It seems that over the last couple of weeks the weather has been really unsettled. Due to a southern flow of warm, humid, and moist air, we have been hit by several pop up thunderstorms. These rain events, along with the high humidity, have caused the putting surfaces to be softer than normally managed. So with the course conditions being a little on the soft side, I thought I would take the opportunity to broach the subject of ballmarks!
Within, the USGA Rules of Golf, there is a list for "Core Golf Etiquette" that is ingrained into the very essence of the game:
- Safety: Be aware of other players. Never take an action that could endanger anyone. Example: Hitting range balls off of #1 tee in the direction of the driving range.
- Consideration of other players
- Pace of Play
- Course Conditions: The book states "DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO LEAVE THE COURSE CONDITIONS THE WAY YOU FOUND THEM!!
As my first mentor, Don Cross, C.G.C.S. of Skokie Country Club, stated in his Blog, "If you are truly a steward of the game, you will repair any ballmarks you see!"
There is a right way and a wrong way to fix a ballmark! I have witnessed many of you fixing your ballmarks like a rabid bird looking for earthworms. Take your time and follow the steps in this USGA video:
http://www.usga.org/turf/articles/video/repairingballmarks.html
Here is an interesting fact from the Golf Course Superintendent's Association:
1. A properly repaired ball mark heals completely in 2-3 days, while an unrepaired ball mark takes 15-20 days to heal properly.
I know that everyone is going to blame the amount of ballmarks on the green fee players, but the problem is not all a result of their play. I am just asking that everyone repair the ballmarks they make, and fix any others you might see. After all, you are just being a good steward of the game!
Shannon
