A brown Augusta

[Ben Sims]

What if Lebron James suited up for the Browns?

What if Obama invited George W. up to the White House for advice?

What if the Swiss invaded South Carolina?

What if Old Macdonald opened to poor reviews?



And last but not least....

What if Augusta played on dormant grass?

[Mike_Young]

Ben,
The big one..even more so than brown....

What if Billy Payne let Spurrier in?

[Patrick_Mucci]

Tim Liddy,

More than ANGC, I think the blame, if that's the right word, rests on the shoulders of the production people at CBS.

Now, before I start, I want to say that I think they produce the finest telecast of a golf tournament.

But, the medium is a visual one.

The deep colors and contrasts are critical to the viewer's appeal.

The influence of TV on golf course maintainance can't be minimized, it's enormous.

If ANGC allowed the edges of the bunkers to "go natural" you can bet that hundreds, if not thousands of local clubs would do the same.

ANGC is looked up to, for better or worse, due to the TV cameras.

The second portion of the blame, and there's plenty to go around, belongs to clubs (green committees and boards) who see ANGC on TV and tell their superintendents to replicate what they've seen, not understanding the cost to do so and the fact that ANGC is primed and prepared, 51 weeks a year in order to showcase it ONE WEEK a year.

ANGC in October, November, December, January, and February doesn't look anything like it does on TV the first week in April, but, because most, if not all, of those committtee and board members have never seen ANGC in those months they don't have the appropriate frame of reference.

Tim, I hope that helps alleviate your frustration.

[Ben Sims]

Ben,
The big one..even more so than brown....

What if Billy Payne let Spurrier in?

The guy that commissioned me into the Air Force is a Superior Court judge for the state of Georgia.  He played on the UGA football team back in the mid-sixties.  One of his teammates?

You guessed it Dude, Billy Payne.

From what I've heard, it is more likely that a Dawg would let a Gator into Augusta than a single blade of that grass being brown.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Ben,

How do you explain Lou Holtz and Frank Broyles being a member ?

Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame and South Carolina ?

Not exactly Bulldog loyalists

[Steve Pozaric]

IMO, the current overseeding practices have financially impacted the golf industry as much any other factor.  

Those of you that are members of clubs that overseed, ask your super what the $avings would be over a three year period. Including but not limited to seed, labor, water, chemicals, fertilizers, equipment, electricity, pumps, irrigation, topdressing, and sod.  In most cases, I would estimate 1/3 of the annual maintenance budget is attributed to overseeding.  

And, then you balance that cost out against the lost revenue of a club when all the play leaves your facility that doesn't overseed and goes to the remaining courses that do.    Of course, you have all the two or three GCA'ers in your town trying to play in those firm and fast conditions so pace of play has improved.

[Ben Sims]

Ben,

How do you explain Lou Holtz and Frank Broyles being a member ?

Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame and South Carolina ?

Not exactly Bulldog loyalists

Mr. Mucci,

There's is a clear delineation between colleges like The Trade School on North Avenue, Allbarn, and the South Carolina Cocks versus the absolute lowest of the low...the Gayturds from Gainsville.

But I get your point.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Steve,

I think you have to differentiate between private and public clubs.

[Steve Pozaric]

Pat:

Agree. 

[Mike_Young]

Ben,

How do you explain Lou Holtz and Frank Broyles being a member ?

Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame and South Carolina ?

Not exactly Bulldog loyalists

Pat,
Hootie would have let Spurrier in.....Broyles, Holtz etc were different chairmen that were not UGA guys........several local Georgia guys that went to school with BP have gotten in lately...but since he lived in Athens and played ball at UGA when Spurrier was at Florida and with the big hate thing the dawgs and gators have going on.....it will not happen with BP..(from what is heard around here)

[Todd Bell]

Steve,

And the club gets to keep all of those initiation deposits that are forfeited.

[Steve Okula]

Tim,

I did like your article. I agree with you in principle. My point is that you can't compare apples and oranges.

Another great difference between American and British Isles greenkeeping is tha amount of time spent on manicuring.

The Yanks are maniacal about trimming around trees and shrubs, sharp bunker edges, daily bunker raking, daily walk-mowing greens (sometimes multiple passes), landscaping, and so forth. All these year round, labor intensive tasks might be a more significant difference than the overseeding costs.

Yes, I'm still in France.

[Emil Weber]

Augusta National is not overseeded; that is why it is closed in the summer; there is no bermuda underneath it.  It is only rye grass.

Incorrect, ANGC has Bermuda grass tees & fairways. Even during masters week if you look closely you can see the Bermuda coming through in the high traffic areas. I've driven the golf course with Marsh Benson in July when the whole place is Bermuda except for the greens obviously.

This article talks of the fall overseeding:

http://www.augusta.com/masters/masters/natural_beauty.shtml

If Augusta has bermuda fairways, and bermuda goes a bit yellow/brown in winter when its dormant, then doesnt that mean Augusta is a bit brown in the winter?

[Stephen Britton]

If Augusta has bermuda fairways, and bermuda goes a bit yellow/brown in winter when its dormant, then doesnt that mean Augusta is a bit brown in the winter?
Ahhh.... No, because they overseed in the fall the course is green all winter.

[jeffwarne]

Thanks Patrick.

It is a bit frustrating to me that everyone wants to write about the practicalities of dormant Bermuda, dam Yankees or my writing style. No one wants to discuss the philosophical aspect of the influence Augusta could have on the rest of the industry about our environment.

But let’s move on. I will get over it.

Augusta was established as a retreat course in a warmer resort climate than the northeast, where many of the members were from.
Once the ability to play on live, green grass was demonstrated via overseeding, why wouldn't its' members want to escape the cold north to play on colorful, nondormant green grass that can play equally firm as fast as dormant once established.
If you think nonoverseeded dormant bermuda built on clay plays linkslike  in January/February....you've probably never played links golf or winter golf in Georgia.
Not 50 yards from #12 green is #9 fairway at Augusta CC where balls are plugging or at best coming up muddy December-March.

As far as Augusta setting an example for the golf world, their ticket, concession, and souveneir prices are the lowest of any major sporting event (by a mile), and I don't see that influencing anyone else's behavior in the business.

[Patrick_Mucci]

As far as Augusta setting an example for the golf world, their ticket, concession, and souveneir prices are the lowest of any major sporting event (by a mile), and I don't see that influencing anyone else's behavior in the business.

Jeff,

That's because NO ONE sees that on TV.

The ONLY people who are aware of that are those in attendance, which is a rather minute sector of the golf world when compared to the number of TV viewers.

P.S.  Ben Sims,  That was very funny.

[JMEvensky]

Ben,

How do you explain Lou Holtz and Frank Broyles being a member ?

Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame and South Carolina ?

Not exactly Bulldog loyalists

Jack Stephens