Semi-rough perfectly trimmed with a robotic mower

On golf courses you see more and more automated robotic mowers at work. But the large differences in terrain make it quite a challenge to set up the mowers correctly and have them work perfectly everywhere. Just think of the semi-rough, where the grass needs to stay a little longer. Until now, all those stretches have been maintained manually. But with the latest developments, that will soon change.

Are you already working with robotic mowers on your golf course? If so, you may be hard-pressed to do without them. The robots help you keep the green carpet in top condition all year round. They guarantee beautiful straight strips: a treat for the eye. This gives you as greenkeeper more time for, for example, disease control. But can such a robotic mower also handle the semi-rough? That is the area between the fairway and the red penalty area, usually a water feature. The grass stays up to 55 mm high there, whereas the grass on the fairway is usually only 20 mm high. 

A new approach to robotic mowing

Tanguy Destray, marketing manager for Robotics at Yamabiko Europe, explains why the semi-rough is such a challenge for greenkeepers. "The semi-rough is an area about 4 meters wide where the grass is about 55 mm high. The only way to get that result with a robotic mower is to run the mower not in strips, but in concentric circles. Starting from the fairway toward the rough that is on the other side of the semi-rough. For now, there is only 1 robotic mower that succeeds in this: the robotic mower from Belrobotics." Mowing in circles on challenging terrain is truly an innovation. To that end, Belrobotics is adapting not only the mechanics but also the software of its mowers. The brand does this with the flagship of their range: the Bigmow 2050, specially designed for large areas such as sports fields and public areas. 

Intensive testing period

How it works. Well, the Bigmow 2050 first cuts the fairway in strips and then returns to the charging station. When the mower is fully charged, it begins the semi-rough. 

"It was quite a challenge for our engineers to make the mower run in nice circles instead of straight tracks. The cutting heads are basically fixed to cut the grass to the same length everywhere. So mechanical adjustments were needed to allow the cutting heads to move smoothly according to the type of terrain, without the robot having to stop and require manual adjustment. Our software must also be able to switch smoothly between different terrains. With the new version, the SW 5.3, it is now possible to have the mower drive in circles," Tanguy explains. 

To ensure that the theory also works in practice, Belrobotics conducted endless tests over the past year at every possible golf course in Belgium. From Golf Club Spiegelven in Genk and the Naxhelet Golf Club in Liege to Golf de Rigenée in Villers-la-Ville, the results are amazing. Belrobotics further adapts the mower to make the mowing result even better and to further increase the speed. 

 "We will continue testing and improving for a while. The official launch will probably be before 2025. The automatic robotic mower will then be able to maintain your entire golf course: the fairway, the tee box and the semi-rough. With the exception of the rough and putting green, which will not be mowed anyway," Tanguy summarizes.