What course maintenance features do you dislike the most?

[Thomas Dai]

The 'What design features do you dislike the most?' thread - http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,59728.0.html - came up with a whole host of interesting points. Design and maintenance are closely linked though, so what aspects of course maintenance do you dislike the most?

Me?

I'll start with slow, soft, overwatered greens and greens where dew/debris is not removed.

Next, length of grass. I detest long fairway grass - no roll - and semi-rough around greens.

I also dislike 1st and 2nd and 3rd cuts of rough - if you're going to bother cutting it, cut it low and let poor shots run further away from the fairway but still be found quickly.

Trees - a few issues - I don't like too many (small copses rather than avenues are generally okayish), certainly don't like tree limbs that overhang tees and don't care for trees with low hanging branches. I don't like trees close to the south sides of greens and tees (northern hemisphere). And as for planting trees as safety screens, I'd rather see where the other players are so I can then watch their incoming 1.68 missiles.

atb

[BHoover]

Your list is a pretty good one, so I don't have much to add. But I do dislike overwatering and unnecessarily soft fairways and greens more than just about anything. 

I also dislike bunkers that seem to be adrift in a sea of rough.  I don't much care for damp, clumpy sand that never has a chance to dry because of the irrigation system. 

One other pet peeve is the use of long, gnarly rough next to greens--I don't like when the grass is cut at green-fringe-US Open rough length.  The shorter the cut of the green surrounds, the better IMO.

Finally, it seems that some mowing crews often taken shortcuts when mowing greens.  Often there will be swaths of greens, particularly around the fringes, that are uncut each morning.  I don't understand the reason for that, other than to save time. 

[Adrian_Stiff]

Finally, it seems that some mowing crews often taken shortcuts when mowing greens.  Often there will be swaths of greens, particularly around the fringes, that are uncut each morning.  I don't understand the reason for that, other than to save time.  
[/quote]
 Brian there is a very good reason and most clubs that triplex mow do not permiter cut every day. Nothing to do with lazyness but triplex mowers turning on the same line every day can cause extreme stress and loss of turf especially if the groomers are engaged. So reducing the clean up strip to 3 times a week rather than 7 times saves the quality of turf.

I would say soft overwatered greens are rarely the product of maintenance. In defence of greenstaff certainly in the UK they are educated enough to know not to overwater. We get a lot from the sky this side of the pond it is usually that.

[BHoover]

I wasn't accusing anyone of being lazy as much as trying to save time. I could see slipping mowing certain portions of a green away from the pin position if time and lack of manpower was a concern. But your explanation is very informative. I take back my original complaint. 

[Ryan Taylor]

Manicured rough in areas of the golf property that are not in play. Native grass w/o irrigation please!!

[Matthew Petersen]

I'll say instances where conditioning isn't uniform. That is, firm greens, with soft fairways and surrounds.

Of course, I'd love every course to play firm. But I'll take a breath here in the real world and understand that isn't always going to happen. But some consistency at least, please! If the greens are so firm that a shot can't be stopped on them, then allow some firmness in front of the green as well. It's hugely frustrating to know the only way to play a shot is to land it 5 yards short of the green, but also to know that if you do, the ball will simple sit where it lands.

[Ken Moum]

I really dislike the tendency of courses here in the US to surround every green and every bunker with rough...usually deep rough.  It makes the game stupidly boring for those of us that miss most of our greens.

But there's another feature of greenside rough that I detest.  It's the all-too-common tendency to pinch in the approach with "tits" of rough, even when there are well-placed bunkers.

This RTJ Golf Club photo is an example of what I mean, although not a particularly brutal one.  I play a lot of golf with female amateurs, especially my wife, and this feature absolutely kills them, while having ZERO effect on better players. 

As if a high-handicapper doesn't already face enough trouble. We used to play with a women whose ball got stopped by it so often we started calling it Mary Grass.  She might have been in it 6-8 times in an average round.

If all they did was mow the approach out to the edge of the bunker, it would make a HUGE difference.

