⛳Golf Course Construction
Golf Course Construction Grade Verification — USGA Specification Documentation
Verify green elevations, fairway drainage slopes, and bunker grades to USGA specifications with professional as-built documentation for every hole.
The Problem
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USGA specs require tight grade tolerances on greens
USGA putting surface specifications limit slopes to 4% maximum. Getting every section of a green within spec requires systematic verification, not spot checks.
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Fairway drainage grading is complex
Fairways drain to multiple collection points with varying grades. Documenting that drainage grades work as designed requires comprehensive elevation logging.
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Golf course designers expect professional documentation
Course designers and owners expect professional as-built documentation at project closeout. Field notes on paper don't meet the standard.
How Sitemark Solves It
Built for Golf Course Construction Contractors
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Green Elevation Logging
Log putting surface elevations on a grid pattern — verify against USGA slope tolerances across the entire green.
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Fairway Drainage Verification
Document fairway cross-slopes and longitudinal grades to confirm drainage toward intended collection points.
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Bunker Grade Documentation
Log bunker bottom and face grades — verify drainage slope meets design intent.
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Tee Complex Elevation
Document tee box grades and drainage for all tee complexes from championship through forward tees.
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Cart Path Grade Verification
Verify cart path cross-slopes meet ADA requirements (max 2%) and longitudinal grades are safe for vehicle use.
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As-Built by Hole
Generate as-built documentation organized by hole number — the format golf course designers and owners expect.
Equipment
Top Equipment for Golf Course Construction
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Free Tools
Free Golf Course Construction Calculators
Grade % Calculator
Calculate grade percentage from elevation difference and distance
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Drainage Slope Minimum
Minimum drainage slopes by surface type
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Athletic Field Drainage
Crown and drainage slope verification for turf surfaces
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Earthwork Volume Calculator
Cut/fill volumes for green and fairway shaping
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Standards & Compliance
Compliance Sitemark Helps You Document
USGA Green Section
USGA specifications limit putting surface slopes to 4% maximum — steeper slopes cause putts to be uncontrollable.
ASGCA Standards
American Society of Golf Course Architects design standards for drainage, accessibility, and playability.
ADA Cart Path
ADA accessibility guidelines limit cart path cross-slopes to 2% maximum for accessible courses.
Local Drainage
County and municipal drainage requirements for golf course stormwater management and discharge.
FAQ
What slope does the USGA allow on putting greens?
The USGA recommends that putting green slopes not exceed 4% (approximately 2.3 degrees). Slopes steeper than 4% create situations where putts cannot be stopped on the green surface and are considered unplayable by the USGA. Sitemark flags any green shot that exceeds your configured slope limit.
How many elevation shots are needed to verify a green?
A thorough green verification typically requires shots on a 5-foot grid across the entire putting surface — typically 100-400 shots per green depending on size and complexity. Sitemark's shot map view shows all shots color-coded by slope, making it easy to identify problem areas before the project closes.
What documentation do golf course designers expect at closeout?
Most course designers and owners expect hole-by-hole as-built documentation showing green elevations, fairway drainage grades, bunker details, and tee box grades. Sitemark generates this by hole or for the entire course, in a professional PDF format with elevation data, equipment used, and survey date.
Does Sitemark work for golf course renovation as well as new construction?
Yes. For renovation projects, you log both the existing conditions (pre-construction) and the finished grades (post-construction). Having both records in the same job makes it easy to document the scope of changes for the owner and designer.
How do we document USGA-spec putting greens with drain tiles?
The USGA push-up and USGA-spec green construction requires specific subgrade grades to the drain tiles before the growing medium is placed. Sitemark can log subgrade grade verification, drainage layer verification, and finished surface verification as separate phases within the same hole record.
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