Part of my previous job was to take time to control the first tee, a starter if you will.
This was one of my favourite job requirements, as I was able to welcome the golfer to our course, explain to them some of the hole layouts and ensure that they understood the basic rules of the course.
It was also the time to issue a polite reminder that they were responsible for repairing pitch marks, replacing divots and raking bunkers.
It was also interesting to hear how golfers rated a golf course and what the most important factors where when choosing where to play.
The answers given were for the most part what you expect:
- Greens
- Fairways
- Bunkers
- Tees
- Price
- Design of the course (playability)
- Clubhouse
Most important to golfers of all levels was the quality of the greens.
Somewhat surprisingly the speed of the greens was irrevelant for most golfers, with the main consensus being that as long as the green rolled true the speed was of little importance. Low handicappers often preferred faster, harder green conditions, but this was still outweighed by the need for a true putting surface.
The main complaint was unrepaired pitch marks, which if we take a moment to consider is inexcusable.
For those that don´t always repair their pitch mark please consider the following:
A pitch mark left unrepaired for a few minutes (time it takes to reach the green) will heal more or less the same day.
Leave that same pitch mark unrepaired for a few hours and it will take a few weeks to repair correctly.
Leave a pitch for a day and that pitch mark, if it doesn´t result in the grass dying, will take around a month to repair.
If you are willing to spend your hard earned cash playing on courses that are not up to your required standard, then maybe you should be more attentive when it comes to repairing pitch marks.
The same can be said of the bunkers. Although the overall condition of a bunker is down to the maintenance staff to ensure an even distribution of sand throughout the bunker and indeed every bunker on the course, proper raking of the bunker when we have played from one can certainly help the issue.
Bunkers left unraked, or poorly raked bunkers have no place on a golf course.
If you are of the opinion, well the guy before never raked it why should I, then consider the last time that you ended up in a deep footprint in a bunker. I am guessing you were more than just slightly annoyed.
But that is exactly how you are leaving the bunker for those that are playing behind you.
Fairways and tees are another area of importance for many. Courses deemed to have good fairways and tees are considered to have a good green keeping team.
But again it is partly down to the golfer to ensure that their divots have been replaced.
Consideration for other golfers, the green staff and the golf course is one of the fundamentals aspects of the game that set golf apart from many other sports. Let us keep it that way.
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