigger more efficient ones as well as adding complete PC based software control, remote control and replacement of old style sprinklers with modern gear driven equipment. The sprinkler head replacement is ongoing and to date we have replaced fifty percent. We now have our reservoir up and running with the rain harvesting system working very well.

This now brings us to the weak parts of the link! Whilst we have an ample supply of water, new sprinklers, computer control and high tec pumps, our method of water distribution and control is inefficient. The existing pipe work is grey PVC, does not have very good mechanical strength and only has a life expectancy of 15 years. The upshot of this is that we suffer with leak after leak and other failures. The control of water onto the greens or tees is computerised and the instructions from the computer have to be delivered to the valves at the green or tee.

On the left is the new pipe alongside
the old PVC one.

 

 

 

 

Currently the wiring is of very poor quality with numerous breakdowns and water failing to be delivered where required. Tracing cable faults is a very time consuming task and sometimes it can take days to find. Because of the hilly nature of both courses and the distances involved, both courses have booster pumps to boost water flow and pressure to the highest parts of the courses (some 170 feet higher than the Clubhouse). Both of these booster pumps fail every year with mechanical breakdowns, electrical faults and failing to function as and when required. Added to this, the system works sequentially so that groups of sprinklers on both courses turn on for a period of time then the next group comes on. To obtain the right amount of water onto a particular area it has to be calculated how long that group of sprinklers need to be on for. The less water coming out, the longer the time taken to complete each area. At the far reaches of the course, some greens require twenty minutes of watering time and others nearer the Clubhouse need only three minutes. As each group has to finish before the next can commence, the system does not have enough time capacity to finish all areas in one night. With the greater flow and pressure of water the run time will be greatly decreased.

We propose to install on both courses a new pipe work network along with new electric cabling. Both cabling and pipe work will be installed at the same time with the use of a mole plough. In other words very little trenching is required and most of the pipe work will be off to one side of the courses.

The pipe work will be of a much larger size than at present and will be made of a much more durable material with a life of 50 years plus. Shown here is a joint for the new pipe work alongside a joint from the old pipe work. As can be seen it is considerably stronger. It will be installed in 100 metre lengths to keep joints to a minimum and will be connected to the existing valves at the greens and tees. The new, much higher standard, cabling will be laid with the pipes at the same time. Some of you may have seen the line across the 16th and 17th fairways when the reservoir was being installed. Under this slit lie the water main from the reservoir to the Club along with two power cables which were pulled under the ground in one day.

With regard to the booster pumps, these will be removed. Instead of having the water boosted half way round each course, two circuits of pipe work will be installed from the main pump house at the Club. A low circuit of pipe work (8 BAR) will supply the lower part of the courses and a second circuit of high pressure pipe work (12 BAR) will supply the top parts of the courses. This will keep all pumps and pump controls in one dedicated place rather than having two boosters in damp holes in the ground.

The work will take a couple of months to complete.