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How to raise awareness regarding pitch marks on greens.

 

This past Saturday I was so disgusted with the greens at my club. Pitch marks/divots everywhere. Some were fresh and many others were just poorly repaired (if you can call them repaired) leaving brown marks all over the place. You would not attempt a putt without first surveying your line and making repairs first. I just don't get it. Never have. Everyone in my group complained about the same thing. Just this summer I've been several places and played many other courses and not a one of them had the pitch marks like my club has. I realize this isn't new or unique for many courses but what can a course do? In my opinion I think the owners/board members/pros, etc are too easy on players and members regarding repairing pitch marks. No one wants to be the bad guy and make anyone mad.

 

Today I'm asking for your opinion or approach of informing members/players how to properly repair pitch marks. I'm going to propose a few ideas out at my club and then let the chips fall where they may. One of my more drastic ideas is to start closing some greens for a week informing members that due to lack of repaired marks the green is closed for a week. Sorry. I won't like it either but something has to get peoples attention. Also, I think before anyone plays their next round one of the Pros or staff has to take the players out to the practice green and show them the proper way to repair pitch marks.

 

Is there an answer? Any suggestions?

Thanks.

My Sun Mountain bag currently includes:   TWGTLogo2.png.06c802075f4d211691d88895b3f34b75.png 771CSI 5i - PW and TWGTLogo2.png.06c802075f4d211691d88895b3f34b75.png PFC Micro Tour-c 52°, 56°, 60 wedges

                                                                               :755178188_TourEdge: EXS 10.5*, TWGTLogo2.png.06c802075f4d211691d88895b3f34b75.png 929-HS FW4 16.5* 

                                                                                :edel-golf-1: Willimette w/GolfPride Contour

 

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There's a great link, I think in this section in fact that was recently posted on this topic.  I'm NG at moving a link to another thread here but you should be able to find it easily enough. 

 

I'm surprised you're having this problem, normally newer Southern grasses are pretty hardy.  I see issues on old time Bermuda greens but most courses have replaced those.  It's hard to even leave a pitch mark on some of the newer greens because they are so firm and tight.  Could it be all the rain that you had this spring - you no the rain that you've sent us and that won't stop here in Florida now?  :(

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We had the same issue on our greens about a month ago, so here are a few things we did:

 

1. Talked to the pro's and make them go over etiquette over and over and over again when teaching new golfers (and potential members).

 

2. During tournaments, we got a marshal driving around. If the guy sees you land a 130 yard approach and you are not bending over to repair your mark, he will go check it out.

 

3. If we are in the same flight, you make a pitch mark and you don't fix it, I'll do it for you ONCE (I prefer to assume you didn't see it). If it happens again, I'll ask you if you plan to leave your pitch marks unfixed for the rest of the round.

 

4. Someone suggested making players over X handicap get their etiquette refreshed. Yes, you got single digit douche bags who don't follow etiquette, but the probability is lower compared to beginners.

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I'm noticing a lot of this at the muni I'm playing as my home course this year.  I'm ON the committee, and the idea of Marshall's was shot down earlier this year.  Between the condition of the greens and extremely slow play on weekends, I'll probably change my home course next year.  The greens are actually in pretty decent shape on weekdays, but I've almost given up playing weekends.

 

There actually have been a lot of improvements, with the new management this year, but as the only 18 hole muni within an hour drive in either direction, there's not much they can do to penalize poor etiquette.  At least, they don't feel like they have the option to actually penalize bad manners.

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I sent this link to all my Saturday Golf members a few weeks ago...

 

http://blog.standrews.com/how-to-repair-a-pitchmark/

 

Then one member replied with this one from the USGA....

 

http://www.usga.org/course-care/regional-updates/west-region/the-golfers-resolution-for-ball-mark-repair.html

 

Both are terrific.

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My home course has been running the "killer deal" every other weekend trying to make up revenue lost to the unusually rainy Summer here in Ohio.

