As the economy continues to improve, many golf course superintendents have been able to move forward with projects that the budget wouldn’t allow for years. One of those projects is erosion control. Everlast designs golf course lakewalls that vastly limit erosion, look attractive, and require minimal maintenance.
One of our favorite customers, Golf Superintendent Kenny Davis, was extremely satisfied with the lakewall on the Eagle Watch course, telling us that he’d “had tons of compliments from the members on the new wall.” We spoke to Brad Lund of Everlast Seawalls to find out more about how lakewalls improve course aesthetics and save on maintenance costs.
How do golf course lakewalls differ from seawalls?
Seawalls and lakewalls don’t vary much, but we design seawalls to resist saltwater corrosion in canals, inlets, and lagoons, while lakewalls are built for fresh water.
How do your lakewalls contribute to the long-term value and life of a golf course?
Unlike pressure-treated wood (that rots) or steel (that corrodes) or concrete (that crumbles), vinyl sheet piling can be a permanent solution with little to no maintenance.
How do your particular lakewalls improve course aesthetics and why is that important?
Our golf course lakewalls have a clean look, and we offer color choices to match the surrounding landscape. If the wall ever gets dirty, it can easily be cleaned with a pressure washer.
Why is your solution better for erosion control?
Our walls create a permanent barrier between land and water. Once installed, even the harshest environmental conditions like rains and floods don’t allow erosion to undermine the walls. A lot of that has to do with the amount of embedment our sheets have.
Can your lakewalls be used to extend or create new real estate, like strategically placed greens?
Absolutely! Landscape/golf architects can literally drive our sheets, then fill the void and create real estate! This would be great for something like an island green. In many instances where both saltwater and freshwater canals have been dug, our sheets have been used as the new seawall to separate land and water.
Why are your lakewalls the environmentally-friendly choice?
Our product is made up of 90% recycled/repurposed materials. This prevents literally millions of pounds of PVC from having to go to landfills each year!
What is the disruption to the course when you rebuild a lakewall? Can you get it done after hours or on course-closed days?
In many northern climates the work can be done during the winter months, so construction will have little to no impact on playability. In other cases, the work can be done in conjunction with normal play or in some cases with temporary tee boxes/greens. Crews are able to work quickly and normally have work completed within a very short window.
What have golf courses said about your work on their course?
Golf course superintendents have been thrilled. At a Woodstock, GA golf course designed by Arnold Palmer, the golf superintendent had 1400 l.f. of Everlast golf lakewall installed. This is what he told us:
“Course members are really excited about how great it looks. I’m thrilled because my mowing crew can now edge right up to the wall without having to worry about falling into the water!”
—Kenny Davis, Eagle Watch Golf Course Superintendent
Why are golf course lakewalls often overlooked, and why does this present an opportunity for golf course managers?
The issue is often overlooked because of fear of the cost. However, after evaluating the long term costs, maintenance savings, and aesthetic benefits, it is hard to not find the value.
What are the first steps to getting a golf course lakewall project underway?
Contact Everlast Seawalls. We can walk you through the entire process from features, benefits, costs — both short term and long term — as well as local contractors who can help with the install.
We know that golf course superintendents care about their maintenance crews being able to save time, and the potential improvements that a golf course lakewall could make. They also care about not disrupting play during install, so we recommend that crews do everything possible to avoid interfering. Finally, and importantly, golf superintendents care about cost, and we’ve designed our vinyl sheet piling to accommodate that.
If you’d like to learn more about adding a lakewall to your golf course, call us at 1-800-687-0036 for a free estimate! You can also check out our most recent golf course seawall project, see our other seawall projects, and shoot us a line to ask an expert for more information. We look forward to discussing your property, and meeting and exceeding your needs.