As of now we are looking to have some real great golfing weather with temperatures in the mid 70's for the next few days. Some topics that have come up recently is the speed of the greens not being consistent. So let me explain, Right after we had aerified the greens we inter-seeded some new varieties of bent grass that over time will become the dominate grass for our greens. These varieties are better performers such as with increased ball roll, more disease tolerant and a list of other factors. The two weeks after we had to tread lightly so to speak so that we could have the maximum amount of germination on the greens. Ideally this would be better to close but doing it this way allows for the greens to still be open. With that said there was times of reduced mowing and rolling. Now that we are in a good state for the seedlings to take the abuse we are back on track to have the green speeds on a more consistent level ranging from a 10-11. There will be times because of weather (rain) that they may not be quick, at that point there is nothing that we can do to combat this. But every effort will be made to keep them as consistent as possible.
There was an email blast that went out pertaining to improving our ball mark repair on the greens, raking bunkers properly and replacing or filling your fairways divots. I would say that we are improving but we are not quite there yet. The biggest issue that I see in the mornings is the ball marks on the greens. So please find one plus another and that will greatly improve this issue. Bunker rakes are periodically being upgraded to an improved handle and a larger rake head to speed up the raking process. The short game, #1 and #2 have been changed out.
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| Old rake on the left with new on the right |
Below you will find the proper way to fix a ball mark by the GCSAA.
Repairing ballmarks
Ball marks, the indentations caused when a ball lands sharply on a soft green, have been ruining good putts since the days of Old Tom Morris.
Unrepaired ball marks take two to three weeks to properly heal, leaving behind unsightly, uneven putting surfaces. On the other hand, a repaired ball mark only takes half that time to heal.
Beginner or pro, it is your responsibility as a golfer to fix your own marks. If you're truly a steward of the game, you'll fix any others you see while your partners are putting. There's really not much to it, but there are a few guidelines you should follow when making these repairs.
The right way to fix a ball mark
Step 1:
Use a pronged ball mark
repair tool, knife,
key or tee.
Step 2:
Insert the repair tool at the
edges of the mark; not the
middle of the depression.
Step 3:
Bring the edges together
with a gentle twisting motion,
but don't lift the center. Try not to
tear the grass.
Step 4:
Smooth the surface with
a club or your foot. Repeat
steps until the surface is one
you would want to putt over.
