Too much worrying about the worst conditions. The focus should be on what decent drainage can achieve rather than what it can’t achieve. That’s when a proper cost benefit analysis can be run. Improvement is possible if clubs want to prioritise improved playing conditions.
Ciao
Of course. But a balanced analysis should cover what it can’t as well as what it can. It only comes up for discussion, as with this thread, in the context of the extremes and course closures.
One poster highlighted the so called folly of draining greens and bunkers, when in winter, it’s too wet to get to them. Again, as you say ignoring the many other agronomic and labour saving benefits.
‘They spent money on something else when here we are and the course is closed in January’ is like berating a family for having a weeks holiday in Spain before they’ve saved up enough to send the kids to Eton.
It is about priorities in decision making and communication with members, always, and some clubs do a very good job of one and/or both.
But some do not.
Of course drainage work and refurbishment of bunkers should both occur on a continual rolling basis.
It's just that we rarely, if ever, see a social media post or website proudly boasting of any £500k-£1mln "Drainage Scheme", but there are lots of "Bunker Refurbishment Schemes" or "Course Improvement Plans" that do get that profile. Which leads to peer pressure from neighbouring clubs, even if they should be favouring any possible capital project on drainage (including of course drainage in bunkers) or something else (Clubhouse extension to get longer-term revenue, practice facilities/range etc.)
There has been an large unexpected and welcome flow of cash into clubs over the last 2-3 years, and I just think that the one-off opportunity to invest may have been far better targetted by some clubs than it has.
I have thought that for some time, not just because it has been very wet.
Too many have focused too much on putting in the most expensive bunkers possible, but that suits the architect and supplier ecosystem.
The legacy of which may not be as positive as sold. There are far more educated people than I saying the same in regard to rubber-crumb etc. (Bradley Klein for one).
The club mentioned earlier that focuses on getting some (reduced) playability in tough circumstances, clearly have educated their members that this time of year things may not be at all perfect but we'll get on with it within our capabilities and finances, and you go out and enjoy your game/walk if you wish. They have had closure days in these extremes (presumably for both safety and agronomic reasons) but many fewer than neighbouring clubs. That is to be applauded I think.
At the end of the day the numbers of golfers who actually want to go out in such desperately soggy conditions is really very small, and I liked that they found a way to let them play, by focusing on drainage work over the long-term and taking a practical approach on the day.
Our old Secretary, when I was growing up, simply said "the course closes itself", and that is largely true (but we live in different times when member expectations for year-round golf, and H&S considerations, are much higher)
I saw recently that instead of using temporary greens Little Aston GC uses a flag stuck in a log or "Flog" which can be moved absolutely anywhere on the course to hit at, presumably then steering players away from wetter areas to give them a fun target challenge during their walk/exercise/"golf' or "Flog". I like the creativity and fun of that, in what is for most (and should be for more) the "off-season".
Brollies up, let's play...Flog!