 

It brings in all kinds of people that have no clue how or why to repair pitch marks, let alone able to play the game. The course is a sreck because of it. The owner k ows it, but says he has no choice if he's going to survive. I'm guesing there are auite a cew munis doing the same thing.

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My home course has been running the "killer deal" every other weekend trying to make up revenue lost to the unusually rainy Summer here in Ohio.

 

It brings in all kinds of people that have no clue how or why to repair pitch marks, let alone able to play the game. The course is a sreck because of it. The owner k ows it, but says he has no choice if he's going to survive. I'm guesing there are auite a cew munis doing the same thing.

Yep!  And it looks like half the course I'm playing will be shut down for major repairs early next month, with just the back 9 open for play.  I have no idea how long a round will take, or what condition the back nine will be in, while that's going on... :(

What's In the Bag

Driver - :callaway-small: GBB 

Hybrids  :cleveland-small: Halo XL Halo 18* & :cobra-small: T-Rail 20*

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Wedges :ping-small: 60* TS / SCOR 48* 53* 58*

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Bag Datrek DG Lite  

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One of the strategies that is used at clubs here is a large photo of the green in question covered in the amount of balls that would hit it on an average day of play with appropriate wording/text on said photo explaining this is the amount of balls that hit this green on an average day - pitch marks don't fix themselves.  Also every new member is taught how to correctly fix pitch marks.  We also take care to remind each other to fix our pitch marks and I often will fix two or three on a green if I spot unrepaired ones. 

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I sent this link to all my Saturday Golf members a few weeks ago...

 

http://blog.standrews.com/how-to-repair-a-pitchmark/

 

Then one member replied with this one from the USGA....

 

http://www.usga.org/course-care/regional-updates/west-region/the-golfers-resolution-for-ball-mark-repair.html

 

Both are terrific.

i Was going to suggest the St Andrews link as well. Good info on how to do it right. 

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I've thought more that perhaps the club should send out a notice that all members (golf is all we have at my club) are invited to a greens discussion and repair party one evening soon. The club will provide beverages/keg beer and hotdogs. First they have a short discussion and demonstration (15 minutes) of how to properly repair pitch marks. Then everyone gets in a cart and is assigned a green to work on. Everyone receives a nice folding divot repair tool at the start and is given 20 minutes to repair their assigned green. Everyone is required to bring their putter to tamp down the repairs. Afterwards... free beer and hotdogs. Total time 1.5 hours. Cost to club? A few $$$hundred bucks. Return on investment? $$$$Thousands. I'd do this each spring and fall.

Any takers?

My Sun Mountain bag currently includes:   TWGTLogo2.png.06c802075f4d211691d88895b3f34b75.png 771CSI 5i - PW and TWGTLogo2.png.06c802075f4d211691d88895b3f34b75.png PFC Micro Tour-c 52°, 56°, 60 wedges

                                                                               :755178188_TourEdge: EXS 10.5*, TWGTLogo2.png.06c802075f4d211691d88895b3f34b75.png 929-HS FW4 16.5* 

                                                                                :edel-golf-1: Willimette w/GolfPride Contour

 

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A couple of us snuck onto the course one night and placed signs along the cart path going to 1 and then again to 10.  Burma-Shave style.

You Paid To Play
Fix you marks

Rake your bunkers

Make your birdies

Tip your servers

#lovethegame

 

They didn't last too long, but they got a chuckle and the bunkers and greens have been better.  I've heard a rumor that someone might be putting fresh signs out though.... #damnkids #getoffmylawn!

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Get a bunch of buddies together in a Friday night talk to the club, tell them you want to do a divot party, take some beers and some carts, and some repair tools, and drive around to each green and repair marks as much as you can, this is an etiquette of gold thing, and when you have players out there for a wekend of golf, many of them dont care about the course, as the members of the course its our duty to keep the course a it should, I don't think there is a solution for this issue. This type of party can also be done for repairing divots in he fairway. Fill the carts up with your beverage of choice, and as much sand as you can and go fill them.

