My Thoughts on what you must have before you can play a course.

[Leftie]

So what is the fix my idea of making the pro ask them to show he/she has a pitch tool or do you lot have any better ideas????

I've got a lob wedge but rarely use it!

I think that all club suscriptions, green fees, and society costs should be raised enough that the course can have a marshall on every hole and eject from the course anyone who doesn't repair their pitch marks or replace divots. That will sort the bu33ers out.

Failing that, go back to the usual option of putting notices up asking that repairs are carried out and then relying on responsible players to repair as usual.

 

[viscount17]

First off, I use a trolley.

But there is an issue with trolleys and buggies cutting up soft ground (I can hear the carry at all costs brigade getting smug already).

Yesterday, with frost on the grass until late, the tracks were easily visible, meandering all over the place. The solution to this is easy; defined routes, prepared paths - even if just wood chippings.
Getting people to adhere to them, now that's another thing.

 

[madandra]

You could ask members to look for and repair ANY divot (singular) if they haven't made one themselves.

Just a fot.

 

[haplesshacker]

With the weather being so wet recently, our local greens have taken a pounding. The pitch marks look like planets orbiting the sun (pin).

We're all guilty of this, whichever part you play. The scenario. Busy Saturday morning, at least 2 groups stacked at each tee, you tee off, often badly due to the watching ensemble, spend a few minutes hunting down your ball, take a hurried swing as your 'hear' the sighs coming from the tee to get a move on. You pitch your 3rd shot onto the green, the group behind you are breathing down your neck, you feel presurised to make that 'one' putt, all the time wondering if you left your bag on the 'correct' side of the green. You dash onto the green, noticing that the group behind you are languishing around waiting for you to get off the green. You make your putt, and miss, walk round and eventually take a gimmie from your playing partner. You now rush off the green towards your bag and hurridly make your exit to the next tee, where you will go through the whole process again. At what point did you remember to repair your or anyone elses pitch mark!!?

Five hour rounds are a joke, and it's not caused by repairing pitchmarks. Course marshalls need to oust slow players, so that the rest of us can play at a sensible speed, follow the rules and ettiquite, and enjoy the game without undue pressure from behind. Remember, if you can see a group in front of us, it's not our fault it's so slow!

Large popcorn for one please!!

 

[TonyN]

My local course is in tip top condition, apart from the few odd pitch marks. I always make a point of repairig my own and 2 other divots near by. I really appreciate the hard work the lads put into maintaining the course all year round so feel the need to help out. And if i see ppl in front not repairing i give them a piece of my mind. repairing pitch marks also helps me to keep a good tempo going, relaxes me before a pressure putt and gives me time to take in a few deep breaths. Nothing better than repairing a pitch mark a few feet from the hole after a 100 yard approach, especially if there are people looking to see where your ball landed.

 

[MikeTimbers]

I have a pitch repair tool in my bag but usually use a tee. I try to do at least on repair per green and usually two or three. While I agree it's annoying to find them, at least you're allowed to fix them before you play so they shouldn't affect your game. What does bug me is imprints of putter heads left by people leaning on them and scuff marks from people who can't be bothered to lift their feet properly when they walk!

But hey! if we're going to rant can we focus on the bigger issues! General on-course etiquette for one! AARGH! Why must some golfers shout to each other just when I'm about to putt? Why does no-one seem to use a rake any more? Why must everyone play so sloooooowwwww?!?!?!?

I played in a four-ball at Birchwood GC last Saturday and we got held up by a one-ball with a cart! Once he was clear to play, he then went through a two-minute pre-shot routine including multiple practive swings and re-alignments before scuffing it twenty yards. After just two holes, he thankfully went back to the first to play behind us but only after we "hurried him along".

And I'd been defending the rights of solitary players up til then arguing that letting a single player through doesn't really slow you down all that much.

Rant paused while I attempt to calm down!

 

[hopeful]

Speaking as an 'old ***' I too get annoyed at people who don't repair pitch marks or replace divots but suspect that just as many are left by arrogant and foul-mouthed young twerps. This particular 'old bastard' generally takes care to locate and repair his own and other pitch marks and I can often be seen replacing other's divots as I zig-zag down the fairway. Yes, some of my senior partners are not as flexible as they were but it's my observation that they usually make the effort and generally have respect for the course...... and other players, of what ever age.

 

[haplesshacker]

Old and young, solo players or societies are responsable for not repairing pitch marks / divots, but I stand by my previous comments. However could the 'Old ***' (sorry Hopefull, using your own words!), who's going zig zagging down the fairway repairing others divots and pitch marks be the reason for four to five hour rounds? Lets face it, you're probably not the most spritely on your feet. Your common courtesy has to be applauded, however it does have a huge effect further down the course.

Is there a solution that will resolve the two major issues here? Slow rounds and pitch / divot marks!

 

[MikeTimbers]

As a quick player who therefore finds himself standing around waiting for someone to study their putt for five minutes before addressing the ball, me repairing multiple pitch marks doesn't hold anyone up at all.

Slow play is largely caused by

a) bad play - lost balls, poor putting, three shots in a bunker, etc.

b) excessive pre-shot routines, particularly on greens

c) between-shot dawdling

 

[toonarmy]

I would like all courses to operate a surname policy on pitch mark repairs. That is, each hole is designated a letter(s) e.g. 1st A-B, 2nd C-D etc.

Put a big notice up at the clubhouse and you're told whatever your surname is, make sure you repair any pitch mark you see on that green. This then catches visitors and members and will get people into the habit of repairing 'their' green as well as probably making sure they get their marks on other greens.

Of course, it still means people need to actually do as they are asked...

 

[viscount17]

a bit too gentile, toon'. I think a flogging triangle and the greenskeeper with a cat o'nine tails might have more effect.

 

[haplesshacker]

So you've never lost a ball, never three putted, never taken more than one shot out the bunker, never screwed up your tee shot, never shot over par, never take a practice swing (true, there are types that seem to take forever at this, and then screw up!), and you've never won a major!

Let me know next time you're playing and I'll nip down to Billy Hills and place a bet on you winning