[Ted Sturges]

The cost of golf in the US has always been higher than the cost of golf in the UK, which is odd to me, because the UK is the birthplace of golf.  How is it that we did not emulate their approach to the cost of golf including the cost of golf course maintenance? 


To me, one of the primary reasons that golf costs too much in this country is our nation's obsession with The Masters Golf Tournament.  Ever since the color television set was invented, we have all focused on that broadcast the first week of April.  As the leaders at ANGC made the decision that emerald green was to be favored over any other color in golf, and the trees and flowers that bloom in the spring in Georgia needed to be prominently displayed, the "over-beautification" of golf in this country, and the overly maintained movement began.  How many clubs in the US have developed flower budgets and sought to present their fairways "as green as Augusta's" due to their obsession with The Masters?  It is hard to argue against the notion that golf costs more in the US in large part because of what we see at ANGC.


So here is where this "Masters in November" notion takes my mind.  What if, instead of going to herculean lengths to "pretty up" the golf course at ANGC this fall, the club would instead choose to NOT OVERSEED at the end of the summer and present the fairways in various shades of green, gold, yellow and brown instead?  The Azaleas won't be blooming in the fall, but what if the club resisted the temptation to "pretty up" the place with other unnecessary flowering plants in November?  To me, ANGC could make a bold statement to the rest of us that it's about the golf, not the never-ending race to spend more and more (and more) money on the golf course year after year.  This beautification arms race has unnecessarily added to the cost of golf in this country.  To me, the leadership at ANGC have a "Masterful" opportunity to present golf in more minimalistic terms this fall.  And in my eyes, this would be very good for golf, and would have the potential to make golf more affordable to people in this country.


And having said that...I know it will never happen.


TS

[JESII]

Hmm...I don't know.


One cannot deny the impact of the Augusta Syndrome, that's not what I was Hmm'ing.


I'm not so sure asking Augusta to be someone they're not is the best solution. In this day and age, if there's a single club that can't take responsibility for its own budget they deserve what they get. As relates to the maintenance challenges in the US versus the UK, isn't it primarily climate driven?

[Tom_Doak]

The primary reason that golf in the USA costs so much is FAIRWAY IRRIGATION.


UK courses don't need it due to the mild climate.  Some USA courses used to get away with not having it, but they've been pushed to the margins by the insistence of the golf business that you must keep up with the Joneses and conditions must be predictable in the face of any weather.




It occurred to me this was the case after spending a month in New Zealand a few years back, in the midst of a serious drought.  All of the high-end courses that cater to Americans were bright green, but every other course we drove past, the fairways were brown, yellow, or white from lack of water.  [Many were bermudagrass that had just shut down due to lack of water.]  Many of them were probably going to lose turfgrass that summer, to which they would just shrug, and wait for it to come back, because that's what they can afford to do.




The green courses over there cost $200+ per round, with a maintenace staff of ten or more, big reservoirs, $2m irrigation systems, and lots of fertilizer and spraying and other maintenance to keep up with the growth caused by irrigating the fairways. 


The yellow courses cost $40 and under, with a staff of one or two.




Which model will Augusta follow in the fall?  C'mon, man.  They aren't wearing yellow jackets!

[jeffwarne]

Augusta missed a huge opportunity to present the course in its best condition in October, with fairways just beginning to go dormant if they get a few crisp nights.They would've still been mostly green and played far firmer and faster than the rye we see every April-which can be firm but spring storms almost always ruin that.
They could have then overseeded immediately after for the April event, but that would've delayed their member opening-probably the real fly in the ointment-especially after closing in March of this year.





By choosing November, they've committed themselves to overseeding as November  non-overseeded  golf would be pretty good or great, but April not so much after a winter of member play and no growth.
They can't overseed in November as a cold snap like they got last year would delay/eliminate germination further delaying their prime winter season.
November overseeded will not be as good as April as it will be more freshly germinated though I guess they'll overseed as early as possible in September to avoid needing to water it a lot leading into the event.

[Tony_Muldoon]

2019 Molinari's chance disappear's when his ball hits the underside of a tree's branch.


2020 Competitors concentrate on keeping the ball low, beneath all the flying pigs.

[Michael Wolf]

The azaleas in my yard in Birmingham, Alabama cycle 2 or 3 times most years, including a Fall bloom. Most of my bushes and trees hold their color until at least the middle of the November.


Two agronomy questions:


- Without overseeding or resodding the entire golf course, would there even be enough grass to play a major championship on in November? I'd think Augusta's bermuda has to be pretty stressed after 40? straight years of heavy overseeding.


- For clubs that are interested in chasing the Augusta National pantone, are we getting close to the point where it would be simpler and cheaper for them to just paint or dye their grass? I've observed significant improvements in cost and quality of painting dormant bermuda in the Southern region where i live.


Michael

[Tim Martin]

You could start with the Masters but other iconic clubs that hold majors and other high profile tournaments would need to follow suit in an effort to start a trend. When more people realize how nicely dormant grass plays a lot of the “brown” stigma could go away.