Lefties are always in their Right Mind

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I've thought more that perhaps the club should send out a notice that all members (golf is all we have at my club) are invited to a greens discussion and repair party one evening soon. The club will provide beverages/keg beer and hotdogs. First they have a short discussion and demonstration (15 minutes) of how to properly repair pitch marks. Then everyone gets in a cart and is assigned a green to work on. Everyone receives a nice folding divot repair tool at the start and is given 20 minutes to repair their assigned green. Everyone is required to bring their putter to tamp down the repairs. Afterwards... free beer and hotdogs. Total time 1.5 hours. Cost to club? A few $$$hundred bucks. Return on investment? $$$$Thousands. I'd do this each spring and fall.

Any takers?

I posted before reading this, but I think as members we should take it on ourselves to do this, we have about 30 golfers every week, we have talked about doing this, and I think we will very soon. Good chance to meet new people and help the course we love

Lefties are always in their Right Mind

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My wife has been playing for 51 years; early years at the Spokane CC, Manito CC, and Hayden Lake CC where her dad was club champion at all three (not at the same time:)). He raised her right in proper golf etiquette. One day at my practice course, our pro told her that she was repairing ball marks all wrong. She doesn't repair any now, because she doesn't want to do it wrong! Believe me, any repair would be a good thing on our greens, however, to fix one you might have to move sunflower seed hulls.

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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however, to fix one you might have to move sunflower seed hulls.

 

Don't get me started on those grubs!

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I've got to disagree that not repairing pitch marks/divots on the green is a lack of etiquette. Etiquette on the golf course entails things like not talking when someone is playing a shot. Etiquette is letting a faster group play through. Etiquette is tending the pin while another player putts, and on and on. It's a golfers responsibility to properly repair their (or another one or two) pitch mark on the green. It's a golfer responsibility to sand their fairway divots. It's a golfer responsibility to rake the bunker. It's also a golfers responsibility to remind others to do these things. It's good etiquette and a courtesy to at times do these things for another golfer.

 

As far as not repairing pitch marks/divots on the greens (and elsewhere) it's ignorance and laziness. But generally I believe it shows a complete disregard for the course and other players. How many of these non-divot-fixing players would mind if you dinged their car and walked away? Over and over. A green probably cost more than that POS car they're driving.

My Sun Mountain bag currently includes:   TWGTLogo2.png.06c802075f4d211691d88895b3f34b75.png 771CSI 5i - PW and TWGTLogo2.png.06c802075f4d211691d88895b3f34b75.png PFC Micro Tour-c 52°, 56°, 60 wedges

                                                                               :755178188_TourEdge: EXS 10.5*, TWGTLogo2.png.06c802075f4d211691d88895b3f34b75.png 929-HS FW4 16.5* 

                                                                                :edel-golf-1: Willimette w/GolfPride Contour

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Played today and on one par 3, I fixed 15 ball marks and could have done more.  Granted it is a big green as many are at this course.  It is a nice daily fee course and it gets a fair amount of play.  One of the things I see happen on this course because of the green size.  Depending upon where the flag is on any given day on the par 3 I mention, where you would park your cart to walk up to the green is not always the same.  Pin back, you park on the back side.  Pin up, you park near the front.  I think more people fix ball marks if they have to walk past them.  If they don't they never go down and look for them.  

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1. Ask each player before teeing off if they have a pitch mark repairer in their pocket.

2. If they don't have one, issue one at cost.

3. If they don't know how to repair pitch marks, demonstrate the correct technique.

4. This all takes roughly 15 seconds. It lasts a lifetime. Not a bad investment if you ask me.

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Half the people on my practice course are so old that they can't bend over to fix a ball mark, even if they had a tool.  They use rubber cups on the end of the putter to pick the ball out of the cup or off the green.  The rest of the normal crowd are newbies and kids and don't know that they even made a mark on the green or how to repair it.  I used to repair a lot of them when I play, especially when the pro played with us.  He always repaired a bunch.  Now, I only repair mine that I cause, and any that are on my line to the cup.  

 

It's difficult when there is no starter, no tee times, and really no rules.  It is what it is, and it's OK for my practice course.  There are really no problems on any other course in the area.  

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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