Toro NO. 12 manual New Subsurface Irrigation Saves Time, Solves Problems, Early Successes

Introducing DL2000 System

New Subsurface Irrigation Saves Time, Solves Problems

Every now and then somebody comes up with a dif- ferent and better way to use popular technology to solve an old problem. That’s just what happened at

Toro Irrigation.

For years, Toro has offered subsurface “drip” irrigation systems for specialized applications in landscape and agriculture. Drip irrigation — named for its slow, consistent delivery of small amounts of moisture — provides water-savings and other benefits through its efficient distribution process, and when installed below ground, it’s invisible.

Recently, Toro engineers were inspired to try subsurface drip systems on golf courses. Although the industry already had a tremendous range of versatile, adjustable sprinklers and

controllers, superintendents still had hard-to-water areas, such as tee

boxes and bunker surrounds. “There really isn’t a golf course out there that hasn’t struggled with that at some

time,” says Michele Baird, Product Marketing

Manager for Toro, one of the people behind the idea. “They’re usually

DL2000 System Golf Kithand-watering those areas, and that may cause problems

in bunkers. It’s also not a good use of time. So we’re hoping when they see this, the light bulb will go on.”

Early Successes

Two years ago, Toro began installing its existing DL2000® Series Subsurface Irrigation System on selected golf courses. Those applications have proven so successful, the company is now introducing DL2000 to the golf industry.

“For us, it’s been a home run,” says Dan Hawkins, golf course superintendent at The Club at Flying Horse in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Hawkins installed DL2000 drip systems on three fairway bunkers at the upscale course in 2004.

“One of our biggest labor costs was hand-watering bunker fingers,” he explains. “They tend to dry out during the day, so you either spend labor dollars or put in supplemental irrigation. DL2000 has really cut down our costs. I’d rather do the drip because I know it works.”

How Subsurface Irrigation Works

The DL2000 uses underground polyethylene tubing with regularly spaced inline emitters. The subsurface network hooks into your existing control system and operates with its own separate control valve.

DL2000 provides many valuable advantages. Agronomically, subsurface drip irrigation enables you to apply precise amounts of water directly to the root zones of your turfgrass and