Greenkeepers. A golfers friend or not

[Sheffieldhacker]

I'm a greenkeeper myself aswel as a golfer. I was wondering what stories you've heard in your clubhouse about greenkeepers that are a little shall we say, stupid I need a good chuckle after today

 

[Face breaker]

Same here buddy I've been a "GK" for the best part of 20yrs and have played golf on and off for most of those years but took a more serious interest when I took on a new job last August, anyway as always you're the best thing since sliced bread when it's all going swimmingly but the worlds worst enemy when you do summat they don't like !...

I had an incident a couple "o" weeks ago when I put few of the pin's in position's that were apparently deemed to difficult to play and one or two complaints were voiced in the clubhouse plus a few stern looks were directed at me here and there "just as well I got skin like a rhino" all I gotta say is best get practicing with the putter innit !...:thup:

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have total respect (but yes I'll still moan) and it's always an onerous task and you must know you'll never be thanked by the majority no matter how good you make the course especially the greens. We're a moany old lot, us club members

 

[Face breaker]

I have total respect (but yes I'll still moan) and it's always an onerous task and you must know you'll never be thanked by the majority no matter how good you make the course especially the greens. We're a moany old lot, us club members

I wouldn't say your a particularly whingy bunch after all "you only want what you're paying for" which is fair enough but sometimes **** happens that's far beyond our powers of control (and it usually happens in the boardroom) yet "we the keepers" still cop an earful for it whilst the culprits sit back silently nodding in agreement !...

 

[Skypilot]

Only just started playing regularly since taking retirement so don't know if this is normally acceptable or not.
Now play three times a week.
Anyway - We normally book our tee times for about 7:20 am and nearly every time we have to wait while the first hole's green is mowed (Par 3)
I think the course is actually very well maintained but you'd think they could get the first greens done prior to early tee off times.
This morning there was actually a back log of three groups waiting for the green to clear.

 

[upsidedown]

I wouldn't say your a particularly whingy bunch after all "you only want what you're paying for" which is fair enough but sometimes **** happens that's far beyond our powers of control (and it usually happens in the boardroom) yet "we the keepers" still cop an earful for it whilst the culprits sit back silently nodding in agreement !...

Last Monday was our Seniors Mixed Open , players from far and wide some 180 all told and our head green keeper decides today is the day to spray the greens for disease. Not only that he also included the green dye which unfortunately for him showed up all his overlaps and when asked why he choose to do it that day his reply was " Sorry I didn't know it was on " Sorry but it's your job to know this and work accordingly.
I know as a sprayer operator you at the behest of the weather but he should have been spraying at the end of the day after the heat has passed , I've worked many a late night at this time of year putting ear washes on in the cool of the night.
Having said all that I will still sing the praises of how good the course is looking . Not always the fault of the boardroom !!

 

[Face breaker]

Last Monday was our Seniors Mixed Open , players from far and wide some 180 all told and our head green keeper decides today is the day to spray the greens for disease. Not only that he also included the green dye which unfortunately for him showed up all his overlaps and when asked why he choose to do it that day his reply was " Sorry I didn't know it was on " Sorry but it's your job to know this and work accordingly.
I know as a sprayer operator you at the behest of the weather but he should have been spraying at the end of the day after the heat has passed , I've worked many a late night at this time of year putting ear washes on in the cool of the night.
Having said all that I will still sing the praises of how good the course is looking . Not always the fault of the boardroom !!

Yep that'll be the poor communication skills of "D'management" then, we get a "this week/next week sheet" every week showing "what's on, on which days" which we try to work around but I'll guarantee next week will have changed by the end of this week and they won't have informed us of the changes to next week before the middle of next week !...

 

[upsidedown]

Yep that'll be the poor communication skills of "D'management" then, we get a "this week/next week sheet" every week showing "what's on, on which days" which we try to work around but I'll guarantee next week will have changed by the end of this week and they won't have informed us of the changes to next week before the middle of next week !...

Hear what your saying but in this case alas no , the Seniors Mixed is played every year on the last Monday in June and there is a diary printed with it in it every year and he's been with us for 40 years !!

