How Hedgehog Fairway Protectors Work

Protecting Turf When Conditions Are Wet, Soft or Frosty

Golf courses are particularly vulnerable when the ground becomes saturated, soft or frozen. Conventional trolley wheels can concentrate significant pressure onto the turf, potentially causing compaction, rutting and damage to the grass.

Why Traditional Trolley Wheels Can Damage Turf

On courses prone to saturation or frost, conventional flat trolley wheels can contribute to:

• Soil compaction – concentrated wheel pressure can compress the soil and reduce its ability to drain and support healthy turf.
• Flattened grass and turf damage – repeated traffic can crush grass and contribute to deterioration of the playing surface.
• Smearing and rutting – on wet or soft ground, wheels can displace and smear the surface, leaving visible tracks.
• Wheel spin – electric trolleys can be particularly damaging if a wheel spins on soft ground, tearing at the turf rather than rolling cleanly over it.

Frost creates another challenge. When the ground is frozen, conventional wheels can flatten and bunch the grass, potentially causing damage as the turf recovers.

How Hedgehog Fairway Protectors Protect the Turf

Hedgehog Fairway Protectors are designed to distribute the load through a series of individual studs rather than a continuous flat tyre surface. This dramatically reduces the amount of wheel surface in contact with the ground.

More Than 85% Less Ground Contact

Hedgehog wheels reduce the area of direct ground contact by more than 85% compared with conventional trolley wheels.

Less contact means less concentrated pressure on the turf, helping to reduce compaction and minimise the stress caused by trolley traffic.

Studs That Part the Grass Rather Than Smear It

The distinctive parabolic stud design is designed to move between the grass blades rather than rolling across the turf as a continuous surface.

The result is a series of small, shallow dimples rather than a conventional wheel track. These marks are designed to recover quickly, while the gaps between the studs also allow water to move through the surface rather than being displaced along a continuous track.

Designed for Wet Conditions

Hedgehog Fairway Protectors are specifically designed for use when conventional trolley wheels are most likely to cause damage.

The studded design helps prevent the build-up and dragging of mud, helping to keep both the course and your trolley cleaner.

Less Rolling Resistance

With only the tips of the studs contacting the ground, there is significantly less surface contact than with a conventional wheel.

This reduces rolling resistance, making the trolley feel lighter and easier to move. For electric trolleys, reduced rolling resistance can also mean less energy is required to move the trolley, potentially helping to conserve battery power.

A Solution to Winter Trolley Restrictions

Many golf clubs introduce restrictions on trolley use during periods of prolonged wet weather, frost or particularly vulnerable turf conditions.

For golfers, this can mean having to carry their clubs or stop playing altogether.

Hedgehog Fairway Protectors provide clubs with an alternative to simply banning trolley use. By significantly reducing the area of turf contacted by the wheels and using a studded design specifically developed for soft and vulnerable ground, Hedgehogs can help clubs manage trolley traffic while allowing golfers to continue using their trolleys.

The result is a potential benefit for everyone:

For the course: less concentrated wheel contact and reduced risk of rutting and compaction.

For greenkeepers: an additional tool for managing trolley traffic during challenging conditions.

For golfers: the ability to continue using a trolley when conventional wheels may be restricted.

Show Your Club How Hedgehogs Work

If your club currently restricts or bans trolley use during the winter, show this page to your Head Greenkeeper, Club Professional or Committee.

The video below demonstrates how Hedgehog Fairway Protectors work and why their unique studded design is different from conventional trolley wheels.

You can also download the Hedgehog Viability Report, which provides a more detailed explanation of the design, turf impact and potential benefits for golf clubs.

Download Hedgehog Viability Report here.

Hedgehogs aren't simply winter wheels. They're a different approach to how a trolley interacts with the turf.