For a Day as a Golf Groundskeeper

 

If you've ever hit a dream drive down the fairway only to find it lying in a fresh divot, or had a birdie putt deflected off line due to a decaying pitch mark on the green, you'll understand the following story.

I went to the golf course recently for a rare Monday morning tee time with the boys. As usual, I arrived an hour early to fine-tune my game and hopefully establish some sort of rhythm to my swing. I ran into Sandy, our groundskeeper, on the practice green. I've been playing the course for 5 years and have become acquainted with Sandy. We usually make light conversation about my evolving pull-slice and her never-ending battle with green and fairway upkeep. I approached Sandy and inquired, "How are they rolling today?" Sandy just sighed and muttered something about the 'weekenders' (her term for the visitors that flock to our neck of the woods every weekend in the summer). When I asked if they had left the course in a state of disarray, she replied, "You got a minute?"

We were off in her cart to green number 1 with that. Sandy pulled over and led me through the now pock-marked green. She was able to identify and distinguish pitch marks (also known as ball marks) that she had to repair herself because golfers over the weekend either didn't take the time or were simply unaware of the damage they were causing. Sandy's crew was all out fixing thousands of abandoned marks that had been left on the other greens, rather than spending valuable time doing other golf course maintenance.

Our tour ended with a leisurely stroll back down the first fairway. Sandy spotted and filled several divot marks with her sand/seed mixture, so we came to a halt every few feet. The same people who defaced her greens had apparently defaced her lush fairways as well. Sandy was not having a good time. "If only golfers had to work as Sabba's Landscaping for a day," Sandy lamented.

Repairing pitch marks and divots is Golf Etiquette 101, but many golfers still fail to do so. It's quick, simple, and, most importantly, it'll brighten Sandy's day. Here's how we can assist:

Replacing and repairing divots:

1) Inquire with the golf course superintendent if there are any special procedures to follow, as golf courses do not use the same types of grass and mixtures.

2) You just hit a fantastic wedge to the green. Understandably, you were preoccupied with the flight of your ball. However, you are now responsible for repairing the blemish you made in the fairway. Either a) fill the hole with the sand/seed mixture on the side of your cart, tapping it down to create the most level lie possible, or b) go retrieve the turf you carved out (or its many pieces) and replace it in the hole. Make certain that the grass is replaced in the same direction that it was removed. Tap it securely into the ground as well, so that the grounds crew doesn't rip it out with their lawnmowers and the roots can retake hold in the ground. Excellent work! Now, let's get back to that pitch mark you just made on the green.

Pitch (Ball) Mark Repair

1) Locate and find your pitch mark. It will be the most recent one on the green and should be close to your ball.

2) Locate your ball mark repair tool. If you don't have one, the golf course's pro shop will most likely have a basket full of them. In fact, the majority of golf courses give them away to customers (with the hopes that you know how to use them).

3) Insert the tool's prongs at a 45-degree angle into the ground directly beside the pitch mark. Gently work the turf back up to the surface and repeat the process all the way around the pitch mark. When finished, use the bottom of your putter to flatten and smooth the turf as much as possible.

4) Go back to step 3 and find another pitch mark on the green. It's the least you could do while you're waiting for your teammates to putt.

If golfers all over the world could just follow these simple steps, the quality of play on our fairways and greens would improve dramatically. A single neglected divot or pitch mark can take up to three weeks to heal properly and has a negative impact on the playing conditions of subsequent golfers. Multiply that by a thousand and you might begin to understand Sandy's and all other groundskeepers' daily struggles to keep our tracks running smoothly and clean. Wouldn't it be great if we could all be groundskeepers for a day?