For a golf course, the difference between a pristine fairway and a soggy mess comes down to irrigation, and irrigation comes down to pumping. At Seneca Falls Country Club in New York, keeping the course in championship condition meant rethinking how they moved water.
Seneca Falls Country Club depends on a carefully managed irrigation system to maintain high-quality playing conditions across its greens and fairways. Because golf course turf is cut much shorter than a typical residential lawn, its watering needs are especially demanding and require a reliable, efficient irrigation approach. To support these needs, the club uses an irrigation pond with a capacity of approximately 300,000 gallons. Water is pumped from Cayuga Lake, located about three-quarters of a mile away, using a Goulds Water Technology, a Xylem brand, 3656 S-Group centrifugal pump, and then transferred into the club’s irrigation reservoir for nightly use. On a typical night, the course uses about 250,000 gallons of water to support irrigation operations.
Challenge
Seneca Falls Country Club needed a more efficient way to manage irrigation across the course while controlling operating costs. The previous system ran at approximately 400 gallons per minute, which limited how many sprinkler heads could operate at one time and extended total irrigation duration. Longer watering windows created real operational pain: turf remained wet later into the morning, delaying mowing schedules and affecting the quality of playing conditions that members expect. Maintenance crews could not begin their work on time, and the compressed schedule created ongoing pressure on staff. In addition, the energy cost of running the aging system was becoming increasingly difficult to justify. With utility bills climbing and operational demands growing, the club recognized the need for a smarter, more efficient pumping solution.
Solution
To improve irrigation performance, Seneca Falls Country Club installed three new e-SVX Smart Pumps from Goulds Water Technology. The upgraded system increased pumping capacity from about 400 gallons per minute to approximately 550 gallons per minute, allowing the club to run more irrigation heads simultaneously across the course. With the additional flow and smart pump control capabilities, the club can now complete its full irrigation program in about six hours, running from roughly 9:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. This shorter irrigation window gives the turf ample time to absorb water and settle before maintenance crews begin mowing in the morning — eliminating the wet and soggy conditions that had disrupted daily operations. The hydrovar® X system also gives operators the ability to make changes quickly and easily at the pump house. Its intuitive interface and ease of operation help the team respond faster to changing irrigation needs while improving overall system efficiency.
Results
The impact of the e-SVX Smart Pump installation has been immediate and measurable across three key areas:
- Increased flow capacity: Irrigation flow increased from approximately 400 gallons per minute to 550 gallons per minute, enabling more sprinkler heads to run simultaneously and covering the course more effectively each night.
- Shorter irrigation windows: By running more irrigation heads at once, the club reduced total irrigation time to approximately six hours. Maintenance crews can now begin mowing on schedule each morning, ensuring the course is in top condition for play.
- Up to 50% reduction in energy costs: The e-SVX system has delivered significant utility savings, meaningfully improving the club’s bottom line while sustaining the course quality that members and visitors expect.