Winter Golf Mats

[TigerBear]

We are required to use the mat in the first cut. With the amount of play at my course over the winter I am glad we do. If not, the semi would be in a mess come March.

Fair enough, your club has to protect the course.

But that would frustrate the life out of me.

 

[Jigger]

I love that it fixes into the ground but what about in hard frosty conditions?

 

[Golfnut1957]

I love that it fixes into the ground but what about in hard frosty conditions?

Good question. While our greens can become bell iron during a hard frost the fairways have never been so hard that the Spurk can't be used.

I can only imagine that the day the fairways become bell iron will be interesting, and extremely cold.

 

[Jigger]

Good question. While our greens can become bell iron during a hard frost the fairways have never been so hard that the Spurk can't be used.

I can only imagine that the day the fairways become bell iron will be interesting, and extremely cold.

Thanks. I do remember one year when our course felt pressured to open and it was pretty much ice all the way around. Plus side was I was driving greens on par 4 but we walked off at the earliest point as it wasn’t golf and could only serve to make things worse in the long term.

 

[Bobthesock]

We are required to use the mat in the first cut. With the amount of play at my course over the winter I am glad we do. If not, the semi would be in a mess come March.

And then good as new again by April when the grass starts growing

 

[KenL]

And then good as new again by April when the grass starts growing

Not buying that.

 

[Bobthesock]

Not buying that.

That's handy coz I ain't selling it. It's a fact

 

[KenL]

That's handy coz I ain't selling it. It's a fact

Not on our cold links course it wouldn't be.

 

[hovis]

That's handy coz I ain't selling it. It's a fact

Yep. Never used them and never been at a course that does. Yet April comes and its all as good as new. Always seems that its another form of control clubs like to project on to its members. Or the green staff want you to make their job easier.

Nice quote BTW ?

 

[Bobthesock]

I've played at courses that use them and courses that don't. Come spring you can't tell the difference. Old people and high handicaps seem to like using them so I'd be more than happy to have them as optional.
Thanks I had to omit a key word though or I would be banned ?

 

[Mandofred]

One of the clubs I left last year had a requirement of either using a fairway mat or taking a bag of sand around with you so you could fill in divots. HAD to use one or the other. The club I joined in March gave you the "option" of using mats if you wanted.....almost nobody did....although I did because I like the mat and I think that it really helps the fairways. I was a bit shocked at how much worse the fairways were at the new course....loose divots all over the place, plenty of huge divots on the ground. There was a huge difference between the courses. Divots that you take during the winter will not go away (and then only "kind of") until well into Spring. If you prevent the divots in the first place.....why not? The answer from the golfers who don't want to use mats....."I don't like mats"...which I can understand. But, some choices need to be made to keep the course in better shape regardless of whether some people don't like mats. I've never really understood why people don't like mats. You get to put your ball on a perfect lie, you don't tear the grass up (and occasional mud in the face)....what's not to like? Switching back to no mats in the Spring only takes a little practice...and I shouldn't even need that since I would be hitting off the grass when I'm off the fairway.....which unfortunately is common.

edit: I'm up North.....conditions are worse than in the South....obviously. Or.....links style courses. etc etc Courses that use mats don't do it just to irritate some people....they do it for a good reason.

 

[hovis]

.....almost nobody did....although I did because I like the mat and I think that it really helps the fairways. I was a bit shocked at how much worse the fairways were at the new course....loose divots all over the place, plenty of huge divots on the ground. There was a huge difference between the courses. Divots that you take during the winter will not go away (and then only "kind of") until well into Spring.

Then the green keepers are doing a crap job.

Divots are replaced with the divot or soil. Even with no growth there's shouldn't be holes all over the place.

 

[Mandofred]

Then the green keepers are doing a crap job.

How so?

 

[hovis]

How so?

Leaving holes on the floor and divots all over the place?

 

[Mandofred]

Then the green keepers are doing a crap job.

Divots are replaced with the divot or soil. Even with no growth there's shouldn't be holes all over the place.

Some divots had been replaced (nothing to do with green keepers, that's the players)....but then the birds pull them up (I've watched them do it). Do you know how long it would take the green keepers to walk every fairway to take care of the divots?? I can only imagine. Maybe your club has 100's of green keepers?(that's an exaggeration) Like I said...at my old club, you either had to use a fairway mat or a bag with sand (provided by club). Fairways in a LOT better shape. They don't require fairway mats or sand at the current club......fairways torn up. Hmmmm, what's the connection? Good vs bad green keepers?

 

[hovis]

Some divots had been replaced (nothing to do with green keepers, that's the players)....but then the birds pull them up (I've watched them do it). Do you know how long it would take the green keepers to walk every fairway to take care of the divots?? I can only imagine. Maybe your club has 100's of green keepers?(that's an exaggeration) Like I said...at my old club, you either had to use a fairway mat or a bag with sand (provided by club). Fairways in a LOT better shape. They don't require fairway mats or sand at the current club......fairways torn up. Hmmmm, what's the connection? Good vs bad green keepers?

Yes that's exactly what they are supposed to do. Walk the fairways and replace to divots!!! Good god. Thats literally their job! Hence my original post "lazy green keepers"

 

[Mandofred]

Yes that's exactly what they are supposed to do. Walk the fairways and replace to divots!!! Good god. Thats literally their job! Hence my original post "lazy green keepers"

You must have a lot more workers than any place I've ever played.

And when they replace the divots, and the birds pull them up again.....send the green keepers right back out again? and again?

You could just have the players hit off mats....and then there are no divots. Seems an easy solution.

 

[hovis]

You must have a lot more workers than any place I've ever played.

And when they replace the divots, and the birds pull them up again.....send the green keepers right back out again? and again?

You could just have the players hit off mats....and then there are no divots. Seems an easy solution.

Green keepers replace the divots with sand so no repeat work on that part. My course has around 6 green keepers.

As for hitting of matts. I can't find the words to explain what I think about carrying a matt around the golf course with me. I'd rather not play golf or find a course that doesn't impose such stupidity.

 

[Backache]

There has been a lot of research down the years by the golf authorities on turf maintenance.
Most of the top courses use mats in winter. I don't think they would do so without evidence.

 

[Mandofred]

Green keepers replace the divots with sand so no repeat work on that part. My course has around 6 green keepers.

As for hitting of matts. I can't find the words to explain what I think about carrying a matt around the golf course with me. I'd rather not play golf or find a course that doesn't impose such stupidity.

So...this is all about you? Not whether the course would be better off using fairway mats?