New mowing patterns

[Tommy Williamsen]

i live at a little resort in the VA mts and am on the green committee. The course is an old Ed Ault course, probably a Doak 4. It is in a pretty setting but could be more interesting. I was thinking that new mowing patterns might help a bit. For instance, create some movement in the fairways instead of dead straight lines the same width, mow grass at fairway length near fairway bunkers and some green side bunkers. Make some chipping areas around some of the greens. The fairways and rough are blue grass/fescue so there is not the problem of different grasses to contend with.
I think it might be nice visually and make for more interest. Make sense?

[Mark_Fine]

Tommy,
Adjusting the mowing patterns and grassing lines are often one of the easiest and most cost effective ways to improve a golf course.  We do this all the time especially on older courses as time and maintenance practices have not always been kind to the design as it aged.  Before doing anything, you should bring in an architect whom you are comfortable with and at least get some advice.  Good luck!
Mark

[Don Mahaffey]

Just don't let Dr Swoopy in the house.


Remember, the best mowing lines are the ones you don't see or don't notice.

[Carl Johnson]

The USGA Mid Am will be held at Charlotte CC in 2018.  My Carolina GC will help out with qualifying medal rounds for two days.  The USGA has specified [edit that to "suggested"] new mowing patterns for our course, which will be put in place next spring, more than a year before the event.  I don't have the details, but we've been told that in general some of the fairways will be narrowed (boo! -- from me) and some of the chipping areas around the greens expanded.  We do have pretty wide fairways now -- one result of which is that drives can run further off line and result in worse lines to the greens.  Apparently this design feature does not appeal to the USGA, at least in some cases.  We already have pretty large chipping areas around the greens.


In short, it will be interesting to see the result of the USGA's requirements [edit that to "suggestions"].  It will change the course somewhat, but whether it will be an "improvement" remains to be seen.  Not to pre-judge, but while it may make the course somewhat more challenging for the expert golfers, if it makes less fun for the members, then it will not be an "improvement" (which is the downside of a club getting involved with this sort of event).


Our Superintendent has promised to post the changes per [sugested by] the USGA, and if he does so, I'll try to link to them.

As an aside, I'll be interested to learn if the USGA has any similar "suggestions" or requirements for Charlotte CC's course.

[Mark_Fine]

Carl,
Sad to say but I have never seen the USGA make "improvements" to a course with their grassing line changes  .  One of their worst was what they did at Merion for the US Open.

[Peter Pallotta]

I played 9 today and the mowing lines on my home course never looked better; to Don's point it's because they've never been less noticeable. Ironically, however, this was mostly because, with early morning frost, they hadn't cut the fairways yet, and with the lack of sunlight these days the rough was not as thick/high as usual --so the end result was the look of a one-cut/uniform height maintenance regime. It's the low budget, modest public course version of highlighting the architecture...and it works okay!

[Scott Weersing]

I played at Williamsburg GC last month and the one thing that stood out is the mowing patterns. They had fairway length grass up to the fairway bunkers. And they had 30 yard wide chipping areas around many of the greens. So yes, a course that is not memorable can be improved by having more short grass.

[Carl Johnson]

Carl,
Sad to say but I have never seen the USGA make "improvements" to a course with their grassing line changes  .  One of their worst was what they did at Merion for the US Open.
[/quote/]


I've been corrected by a lurker from our club.  The changes are not actually required, only suggested, so it will again be interesting to see what the club actually does in response to the "suggestions."

[Tommy Williamsen]

Have you found any significant resistance to expanded chipping areas or fairway length grass to the bunkers?

[Carl Johnson]

. . . so the end result was the look of a one-cut/uniform height maintenance regime. It's the low budget, modest public course version of highlighting the architecture...and it works okay!

Are mowing patterns part of the architecture, or not?  If your master plan is to consult with your architect on all changes to the architecture, should you (to follow the plan) consult with your architect on changes to the mowing patterns?  Obviously, I'm particularly interested in what the architects have to say about this (but not to exclude responses from others).  Mark Fine (Reply #1 above) seems to suggest the architect should be consulted, but still, is it part of the architecture?