 

[Face breaker]

Hear what your saying but in this case alas no , the Seniors Mixed is played every year on the last Monday in June and there is a diary printed with it in it every year and he's been with us for 40 years !!

Alrite I concede, he was being a jackass !...:rofl:

 

[Face breaker]

Only just started playing regularly since taking retirement so don't know if this is normally acceptable or not.
Now play three times a week.
Anyway - We normally book our tee times for about 7:20 am and nearly every time we have to wait while the first hole's green is mowed (Par 3)
I think the course is actually very well maintained but you'd think they could get the first greens done prior to early tee off times.
This morning there was actually a back log of three groups waiting for the green to clear.

Uhh ok !...

 

[Skypilot]

Uhh ok !...

Thanks for the helpful and informative response

 

[Leereed]

Sure you green keepers have a hard and busy job,but can only speak for the course where Iam a member. They never seem to set it up for the conditions.White tees always set back,in summer no probs, winter no run windy and rainy never moved up.Because they are always back in winter the sides always get very muddy, so why not put the tees next to the path? So you don't have to walk 15 yards down to match tees.must like to make work for them selfs.
In winter would soon course shorter and pins in harder positions.

 

[Face breaker]

Thanks for the helpful and informative response

Well I was just trying to figure out exactly what time you'd like your keepers to get up in the mornings so they can get the greens cut just for your somewhat early T-time, is there a particular reason that you feel the need to jump outta bed at the crack of dawn and rush off to the course at such a time after all you are by your own admission "retired" and therefore no longer need to squeeze a round in before needing to be at work by 9am !...:thup:

 

[Skypilot]

We start early because it gets very congested and I asked if it was normal or acceptable as I'm new to regular golf.
I suppose every forum has it's share of guys like you who can't wait to take the p.
Saddo keyboard warriors...

Thank god for Ignore Lists.

 

[Face breaker]

We start early because it gets very congested and I asked if it was normal or acceptable as I'm new to regular golf.
I suppose every forum has it's share of guys like you who can't wait to take the p.
Saddo keyboard warriors...

Thank god for Ignore Lists.

:ears: Yours sincerely, Saddo keyboard warrior !...

 

[srixon 1]

Only just started playing regularly since taking retirement so don't know if this is normally acceptable or not.
Now play three times a week.
Anyway - We normally book our tee times for about 7:20 am and nearly every time we have to wait while the first hole's green is mowed (Par 3)
I think the course is actually very well maintained but you'd think they could get the first greens done prior to early tee off times.
This morning there was actually a back log of three groups waiting for the green to clear.

I think that this is exactly what the OP was trying to get across. You have won first prize

 

[Sheffieldhacker]

A few things I expected here spraying in all honesty doesn't change how the greens play that day if they have been prepared before spraying. Is it normal to wait on the first for the green to clear or is it on the odd occasion?

 

[pokerjoke]

We have had a couple of oil spills on our greens one in particular that must of been happening for minutes,god knows how he failed to notice earlier.

I was on our 14th about 3 years back and the green was being cut the ground was so soft the cutter was leaving massive flat tyre marks in the green.
It was only when I shouted[he had ear muffs on] he saw the mess he was making.

 

[AmandaJR]

Same here buddy I've been a "GK" for the best part of 20yrs and have played golf on and off for most of those years but took a more serious interest when I took on a new job last August, anyway as always you're the best thing since sliced bread when it's all going swimmingly but the worlds worst enemy when you do summat they don't like !...

I had an incident a couple "o" weeks ago when I put few of the pin's in position's that were apparently deemed to difficult to play and one or two complaints were voiced in the clubhouse plus a few stern looks were directed at me here and there "just as well I got skin like a rhino" all I gotta say is best get practicing with the putter innit !...:thup:

Out of interest and a genuine question - what guidelines do you use when setting up the course and pin positions? I read the R&A guidelines about pin positions and have to say ours regularly contravene their advice.

 

[Slab]

Following Amanda's Q to the GK's

Are there guidelines for how far out the fairway starts from the tee box (assuming no enforced carry) i.e the grass is cut to fairway length instead of 1st cut rough

I've always wondered is it a distance as a percentage of the hole length or part of the SI assessment or does it just depend if its lunchtime or your low on fuel
(sorry couldn't resist the last part)