Future-Ready Irrigation at the Commonwealth Golf Club

Commonwealth Golf Club set out to modernise its irrigation with a clear brief: lift course conditioning, reduce water waste and future-proof a Sandbelt icon. After a structured evaluation process, the Club selected the Rain Bird IC (Integrated Control) system to deliver per-head control, robust diagnostics and a platform for data-driven scheduling.

The Club’s priority was to replace ageing infrastructure with technology that aligns with its long-term sustainability vision. That meant improving water-use efficiency, strengthening course performance and ensuring the investment would stand up to Melbourne’s competitive Sandbelt standards. Living Turf’s role centred on consultation, translating operational goals into system requirements and mapping how modern control could support consistent, high-quality playing conditions.

Working with the course management and committee, Living Turf assessed the limitations of the legacy system, reviewed environmental targets and considered course layout, turf species and soil variability. This discovery phase positioned Living Turf as a long-term partner rather than a product vendor. Targeted stakeholder presentations then unpacked the capabilities of Rain Bird IC – advanced control, rapid diagnostics and measurable efficiency gains – supported by ROI models and relevant case examples to build confidence in the upgrade.

The consultancy team from Ways With Water pressure-tested the proposal from both technical and strategic angles. Joint site inspections, detailed documentation and alignment to sustainability benchmarks ensured the specification met the Club’s standards and streamlined implementation planning.

Rain Bird IC provides fine-grained, per-head control with built-in modules that simplify wiring and deliver fast fault isolation—critical for keeping a championship course consistent and available. Combined with central control and sensor integration, the system supports precise watering based on conditions, minimising waste while improving turf health. This increased precision also allows the team to distribute water more accurately, particularly along fairway lines where water had previously oversprayed into the rough.

The upgrade was part of a broader course improvement program aimed at restoring and sustaining elite conditioning. Vegetation changes reduced shade and root competition so irrigation could do its job; layout refinements – including green relocations, fairway expansions and bunker updates – were factored into head spacing and hydraulics to achieve even coverage. The outcome: a system engineered around the way the course now plays, not the way it used to be built.

After a thorough, consultative process, Commonwealth GC approved the Rain Bird IC upgrade with confidence. The decision reflects a shared commitment to responsible water management, operational resilience and course excellence – backed by technology that reduces waste, sharpens diagnostics and supports consistent playability across all 18 holes.

It’s a future-ready solution that aligns sustainability with performance.