Putting green Cancel The title field is required!

1. Larned Fred

   
   10/27/2011 3:10 PM

   I just have a few questions and would like your opinion. My facility is the home of the First Tee of Fort Worth and the reason I am writing this is that I have two putting greens that are about 10,000 SF combined and the director of the first tee wants the greens in perfect shape. Ok I understand that part but they have 3 classes a day during the spring and summer with anywhere from 120 to 180 kids per class 6 days a week and the greens just cant handle that amount of traffic per day. I just wanted to see if it would be too much to ask them if we could try to build a least two more greens since everything is already donated and nothing is out of there pocket. Am I just whining or what do y'all think. Or is there anything that I can do to get the greens to handle this kind of traffic ?

   
   
   
   
2. Wahlin Scott B

   
   10/27/2011 3:10 PM

   Okay, I am just making this up, but see if you agree:
   
   [u">Regular Play[/u"> If you have 75 foursomes that spend 5 minutes on each green:
   300 Rounds per Day X 5 Minutes / 5000 Square Foot Green = 0.3 Round Minutes per Square Foot
   
   [u">Practice Green[/u"> If you have 360 people take a one-hour lesson on your practice green:
   360 Rounds per Day X 60 Minutes / 10,000 Square Foot Green = 2.16 Round Minutes per Square Foot
   
   That is over seven times the wear. That would be equivalent to over 2100 rounds per day!

   
   
   
   
3. Bryan Taylor

   

   0 posts
   
   10/27/2011 3:10 PM

   Try artificial turf as some is really good quality now with little maintenance. Might get too hot in afternoon sun for kids. If Bentgrass switch to Bermuda if no play in winter and color doesn't matter. With the heat and drought in Texas the last two years, perfect conditions is almost too much to ask for with that amount of foot traffic.
   
   Bryan Taylor
   Poipu Bay GC

   
   
   
   
4. Larned Fred

   
   10/27/2011 7:10 PM

   Hey Scott thanks for putting it into perspective I will have to use this one in my argument I never thought about breaking it down that way thanks again.
   
   Go rangers

   
   
   
   
5. Rosenthal Gregg

   
   10/27/2011 8:10 PM

   I agree with artificial turf area being a smart way to deal with large groups begining to learn golf before moving into real turf in smaller grass areas in managable group sizes.

   
   
   
   
6. Michael Rosen

   

   0 posts
   
   10/28/2011 8:10 AM

   The greens I learned to play golf on were not perfect....

   
   
   
   
7. Charles Drake

   

   0 posts
   
   10/28/2011 9:10 AM

   rosenmic said: The greens I learned to play golf on were not perfect....

   This. I dont see the need to have perfect putting greens for kids learning the game. I also run a First Tee course and I deal with similar issues with use but not quite as bad. I have expressed to our First Tee leaders that they don't need to practice putting every day. Alternating with range use will go a long way in giving those greens the needed break. Also, the kids are oblivious to the condition of your greens and are there to just learn the game, in the long run that is all that matters

   
   
   
   
8. Robert Crockett

   

   4 posts
   
   10/31/2011 7:10 AM

   thedrake22 said:

   rosenmic said: The greens I learned to play golf on were not perfect....

   This. I don't see the need to have perfect putting greens for kids learning the game. I also run a First Tee course and I deal with similar issues with use but not quite as bad. I have expressed to our First Tee leaders that they don't need to practice putting every day. Alternating with range use will go a long way in giving those greens the needed break. Also, the kids are oblivious to the condition of your greens and are there to just learn the game, in the long run that is all that matters

   
   Yeah...Well I question how In "GODS" green Earth did the Golf Pro get a higher authority over the Superintendent anyhow...The one I have here Doesn't know the difference between Bermuda and Rhy...His Title was Given to him.....Mine has been earned for the last 2yrs of diligent hard work...It's just a matter of time for the Shirt stacker I have here....And he's earned it. There are some Excellent Golf Pros out there....I just don't happen to have one

   
   
   
   
9. Fleegel Timothy

   
   10/31/2011 1:10 PM

   Turf_man2 said: The one I have here Doesn't know the difference between Bermuda and Rhy...

   
   
   What's Rhy?

   
   
   
   
10. Kauffman John M

    
    10/31/2011 2:10 PM

    Rhy? Rhy not!

    
    
    
    
11. Rocky Tharp

    

    0 posts
    
    11/3/2011 7:11 AM

    We also have a large practice green that gets severely abused throughout the season by camps,events, group lessons etc.. We keep a set of bayonette tines on our aercore 800 and will aerate weekly. We also core aerate with 3/8" tines montly and just keep the holes open. Since it's a practice green we can get away with pretty much whatever we want because nobody actually pays to use it. Since you've got two greens, maybe raise the height all the way up to 1/4" on the green that the kids will use. They certainly won't notice.
    
    Rocky Tharp
    Interbay GC
    Seattle, WA