How's your course shaping up?

[bozza]

Had a chat with our head Greenkeeper at lunchtime. Same issue. First it was cold and little growth - now too dry. Meadow grass and bent. Meadow grass is dying off and will seed. Gets clumpy. So until we have some rain and more warmth greens are going to be relatively uneven. But that's how it is.

Think that's the problem with ours at the moment, random little patches of longer thicker bladed grass on the greens then other areas it looks like it hasn't started to grow.

Give it another 2-3 weeks and hopefully it should be ok.

 

[JohnnyDee]

Our place is shaping up beautifully and fairways getting like carpets of lushness. Greens were bang on last weekend but we've had 4 days of small tining, scarification, sanding and top dressing.

But you know what they say, "No pain -no gain"

However we did the same last year and I know they'll be fantastic by end of first week in May. Visitors last year raved about our "amazing greens!"

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Some good rain fall forecast for the next few days down here so that should really help the growth along

 

[Val]

Both looking very good considering it's April still. A week or 2 and they'll be outstanding again

 

[williamalex1]

Greens are starting to come good helped by the weekly top dressing and warmer weather, slightly better than other courses I've played recently.

With rain forecast on Saturday things are looking good.:whoo:

 

[Face breaker]

Think that's the problem with ours at the moment, random little patches of longer thicker bladed grass on the greens then other areas it looks like it hasn't started to grow.

Give it another 2-3 weeks and hopefully it should be ok.

Those random patches of thicker, longer grass are what's known as "POA/Annua" or "Annual Meadow Grass" and the reason they stand out like they do is because their growth cycle is capable of starting at a lower temperature than the "Bent's and Fescue's" can hence the bobbly playing surface !...:thup:

ps, sorry to be anal but I thought you might like to know !...

 

[Slab]

Its obviously a diff season here but for my regular course its undergoing significant changes as the tour will be here in 2 weeks so the greens are mental fast and due to get another 10% faster, the bunkers... well, all new fluffy sand with an even depth, the kind that sprays onto the green when you take your shot (almost makes it a pleasure to go in so you can play out of it, almost) and zero stones/chunks or debris of any kind

The tee boxes look pristine and they are protecting the ones that'll be used by the pro's (even for the practice and pro-am rounds)

Fairways are always immaculate as is most of the course to be honest, they've just taken things up to another level in the last couple of weeks

Really looking forward to seeing it when it hits peak and then club champs on it two weeks later

 

[Oddsocks]

Greens are finally coming back , over hollowtined/dressed in February then a cold snap meant no growth, and some reshaping of the 2nd and 1st cut will tighten it up nicely, big drives and short irons in wont happen this season :thup:

We have a Surrey pro am in the next couple of weeks, just wish they had the dense summer rough that we get slaughtered by to cope with, but it would kill the sprayers!

 

[pigmeister]

Both courses coming on nice, but desperately need some more rain. New 7th green, 8th tee and 11th tee on JOG. New 8th tee on Cathagena. Work done over the winter has improved both courses.
AmandaJR, if you set the course up for the minority I presume you mean your low handicappers. Surely this is the way to go. Why would you set it up for high handicappers, the rough will be cut down, fairway 40yds wide and no fringes where people with zero short games can putt from anywhere around the greens. Got to make people think their way around, not just smash it anywhere. I agree it can make rounds longer and more frustrating but do you want an easy course or an interesting one.

 

[AmandaJR]

Both courses coming on nice, but desperately need some more rain. New 7th green, 8th tee and 11th tee on JOG. New 8th tee on Cathagena. Work done over the winter has improved both courses.
AmandaJR, if you set the course up for the minority I presume you mean your low handicappers. Surely this is the way to go. Why would you set it up for high handicappers, the rough will be cut down, fairway 40yds wide and no fringes where people with zero short games can putt from anywhere around the greens. Got to make people think their way around, not just smash it anywhere. I agree it can make rounds longer and more frustrating but do you want an easy course or an interesting one.

