Going green

It’s that time of year again, and some of the world’s best tennis players are here on Daniel Island to compete in the Credit One Charleston Open. Much has been done onsite to prepare for a successful tournament, and one of the most critical tasks has been the extensive care and maintenance of the courts on which this competition will take place.  After all, every serve, each bounce of the ball, and every step, slide or lunge a player makes is affected by the condition of the court.

 

According to Robert Eppelsheimer, facilities director for both LTP Daniel Island and LTP Mount Pleasant, a lot of work goes into keeping the courts in top shape.

 

Eppelsheimer, who has been working at the Daniel Island site since its beginning some 23 years ago, said last year there was a major upgrade to the court irrigation system, installing the state-of-the-art Har-Tru “HyQ” system.

 

Har-Tru green “clay” courts aren’t actually clay. They are finely crushed green basalt (rock), and their playing characteristics are very sensitive to their moisture level. Perhaps you noticed in years past that courts were primarily moistened by sprinkler systems. Then they had to dry out before being groomed for use. The new HyQ system has put an end to that.

 

While the initial financial outlay was significant, the new irrigation system makes long-term sense in many ways. Rather than spraying water over the court and losing much of it to wind, evaporation and runoff, the HyQ system uses a network of PVC pipes, underground bladders (typically six per court) and a high-tech control system to monitor and precisely maintain uniform court hydration. Eppelsheimer estimates that some four miles of PVC piping was placed to supply the new court bladders. The result of this underground system is better overall moisture control, less pooling, and reduced water usage. HyQ is even controllable via an easy-to-use cell phone

app.

 

Perhaps the biggest win the HyQ system offers is increased court availability. Conventional sprinkler systems might require two hours of drying time before courts can be raked again and ready for play. The new system feeds water from below the court, maintains a constant moisture level and allows the court to be re-groomed and ready for use in 15 minutes. Not only can tournaments proceed more quickly, but LTP Daniel Island is able to offer more courts to more players faster than ever before.  

 

That’s a very nice “return.”  Advantage, LTP.

 

Frank Conway regularly contributes a nature column to The Daniel Island News.