Compaction, Crumb Rubber and the Environment

Throughout the season, certain areas surrounding MCC's greens see constant traffic (walk-on walk-off areas).  Whether it be from golfer and caddie, crew and equipment or simply just carts that were not driven and parked on the cart path, the high traffic areas around the greens see a substantial decline in turf health and density as the season progresses. 

What can we do? Encircle the green with traffic stakes and rope? Re-sod every 2 weeks?  There are feasible solutions.  The root of the problem on these areas is compaction.  The soil losses all its structure and combined with summer heat, makes a poor environment for anything to grow in, even for species as tough as turfgrasses.  To alleviate the effects of compaction, the crew will, on occasion aerify these areas.  However, there is a recovery time involved with aerifying and weather conditions have to be taken into account as well.

The solution, or so we hope, comes in the form topdressing.  Michigan State University performed a study in 2008-09 that compared the effects of topdressing with various materials in regards to traffic.  The materials included variations of topdressing sand and crumb rubber.  Crumb rubber was not applied as heavily as sand but yielded the turf with the least amount of density loss.  Admittedly, crumb rubber is more expensive than sand but the area's we intend to utilize it on are not large. 

Not only does crumb rubber perform the best, it is produced from reused material.  Automotive and truck tires are taken from landfills and junkyards and during the recycling process steel and fluff are removed, leaving just tire rubber with a specific granular consistency.  Sound environmental practices like these are a necessity that the golfing industry will have to embrace in the very near future.  What better time to start than now? 



Crumb Rubber Topdressing



Sand Topdressing