Sanford uses GPS to identify turf reduction potential at Crandon

Sanford Golf Design’s master plan for Cranford will see a 30 percent reduction in turfed areas
Sanford used GPS to track golfer movements, informing his proposal for turf reduction
The project also aims to improve playing conditions and maintain visual aesthetics

By Richard Humphreys

Wed 02 Jan, 2019

Sanford Golf Design has created a master plan for Crandon Golf at Key Biscayne near Miami, Florida, that will help the public course to reduce water consumption.

Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department hired Sanford Golf Design to develop a plan that reduces the course’s irrigated turf area.

Utilising the USGA Resource Management’s new technology to collect data from GPS tracking devices carried by golfers, Sanford Golf Design was able to analyse where golfers travelled and prioritise the turf reduction areas.

In addition to reducing water consumption, the project aims are to improve playing conditions in the tidally influenced areas and maintain the visual aesthetics of the course.

The plan proposes the conversion of over 20 acres of turf to natural crushed stone, 12.5 acres to naturalised plantings and 8 acres to aquatic plantings, thereby reducing the irrigated turf area by over 30 percent.

Originally designed by Bruce Devlin and Robert Von Hagge in 1972 and redesigned by Von Hagge in 1993, the course features seven saltwater lakes, mangrove thickets and holes overlooking Biscayne Bay. It is the only course in North America with a subtropical lagoon.

Miami-Dade County will complete the changes in several phases. Golf course staff are currently working on the green sprinkler conversions and tee box directional improvements.