The shrinking golf course!

[Mark_Fine]

Had the pleasure of spending a day on and off the golf course with Tim Moraghan, Director, USGA Championship Agronomy.  He "gets it" and it was a lot of fun discussing golf course architecture, etc.  One of the things we talked about was how golf courses "shrink" over time.  Greens shrink, bunkers shrink, fairway acreage shrinks, tees shrink, trees get planted and as a result the area where you can play golf shrinks.  The list goes on.  Sad part is, most golfers/members don't realize it is happening to their golf course and the negative impact it is having.  We talked about what clubs can do to address this shrinking phenomenon.  Education is key!

[A_Clay_Man]

Would the USGA consider spending some of that war chest to assist?

A pictorial showing the before and after pictures of places  such as 'The Cal Club', Oakmont and other prime examples.

I have never taught, but as I recall Dr. Klein summerized it best as being 'easy' to students who want to learn. And to those who don't, he summerized that best too. "rich people can be really stupid" or words to that affect.

[Neal_Meagher]

Not only is education the key but also good record-keeping.  Current GPS technology is easily applied in the field for measurements of golf course features.  

This helps with maintaining the original sizes by periodically reestablishing the original edge condition.  Of course, with bunker edge measuring there is the dynamic of the third dimension that should be considered.  This, of course, has been discussed here often with some agreeing that a little age actually softens up the original hard edge.

A superintendent I once worked with at a well-known LA-area club has resorted to a most unusual tactic in order to keep his bunker lips at a more or less consistent height.  Knowing how sensitive his membership is to that particular component of their course, he takes advantage of the Monday closure to periodically spray a high-pressure stream of water into the sand build-up area thereby slowly lowering the lip by actually creating a controlled erosion.

Once he gets it to where it wants it, the crew simply cleans up by raking out the sand and no one is the wiser.

[Doug Wright]

A superintendent I once worked with at a well-known LA-area club has resorted to a most unusual tactic in order to keep his bunker lips at a more or less consistent height.  Knowing how sensitive his membership is to that particular component of their course, he takes advantage of the Monday closure to periodically spray a high-pressure stream of water into the sand build-up area thereby slowly lowering the lip by actually creating a controlled erosion.

Neal,

That's brilliant and enlightened...Hope it's shared with the unwashed masses.

Best,

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Mark, Please lets remember that Mr. Morghan is the one that is also equally responsbile for the Fazio work at Riviera. I wouldn't call that exactly "getting it."

[Bill_McBride]

I played three rounds at Cuscowilla earlier this week - will post on this great trip soon - and saw what is apparently something designed to retain green size and shape.  There was a metal "ring" around each green perimeter that outlined what is presumably the original design of the green.  Not sure if this is GPS connected or just a permanent outline.  One slight negative is that the low side of the green tends to build up a bit at this metal edging and interferes slightly with a putt where the ball has stopped at the line.

What greens at Cuscowilla!  More to come..........

[Mark_Fine]

Tommy,
Not aware of what Tim's involvement was at Riviera.  I'd be surprised if he recommended Tom for the work.  Do you know what the deal was?  
 
From everything he said to me, he is not one to mess up great golf courses.  

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Mark, Now he's Tom? What happened to just the plain old "Fazio?"  

Trust me, Tim Morghan is being way too modest, he is a big reason for the changes at these clubs and which architect the USGA recommends.

[Joel_Stewart]

We talked about what clubs can do to address this shrinking phenomenon.  Education is key!

Hopefully they write and write and write so clubs actually get it.  On the USGA web site now is some very good material on the role of greens committees and how they can work more effectively.  

[Martin Del Vecchio]

Bill, several posters here have suggested that metal or plastic rings around a green are intended to protect the green from encroaching grasses.  

I can't imagine a course as well-designed and well-maintained as Cuscowilla allowing them to affect play!

[Bill_McBride]

Martin, it was only a problem once.  So you don't think those metal rings are also designed to maintain green size?  I've always heard that mowing short cuts are what shrink greens.

[DPL11]

Bill,
I've never been to Cuscowilla, but I imagine they have bent greens. Courses with bent greens down south will sometimes use a metal or plastic barrier to keep the bermuda out of the bent. An easier way to maintain the original greens edge is to bury a 10ga. wire 8" deep all the way around the green. Then you take out a metal detector and a paint can a few times a year and re-mark for mowers.

[Bill_McBride]

Yes, the (superb) greens are bent and surrounds a bermuda hybrid.  Agreed it would be good to keep the two separated! I guess it gets too hot for poa annua or trivialis to have a chance.

[Geoff_Shackelford]

Mark,
Thanks for the laugh! Hate to break the bad news to you, but the blood of Riviera is all over Mr. Moraghan's hands. He certainly encouraged the hiring of uh, "Tom," i.e. the Fazio group, and magically, his wife ended up writing press releases on the project! It's almost funny, except for the fact that a masterpiece built with pride and care has been ruined because of this disaster.

Mr. Moraghan also had the idea--at least in the Fazio group's spin--to expand the back left pin area on #8 at Riviera. This back portion of the green was the same as it had been since June 24, 1927, opening day. The expansion made it UNnecessary to play down the right alternate fairway to get an optimum angle at the back left hole location (the concept Thomas created strategically, as evidenced in his drawing of the hole which has been reproduced in his book and the Riviera book). This is about as simple as it gets in terms of golf course strategy, and it still managed to fly right over a lot of heads.
 
So yes, education is key!
Geoff