A thought on golf courses

[quill]

We are lucky enough to live on a golf course and I have some observations. We are all owners of the golf courses and yet the way we take care of them is simply amazing. Not all, but a far greater number than I think is right, abuse the courses. Maybe out of ignorance, maybe out of laziness. Some of the things I see on a regular basis; driving up to the green right past the stakes that mark where you can drive (And I know some people have a exemption and a card in their windshield that allows them to), driving over a worn out spot in the grass (like cattle going to the barn always in the same place), or driving through a mud spot until it becomes a mud bog. And then there those that make no attempt at repairing ball marks on the green or replacing their divots. We can all complain to the course managers about course conditions, but by doing our share, and what happens to be good etiquette, makes it easier on them and keeps our courses nicer. You may not win a popularity contest by pointing out these things to someone you are playing with, but if they are completely ignorant you are our only hope. Help save our courses.

[pooh]

We are lucky enough to live on a golf course and I have some observations. We are all owners of the golf courses and yet the way we take care of them is simply amazing. Not all, but a far greater number than I think is right, abuse the courses. Maybe out of ignorance, maybe out of laziness. Some of the things I see on a regular basis; driving up to the green right past the stakes that mark where you can drive (And I know some people have a exemption and a card in their windshield that allows them to), driving over a worn out spot in the grass (like cattle going to the barn always in the same place), or driving through a mud spot until it becomes a mud bog. And then there those that make no attempt at repairing ball marks on the green or replacing their divots. We can all complain to the course managers about course conditions, but by doing our share, and what happens to be good etiquette, makes it easier on them and keeps our courses nicer. You may not win a popularity contest by pointing out these things to someone you are playing with, but if they are completely ignorant you are our only hope. Help save our courses.

Very well put. So often people either don't or forget that it is up to them to "repair" their divots, rake the sand trap so the next person who is unlucky enough to land there can play their ball with just a bit less difficulty. Maybe some have come from places where they didn't have to do this, I don't know, but good golf etiquette is to try to do as little damage to the course as possible and if you do cause some turf to fly when you smack that ball, then replace the divot or put down some sand so the grass will grow once again.

People enjoy the courses, they're not in such bad shape considering the usage they get, but it is a good reminder to replace, repair, play as a good sport, and have fun.

Thanks.

[jebartle]

I agree.....Our NC course, all new golfers were given a video on rules....I wonder if the Villages could offer this to all our new golfers, renters and guests (Maybe some of our lazy golfers also, giggle)

[starflyte1]

TV has a course for new arrivals. It was very informative. The pro gave all sorts of tips on how to be a considerate golfer, including repairing your divots and maybe another close by. Also, avoiding worn spots. It is a good course, and also it is explained how to get a tee time. 750-4558

[ricthemic]

BALL MARKS ON GREENS, especially the executive courses. the damage is too much, please fix ball marks and rake traps. private clubs this is automatic. i wish the ambassidors had the authority at sign in and on the course to insist on it but i am told (is this true) that they can lose their jobs if anyone complains about them... fix one and fix another

[l2ridehd]

If everyone would repair or fill TWO divots after every shot, repair TWO ball marks on the greens, and rake every uneven area in the trap after the sand shot that is anywhere near them, all courses would be in great condition. Everyone has had the experiance where you could not find your ball mark on the green. Just fix a couple others anyway. We will all benefit if everyone does that.

[NJblue]

Here's my pet peeve: we live by a tee box on a par 3 hole on an executive course. It's amazing to me the number of golfers who do not hit off a tee. Instead they just drop the ball onto the tee box and hit from there (perhaps thinking it is good practice for a fairway shot) - taking a divet with their shot. Even if they then put sand in the divet, this scar will take months to heal. Add up the number of people that do this in a concentrated area and it is no wonder that the tee boxes begin to look like moonscapes.

[iaudit]

Here's my pet peeve: we live by a tee box on a par 3 hole on an executive course. It's amazing to me the number of golfers who do not hit off a tee. Instead they just drop the ball onto the tee box and hit from there (perhaps thinking it is good practice for a fairway shot) - taking a divet with their shot. Even if they then put sand in the divet, this scar will take months to heal. Add up the number of people that do this in a concentrated area and it is no wonder that the tee boxes begin to look like moonscapes.

Any good golfer will normally take a divot with an iron, even when using a tee. The correct way to hit a golf ball with an iron is with a descending blow such that the golf ball rides up the face of the club and the club strikes the turf in front of the ball. Watch a professional tournament sometime and notice the condition of the teeing area on the par 3's, even though the professionals use tees.