[Scott Furlong]

Ken, tough picture angle on number 8.  Doesn't show the approach and 8 is one of the widest at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.  Maybe I don't understand your statement about 8 but you are correct on the rest of the course.  Nevertheless, we are rebuilding all of our bunkers on property.  Kyle Phillips is in charge of the project and after years of surfing Golf Club Atlas I think most will love it.  Number 2, 5 and 6 fairway lines and bunkers complexes have been changed.  Approaches on 2, 3, 4, 5 ,7 ,8, 9, 12, 13 and 15 are wider.  All fairway bunkers have been shifted closer to the fairway.  All green side bunkers have shifted closer to the greens.  Most of the bunkers were detached, now they are not.  Besides a bunker nose here and there it is 7/8 inch rye grass running into the bunkers.  The Better Billy Bunker system is being installed and we manufactured a sand that matches and some will say is better than the best performing sands in the country.  Check it out in the spring and I think you will be happy with the changes.         

[jeffwarne]

greens that are so fast that UPHILL putts are crazy fast
super short fairways rendering pitching impossible thus reducing variety and creativity
fairways so fast the ball never stops till it hits rough and often roll the ball backwards, thereby all but eliminating anything other than a virtually level lie

[Bill_McBride]

Two bęte noires:

Soft approaches that don't allow a bump and run

Rough in front of fairway bunkers

Unfortunately my home course features both of these conditions. 

[Josh Stevens]

White sand. Not sure it qualifies as a maintenance issue but nothing makes me cringe more than washed snow white sand.  What is wrong with brown

[Mike_Young]

Excessively short height of cuts on fairways, approaches, chipping areas and GREENS  in order to win the weiner measuring contest with surrounding courses.

[Jud_T]

Perceived aesthetics at the expense of playability, in all its forms.

[BCowan]

- White Sand
- bunkers maint. everyday
-Fairways that haven't been blown off
-Over watered course
-Green speeds arms race, causing greens to be flattened and over watered to protect speeds at ridiculous numbers
-fairway clipping left
-lack of deep core aeration and drill and fill procedures

[Mike_Trenham]

Three feet of 2nd cut around greens.

[Mac Plumart]

Overly fast greens for the given contours.

Followed by...

bunkers that are surrounded by long rough on the sides that your ball might approach them from.  That defeats the idea of the bunker.

over-water fairways

not enough ball washers at the tee boxes 

[Blake Conant]

Mowing lines dictated by ease of maintenance rather than architecture.

Having someone who doesn't understand golf setting up the golf course in the morning. 

[Brian Finn]

For those citing white sand as an issue, I think I understand where you are coming from, but what about locales where the white sand is native to the region? 

[Anthony_Nysse]

For those citing white sand as an issue, I think I understand where you are coming from, but what about locales where the white sand is native to the region? 

We would have to import brown sand here. The local supplier supplies a very angular sand that is like pro angle, but very white. Everyone in FL has this.

[Jerry Kluger]

Like most overwatered fairways can really detract from the playability of a course.

Another problem is when a chronic basic maintenance issue cannot be resolved and the super refuses to look to the outside for advice.

[Will MacEwen]

bunkers that are surrounded by long rough on the sides that your ball might approach them from.  That defeats the idea of the bunker.

At my club there are a couple of doglegs with bunkers on the inside corner.  IF you challenge them just clear them by a handful of yards, soft turf and juicy rough gobble up the drive, whereas firmer turf and shorter grass would reward you with a nice kick into the fairway. 

[Mac Plumart]

Will,  so you have to carry the bunker and the rough? 

[Ian Mackenzie]

1. Too many trash cans, ball washers and benches on the course.
2. Silly tee markers on tee boxes.
3. Yardage poles at 150 yard yards in fairway
4. Out of bounds when there is clearly a shot just 15 feet away
5. Flower beds on course
6. Obtrusive cart paths
7. The "Hogan" or courtesy cut in the rough from tee box to fairway.
8. Rakes placed outside of bunkers
9. Large clocks near first tee box.
10. tee boxes and markers that point the player off-axis

[BHoover]

7. The "Hogan" or courtesy cut in the rough from tee box to fairway

What is your reason for this? I think not having this is a pracfice I dislike. What's the problem with having a path to avoid walking through taller rough?

[Bill_McBride]

7. The "Hogan" or courtesy cut in the rough from tee box to fairway

What is your reason for this? I think not having this is a pracfice I dislike. What's the problem with having a path to avoid walking through taller rough?

I love that cut, keeps your cuffs dry on a wet morning.