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In golf course construction, a stone picker prepares the clean, level seedbed that decides how fast and evenly turf establishes. Barber’s Turf Rake rakes stones and debris from the soil and grades the surface in one pass, preventing the poor drainage and uneven lies that come from rushed site prep. Here’s how it fits into a course build.
The Barber TURF RAKE is an effective machine for rock and stone picking and is widely used by members of the Golf Course Builders Association of America Certified Builders (GCBAA) on their projects to prepare the soil for seeding.
Using hundreds of raking tines, the TURF RAKE removes harmful debris from the dirt such as stones and rocks from 1/2 inch to 4 inches in diameter, as well as roots and sticks that are longer in length. The TURF RAKE can be easily adjusted to rake and clean from 1 inch to 6 inches deep into the soil. The optional finisher assembly at the rear of the machine glides over the cleaned area leaving a smooth prepared surface. View more technical specifications.
Golf course construction requires stone-free soil for successful turf establishment. The TURF RAKE removes stones from 1/2 inch to 4 inches in diameter from construction areas, preparing a seedbed that promotes healthy turf and prevents long-term maintenance problems.
Manual stone picking of an 18-hole construction site would require hundreds of labor-hours. The TURF RAKE covers up to 3 acres per hour, cleaning entire fairways and construction areas in a fraction of the time — keeping project schedules on track.
Yes. The TURF RAKE is equally effective for renovation — including aerification stone removal, rough area renovation, and green construction prep. Any project requiring stone-free soil preparation benefits from the machine.
A stone burier only pushes rock below the surface, where frost and future aeration can bring it back into the rootzone. A rock bucket grabs large rock but leaves the small stones that ruin seed-to-soil contact. The TURF RAKE removes stones from a half-inch to four inches and carries them off the site entirely, so the seedbed stays clean after establishment.
The TURF RAKE is tractor-towed and works with the utility tractors most golf course contractors already run on site. Because grading areas range from tight tee complexes to open fairways, we help you match horsepower, hitch, and hydraulics to your project before purchase. Send our team your tractor and site details and we will confirm the fit.
Yes. During a build, earthmoving and imported fill scatter rock through the top soil layer, which is exactly what the TURF RAKE is built for. Its tines reach up to four inches deep to extract buried stones, and the machine grades as it cleans. On unusually rocky sites, multiple passes at increasing depth clear the profile ahead of seeding.
Yes. H. Barber & Sons manufactures the TURF RAKE in the United States and ships wear parts such as tines and belts directly, so a worn part on a tight timeline does not stall seeding. You deal with the manufacturer for setup, parts, and support rather than a reseller, which matters when a course build has fixed grow-in deadlines.