Ask any golfer or golf course superintendent and they will have tales of deer, coyotes, alligators, in some cases bear sightings on the golf course, and while these wild animals all pose some degree of threat (or distraction) there is one that can be an extreme nuisance to golfers and golf course maintenance staff alike: wild birds, particularly waterfowl. Courses with water hazards and courses in migratory zones are prone to heavy bird pressure, and these birds can be persistent. Geese, ducks, and in some cases gulls can eat seed, excrete on greens and fairways, and worst of all... step in front of a golfer's line before a pivotal 15-foot birdie putt attempt! So rude of them.

Bird pressure on golf courses is not a new problem. Superintendents that have dealt with these issues have tried a myriad of bird control methods to keep their golf courses, or at least their playing areas, bird free. Bird control on a golf course can be tricky, as sound deterrents are not a feasible solution due to the low tolerance for noise that is typically expected on a golf course and in its surrounding neighborhood. Spraying solutions may lead to temporary success, but courses are constantly being irrigated, meaning reapplication will likely be needed. So how are golf course superintendents solving bird control in 2025? Through adoption of silent, autonomous bird laser deterrents, such as the AVIX Autonomous Bird Laser by Cypress AgriTech.
Since 2019, Cypress AgriTech has been a leading distributor & service provider of the AVIX bird laser systems manufactured by our trusted partner Bird Control Group. Though a majority of the Cypress AgriTech customer base is in the agriculture sector, golf courses have something in common with the many farmers that have adopted the bird laser deterrents: the need to deter birds on a seasonal basis, and the need to find a solution that is sustainable (does the solution reduce recurring costs associated with the problem and is the solution humane?).
Courses from PGA West to the Army Navy Country Club have adopted bird lasers as an effective method to reducing bird pressure from waterfowl, without causing harm or distraction on the course. This week, our customer at TPC Scottsdale prepares for the 2025 Waste Management Open in Scottsdale, Arizona, where two of our Autonomous Bird Laser Deterrents are placed to deter waterfowl from the playing areas around the 11th/12th holes and the 17th/18th holes, respectively. While this bird laser deterrent technology will be on display during the Waste Management Open at TPC Scottsdale, our team will be exhibiting at the GCSAA Show in San Diego, California, where Cypress AgriTech will have the bird laser deterrent on constant demo mode, along with a few other golf course maintenance technology solutions that we are rolling out this year.
For more information on bird control and bird laser deterrent use cases on golf courses, please e-mail sales@cypressagritech.com or call (661) 303-0513 to speak with our in-house golf course specialist and scratch golfer Riley Boylan.
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