Greenkeeping Question Time!

[Greenkeeper]

Hello fellow golfers

This is a great forum and an interesting one, particularly the recent ‘pitch mark thread and ‘winter course’ its refreshing to hear so much support for the green staff and the course. I thought I should refresh this thread, and encourage more to ask questions!

I am a Golf Course Manager as well as a keen golfer, so I understand both perspectives of golf course life. I believe the biggest problem with greenkeeper / golfer relationship is a lack of communication and understanding.

The many years I have been lucky enough to be a greenkeeper, I have been asked all sorts of questions regarding the operations we do. I would like to help bridge the gap from the complexities of greenkeeping to the common frustrations of our customers ‘you the golfer’.

So if you would like to ask me questions regarding ‘greenkeeping matters’ on this site I would be more than happy to oblige.

I weight in anticipation!

Regards

The keeper of the green.

 

[Basher]

Hi GK,
I have one question and one question only!

What is the deciding factor which makes you decide to use winter tees and greens?

Cheers.

 

[didz]

frost isnt it ?

 

[Greenkeeper]

Hi Basher
The simple answer is Excessive damage! This could be frost, but it may be other things like water logged or excessive traffic or just poor thatchy greens. The key is to make the course as playable throughout the year as possible by reducing the risk of excessive damage. Improved drainage, limited thatch and good grass species are all ways to reduce the need for wintergreens. I believe in extending tees so they can accommodate winter play, I don’t like mats I don’t like wintergreens albeit temps now and again maybe necessary.

Cheers

 

[Doh]

Hi GK

Still on the winter theme we play on our greens all year round even if it's frosty all of them are U.S.G.A standard.I have never seen any damage coursed because frost. So why is it that other couses will not let their members on their greens when they are frosted over.

 

[Driverman]

Hi Greenkeeper,

Would like to know how many times a year that hollow tining takes place and is it done in any particular weeks / months of the year?

Many thanks

 

[USER1999]

Hi GK,

Is there any reasonable evidence that spikes (metal) damage golf courses, leading to a justification for a soft spikes only rule? Are soft spikes that much more course friendly?

Thanks

 

[viscount17]

Hi GK,
In line with murph's question. I've noticed that the golf pro's have spikeless shoes, how do these go down with the greens pro's?

 

[Greenkeeper]

FROST - Winter greens

Hi Doh
Your very lucky. Frost is a complex one, yes frost will damage the greens, but by how much depends on the quality of the green, type of frost and time of year and soil type. By this I mean if your greens are on good free draining soil and showing little thatch then the frost may not be as damaging as say a wet thatchy Poa green. It’s about how much water will hold on the surface. Similar to pipes, a pipe full of water will be more damaging during frost than a empty pipe. Also frost will do the most damage when thawing. So its reasonable to keep then on greens when experiencing a hard frost, but they may be removed when thawing.
We also have different types of frost that do damage, a white frost tends to only freeze the top moisture left on the surface, this tends not to damage the roots but may well damage the leaf. The other problem with ‘white’ frost is that the ice gets caught between the golfers spikes and builds up so its like walking on the green with football studs on.
My belief is that if you can protect the greens during frosts then do so. Some may not be able to on account of membership pressure. Horses for courses I suppose (excuse the pun)

Hope this helps

 

[Greenkeeper]

Hollow Tine

Personally I don’t hollow tine at all anymore, hollow tining is an awful job that destroys the surface frustrates members and is only been invented to remove a problem. This problem is THATCH. I no longer have thatch so I have little need to hollow tine. However if I were to have a thatch problem then hollow tinning would be the job to eliminate it. And the greater the problem the more removal needs to take place thus more hollow tinning.

The chain of thought is to hollow tine twice a year Spring / Autumn but this will alter depending on the problem. I have known clubs to hollow tine every month, this is extreme but the problem soon disappears.

The problem is, having thatch problems in the first place. Thatch is akin to FAT the more we feed and water our greens the more the thatch will build up, until becoming obese.
They key is to reduce the thatch problem by going on a diet, reduce the feed and improve the aeration (exercise) then the greens will be firmer, dryer and faster for longer in the year.

If you are asking what particular day is best for tinning then I suggest ‘ladies day’ the sun always shines on ladies day!

 

[Greenkeeper]

Spikes metal or not????

I probably speak as the minority on this subject. I actually found the metal spikes helped me as a greenkeeper. Certain weed grasses don’t like to be scratched; the metal spikes did a great job of discouraging the grass by scratching it out. I used to place the hole in a particular area that had a lot of this grass in it and within a few days the problem had gone.
I believe the issue is not with greenkeepers per say, but with the golfer, areas around the hole can get heavily spiked up during a busy day of play.

From a greenkeeping perspective I don’t have a problem with spikes, as a golfer I feel until they change the rule on repairing spike marks before putting, then probably soft or even spikeless may be best. But that’s my humble opinion.

Cheers

 

[USER1999]

Re: Spikes metal or not????

Thanks for the opinion.

I have always thought that there was little damage done provided people actually lift their feet rather than scuffing them along.
It annoys me when courses ban spikes, as for some conditions they provide the best grip (wet cut grass for instance, as you can clean your soles with a pitch mark repairer). My old course also had wooden bridges made from railway sleepers, which were lethal with soft spikes in the wet.

You are right about frost build up on soles though, some people I play with are quite happy to wander about the greens with whopping amounts of ice on their shoes, and then moan at how untrue their putt was.

 

[Greenkeeper]

Re: Spikes

Good point, soft spikes are slippery at the best of times but on sleepers they are like ice, I also find them slippery on hard ground as well.
Also with regards to the frost collecting on the spikes, soft spikes are worse as they are harder to clean.
I like the idea of lifting up your feet when walking, but it’s hard enough to get members to repair pitchmarks, bunkers and replace divots can you imagine telling the Past Captain to ‘pick his feet up’.
Seriously though the more I think about it the more I support metal over soft spikes.

Thanks

 

[viscount17]

Re: Spikes

The thing I notice most with soft spikes are the great whorls created as you pivot on a shot (not I hasten to add, on the greens!). I can't say I noticed it as much with spikes.
Is the mass of grass we collect thereby stripping out the thatch or ripping out perfectly good grass?
- and of course, unless we stop to clean out the spikes near enough on every hole (thereby slowing play), the spikes become less and less effective.

 

[USER1999]

Re: Spikes

Have changed my classics from black widow to stinger(yellow three pointed things) as these are supposed to clog less. Trouble is, I don't wear these when it is wet, so won't see if they are any better til spring.

Currently running my DJs on metal everywhere except the ball of the foot. This is to give a softer foot strike on the paths. This seems to give a good level of grip, but I have to remember to clear the ice off with a pitch repairer, and not just bang the soles with my scotty.