Location:

The Club at SpurWing
Meridian, ID
United States

Site Profile

Landscape Application:
Golf Course
Size:
27 Holes
Temperature Range:
20° to 100°F (-7° to 38°C)
Elevation:
2,600' (790 m)

The members-only Club at SpurWing was built in the mid-1990s. Located in the picturesque Treasure Valley of central Idaho, the family-friendly facility provides members with amenities including fine dining, tennis courts, a fitness facility, a pool, and 27 holes of world-class golf. The 18-hole championship course is the longest private course in the valley, extending 7,300 yards between the tips, while the 9-hole challenge course is designed for golfers of all skill levels. The carefully manicured grounds also host corporate parties, weddings, and other special events.

The Challenge

After more than 20 years in operation, SpurWing was experiencing significant challenges with its golf irrigation central control system. The system was failing to water at night, which resulted in substantial damage to the turf, especially during the hot days of summer. In addition, moles and gophers had caused extensive damage to the underground wiring network, leading to broken connections between equipment in the field. The irrigation system was unreliable, and the club was suffering. Something had to be done.

The Solution

After looking at their options, SpurWing management chose to halt initial installation of a competitor system in favor a Hunter system powered by Pilot Command Center software and more than 50 radio-operated Pilot field controllers. Ryan Meredith, who has since been promoted to Director of Agronomy, said they chose Hunter because the innovative features of the Pilot software allowed him to easily customize irrigation according to his management style. The solution also offered radio communication abilities that strengthened the connections between the central computer and the field equipment, which reduced the threat of rodents disrupting the system via damaged field wires.

The Result

Since adopting the Hunter Pilot system, SpurWing’s central irrigation control problems have been eliminated. Meredith no longer leaves at night worrying that he will lose turf because the system fails to turn on. “Working with Hunter has been unbelievable,” he said. “Hunter won us over because of their innovation and their openness to adapt to our needs at the course level. The Pilot system gives us the freedom to water the way we want.”