Cupless practice greens Cancel The title field is required!

1. Kyle Fick

   

   4 posts
   
   4/15/2015 7:04 AM

   We've been toying with the idea of going with the stick in targets on our practice facility for the past few years. It is a very small green (3200 sq ft), and we run 6 cups on it. I've tried 4, and it isn't enough. We were thinking we'd be able to move the pins around a bit more often without being on top of an old plug all the time.
   
   I guess my question is, How do the players respond at the clubs utilizing these accessories? Like it, hate it, hasn't been an issue? I've noticed a few manufacturers that have a target stick that "catches" the ball, as though it fell in the cup. Any body have those in use?
   
   Thanks in advance.

   
   
   
   
2. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   4/15/2015 8:04 AM

   I''ve played a few facilities that will have a few cups, and a few cupless pins. In your case, maybe try 2-3 cups and 2-3 cupless pins.
   
   As a golfer, I don't mind them. It actually makes me better as I practice so the ball comes to rest against it, rather than bounce off.

   
   
   
   
3. Michael Palmer

   

   0 posts
   
   4/15/2015 9:04 AM

   I have played a few courses that have pins instead of cups, on the practice greens. I believe that it doesn't bother most golfers, it makes you aim a little better, smaller target. Explain to the golfers the reason why you are going cup less. Would work great on smaller practice greens!

   
   
   
   
4. Jennings Dustin T

   
   4/15/2015 10:04 AM

   we also have cupless pins on practice greens. saves a ton of time by not having to change an extra 5 cups. golfers haven't complained and we've had them for 2 years now. In addition, I've seen some golfers move the pins around on their own to practice shots at different locations on the green. I don't mind it and it works for them.

   
   
   
   
5. Corey Eastwood

   

   80 posts
   
   4/15/2015 12:04 PM

   I have not seen them in a while but I liked them.

   
   Corey Eastwood CGCS, Stockton Golf & CC, Retired
   
   
6. Gary Carls

   

   19 posts
   
   4/15/2015 3:04 PM

   Kyle,
   
   We didn't cut cups on the practice green at our 9-hole course for over 15 years and used the markers that you could move around during the day if we needed to. We got a few complaints over the years but for the most part all the players were ok with them. Only issue we had once in a while is that players could also move them if they wanted to so we would get wear patterns where customers would move them to play their betting games in the evening.
   
   I think they have started cutting cups on the green now that I left....I think because the golf pro wanted them, not in response to player comments.

   
   Gary K. Carls, CGCS, President - Oakland Turfgrass Education Initiative
   
   
7. Keith Pegg

   

   0 posts
   
   4/15/2015 3:04 PM

   I have 3 practice greens; 2 have 4.25" cups standard and one has no cups and only a few standup flags, they have a base that have three legs about 4+ " and numbered tops. I get no comments about them at all.
   They do look good and myself I almost enjoy that practice more as the ball is never in a hole.
   Keith Zama, Japan

   
   
   
   
8. Matthew Noble

   

   0 posts
   
   4/15/2015 7:04 PM

   We have both 4 cups and 4 pins on our practice green. I like the pins simply because they are easy to move around and it saves us some time not having to cut so many cups each day. We have never had any complaints about the pins that I am aware of, though, it does seem like most players only use the cups.

   
   
   
   
9. Damon Lerchen

   

   0 posts
   
   4/16/2015 11:04 AM

   We have been using the cupless practice green poles for several years now. We were having a lot of wear issues because the cups weren't being moved enough. The golfers complained at first but I have spoken to them and told them how much better the condition of the green would be. It is in better condition we move the markers in the morning when we mow and after lunch when we go check the moisture with the meters we move them again. No signs of stress and we are 36 holes with about 7500 ft2 practice green.

   
   
   
   
10. Steve Nelson

    

    0 posts
    
    4/16/2015 12:04 PM

    We've been using the cupless target pins for about eight years, ever since the clubhouse got redone and the putting green size was significantly reduced. Yes, we get complaints from a few, but you have to realize that those are the same people that would complain about all the old cup plugs on the green.

    
    
    
    
11. Clay Putnam

    

    33 posts
    
    4/16/2015 4:04 PM

    I can understand the need for cupless pins on small practice greens. Having said that, as a golfer, I prefer putting to a cup and not a pin. I would also add, never receiving a complaint is not an endorsement for going cupless.

    
    
    
    
12. Peter Grass

    

    0 posts
    
    4/17/2015 10:04 PM

    We have a very small practice putting green (1200 sq/ft) and for the last 6 years I've used a combination of 4 holes which have the half depth cup set flush with the green level which allows me to change cups about once every three weeks. I have an old cup cutter set with a depth guage ring on, just for those holes. Have to remove the cup to groom or verti-cut. I also have 4 of the "holeless" markers which in theory if the ball touches them, it would have gone in. I get no grief about the cups not being changed often as anyone can move the "holeless" ones to where they want to.
    
    Works good from very rarely having old cups in the small area, not much time ever spent changing hole locations and the availability to have players putt to anywhere they want to practice to.
    
    Pete Grass
    Hilands Golf Club
    Billings, MT