Punched Greens-how do you handle them?

[TMfan54]

I just played a tournament on 2 week old aerified greens. What a joke

[torbill]

I make the tee times for my group. After September 1 I ask if the greens have been punched. If they have been, I tell them that we will schedule with them in a couple of weeks, and I schedule with a different course.

 

I called to make tee times at Stoneridge recently, a fine golf course in Stillwater, MN. It was before September 1. I was given tee times and then told that the greens had been punched. I cancelled the tee times immediately and expressed my sincere appreciation for the information and told them that I would re-schedule; we are scheduled to play there this Thursday.

 

We played Sentry World in Stevens Point, WI the week before last, one of the best public access courses in the state. The greens had recently been punched and I had not been told ahead of time and I had forgotten to ask. But it didn't matter, as they were the small punches and there was absolutely no negative effect on play other than maybe one foot less roll on the meter and at the speed of these greens it wasn't a biggie

 

The key factor for me is playability. If playability is significantly different from the norm for the golf course the ethical thing is to tell me up front. I don't give a rat's a** about discounts, I want a good experience. Unfortunately most courses aren't up front like Stoneridge. When I get into a situation where I haven't been told up front and I get to the course and see punched greens I react. I talk to the manager or pro and let them know exactly what I think, and that they are being unethical. After all, these people know how golfers detest punched greens.

 

[ChrisNH]

So what you're saying is that the course should (via your proposal to institute "variable rates") charge more for greens fees when playing conditions are excellent?

That's not what he's saying at all. A temporary discount for poor punched greens is like a temporary discount for having a couple of temporary greens, or a hole or two closed because of flooding. Doesn't mean you charge a premium when course is in the condition it's supposed to be in.

[Rohlio]

Just hit a second ball at the first green... Then you are no longer playing by the rules of golf and you can just quit keeping score... Just focus on hitting it close, don't bother putting, drink a few beers and enjoy your day

 

As easy as it is to break the rules, doing what you said does not remove the handicap posting requirement.

 

Rounds posted must be played under the rules of golf... Hitting two balls on a hole, picking up putts and practicing on the course is not a round played under the rules of golf.

 

 

From the usga handicapping manual:

 

"e. Unacceptable Scores

 

Scores made under the following conditions are not acceptable for handicap purposes and must not be entered in the player's scoring record:

 

(vii) When a player ignores one or more Rules of Golf and fails to post an adjusted hole score as required under Section 4-1 and 4-2, or fails to record the appropriate penalty for a breach of rule. For example, if a player anchored the club while making a stroke during a round and did not record a penalty for doing so (See Rule 14-1b), the score would not have been played under the Rules of Golf and therefore would not be acceptable for handicap purposes."

 

 

 

Of course if someone was doing this all the time to avoid posting low scores and then competing in club tournaments with a sandbagged handicap, then it would be up to the handicap committee or membership committee to deal with it.

 

But as I stated previously intentionally not playing under the rules of golf does in fact remove the posting requirement as those rounds are "unnacceptable scores"

 

 

[Mikey5e]

Just played a course with freshly aerated greens, and walked off the course after nine holes. It was Saturday, the course was very slow, very hot out, and the greens had just been aerated. There was not much enjoyable going on, as there was really too much against the effort to have a positive outlook to this round. There were two foursomes in front of us with no business playing from the back tees. The weather was in the upper 80s with hardly a breeze, and the greens were basically unputtable in my opinion. I can't remember walking off the course before, but this round I felt it had to be done. Why waste my time on an unenjoyable around? How have aerated greens affected your play and outlook before? Have you ever walked off because of it?

 

Going out on a limb here...no eagles that day? :)

ha ha, only 3 pars and 6 bogs. I just couldn't get interested, so with the conditions the way they were I just left. The other two in our threesome wanted to finish and play The Back Nine, but when they got to the 10th tee they turned around and called it a day because there were four groups waiting to tee off there. Just a poor experience with a game of golf that day. If I knew all the days would be like that day playing golf, I would definitely have to quit the game.

EDIT:

I have had two this year although.

[Mikey5e]

I just played a tournament on 2 week old aerified greens. What a joke

 

I am posting the same idea because I just experienced the exact same thing. On a tournament today the greens appeared to be aerated approximately two to maybe three weeks ago and they we're still unpleasant to putt on. The ball was jumping around and each player in our foursome complained how slow they were as well. This was a private course that is usually in immaculate shape. So the greens show the effects for about 3 weeks after they've been punched, maybe 4 wks.