[Blake Conant]

They are part of architecture, as they can enhance or diminish the strategy of a given hole, particularly around the greens and landing areas.  Changing grassing lines for purely aesthetic reasons could have unforeseen consequences regarding playability.

[Mark_Fine]

Carl,
Mowing patterns are definitely part of "the architecture".  Utilizing a closely mown area on the side of or around a green vs heavy rough is not only a change in the maintenance but a change in the architecture.  Running fairway height grass right up to the edge of fairway bunkers is another.  Eyebrows on bunkers vs tightly fly mowed edges is another example.  Utilizing native areas vs manicured rough can dramatically change the look and playability of a course.  Squiggly fairway lines (utilized a lot by architects in the 80's) is another example.  Rough grass directly in front of greens vs fairway height grass is yet another.  Obviously course architecture/maintenance are intertwined and consulting an architect on these kinds of things is very helpful. 

[Martin Lehmann]

I'm chairman of the greens committee at my club. Two months ago our architect specified new mowing patterns at our course. Not only fairway lines, but also green surrounds, rough and hard rough. We went round the course together and it took us almost two days. But the result is very satisfying. I commissioned somebody to record all new patterns and lines in GPS. So everything is digitally mapped and filed. Well worth the effort!

[Adam Lawrence]

I'm with Don and Peter here. The less evidence you see of 'mowing lines' the better. You want golfers looking at the (hopefully) beautiful landscape, not the blasted mowing lines.


I was at the Berkshire playing the Red course a few weeks ago. They have really had a resurgence in their heather sward in the last couple of years; combined with a deliberate policy of mowing less rough and the lack of growth at this season of the year, you could hardly see any mowing line at all. It was, effectively, just fairway cut right up to the heather. It was glorious, and something I've been trying to encourage at some of the heathland courses.


By contrast, when I was in Korea a few weeks back, we played one highly regarded, expensive course. There was a small bunker close to a green. With bunker surround, fairway, collar and green there were four heights of cut within three yards. It looked dreadful, and I can't imagine how much it added to the maintenance budget.

[Sean_A]

It doesn't matter to me if one calls mowing patterns architecture or maintenance because the two should be closely aligned anyway. Other than nonsensical cut lines on the flat (see Luffenham Heath tour), the other thing which bugs me is cut lines on a ground feature such as hollows, mounds or bunkers.  I prefer if the cut line goes wide of the feature(s) in an inclusive manner, but for heaven's don't cut down the middle or have lines intersecting the feature.  I see this all the time and can't figure why it would be done. 

If you get the mowing patterns right they should hardly be noticable.  Get it wrong and your eye is taken away from the architecture and led down a path of troubled thoughts.

I think mowing patterns are worth a yearly review.

Ciao

[Ally Mcintosh]

Mowing lines are most definitely part of the architecture.

One school of architecture (of which I include myself) likes to try and hide the transitions. The opposite school likes the transitions to be neatly noticeable.

That is one element of deciding on final lines. But there are many more.

Ally

[Joe Sponcia]

Carl


Your club is wonderful.  Played with Ed last month and thoroughly enjoyed the width and surrounds.  Your post made me sick to my stomach. 


Much to the disapoinment of 90% of our membership, we'll probably be hosting a Korn event next year.  We have great width at Holston Hills, not as much as Matthew showcases at your club, but sufficient.  What you posted is a giant fear.  Hopefully the powers that be will tell them hell no, but my guess will be the reverse.  Egos are soothed by outsiders.  I can't imagine the lunacy of hemming in fairway lines for 1 week a year, for people that don't pay dues, especially on a golden age course? 


Would you host another event given what was done?  Any way to combat this ahead of time or are we cooked?  [size=78%] [/size]

The USGA Mid Am will be held at Charlotte CC in 2018.  My Carolina GC will help out with qualifying medal rounds for two days.  The USGA has specified [edit that to "suggested"] new mowing patterns for our course, which will be put in place next spring, more than a year before the event.  I don't have the details, but we've been told that in general some of the fairways will be narrowed (boo! -- from me) and some of the chipping areas around the greens expanded.  We do have pretty wide fairways now -- one result of which is that drives can run further off line and result in worse lines to the greens.  Apparently this design feature does not appeal to the USGA, at least in some cases.  We already have pretty large chipping areas around the greens.


