Drones, sensors and data on the future course
New technology, measuring tools and the rules that come with them
Introduction
The modern greenkeeper is as likely to have a screen in hand as a rake. The training regulations require knowledge of the latest technology and measuring equipment the industry uses, and in the school subject 'Technology and data on sports pitches' you must be able to use them to analyse the course's playing quality and the grass's growing conditions. The education even has its own school subject in the use of drones. Here is an overview of the technologies — and the rules that come with them.
Drones: eyes in the air — with rules on the ground
Drones are used for mapping the course, documentation before and after construction tasks and for vegetation analysis, where multispectral cameras calculate indices such as NDVI, which reveal stressed areas before the eye can see them. But professional drone flying is regulated: the rules follow EU Regulation 2019/947, where the open category is divided into subcategories A1, A2 and A3 based on drone weight and proximity to people. For most work drones, at least the small drone certificate (A1/A3) is required, which is obtained by an online test with the Road Authority, and operators of drones 250 grams or heavier must register. The education's drone subject prepares exactly the theory test for categories A1, A2 and A3.
Sensors and systems in everyday life
- 01Soil moisture sensors (handheld and fixed) control watering based on measured need rather than calendar.
- 02Local weather stations provide rainfall, temperature and wind for ET calculation and disease forecasting.
- 03GPS-controlled sprayers and spreaders with section control hit precisely and minimise overlap and waste.
- 04Robot and autonomous mowers relieve routine clipping on fairways and ball fields.
- 05Course Management Systems Bring Together Maintenance Plans, Hours, Machine Data and Recordings in One Place — Also for Greendata Reporting.
Measurement of game quality
Turf quality can be measured, not just perceived. The classic tool is the stimpmeter — a simple rail developed under USGA auspices where a ball's rolling distance is converted to a measure of green speed. Add to this firmness meters, evenness measurements and moisture profiles which together give an objective picture of whether greens are uniform all the way round. The figures make the conversation with greens committee and players factual: 'green 7 is slower' becomes data instead of discussion.
| Measuring instrument | What does it measure? |
|---|---|
| Stimpmeter | Green speed via ball roll length |
| Soil moisture sensor (TDR) | Volumetric water content in the growing layer |
| Hardness tester | Surface hardness — dents and wear resistance |
| Multispectral drone camera | Vegetation index (e.g. NDVI) — grass vitality and stress |
| Weather station | Precipitation temperature wind — basis for ET and disease warning |
Green transition and documentation
The technology is also the way to document sustainable operations. The competency objectives require knowledge of CO2 emissions reduction and ESG accounts, and here machine data, fuel logging, and electric-powered machines provide the numbers: How much diesel did robot mowers save? How much water did sensor control save? The greenkeeper who can answer with data becomes a central player when the club or municipality must report on environmental targets — and when the budget must be defended.
“Measure it before you think it.”
— Modern greenkeeping