I think there's a balance to be had and we're in danger of going too far the other way. Remember the bread and butter of membership doesn't come from the scratch guys. It's already a course with lots of difficult holes, which I love, but pinching in fairways that were already very tight (too tight in the words of one pro I played a round with) seems a step too far.

 

[Imurg]

I think there's a balance to be had and we're in danger of going too far the other way. Remember the bread and butter of membership doesn't come from the scratch guys. It's already a course with lots of difficult holes, which I love, but pinching in fairways that were already very tight (too tight in the words of one pro I played a round with) seems a step too far.

+1 on this.
A good design will make it tricky for good players but not unplayable for the majority - unless you just want a small membership comprising low handicappers

 

[louise_a]

Things looking a lot better at our, fairways nicely defined, greens are getting better but still a bit on the slow side.

We had a statement in the club Newsletter this week saying that the weather meant that the top dressing etc that was done in March last year could only be done a couple of weeks ago, which is why we are a bit behind.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I think there's a balance to be had and we're in danger of going too far the other way. Remember the bread and butter of membership doesn't come from the scratch guys. It's already a course with lots of difficult holes, which I love, but pinching in fairways that were already very tight (too tight in the words of one pro I played a round with) seems a step too far.

Because CSS and SSS is based on the score a scratch player plays the course should be set up for the scratch players and then the Handicaps come into it for all others
And award of SSS is determined by things like the width of fairways at certain length etc along with the length of the course

 

[pokerjoke]

Vivary park is looking quite sad really,i suppose you get whatyou pay for.
The greens are poor purely down to the weather I suppose,still its a nice tight track so
its different to most others and it good for getting you thinking.

Ilfracombe on the other hand was an absolute picture yesterday,the greens are superb
and the course looks in great condition.

 

[fundy]

Because CSS and SSS is based on the score a scratch player plays the course should be set up for the scratch players and then the Handicaps come into it for all others
And award of SSS is determined by things like the width of fairways at certain length etc along with the length of the course

This doesnt make any sense at all to me Phil, what has how the CSS and SSS are calculated got to do with how you set the course up? Are you saying all US courses should be set up for 18 handicappers as isnt that the basis for their handicap system?

For me a course should be set us as fairly as possible for everyone and should take into account its customer base (which in most cases will mainly be mid and high handicappers so making it overly tough is not constructive imo)

The course should be set up then the CSS calculated not vice versa for me

 

[garyinderry]

Lee park needs some rain. we had a lot on Saturday but the greens were still bone dry yesterday. Greens still a fair bit of being true. Not bumpy but just not running true yet.

 

[pbrown7582]

Some damp nights warm days needed course is hard and dry with minimal growth. Greens are in a good place a little behind like everyone's due to the cold temperatures but running smoothly and nearly completely from fusarium.
Need comp tees and bunkers were in play and do enhance the course.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

This doesnt make any sense at all to me Phil, what has how the CSS and SSS are calculated got to do with how you set the course up? Are you saying all US courses should be set up for 18 handicappers as isnt that the basis for their handicap system?

For me a course should be set us as fairly as possible for everyone and should take into account its customer base (which in most cases will mainly be mid and high handicappers so making it overly tough is not constructive imo)

The course should be set up then the CSS calculated not vice versa for me

Calculations on SSS include placement of bunkers , width of fairways at driving distance from 230 to 270 plus lots of other conditions

So when you tee up on the relevant tee the course is set up for the scratch golfer then your HC is there to allow everyone to play to a level field determined by SSS

 

[fundy]

Calculations on SSS include placement of bunkers , width of fairways at driving distance from 230 to 270 plus lots of other conditions

So when you tee up on the relevant tee the course is set up for the scratch golfer then your HC is there to allow everyone to play to a level field determined by SSS

I understand what SSS and how it is calculated but I totally disagree thats how you should set a golf course up, just totally illogical imho. Setting the course up is about your customers and their enjoyment, not what a handicap system arbitrarily uses as its base

 

[Slab]

Deleted, answered my own question