[dillywho]

Contrary to what some posters have said on other threads, it is NOT the Ambassadors job to fill divots, fix ball marks, rake traps. It is OUR responsibility as golfers. Pros have caddies who do these things; we don't, and the Ambassadors are not our caddies. Sorry, don't mean to sound grumpy, but that kind of thinking is one of my pet peeves.:wave:

[pooh]

Contrary to what some posters have said on other threads, it is NOT the Ambassadors job to fill divots, fix ball marks, rake traps. It is OUR responsibility as golfers. Pros have caddies who do these things; we don't, and the Ambassadors are not our caddies. Sorry, don't mean to sound grumpy, but that kind of thinking is one of my pet peeves.:wave:

We were playing golf one time and waiting for our time to tee up when the ambassador drove up in his cart to wait with us. He was remarking about a woman who had played golf on the course a few days prior and how she said she wasn't going to rake the traps or replace her divots, it was the ambassadors' job. I don't know where she came from, but nothing is so far from reality as her thinking on this. Pray you don't have to play behind her!

[NJblue]

Any good golfer will normally take a divot with an iron, even when using a tee. The correct way to hit a golf ball with an iron is with a descending blow such that the golf ball rides up the face of the club and the club strikes the turf in front of the ball. Watch a professional tournament sometime and notice the condition of the teeing area on the par 3's, even though the professionals use tees.

Ahhh, so that's the problem - too many good golfers in TV. Will you at least acknowledge that use of a tee minimizes the divot? In watching the Masters this weekend, I don't recall that many divots when they teed off from the par 3s. Perhaps I just missed it.

[Pturner]

One day last week DH and I were golfing at Tierra Del Sol and recieved a very pleasant surprise.

No, it wasn't a hole in one. An Ambassador came up to us on about the 6th hole and said, "I have 'caught' both of you fixing your divots and other divots around you. Thank you. I'm going to give you a reward." He handed us both a perforated card. One side was to enter a drawing for a free priority membership. The other side included discount offers at any of the pro shops.

How cool is that! The Ambassadors might not be able to scold golfers, but it turns out they can reward good golf citizenship.

Treat the courses like you own them! (You do.) You never know when you might get "caught" doing the right thing.

[bkcunningham1]

Nice Pturner. Very nice.

[Russ_Boston]

Ahhh, so that's the problem - too many good golfers in TV. Will you at least acknowledge that use of a tee minimizes the divot? In watching the Masters this weekend, I don't recall that many divots when they teed off from the par 3s. Perhaps I just missed it.

Yes, you just missed it.

For the most part the only tee boxes that should be messed up ARE the par 3's. Most of the time on longer holes people use drivers or other 'woods'. But please do use the sand bottle to fill in the divot. And using a tee does not minimize it since when we do use tees they are only sticking out of the ground very little for a mid-high iron or wedge. You still descend into the ball and then follow though into the ground. (at least that's what we are supposed to do:) )

Another note: If I'm not mistaken TV requests that you do NOT replace a divot but rather just use the sand bottle. Anyone confirm this?

[tpop1]

There are an overwhelming number of people who move to T.V. who never played golf in life prior to coming, & who have little idea of what should be done on the course.

They play golf beacuse its "free" and learn to play via lessons, friends help, or by trial and error.

This has a two-fold deliterious effect on the courses:
1) the course gets hacked up more and
2) they have never been told about filling divots, how to rake a bunker, or about repairing ball marks. Not always careless, just don't know or understand.

Add this to the fact that many experienced golfers never fix up after themselves, the courses get beat up pretty good.

With all the information about us on T.V. computers, it might be helpful if the starters go over these 3 elementery rules, before the 1st 5-10 rounds people play here.

We all had to learn sometime, somehow.

[nkrifats]

One day last week DH and I were golfing at Tierra Del Sol and recieved a very pleasant surprise.

No, it wasn't a hole in one. An Ambassador came up to us on about the 6th hole and said, "I have 'caught' both of you fixing your divots and other divots around you. Thank you. I'm going to give you a reward." He handed us both a perforated card. One side was to enter a drawing for a free priority membership. The other side included discount offers at any of the pro shops.

How cool is that! The Ambassadors might not be able to scold golfers, but it turns out they can reward good golf citizenship.

