Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeod
One suggestion we have made is to make Good Golf School mandatory before making tee times on any course. The problem is that there is currently no way to monitor whether a player has attended or not, and how to handle renters.
Another suggestion was to change the focus on Good Golf School. My experience was that it focused way too much on the mechanism of getting a tee time and very little on care of the course and etiquette.The last time I attended, at least 2/3 of the time was spent on the tee time system and the last part only superficially and quickly addressed the other topics. One response to the suggestion was that people attend to find out about the tee time system and have less interest in the other topics. We suggested that the presentation be reversed so the course care happens first and the tee time system topic is last. I have not attended recently, so I don't know if that has occurred.
I play a lot by filling in groups. I am not shy about asking people diplomatically to repair divots and ball marks and smooth traps. I dislike the term "rake" because of all the instances I have seen where someone just drags the rake over their footprints without eliminating the depressions. I also remind them that they should smooth the gouge they make with their shot, not just their footprints.
Here is where the ambassadors could be more help. They have Good Golf Certificates that are to be handed out when they observe someone doing something to benefit the course. It could be repairing multiple ball marks, smoothing a bunker, sanding a divot. By issuing the certificate to that player, it reinforces the action for the player and for everyone else in the group. Sadly, I have encountered instance after instance where an ambassador has stopped by a group where some players are repairing multiple ball marks and done nothing. I have been assured by Golf Administration that they encourage ambassadors to hand these out and that they have handed out more each year, but I don't see it happening. Someone posted in an other thread that they only hand them out on the championship courses, but I was assured they hand them out on all courses. Again, my experience says otherwise.
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but like many other suggestions those who slow it down the most will thank you for the award and continue doing business as usual. I could give out 4 awards to every single group and you will not see an improvement in the pitch marks or bunkers. How do I know? I've given out to whole groups who do the right thing...that didn't change their actions towards the things they don't care about and asking them to repair a pitch mark and then giving them the award is silly.
When playing golf is an afterthought and not the main focus for being on the course there is no quick fix to the lack of proper behavior concerning course conditions and slow play.