Our grounds crew work hard every day to maintain and improve the playability of the course. Daily play puts a lot stress on tees, greens and fairways. Unfortunately, the divots, ball marks and spike marks players leave behind can all add strokes to the next player's score. The grounds crew put in lots of time to get the course looking and playing its best, but there are also things players can do to improve their own chances of drawing a favorable lie and getting a favorable result.
On the tee try to restrict your number of practice swings. If you happen to take a divot please replace it, or make use of the sand seed containers available at every hole. After your shot please remove your broken tee. There are receptacles at, or near every tee. Contrary to what some folks believe, our mowers are not powerful enough to mulch the remains of wooden tees. Some of the unbreakable plastic tees can dull or even chip mower blades and bedknives, resulting in an uneven or ragged cut.
Once your ball comes to rest off the tee, whether in the fairway or the rough, the rules of golf apply. Basically a person has to play the ball where it lies unless they are entitled to relief. Occasionally shots will come to rest in in a divot, the indentation or displaced turf mark from a previous golfer's shot. The rules dictate that your shot must be played out of the divot. While you are not entitled to move your ball, you can help ensure that others do not share your fate. Again restrict the number of practice swings you take. If you take divots on either your practice swings or actual shot, replace them. If the ground is damp and the divot is large there is a good chance that if replaced and tamped down, the divot will re-root. If simply left on their own divot gashes do eventually recover and fill in as neighboring plants grow into the gaps, but the recovery process can take weeks. If the divot is in a common landing area, your efforts at repairs will be much appreciated by those who follow after you.
On the putting surface, player assistance in dealing with ball marks and spike marks is most essential, for the grounds crew are to keep up with daily wear and tear. A divot repair tool, a small two pronged fork like device, should be essential equipment for all golfers. Many well intentioned golfers incorrectly repair ball marks by inserting their divot tool or a tee into the ball mark and levering up the depressed earth. This technique actually causes more damage as it tears roots. The proper technique is to work in from the edges of the depression, kneading the grass and gradually easing the depression back to a more level surface. Complete the repair by tamping down the surface with the underside of your putter. There are many good how to videos about this available on Youtube. Just google ball mark repair! A good rule of thumb is to fix your own ball mark and two others on each hole.
Spike or cleat marks are different from ball or pitch marks in that, under rule 16 1-c , they cannot be repaired before you putt. Golf Canada explains this difference in terms of two key principles. All players are to: 1) Play the shot where lies and 2) Play the course as they find it. Pitch marks and old hole plugs can be repaired because they are easily identifiable. Spike marks may not be repaired until all players have completed play on a hole. Players can help prevent spike and cleat mark issues by moving carefully on and around greens and by ensuring that their shoes and spikes are in good repair. Soft spike technology has advanced considerably over the days of the old metal cleats. Most courses now require players to use the new soft spikes. If you've lost one, or your old ones are worn down, replacements are available for purchase at the clubhouse.
Keeping the course in good repair is a shared responsibility. With the amount of rain we've had this spring, its essential that we work together to minimize course damage and promote speedy turf recovery. Making sure your equipment is in good condition, and taking the time to properly replace and repair turf impacted by each swing, is the best way to make your mark at Links. Together grounds crew and players can both make sure the course continues to look and play its best.
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