Golf courses use several different types of mowers to maintain playing surfaces, and greens mowers and fairway mowers are designed for two very different jobs. While both are built to produce a precise, high-quality cut, their design, cutting height, size, and intended use are quite different. Understanding the difference between a greens mower and a fairway mower can help golf course managers choose the right equipment for their maintenance needs.
What Is a Greens Mower?
A greens mower is specifically designed to maintain putting greens, where the grass must be cut extremely short and evenly. Greens mowers are typically smaller and more precise than other golf course mowing equipment.
Most greens mowers use reel cutting units to produce a clean, consistent cut. Walk-behind greens mowers are common, although riding greens mowers are also used on many golf courses.
Greens mowers are designed for:
- Putting greens
- Practice greens
- Very closely maintained turf
- Extremely low cutting heights
- Precise, consistent mowing
Because putting greens require a highly uniform playing surface, greens mowers are built with precision and turf quality as the primary goals.
What Is a Fairway Mower?
A fairway mower is designed to cover much larger areas of a golf course efficiently. Fairway mowers are generally larger riding machines with multiple cutting units, allowing operators to mow large areas in less time.
Fairway mowers are commonly used to maintain:
- Golf course fairways
- Approaches
- Large turf areas
- Some rough or intermediate areas, depending on the machine
Like greens mowers, many fairway mowers use reel cutting units. However, they are designed to provide efficient coverage while maintaining the consistent appearance and playing conditions expected on a golf course.
Greens Mower vs. Fairway Mower: Key Differences
The biggest differences between greens mowers and fairway mowers are size, cutting height, precision, and productivity.
Greens mowers are smaller and designed for extremely precise, low-height mowing. They are built to carefully follow the contours of putting greens while producing a consistent playing surface.
Fairway mowers are larger and designed to cover significantly more ground. Their multiple cutting units allow operators to mow fairways efficiently while still producing a high-quality cut.
Can You Use a Fairway Mower on a Green?
Generally, no. A fairway mower is not designed to provide the same level of precision required for putting greens. Greens require specialized equipment capable of maintaining extremely low and consistent cutting heights without damaging the turf.
Likewise, using a small greens mower to maintain an entire fairway would be inefficient because it is not designed to cover large areas quickly. The right mower should be matched to the specific turf area and the desired playing conditions.
What to Look for When Buying a Used Greens or Fairway Mower
When purchasing a used golf course mower, the intended application is one of the first things to consider. A quality used greens mower can be an excellent choice for maintaining putting surfaces, while a used fairway mower can provide efficient coverage of larger areas.
Other important factors include:
- Overall mechanical condition
- Operating hours and maintenance history
- Reel and bedknife condition
- Cutting unit condition
- Hydraulic system
- Tires
- Engine condition
- Availability of replacement parts
- Whether the machine has been properly serviced and prepared for sale
Hours are important, but they are not the only factor when evaluating used turf equipment. A well-maintained mower with higher hours may be a better investment than a lower-hour machine that has not been properly maintained.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between a greens mower and a fairway mower?
A greens mower is designed for extremely precise, low-height mowing of putting greens, while a fairway mower is designed to efficiently maintain larger areas of turf.
Can a greens mower be used on a fairway?
While technically possible in some situations, a greens mower is not designed for efficient fairway mowing. Its smaller size and narrower cutting width make it impractical for maintaining large areas.
Are greens mowers and fairway mowers both reel mowers?
Many greens and fairway mowers use reel cutting systems, but their cutting units, machine size, configuration, and intended applications are different.
What should I look for when buying a used greens or fairway mower?
Consider operating hours, overall mechanical condition, reel and bedknife condition, hydraulics, tires, maintenance history, and whether the machine has been properly serviced and prepared for sale.
Find the Right Used Golf Course Mower
Choosing the right mower starts with understanding the job it needs to perform. Greens mowers are designed for precision on putting surfaces, while fairway mowers are built to efficiently maintain larger areas of the golf course.
At Statewide Turf Equipment, we have been selling used turf equipment for over 30 years. We offer a variety of used golf course mowers and turf equipment for golf courses, turf professionals, and other commercial applications.
Visit www.statewideturfequipment.com or contact us at info@statewideturf.com to learn more about available used golf course equipment.