Green restoration question

[AndrewB]

I have seen several green restorations over the past few years that increase the greens to their original size.  Every time I think the results are wonderful since they add interesting slopes to the putting surface and increase pinnable areas of the green, which both add more variety/interest to the holes.

Sometimes, though, I notice that there is a sharp change in slope where the green is expanded.  Often times this slope change is out of character with the rest of the green, and even seems a bit unnatural.  My question is whether this type of slope change is what was originally there, or whether it is the product of course maintenance treating that area as rough/fringe (rather than part of the green) for so many years.  Is this the kind of thing that will soften in years to come?

[Mike McGuire]

The ridge you are noticing is likely the buildup of topdressing that has been dragged off the green over the years.

[AndrewB]

The ridge you are noticing is likely the buildup of topdressing that has been dragged off the green over the years.

Interesting.  So I assume this is permanent .. or will mowing these portions with the rest of the green soften the slopes a bit?

[Steve Curry]

Andrew,

If the ridge is indeed due to topdressing it will have to be adjusted either by cutting it out or aerating and topdressing.

Steve

[Forrest Richardson]

If you notice that there is a sharp change in slope where the green is expanded...then it is likely a poor job of expansion. It is difficult to say without knowing more, or seeing an example. I can usually tell when things have gone wrong as I have seen it in some of our own projects. (Corrected, of course.) The key is defining a limit to the disturbed area that works and makes sense...and allows enough/appropriate transition.

[Ian Andrew]

Mike is correct it is topdressing.

Unfortunately that ridge must be removed by hand to expand the green properly. You sod cut the area, and then remove the material until it blends in naturally. It doesn't look like much work standing looking at it, but the area always grows to ensure a proper blend and it takes time to do it right.

It requires a lot of patience to do it once, and yes it is worth the effort if the feature or pin position is restored.

[Tom Jefferson]

I echo Ian Andrew's statement about patience.  In my experience it is essential to take all the time needed to get it right, to not settle for anything less than near perfection.

Would any competent designer, builder, worker, super see it or do it with any other standard?

Tom

[Mark_Fine]

Sometimes the surrounds are changed while the green itself if left alone.  We had this problem at a Tillinghast course in NJ.  In a case like this, the green expansions need to include restoration of the surrounds to get everything to tie in.  If you don't do this, it could look goofy and very unnatural.  

[TEPaul]

When we expanded our greens back to their original sizes (some green expansion areas were pretty significant) there were some fairly consistent low rolls in those expansion areas that surely didn't seem to be part of those original green areas.

We asked the super about that. Topdressing was mentioned but he said that may've had some effect but that those rolls were really a function of the clippings (organic matter) from years of green mowing being flung into those areas was the reason for those consistent low rolls. That would be logical as many of them were actually on areas that upsloped slightly anyway.

The next question was what to do about them---to remove them or to leave them. Removing them would've been another fairly laborious process that would've had those greens under a repair mode for a while so I said just leave them the way they are even if they're now greenspace and furthermore they actually add a degree of complexity to chipping or putting over them.

Like daily sand cast build up out of particularly fronting bunkers that can dramatically change the height of fronting bunkers and create turbo boosts on the greenspace on the other side I look at this kind of thing in restored greenspace areas as an interesting "evolution" of the golf course even if its maintenance related over the decades.

The first question one should ask before doing anything about these kinds of things is do they hurt playability or do they help playability by adding interest to it somehow?