19 AUGUST 2026 WorldWide Drilling Resource® www.starironworks.com 257 Caroline Street Punxsutawney, PA 15767 800-927-0560 • 814-427-2555 Fax: 814-427-5164 Serving the Water Well Industry Booth 1712 Making Water Do the Work Adapted from Information by Exlterra When it comes to golf course maintainance, water management is a constant challenge no matter the time of year, especially for regions with ever-changing weather patterns. At Aa Saint-Omer Golf Club in France, areas prone to water stagnation created maintenance difficulties and disrupted play. Exlterra’s professional team used its HAZL drill rig to install a Groundwater Energy Passive System (GEPS). The process involved inserting GEPS units into the ground in a precise pattern, without the need for network connections or extensive surface disruption. After the four-day installation period, the affected areas were reopened for play immediately. With stagnant water causing maintenance and playability issues, two problem zones were noted, the first being the fairway near the green on hole five; with the second a practice bunker. These areas often pooled water for days after rainfall, causing soft ground, damage from equipment, and unplayable conditions. Maintenance efforts, including operations like decompacting and sanding, failed to resolve the issues effectively. The club needed a long-term solution to improve water infiltration and stabilize the ground. With the installation of GEPS, water infiltration improved significantly, with the club seeing the system’s effectiveness within four weeks. As such, maintenance operations were reduced. The fairway remained firm and playable throughout the year without the need for additional interventions such as sanding or liming. Even during wet seasons, vehicle traffic on the fairway left minimal traces. While the practice bunker took some time to show results, the system started to drain the water from heavy rainfalls much faster. Instead of taking days to drain, it now takes half a day. The improved conditions made the bunker usable year-round, enhancing training opportunities for the club’s pro golfers. Going into the second year, an unprecedented issue arose in the form of a drought. With temperatures reaching 104ºF (40ºC) during the summer and very little rainfall, the areas with GEPS installed did very well. The fairway was able to maintain its green, dense vegetation, in stark contrast to adjacent areas suffering from water stress. This was without supplemental irrigation. Weekly mowing was still required for the area, while other areas of the course saw reduced growth. Aurélie Morandin, Head Greenskeeper at Saint-Omer Golf Club said, “During these two years of monitoring, we have observed positive effects that have facilitated and improved our maintenance of the course. GEPS not only improved water infiltration and ground stability but also enhanced vegetation cover during droughts without irrigation. [It] offers real advantages in all seasons and is beneficial for both the field and the players.” WTR
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