In short, it will be interesting to see the result of the USGA's requirements [edit that to "suggestions"].  It will change the course somewhat, but whether it will be an "improvement" remains to be seen.  Not to pre-judge, but while it may make the course somewhat more challenging for the expert golfers, if it makes less fun for the members, then it will not be an "improvement" (which is the downside of a club getting involved with this sort of event).


Our Superintendent has promised to post the changes per [sugested by] the USGA, and if he does so, I'll try to link to them.

[/size]As an aside, I'll be interested to learn if the USGA has any similar "suggestions" or requirements for Charlotte CC's course.[size=78%]

[John Emerson]

Sometimes it’s just not that easy as scalping down the grass!  Many of the regular cool season rough grasses don’t tolerate the low mowing heights.  IE: anything under an inch. If there’s massive areas wanted to be mowed shorter you better hope you don’t have to sod them or you’re talking a much bigger undertaking than you originally imagined. 

[Tom Bacsanyi]

Yeah, if it's an older bluegrass varietal you might scalp it to death, but many of the new varietals can be mowed down to .450.  I would ease the heights down on a walk mower in some test areas first and see how the grass reacts. 

[Carl Johnson]

Carl


Your club is wonderful.  Played with Ed last month and thoroughly enjoyed the width and surrounds.  Your post made me sick to my stomach. 


Much to the disapoinment of 90% of our membership, we'll probably be hosting a Korn event next year.  We have great width at Holston Hills, not as much as Matthew showcases at your club, but sufficient.  What you posted is a giant fear.  Hopefully the powers that be will tell them hell no, but my guess will be the reverse.  Egos are soothed by outsiders.  I can't imagine the lunacy of hemming in fairway lines for 1 week a year, for people that don't pay dues, especially on a golden age course? 


Would you host another event given what was done?  Any way to combat this ahead of time or are we cooked? 


Joe, thought I'd dropped off the site, but I

The USGA Mid Am will be held at Charlotte CC in 2018.  My Carolina GC will help out with qualifying medal rounds for two days.  The USGA has specified [edit that to "suggested"] new mowing patterns for our course, which will be put in place next spring, more than a year before the event.  I don't have the details, but we've been told that in general some of the fairways will be narrowed (boo! -- from me) and some of the chipping areas around the greens expanded.  We do have pretty wide fairways now -- one result of which is that drives can run further off line and result in worse lines to the greens.  Apparently this design feature does not appeal to the USGA, at least in some cases.  We already have pretty large chipping areas around the greens.


In short, it will be interesting to see the result of the USGA's requirements [edit that to "suggestions"].  It will change the course somewhat, but whether it will be an "improvement" remains to be seen.  Not to pre-judge, but while it may make the course somewhat more challenging for the expert golfers, if it makes less fun for the members, then it will not be an "improvement" (which is the downside of a club getting involved with this sort of event).


Our Superintendent has promised to post the changes per [sugested by] the USGA, and if he does so, I'll try to link to them.

As an aside, I'll be interested to learn if the USGA has any similar "suggestions" or requirements for Charlotte CC's course.

[Carl Johnson]

Joe,

I'll try again.  Thought I'd dropped off the site.  But look from time to time and saw your recent post.  After the Mid Am the Green Committee decided to retain the narrower fairways "suggested" by the USGA.  To my dismay, but I'm a very old high handicap golfer, and not a real straight hitter.  Not like the young men in control.  They killed a speed slot on no. 18, and other stuff.  So, it is what it is.  Glad you liked the course.


Carl 

[Joe Sponcia]

Carl


Thanks for the reply.  I found quite a bit of width at Carolina, more than I expected actually given what you wrote.  I just don't understand why folks bow down to people that come in once a year, go really low, then leave?  It would seem the every day member would be the most important to serve?  Oh well.  I hope my fears don't turn into reality.