Owner of Ropice Golf resort is Beskydská golfová a.s. and it among the TOP 10 golf courses in the Czech Republic. The Ropice Golf Resort was designed by the Austrian architect Hans-George Erhardt. The current Greenkeeper for Ropice, Mr. Marek Filipčík, became interested in IoT-assisted irrigation techniques while we was on assignment to Cyprus. This led him to begin working with CleverFarm.
„We no longer have to physically go inspect the lawn and soil to check its conditions. Every 30 minutes the sensors send all of the relevant measurements directly to our cell phones. All the data is in one application, which is a major advantage over its competitors.”
Ropice Golf Resort was established in 2004, and at that time only half of the course had been finished. In 2007, the second half was completed, making it a full 18-hole golf course. The course totals 6263 meters and is now ranked among the top 10 Czech golf courses. It is a popular destination for both pros and beginners alike. With great greens, a variety of natural features, numerous bunkers, and challenging land and water obstacles, it’s no wonder that this course hosts tournaments of the Czech Golf Federation every year.
A big part of keeping the turf at the highest quality is proper irrigation. This is so important that even details such as the temperature of the water is necessary.
Cooperation led to the installation of 6 soil sensors out on the green, 3 meteorological stations, and finally a sensor designed to measure the temperature of the irrigation water. The golf resort also continually monitors the condition of the course with the help of satellite imagery.
The meteorological stations monitor humidity and precipitation, which are used to control the irrigation system of the course. They can also help predict diseases that can hurt the grass as well as predicts pest. At the same time, Ropice Golf Resort uses satellite data from CleverFarm, including satellite imagery, to evaluate which parts of their course needs more water or fertilizer. They can even create customized irrigation and fertilization routines to apply just the right amounts that each area needs. This minimizes the amount of water and fertilizer that must be used, which keeps the soil’s natural balance from being disrupted. This also saves water in an area that is prone to persistent drought. Overall this helps the environment and reduces costs for the resort. Additionally, soil sensors are placed directly into the green and they monitor the temperature and humidity of the soil making up the green. This data is used to check that the irrigation system is functioning correctly. There are also future plans for CleverFarm to design and implement customized sensors to measure pH of the soil. This process is greatly accelerated by the helpful communication and suggestions of the employees of the golf resort, whose feedback has made this special project possible.
