Operator's Manual

Figure20
1.Brush
3.Retainingnut(2)
2.Strap4.Strapbuckle
5.Trimoffthestraptoapproximately6.4mm(1/4inch)
fromthebuckle,andfoldtheexcessstrapoverthe
buckle(Figure20)
Operation
Groomingisperformedintheturfcanopyabovethesoil
level.Groomingpromotesverticalgrowthofgrassplants,
reducesgrainandseversstolonsproducingadenserturf.
Groomingproducesamoreuniformandtighterplaying
surfaceforfasterandtrueractionofthegolfball.
Verticuttingisamoreaggressivecultivationtechnique
designedtoremovethatchbycuttingthroughtheturfcanopy
andintothethatch/matlayer.Groomingshouldnotbe
consideredareplacementforverticutting.Verticuttingis
generallyamorerigorousandperiodictreatmentthatcan
temporarilydamagetheplayingsurface,whilegroomingisa
routineandgentlertreatmentdesignedtomanicuretheturf.
Figure21
1.Grassrunners(stolons)
2.Thatch
Groomingbrushesareamorerecentdevelopmentwhich
aredesignedtobelessintrusivethanconventionalgrooming
bladeswhenadjustedtolightlycontacttheturfcanopy.
Brushingmaybemorebenecialfortheultra-dwarfcultivars,
sincethesegrasstypeshavemoreofauprightgrowthpattern
anddonotllinthatwellthroughhorizontalgrowth.
Brushes,however,caninjureleaftissueiftheyaresetto
penetratetoodeeplyintothecanopy.
Groomingissimilartoverticuttinginitsrunnercutting
action.Groomingbladeshowever,shouldneverpenetrate
thesoillikeverticuttingordethatching.Groomerblades
arespacedclosertogetherandareusedmoreoftenthan
verticutterssothattheyaremoreeffectiveincuttingrunners
andremovingthatch.
Becausegroominginjuresleaftissuetosomedegree,itshould
beavoidedduringperiodsofhighstress.Coolseasonspecies
suchascreepingbentgrassandannualbluegrassshouldnot
begroomedduringhightemperature(andhighhumidity)
periodsinmidsummer.
Itisdifculttomakespecicrecommendationsonthe
useofgroomingreelsbecausesomanyvariablesaffectthe
performanceofgrooming,including:
•Thetimeoftheyear(thegrowingseason)andweather
pattern
•Thegeneralconditionofeachfairway
•Thefrequencyofgrooming/cutting—bothhowmany
cuttingsperweekandhowmanypassespercutting
•Theheight-of-cutsettingonthemainreel
•Theheight/depthsettingonthegroomingreel
•Howlongthegroomingreelhasbeeninuse
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