GPS Technology Proves It's Up to Par
New survey application in golf course construction is saving
time and money for contractors
By Bob Bailey

Americans are taking up the sport of golf at a record pace, and golf courses are springing up to answer the call to the greens. The course proliferation means big money for surveyors and construction companies who are turning their attention to golf.
    One company taking advantage of the burgeoning market is Florida-based Paragon Construction, one of the preeminent golf course construction companies in the U.S. The company, known for its innovation, is leading the way with the use of new GPS equipment purchased from Nikon Inc.
    Yes, GPS technology has been opening doors for surveyors, mappers and construction companies, helping them gain access into new applications - and saving them time and money. The latest application, golf course design, may be the hottest yet.
    Golf course designers used to spend months on final surveys of golf courses, but Nikon surveying executives and dealers, and Paragon surveyors have found a way to compress that time into days with the NovAtel GISMOª. For example, a recent survey of the Mansion Ridge Golf Club in Monroe, New York, utilized the new satellite-based technology. Without GPS, it would have taken days to measure 720 points for an "as built" survey, but with GISMO, the task took only a few hours.
    "It's truly an amazing application for GPS and data collecting," says Jeff Teitelbaum of Nikon. "The technology can speed up the golf course construction significantly, and there's a very short learning curve."
    Paragon surveyor Jarrod Dunlop says GPS gives their company a great competitive edge, and saves time and money for their customers. According to Dunlop, Paragon first considered applying GPS technology in golf course construction last November. "We knew that certain companies, when they installed irrigation systems at golf courses, were paying others to provide GPS-based surveys. It made sense, if this was a service that was being provided, that we could save money if we did it ourselves."
    Since then, Dunlop has realized, "GPS really gives us control on a construction site that we didn't have before. When a superintendent is adamant because a stake is knocked out, we can now relocate that stake without having to pay a surveyor $200."
    In the old days, surveyors utilized tapes and chains to measure, but with the help of our nation's positioning satellites, a new level of accuracy is available. GPS is no longer just for navigating your boat or driving in your car. It's become a tool of the trade for the professional surveyor, mapper, and builder.
    The advantages of using GPS for the construction of a golf course are plentiful, according to Teitelbaum. They include accuracy, design improvements, labor cost reductions, and increased construction speed.
    Since introducing GPS technology into Paragon's golf course construction business, Dunlop says, "I have a good feeling that every problem we've come up against has been solved."

New Levels of Accuracy
There is a new level of accuracy with GPS. That means a course can be maintained to the sub-foot level with GISMO, so if grass grows from the greens into the fairway, a survey can tell the greens-keeper where the green, fairway or tee should end. Greens can shrink with mowing patterns, but today a course can be maintained exactly as it was built, thanks to the precision of GPS technology. With Outrider, another NovAtel GPS product sold by Nikon, the accuracy can be taken to the centimeter level. This is especially useful when staking out golf course layouts for more precise accuracy.

Design Improvements
"Other companies have been producing hand-drawn maps and then they have them cleaned up to look like AutoCAD, but the accuracy isn't quite there," says Dunlop. "Maps produced with GISMO are far superior. We have accuracy of plus or minus 6 inches. Hand drawing can't be that accurate. With this, we can establish exactly where the edge of the fairway is, as well as the tees and greens."
    "GPS is also important for design and construction of drainage and grading," says Teitelbaum. "With the Outrider, there is sub-centimeter, real-time accuracy. If there are heavy rains in the area, this accuracy can help designers create proper drainage and eliminate flood areas."

Speed of Construction
The time-saving attributes may be the most significant advantage for a company using GPS. If a surveyor needed to complete a survey of 6,000 points on a golf course, the project could take a full month with older technology such as an optical or electronic survey. With GPS, the same project would take only five to seven days. The difference is staggering, and the savings with GPS are substantial.
    "Using GISMO is like reaching your destination in a Ferrari instead of on a bicycle," says Teitelbaum. "With GISMO, we completed a real-time 20cm survey in Monroe precisely within the boundaries of the golf course. GISMO and Outrider are time-saving devices for real people with real projects needing real solutions. Productivity increases are the biggest issue."

Reduced Labor Costs
GISMO and Outrider save on manpower costs, too. Only one person is needed for the state-of-the-art global positioning systems, instead of the two needed for non-GPS surveys. That helps companies like Paragon complete their projects on time, and at a reduced cost. Labor costs are reduced since fewer man hours are required. This makes golf course owners (and golfers waiting for new courses to open) very happy.

About the Author:
Bob Bailey joined Nikon Inc. in 1995 and has over 20 years experience in the GPS/survey manufacturing industry. He is currently national sales manager with Nikon.

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