[davep043]

I just played a tournament on 2 week old aerified greens. What a joke

 

I am posting the same idea because I just experienced the exact same thing. On a tournament today the greens appeared to be aerated approximately two to maybe three weeks ago and they we're still unpleasant to putt on. The ball was jumping around and each player in our foursome complained how slow they were as well. This was a private course that is usually in immaculate shape. So the greens show the effects for about 3 weeks after they've been punched, maybe 4 wks.

Sounds like they didn't get enough sand on the greens, or the weather didn't cooperate to help the greens heal quickly. On the other hand, everyone played the same greens. Everyone had to adjust to the slow speed, and I imagine that everyone had a few bad bounces. When you have to play in difficult circumstances, sometimes mental make-up has as much to do with winning as actual skill does.

[HitEmTrue]

Just hit a second ball at the first green... Then you are no longer playing by the rules of golf and you can just quit keeping score... Just focus on hitting it close, don't bother putting, drink a few beers and enjoy your day

 

As easy as it is to break the rules, doing what you said does not remove the handicap posting requirement.

 

Rounds posted must be played under the rules of golf... Hitting two balls on a hole, picking up putts and practicing on the course is not a round played under the rules of golf.

 

 

From the usga handicapping manual:

 

( snip )

 

 

Of course if someone was doing this all the time to avoid posting low scores and then competing in club tournaments with a sandbagged handicap, then it would be up to the handicap committee or membership committee to deal with it.

 

But as I stated previously intentionally not playing under the rules of golf does in fact remove the posting requirement as those rounds are "unnacceptable scores"

 

My point was that you are going to have to go beyond doing that only on the first hole to get out of posting.

[bladehunter]

You guys should see our greens after they punched them. We had great champ Bermuda rolling true the 1st of July. They punched them July 7th They haven’t fully healed yet. They are puttable now. But maybe 80% what they were pre punch. They just keep adding sand. It rains. But they punched holes literally the size of a quarter. And double punched them.

 

Worst part is we had our club champ two day runnany on them 3 weeks ago. For the life of me don’t know why they didn’t move the punching back 2-3 weeks and that tournament to just before they punched. Ears are still being filled. This is the 3rd year in a row they’ve don’t this. First month was like putting on a plinko board.

 

And before someone tells me it’s necessary... yes. I’ve punched my share of greens in my school days. But I don’t know where they got this machine with tines the size of a sword on it.

[crapula]

I play the same.

 

I've had some of my best putting rounds on punched greens, the bumps help.

[skraly]

Just played a course with freshly aerated greens, and walked off the course after nine holes. It was Saturday, the course was very slow, very hot out, and the greens had just been aerated. There was not much enjoyable going on, as there was really too much against the effort to have a positive outlook to this round. There were two foursomes in front of us with no business playing from the back tees. The weather was in the upper 80s with hardly a breeze, and the greens were basically unputtable in my opinion. I can't remember walking off the course before, but this round I felt it had to be done. Why waste my time on an unenjoyable around? How have aerated greens affected your play and outlook before? Have you ever walked off because of it?

You have to aerate twice a year. It's just something you have to put up with. I don't worry at all about my putting under these conditions. I still enjoy the rest of my game and I just accept that my scores are going to suffer for a couple of weeks.

[b.mattay]

Unless the greens are heavily sanded, aeration is not that big of a deal. I putt just as well on aerated greens.

[BNGL]

https://www.turfnet.com/news.html/research-pokes-holes-in-golfer-perception-of-putting-green-trueness-r906/

[bladehunter]

https://www.turfnet....-trueness-r906/

 

 

at the club i worked at as a kid wit bent grass id agree with this article.. it didnt hurt much ..BUT id pay for anyone who wants to come play my home course now two days after punching.. Id bet anything nobody wants to finish 18 holes... If you want to test it out , make a hole and try to put in the practice bunker at your course... now multiply that x18 .. Thats exactly what its like... sooooo much sand to try to fill in the huge holes.. Ive seen same at other courses with bermuda at Myrtle Beach when on vaca trying to play

[bluefishercat]

We just punched.

Small punch like bic pen size.

They putt fine, still way better than some other courses unpunched.

I told them they should have punched the practice green first so the whiners could try it before they ran away.

Now I have played on some of those other courses after they were punched and it was tough, so method counts a lot.

[B-wall]

My golf buddies and I play, if the ball touches the hole, it's good.

[stixman]

The putter you use on 'perfect' greens won't work on punched, bumpy aerated greens.

Best to find a putter with a bit of loft.

[bcsquare]

My home course was punched recently and I wasn't too miserable.

 

Sure, putts took a lot more planning but for discounted fees and wide open tee times; I'm good with it. Can't really complain for a Sunday morning round and the course is wide open to play at your leisure.

