Poor Green care

[jack1]

I have just recently joined a club for the first time and have been unpleasantly surprised by the number of pitch marks that go unrepaired on the greens. I thought it was just weekend hackers who behaved badly and i expected club memebers to be a little more respectful of what are essentially thier greens! Any ideas on how i can lobby the committee to do something about it?

 

[Bunkers]

Mmm...can be a big problem especially this time of year when the greens get a bit softer.

Why not try this out...take a bucket of balls to the worst affected green and place a ball in each unrepaired pitch mark. Take a few artistic snaps and then you have a bit more visual evidence for the committee etc. Worth also placing the pictures in the locker room to remind members of their responsibilities!

Worth a shot!!

 

[AuburnWarrior]

I fear you'll be onto a lost cause but I wish you luck.
The repairing of pitch marks is one of the core parts of the etiquette of the game - it should be second nature. I always have a look around and repair any that I see on the green.
It's normally the people who don't repair their pitch marks who are the first and loudest people to moan if they find their ball in one on the green or in their line.
They're normally the same people who don't rack over bunkers!!! And then moan when they land is someone else's foot mark!!!

 

[AuburnWarrior]

Mmm...can be a big problem especially this time of year when the greens get a bit softer.

Why not try this out...take a bucket of balls to the worst affected green and place a ball in each unrepaired pitch mark. Take a few artistic snaps and then you have a bit more visual evidence for the committee etc. Worth also placing the pictures in the locker room to remind members of their responsibilities!

Worth a shot!!

Very good idea!!!

 

[CliveW]

How much does a plasic pitch repair fork cost? If your club put a "free" one in with your membership card, along with a note of how to use one, there should be no excuse for pitchmarks.

 

[DMC]

Think you might be throwing stones at the wind with this one. My own club have tried just about everything inc free pitch mark repairer,all to no avail. Good luck with whatever you try.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Its an old problem and when we've discussed it before it seems as the OP states that at times members can be worse than visitiors or playing at a muni. I don't know if its arrogance (assuming the greenkeepers will repair the damage) laziness or poor education. We like other clubs have tried notices on the locker room walls, on the tables in the 19th and as reminders when posting out AGM voting forms etc but to no avail.

It seems there are those that will and do so regularly including repairing other peoples and those that won't do it at all. Funnily enough a lot of the worse offenders are actaully seniors who should know better. They play more often, being retired (as is their right) but I've followed three particular groups before and none repair their mark. Even if you challenge them it seems to make no difference. I've raised it to committee level but they seem unwilling to take the matter further. I might be prejudiced but I'd have thought it would have been the juniors being too lazy but watching them in half term the other week the majority were exemplary in their etiquette on the green and in bunkers, leaving bags correctly etc.

Funnily enough its those that fail to repair properly, not just at miy club but in general who are usually the first to complain about the state of the greens. Not sure what the answer is though.

 

[drawboy]

In a recent conversation with a greenkeeper he stated that in his professional opinion (not mine) the worst offenders for not repairing pitch marks are senior golfers.He told me that the weekdays after senior comps were the worst to clean up the greens after.Juniors came out very well as they try to emulate the pro's on t.v. and do repair their marks.Interesting.

 

[matt01]

that is a very good idea with the balls

i think people just think they can get away with it this time of year as the greens are not at there best,they dont understand they need our help by repairing pitch marks

 

[viscount17]

still think the only way to get this home is to introduce a local rule, particularly in comps, that failure to repair pitchmark or divot is one shot penalty.

there are those, so eager to win, that no-one will be allowed to get away with it.

 

[drawboy]

great idea viscount, it could be the only way to get the message across.

 

[Golfmmad]

In a recent conversation with a greenkeeper he stated that in his professional opinion (not mine) the worst offenders for not repairing pitch marks are senior golfers.He told me that the weekdays after senior comps were the worst to clean up the greens after.Juniors came out very well as they try to emulate the pro's on t.v. and do repair their marks.Interesting.

I think the greenkeeper calls it right, as a lot of seniors cannot bend down to get their ball out of the cup, and often see them with a grabber on the end of putter to pick ball up.

I'm of the age where I'm classed as a senior, but, can still bend down to get my ball and repair pitch marks.

Bunkers idea of ball in pitch marks and take a photo is a brilliant idea, after all seeing is believing

Golfmmad.

 

[rickg]

I'm sure I've seen a pitch mark repairer that fits in the end of the putter which allows pitch marks to be repaired without bending.
Perhaps the Pro shops should have a few of these for sale.

 

[Parmo]

still think the only way to get this home is to introduce a local rule, particularly in comps, that failure to repair pitchmark or divot is one shot penalty.

What happens if you divot isnt a clean one and hundreds of pieces of fairway are spread?

I just repair what I see, nothing will ever change regardless of snobby private courses or muni's.

 

[JustOne]

Seniors are by far the worst... (no offence Golfmmad )
and yet the first to complain about practically anything.

I always try to repair my pitch mark and one other wherever possible.

 

[Pants]

"the weekdays after senior comps were the worst to clean up the greens"

That may be true at his club, but at the public courses I play the seniors are never able to hit their balls high or long enough to make pitch marks. They are usually short and run the balls in.

They often do like to look for pitch marks though and repair a few if they can see them - pretending that one of them might have been their's I suppose.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Sadly at this time of year most approach shots from 50 yards and out will leave some kind of mark unless you truely thin it. A lot of seniors are still capable of getting height with shorter irons and make marks. I don't want to lay all the blame solely at their door as I've seen loads of golfers both at private clubs and pay and plays ignore huge crater marks. I don't know the answer but clearly it is a huge problem and won't make putting in winter any easier

 

[viscount17]

Some seniors (are by far) may be amongthe worst... (no offence Golfmmad )
and yet the first to complain about practically anything.

I always try to repair my pitch mark and one other wherever possible.

In all the rounds I've played with my fellow seniors at Wybo I've yet to play with one who hasn't repaired his pitchmarks. (and no, I haven't played with them all)

visitors, of whatever age, are the worst (follow any society) - as a rule they have no care for what is to many, a place they may never return to.

 

[Parmo]

On this topic a while back I found the below picture and emailed it to the pro attached to the Muni, I sugguested putting it on the cards for a time or making it into a sign on the par 3's.

He emailed back thanking me and thought it was a good idea, did anything happen after that?? Did it hell like.

 

[drawboy]

still think the only way to get this home is to introduce a local rule, particularly in comps, that failure to repair pitchmark or divot is one shot penalty.

What happens if you divot isnt a clean one and hundreds of pieces of fairway are spread?

I just repair what I see, nothing will ever change regardless of snobby private courses or muni's.

Parmo, I don't think it is a case of private course members being snobby,it's more a case of golfers generally wanting to keep the course in a better condition as they play there every week. Muni's can suffer from the casual golfers who do not care because they are not going to be there next week.