Posted on by

Triplex Greensmower Operation

Recently, Mr. Pat Sneed developed a great lab session for the golf course operations class titled “Employee training”.  Students were assigned in groups of two and given time to develop a stepwise procedure for pre-operation inspection, equipment operation, and post operation care of an assigned piece of equipment.  After a given amount of time, each team presented a mock training session for the operation of the equipment with one acting as the trainer and the other as the trainee.

The following pieces of equipment were used in this exercise: walking greensmower, triplex greensmower, cup cutter, greens roller, and greens aerifier.  The piece of equipment detailed in this blog post is a triplex greensmower.  Stay tuned for future blog posts as other pieces of equipment will be highlighted.

Blog

 

Prepared by Jimmy McPherson and Doug Martin

Pre-departure

  1. Check fuel and oil levels
  2. Check tire pressure
  3. Briefly inspect the mower for any possible leaks
  4. Be sure to understand the direction of cut for the day
  5. Clarify what hole to start mowing based on the expected golf outing
  6. Determine whether greens should be mowed once, double cut, or just rolled

When transporting

  1. Avoid hitting the reels on cart paths, bumps, tree roots, etc…
  2. Drive slowly
  3. Be aware of any golfers on the course
  4. Do not use any mobile devices during operation

Mowing

  1. Get off the mower, set the parking break, and remove the flagstick
  2. Line up the given direction of cut based on the direction of the approach.
  3. Make the first pass as straight as possible by picking a spot in the distance off the green
  4. Be sure reels are engaged before making your first pass
  5. Allow the cup to split one of the two outside tires and middle tire
  6. Mow one side of the green
  7. When turning, make wide turns or even 3-point turns
  8. Never begin turning until your back tire is off the green
  9. Go to the opposite side of the first pass and continue mowing, overlapping your last pass
  10. Always be aware of leaks.  If a leak occurs, exit the green immediately and onto the cart path
  11. When finished, make a clean-up lap in the specified direction, if necessary
  12. Empty buckets when necessary (this will vary depending on growth)
  13. Get off the mower, set the parking break, and replace the flagstick when finished

Clean-up

  1. Empty buckets in designated area
  2. Clean buckets, mower, and reels thoroughly
  3. Re-fill all levels necessary
  4. Park the triplex with the reels down

We hope you find this information valuable and applicable to your golf course.  However, with any piece of equipment, each golf course will have its own nuisances with the care and operation of mowers.  Therefore, feel free to take this training sheet and add any necessary steps suitable for your particular site.