Golf Irrigation Debate 2/11/2022
commentary by Joe Reynolds, OceanPinesForum.com

While the Worcester County Commissioners nixed any idea of the county's Ocean Pines Water & Wastewater District installing a new irrigation system on the Ocean Pines golf course, the debate over the need for a new irrigation system rages on.

Association member Grant Helvey was one of those opposed to the County project, primarily based on the issue of cost and questioning whether or not a new system is needed at all.

Association member George Alston wonders why a new system is needed since he says a completely new system was already installed about 10 or 15 years ago. Alston wrote, "Harlyn Goldman when he was course Superintendent installed a brand new sprinkler system. This system was installed between 2005 and 2010 I think. It went down both sides of each fairway and also the new driving range. Why don't they use that system?"

Former OPA Director Marty Clarke wrote, "According to a previous director of golf (the same Harlyn Goldman) close to 1/2 of the OPA golf irrigation system has been replaced approximately fifteen years ago."

Half replaced? All new over the entire course? An unused new system?

In an attempt to discover the facts about the current golf course irrigation system, I met with General Manager John Viola, Director of Golf John Malinowski, and professional groundskeeper Justin Hartshorne. As course Superintendent, Hartshorne deals with the irrigation system on a daily basis.

The original irrigation system in the ground is over 50 years old. It is essentially a central water supply down the center of the fairways with lines branching out to sprinkler heads. Former Superintendent Harlyn Goldman modified and expanded the existing irrigation system beginning back around 2005.

The work done by Goldman was not a new and independent irrigation system as some association members believe. Goldman expanded the system by extending lines out from the old center supply at a number of locations to feed sprinkler heads along the sides of the fairway. As Goldman explained in a 2005 video interview, his goal was to provide more sprinkler heads, covering smaller areas, to better control the areas needing water.

The irrigation system, as it exists today, has major problems. This is not only the professional opinion of our golf superintendent but also an engineer hired by Worcester County. Pipe joints in the ground are failing, both in the original system and in the expansion installed when Goldman was superintendent. Nor is the Goldman-modified current system design one that would be used in new installations today.

With regard to cost for a new OPA-installed irrigation system, Clarke wrote, "I am only guessing, but someone might have clued them (the board) in to the fact that if they commit to collect $3.5 Million Dollars for the project they have opened the door that absolutely would require a referendum."

Technically correct - with an obvious touch of sarcasm. However, should the system fail, the board might well declare replacement an emergency and proceed without a referendum. On the other hand, the project could be done in phases, thus avoiding a referendum, but potentially costing more money.

What should the board do?

Here is what the United States Golf Association has to say:

"In general, as irrigation systems age beyond 25 years they tend to experience more frequent breakdowns, components become obsolete and finding replacement parts may be more difficult. However, just because parts of an irrigation system are old in no way implies they are past their usefulness; age is just a relatively easy way to anticipate general fatigue and wear on irrigation systems."

The American Society of Golf Course Architects published guidelines regarding the expected life span of various irrigation system components, and for PVC pipe (under pressure) the expected life cycle is 10-30 years, depending on the area of the country.

While there is currently no emergency, a reasonable person might well conclude the board should soon adopt a plan for abandoning the entire existing irrigation system in the ground and installing a new one.

Here is link to the entire discussion:

oceanpinesforum.com/OceanPines/Read/Thread/28011/1