This TurfNet Renovation Report episode features host Anthony Pioppi interviewing Dennis Hurley about his career and the evolution of golf course drainage. Hurley recounts his journey from a Kentucky upbringing and golf scholarship at Louisiana State University into insurance, chemical distribution, and ultimately founding his drainage company in 1985.
A key turning point was his adaptation of a construction material into what became the “waffle drain” (marketed as Turf Drain), which he helped popularize nationwide despite early business setbacks and industry skepticism.
Hurley also discusses broader trends shaping modern golf course management. There is increasing pressure from owners, players and revenue demands to keep courses open and playable even after heavy rain, unlike in past decades when closures were more accepted. This has driven demand for more advanced and intensive drainage systems, though tensions sometimes arise with architects who prioritize aesthetics over functionality. Hurley concludes that while perfect drainage is impossible, the goal today is to minimize downtime and maintain consistent playing conditions in an industry with far less tolerance for weather-related interruptions.