[bandondunes54]

The only time I can really complain was in a tournament with 100+ people. We were supposed to play the nicer of two courses at a VA track. A buddy played there right before we did and the greens were pure. Last minute they changed it to the other course that they had aerated and sanded two days prior. That was the worst. I also ended up practicing at the nicer track and was all out of sorts when we rode down and saw the greens.

 

Otherwise my rule for putting on punched greens is not to get frustrated first of all. I take less break on all putts, hit uphill putts a touch harder, but play downhill putts the same. Seems to work out well for me. But I agree that courses should give you a heads up, but I don't care either way if they discount the rounds or not.

[trevor90]

I have putted good and bad on punched greens. If they are sanded properly, they usually will roll decently true. My home course seems to do a good job of keeping them playable even when they've been aerated. Honestly though the worst part is getting shoes full of sand by the end of the round...

[2putttom]

Just played a course with freshly aerated greens, and walked off the course after nine holes. It was Saturday, the course was very slow, very hot out, and the greens had just been aerated. There was not much enjoyable going on, as there was really too much against the effort to have a positive outlook to this round. There were two foursomes in front of us with no business playing from the back tees. The weather was in the upper 80s with hardly a breeze, and the greens were basically unputtable in my opinion. I can't remember walking off the course before, but this round I felt it had to be done. Why waste my time on an unenjoyable around? How have aerated greens affected your play and outlook before? Have you ever walked off because of it?

 

Going out on a limb here...no eagles that day? :)

ha ha, only 3 pars and 6 bogs. I just couldn't get interested, so with the conditions the way they were I just left. The other two in our threesome wanted to finish and play The Back Nine, but when they got to the 10th tee they turned around and called it a day because there were four groups waiting to tee off there. Just a poor experience with a game of golf that day. If I knew all the days would be like that day playing golf, I would definitely have to quit the game.

EDIT:

I have had two this year although.

So ya went all Vontae Davis on your team at the turn ... :swoon:

[jrigano]

It's always frustrating to show up excited to play only to find out the greens have been aerated and that course conditions will adversely affect about half my shots. Of course, that doesn't stop me from playing; it just takes much of the fun out of the game. As far as adjustments, I'm a feel player on and around the greens and have alot of difficulty making adjustments. If I know in advance, I would just pick another course to play.

[Mikey5e]

It's always frustrating to show up excited to play only to find out the greens have been aerated and that course conditions will adversely affect about half my shots. Of course, that doesn't stop me from playing; it just takes much of the fun out of the game. As far as adjustments, I'm a feel player on and around the greens and have alot of difficulty making adjustments. If I know in advance, I would just pick another course to play.

if it were just the aerated greens that day, it would have been okay. As I mentioned in my 0p, the play was very slow with foursomes playing from T's they never belong there. Add to that the temperature that day and the standing around and waiting, it was just all too much for my liking.

[Bar_Stroll]

Just hit a second ball at the first green... Then you are no longer playing by the rules of golf and you can just quit keeping score... Just focus on hitting it close, don't bother putting, drink a few beers and enjoy your day

 

Similar to what I do. There is only one course within 100 miles so thats it. When they are punched it's because we aren't in season. Our out of season is so dead slow the course is about half full for months. I will hit 2 tee shots, 2 approach shots, practice the more difficult holes, practice out of the bunker, etc. if it's just me or me and another person (if we have a foresome then we just deal with it).

[GSDriver]

Depends how they aerate, but either way, I have a great excuse for not putting well. The course plays the same for all, so don't let it bother you, or ask if aerated when booking tee time, and don't play. It's no big deal to me, part of keeping greens nice 11 months out of the year.

[118811]

My putting stroke is built around smooth fast greens.

So, I pretty much play automatic 2 putt. So, give the first putt a run....then pick it up.

I don’t want that short putt ( miss) in ny head!!!

And do not what to adjust my stroke etc to accommodate punched greens

Aloha

[SurfDaddy]

Just add some topspin to your putts to better keep them online and move on. It's not the end of the world and if the rate is less, enjoy it more!

[Grover21]

If you are playing recreation golf then who cares. A tournament round, that's a different animal. It could then make a difference in the outcome.

[BenSeattle]

This time of year you have to ask when making a tee time. If they've been punched in the last 2 weeks, I'll just go somewhere else. What ticks me off is courses charging full rates, that's just not right.

 

 

So what you're saying is that the course should (via your proposal to institute "variable rates") charge more for greens fees when playing conditions are excellent?

 

I think what he's saying is that a course can charge normal peak rates under "normal" green conditions but when surfaces are acknowledged to be below par (poor) then usual rates should be discounted. Obviously.

[NoTalentLefty]

Poorly