LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Water conservation continues to be a growing issue for golf courses in southwestern United States. And with that rising concern, a new focus has evolved – lake erosion. Weather, storm water runoff, burrowing wildlife and human activity combine to erode even the best-kept lake banks, further depleting the declining water supply.
A high-tech system, SOX Erosion Solutions, is starting to make headway in the golf industry battling lake erosion. And PTI Golf has become part of the solution, signing on as a Certified Service Provider with SOX.
“We saw this as a great fit for our company, especially considering the water issues in our region” said PTI principal Kip Wolfe. “There is tremendous technology behind this product, and it serves a variety of purposes while preventing lake bank erosion. “
Added PTI CEO Mickey Brown: “For many years our company has placed great emphasis on working with our various properties and clients to create water conservation solutions. This relationship with SOX is another positive step in that direction.”
SOX Erosion Solutions is the developer AND manufacturer of this bioengineered living shoreline system. For over 20 years the company has worked on projects ranging from beach and dune erosion to Intracoastal erosion to storm water management. In recent years SOX has brought its erosion solutions systems to the golf industry.
PTI staff went through a rigorous training program to earn its Certified Service Provider status. The due diligence included a trip to South Florida where they witnessed an installation of SOX at the Diplomat Country Club.
The SOX systems are made with a high density, polyethylene, knitted technical mesh. Because the system is knitted, plants, sod and vegetation can take root right through the material without damaging it. Water can infiltrate and exit, allowing the vegetation to flourish. SOX is the only such knitted solution in the marketplace.
Here’s how it works:
First the crew does an analysis of the area, and then develops a restoration plan. Anchors are positioned and staggered. The bottom portion of the Sox is staked, and then the top is rolled over like a taco and filed with organic material that will help wick in moisture from water in the lake. The ends of the material are sewn shut. The top is then staked off and the material is covered with sod, vegetation and/or plants, providing immediate stabilization.
After it all settles in, what’s left is a beautiful lake bank with protection against erosion.
“The final SOX product is aesthetically beautiful, but it is also a very powerful defender against future erosion,” said George Deussen of SOX Erosion Solutions. “There is not another method available that captures all of that. It’s a pretty significant departure from traditional methods, which usually involves some type of hard material like concrete, and a bladder system. It’s not stable and it’s not a great fit with Mother Nature.
“Our system is about mitigation; about defending the bank from future erosion. This is a long-term solution, creating an active, living, breathing shoreline.”
Sam Wolfe will head up the SOX Erosion Solutions effort for PTI, and is developing a crew.
“With the water supply being so low in our region, this is a perfect fit for us,” said Sam Wolfe. “There is no other solution like SOX in the marketplace. Other options are so much more invasive than SOX, requiring large, damaging equipment and material. This is simply staking the material and adding fill. For the way we operate, this is a match made in heaven.”
PTI already has two SOX projects in the works – The Biltmore Adobe Course and Alta Mesa Golf Club, both in Arizona.
“Now that word is getting out that PTI Golf is involved, with our solid reputation we are getting a lot of inquiries,” added Wolfe.
SOX Erosion Solutions owners are pleased to have the PTI Golf team onboard.
“The PTI team is phenomenal,” said Deussen. “They are consummate professionals who understand the market. If I had 100 PTI Golfs I’d be set.”
Deussen was pleasantly surprised by how willing an established veteran like Kip Wolfe was to learn about and embrace this totally new technology.
“Kip’s been a real pro in golf construction and maintenance for over 30 years, and a lot of guys like that have the ‘we’ve always done it THIS way’ mentality,’” said Deussen. “But not PTI. They were genuinely excited about this technology from the first time they saw it. They realized their customers needed it. And we are excited to have their experience and professionalism on our team. The world would be a better place if it had more people like the PTI guys.”
ABOUT PTI GOLF
PTI Golf is a family owned construction, landscape and golf maintenance company with over 30 years of hands-on experience in the Southwest. They proudly serve the golf, sports and landscape industry to enhance quality and improve conditions in a safe, environmentally friendly manner. For more information visit www.ptigolf.com.
ABOUT SOX EROSION SOLUTIONS
SOX Erosion Solutions designs, manufactures and distributes patented bioengineered erosion control systems that immediately stop and repair shoreline and hillside erosion, while promoting vegetation growth. The lightweight, flexible systems utilize patented knitted HDPE- technical mesh, designed with “RipStop” technology, for long-lasting and effective erosion control.
SOX educates companies on how to specify, bid, sell and install its suite of “living shoreline” erosion control systems and perimeter control devices. www.soxerosion.com.
