these Open Championship Clubs choose to relief grind - Pitchcare

Technical
Choosing the right sand can
be a huge decision. Graeme
King, Managing Director of
leading sports sands supplier
Hugh King & Co, reveals
some of the key factors to
consider.
Sand can play a defining role
in the creation of high
performance sports turf. It
can encourage fine grasses,
which are generally more
desirable. It can improve
shoot density, which enhances
the quality of the sward, and
it can dilute organic content
in the surface layer, helping
to firm up the green.
Applying the right sand can mean
the difference between building
up a surface resembling a
patchwork of colours and
textures, and one that is
consistently firm and smooth. It can
mean pitches, greens and bunkers drain
in wet weather rather than becoming
clogged and choked. Choosing the right
sand can be one of the most important
decisions you make.
The first step to choosing the right
sand is to identify the composition of the
existing, indigenous sand. This will
provide the basis on which your sand
selection will be made. To properly
identify the characteristics of this sand, a
sample needs to be analysed and the
different particle sizes contained within
the sample categorised. This is achieved
by passing the sand through a series of
sieves.
Quality suppliers will have their own
laboratory facilitie. This resource means
they can test their products for
consistency and composition, and help
clients to identify the features of their
own sand.
Understandably, very few sporting
venues have their own on-site
laboratories and many will call on the
services of a reputable soil testing
establishment for quality and
performance testing. The in-depth data
and analysis that is provided confirms
different performance characteristics
and can underpin ongoing and future
maintenance programmes.
For sand, this information manifests
itself in three forms, with the most
important being particle size
distribution. This essentially shows the
range of particle sizes (in percentages)
found within a given sample and,
therefore, determines the sand’s
classification - coarse, medium or fine.
This data is key, because the amount of
particles in relation to the size of the
SAND - making the
right DECISION