[MClutterbuck]

Jeff, dont you think that a non overseed course in November risks being a mud fest? Also, I dont think ANGC has a good playing surface prior to seeding. They dont really maintain the bermuda/native stuff.

[jeffwarne]

Jeff, dont you think that a non overseed course in November risks being a mud fest? Also, I dont think ANGC has a good playing surface prior to seeding. They dont really maintain the bermuda/native stuff.

Not knowing they had from now to November(prime growing season thru September)
That bermuda would be perfect and would play really well in October/November.
On my many over the fence summertime "whiskey nines" in the 70's the bermuda greens and fairways were perfect in summer.


The bigger danger of not overseeding and playing on semi dormant in November, would be that the April event the following year would be a mudfest. with mid November being a bit late to germinate the rye (though I'm sure they could pull it off)

[Jason Thurman]

Come on, guys. Augusta National is a winter golf club. Is there EVER member play that happens on their Bermuda?


I don't outright hate the idea of hosting a tournament on dormant turf, although I don't know that I really need to see the pros play on it. But doing it at Augusta makes no sense whatsoever.


Would they even theoretically be able to overseed after a November Masters, to give the members the turf conditions they expect and enjoy at their winter club? Seems to me like we're asking the members to either play a soggy and poorly grown-in overseeded course that doesn't open until December, or we're asking them to spend the entire winter playing dormant Bermuda... which means more brown grass even next April when we hopefully get the return of the world's greatest celebration of spring. I'm not sure that's the route to convincing everybody that brown is beautiful. It makes me throw up in my mouth a little just thinking about it, and I was down with brown when I started typing this post.


What DOES make sense: host The Masters in mid-November, with the most famous turf in golf in full effect, when if we get lucky we might get a whole new palette of fall foliage colors while, to Wolfie's point, a handful of flowers are still blooming. If they can pull the tournament off, it'll be an iconic week.


In fairness, I have always thought it would be cool to see Augusta host a US Open, just once, in June, played on Bermuda. But, you know... when it's growing.

[MClutterbuck]

Jeff, dont you think that a non overseed course in November risks being a mud fest? Also, I dont think ANGC has a good playing surface prior to seeding. They dont really maintain the bermuda/native stuff.

Not knowing they had from now to November(prime growing season thru September)
That bermuda would be perfect and would play really well in October/November.
On my many over the fence summertime "whiskey nines" in the 70's the bermuda greens and fairways were perfect in summer.


The bigger danger of not overseeding and playing on semi dormant in November, would be that the April event the following year would be a mudfest. with mid November being a bit late to germinate the rye (though I'm sure they could pull it off)

They overseed through December...

[Bernie Bell]

I have played Champions Retreat a few miles from ANGC in November, and the turf was great.  I do not think they overseed but I could be wrong.

[Bill Shamleffer]

When I was at the U of Missouri in mid-1980s, the University course (down the hill from the football stadium) had no fairway irrigation system.  The greens & tees were hand watered by the grounds crew.  (The golf team practiced across town at a private facility.)
In the summer I could hit 300 yard drives with my persimmon driver.
AND it only cost the students a few bucks to play (just barely over $100 for a season pass).
I loved spending a summer playing a non-watered course.
Since then, many of the regulars put in their own labor and installed a full course irrigation system.


I wish the munis and the "mom & pop" publics would go to very minimal watering of fairways.
Give me decent greens and a cheap greens fee and I will be happy.

[Tom_Doak]

I have played Champions Retreat a few miles from ANGC in November, and the turf was great.  I do not think they overseed but I could be wrong.

I have played Augusta National in November, or maybe it was early December, and it was still pretty wet from trying to get all the overseed juiced up.


That's the problem.  Conditions would be fine in November if they just didn't overseed for this winter, but if you assume they will, for the membership and for The Masters next April, it gets trickier.  It's hard to have it perfect for all three.

[jeffwarne]

Weatherwies, November could be great.
Highs could easily be in the 70's but a wide range that month.

But I have seen weeks where the high temperature did not get out of the 40's in November.
Unusual, but possible.
I'm still a bit surprised they didn't go for October, but I guess the play on overseed police won-which makes sense for the event and the membership, as they wouldn't lose member time by overseeding post event.

[John Emerson]

Jeff, dont you think that a non overseed course in November risks being a mud fest? Also, I dont think ANGC has a good playing surface prior to seeding. They dont really maintain the bermuda/native stuff.

Not knowing they had from now to November(prime growing season thru September)
That bermuda would be perfect and would play really well in October/November.
On my many over the fence summertime "whiskey nines" in the 70's the bermuda greens and fairways were perfect in summer.


The bigger danger of not overseeding and playing on semi dormant in November, would be that the April event the following year would be a mudfest. with mid November being a bit late to germinate the rye (though I'm sure they could pull it off)

They overseed through December...

Yeah the bulk majority of overseeding tends to start a little earlier but, man, November is primo weather to grow ryegrass in the south.  Seeding later in the year isn’t a problem.

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