Efficient Golf Course Drainage: Cutting Cart Path Only Days

Golf course drainage plays a crucial role in keeping a course in top playing condition, especially when built on wetlands, where battling Mother Nature is a constant challenge. Stephen Hope, the golf course superintendent at The Club at Wynstone, a Jack Nicklaus–designed course that opened in 1989, has had more than his fair share of golf course fairway drainage issues. Heavy rainfall has historically led to saturated fairways and “cart path only” (CPO) restrictions for golfers. A recent shift in approach solved their moisture issues and cut CPO days by more than half.

A Golf Course Drainage Challenge: Reducing CPO Days

Golf Course Superintendents often have to force golfers to remain on the cart paths when fairways are chronically wet. “Cart path only” is intended to prevent damage to soft turf, but it comes at a cost:

• Player Frustration: It slows down play, adds extra walking, and can lead to an overall less enjoyable round.
• Revenue Concerns: Golfers may book fewer rounds when they can’t drive on fairways and are more likely to walk the course, cutting into golf cart fee revenue.
• Turf Stress: Even if golfers abide by CPO guidelines, significant wear and tear can occur near cart paths, leading to uneven turf conditions.

The Club at Wynstone was built on a marshy foundation. The problems with golf course fairway drainage were persistent. “Our course just drains horribly,” Stephen said. “I always had to make the course cart path only, which was frustrating for myself and the members.”

Searching for a Better Golf Course Drainage Solution

Traditional golf course drainage approaches include installing pipes or aggressively topdressing. While these methods can be effective, they are often invasive, time-consuming, and expensive. Topdressing is a routine part of golf course maintenance, but when continually used to improve fairway drainage, it can impact playing conditions, decreasing roll and overall shot distance for golfers. Stephen wanted a minimally invasive approach to fairway drainage that would not disrupt play or compromise the firmness of the fairways. After reviewing options, Redexim’s Vibra-Sandmaster was Wynstone Golf Club’s solution. 

Why The Redexim Vibra-Sandmaster?

The Redexim Vibra-Sandmaster is a piece of landscape and turf renovation equipment that de-compacts and adds surface drainage to the soil profile in one pass. Stephen Hope chooses the Vibra-Sandmaster for the following reasons: 

• Minimal Disruption: The machine creates narrow, half-inch slits that allow sand to reach deeper layers. The goal was to improve drainage but not leave a mess that kept golfers off the course even more.
• Efficiency: Stephen completed 30 acres of fairways in a single fall and spring season.
• Surface Firmness Retention: Unlike heavy topdressing, the sand channels direct water downward without building up a thick layer on top. Golfers could retain the playing conditions they enjoyed with roll and increased distance in the fairways.  

How Golf Course Drainage with the Vibra-Sandmaster Cut CPO Days in Half

The objective measure of the effectiveness of a golf course fairway drainage solution is its impact on the course and the increased play time that golfers enjoy. Stephen tracked annual rainfall alongside the number of CPO only days to verify the Vibra-Sandmaster’s impact. Historically, each inch of rain would translate to 1.03 CPO days on average. After implementing the sand-channel drainage, that number dropped to just 0.56 CPO days per inch of rain, cutting CPO time in half. “Our golf course is owned by eight owners, two of whom are accountants. The one thing they reassure me is that numbers don’t lie,” Stephen said. “So now I can put these numbers in front of them to show that we cut the CPO days in half.” The results of the impact the Vibra-Sandmaster had on the golf course drainage issue at Wynstone speak for themselves:

Improved Player Experience: Less time restricted to the cart path translates into a more enjoyable round. In addition, the fairways are still firm and rolling the way the membership expects.

Healthier Turf: Proper drainage prevents standing water, reducing disease risk and long-term turf damage.

Cost-Effective Over Time: While Stephen spent about $60,000 on sand during the project, the reduction in downtime and healthier playing surface can quickly offset this investment.

Integrating the Vibra-Sandmaster into the Maintenance Routine

Based on the data, Stephen plans to repeat this process every four years. As soon as the ratio of rainfall to CPO days starts creeping back toward pre-treatment levels, he’ll repeat the process to maintain optimal drainage. The next steps include using the Vibra-Sandmaster in other poorly draining areas, such as roughs and the driving range tee.“I do plan on using it in other areas that drain poorly, like in the rough and driving range tees, too,” he said. “We needed something with those deep channels to get that surface water off, down, and moving away.”

Final thoughts 

The Vibra-Sandmaster approach illustrates that you don’t always need a large-scale trenching operation or constant topdressing to see significant drainage improvements. Minimal disruption to play, measurable results, and better turf conditions make it an increasingly attractive solution for golf course superintendents like Stephen Hope. If CPO days are disrupting your membership experience—or if you’re tired of dealing with golf course fairway drainage problems, Redexim’s Sand Slitting Machine could be the solution. By installing sand-channel drainage with minimal mess and downtime, you can keep your fairways firm, playable, and enjoyable for golfers year-round. Contact us for more information on how to bring the Vibra-Sandmaster to your course or to speak with a Redexim representative.