Treat the courses like you own them! (You do.) You never know when you might get "caught" doing the right thing.
That is a nice surprise; We were playing at Havana and when we turned the corner was told we was 2 minutes behind. On 18 we were given the same card because we were ahead of the clock. I was totally shocked but what a great tool to empower them with.

[English Ivy]

Another note: If I'm not mistaken TV requests that you do NOT replace a divot but rather just use the sand bottle. Anyone confirm this?

Correct ... that's what page 8 of the Good Golf Guide states. I've heard it has something to do with the type of grass on our courses. Supposedly doesn't grow back if you replace and tap it down the way it does on courses up north.

[iaudit]

Ahhh, so that's the problem - too many good golfers in TV. Will you at least acknowledge that use of a tee minimizes the divot? In watching the Masters this weekend, I don't recall that many divots when they teed off from the par 3s. Perhaps I just missed it.

The only club that is designed to hit with a tee is the driver. The face has relatively little loft (usually 9.5 to 10.5 degrees). All other clubs have higher loft with the intent for the ball to ride up the face. The leading edge of these clubs (the bottoms) have thick soles that help to dig into the turf. If you tee the ball high on the par threes you will hit the ball high on the club face, thereby reducing both spin and distance, like hitting something with a glancing blow. The reason most golfer "skull" shots is because they try to scoop the ball off the turf instead of hitting down into it. Sorry, tees do not minimize damage if a golf ball is hit correctly on par three's.

[GatbTester]

I agree, it is the responsibility of each golfer to be as kind to our golf courses as we can. This will only result in them lasting longer, stay in better condition, and be better for those who come to play after us. If we ignore repairing problems ourselves, and gently reminding those around of the same we are continuing the best habits that make our lives here more fun on the courses.

[jeffy]

Me thinks that there are too many here that think that your average executive golfer is a really good golfer. I would have to disagree that the use of a tee does not help keep the tee boxes in better shape.

I am more of an average golfer . Handicap of 16 . I golf with my neighbors every week. 24 of us go out every sunday (couples). And I can say that 80% of our players are trying NOT to take a divot on the drive on the exec courses. That includes myself. Again , that may not be the best way to hit an iron off a tee, but I am talking reality of the skill of your average exec player, not what your best golfers actually do. Some of our ladies even tee it up in the fairway and in the sand trap.

jeffy

[bluedog103]

Me thinks that there are too many here that think that your average executive golfer is a really good golfer. I would have to disagree that the use of a tee does not help keep the tee boxes in better shape.

I am more of an average golfer . Handicap of 16 . I golf with my neighbors every week. 24 of us go out every sunday (couples). And I can say that 80% of our players are trying NOT to take a divot on the drive on the exec courses. That includes myself. Again , that may not be the best way to hit an iron off a tee, but I am talking reality of the skill of your average exec player, not what your best golfers actually do. Some of our ladies even tee it up in the fairway and in the sand trap.

jeffy

If you're a 16 handicap, you're way better than either me or the guys I normally play with. If anyone of us tee'd up an a par three the other's would think we'd lost our minds.
By teeing up, you're completely missing the sweet spot of the club, unless the tee is at ground level. In that case you'll take a divot anyway because you have to hit down on the ball to get it up.

[Russ_Boston]

If you're a 16 handicap, you're way better than either me or the guys I normally play with. If anyone of us tee'd up an a par three the other's would think we'd lost our minds.
By teeing up, you're completely missing the sweet spot of the club, unless the tee is at ground level. In that case you'll take a divot anyway because you have to hit down on the ball to get it up.

Exactly. I'll bet 99% of pros and scratch golfers use a tee on all teeing grounds. And yes for a short club the tee would be all the way down. I had one pro (during a lesson) tell me "always put a peg under it if they let you, keeps the ball in a perfect lie" So if a pro does it so is this 10 handicapper!

[zcaveman]

To all - I am only addressing the executive courses. So far I have seen three posts about golfers that actually take a divot on a par 3. I have been playing for 8 years down here in TV and the number of golfers that I play with that take a divot are in the minority. Actually when we take a divot we call it hitting the big ball (mother earth) before the little ball.

I would say that 90% if the golfers want to have a clean cut off of the tee. Most of us are not strong enough to have the power to drive through the ball or knowledgeable enough to know how to control their club when taking a divot. I would also bet that those same people do not take divots on the second shot on a par 4. If fact a lot of players use woods or hybrids off of the tee - on 100 yard long holes.

So what I am saying is that all of these posts about how the pros and low handicapped players play par 3s is lost on us non-handicapped players.