Shrinkage

[Patrick_Mucci]

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

All you have all these reasons to justify greens shrinking...and if we're talking about 20, 30 40 years ago then fine I'm off base...but if your greens are shrinking ...at all...today... someone doesn't know how to do their job and it isn't the $8/hr guy on the mower.

Don,

When a new superintendent inherits a golf course, reclaiming the original foot pad doesn't go unnoticed.

The scalping and/or discoloration that can result gets everyone's attention, quickly.

A prudent new superintendent would be best advised to run it past the committee first.

[Joel_Stewart]

One of the best examples of shrinkage I have seen is at SFGC which Tom Doak restored a couple of years ago.   Over the 75+ years the greens had shrunk (in certain spots) by yards not feet.   There are so many holes which could be mentioned but even the world famous 7th hole which has pictures taken daily had shrunk a number of feet in the back of the green.

As for Olympic Club, next time anyone is out there look at the 6th hole.  The front right bunker is 18 feet from the green.  If this was restored (and I have gone round and round with the super and the consulting architect) it would open up at least 2 new pin positions.  I had hoped to have this ready for this years Amateur but it didn't take a priority.

[Don_Mahaffey]

Pat,
To be clear, I'm not referring to "recapturing" or expanding green area, I'm referring to maintaining green shape. There is no justifiable reason, IMO, for a modern golf course with adequate resources to lose green area.
Getting it back is another issue.

[Steve_Lovett]

There is a natural reaction from greenskeepers to avoid scalping the grass along the fringe at the green's edge when they are making their clean-up pass, so consequently they may err on the side of staying "inside" the fringe with the mower.  The cumulative effect of this, over time, can probably result in a meaningful reduction in green surface.

[michael j fay]

Brunswick CC in Georgia has the recor for most shrinkage in my experience. Paul Cowley can tell you that the overall green acreage shrunk by nearly 70%.

The fill pads and original green parameters are still evident and the Love Co. is doing a hell of a job in resizing.

[Doug Wright]

Thanks for the enlightening responses above.

Although I said this thread isn't about the Seinfeld episode I couldn't resist. Here is the "shrinkage exchange":

From Seinfeld "The Hamptons" episode (1994):

[Beach House @ Hamptons; Jerry’s girlfriend has just walked in on George naked]
George: I was in the pool! I was in the pool!
….
George: Well I just got back from swimming in the pool. And the water was cold...
Jerry: Oh... You mean... shrinkage.
George: Yes. Significant shrinkage!
Jerry: So you feel you were short changed.
George: Yes! I mean, if she thinks that's me she's under a complete
misapprehension. That was not me, Jerry. That was not me.
Jerry: Well, so what's the difference?
George: What if she discusses it with Jane?
Jerry: Oh, she's not gonna tell Jane.
George: How do you know?
Jerry: Women aren't like us.
George: They're worse! They're much worse than us, they talk about
everything! Couldn't you at least tell her about the shrinkage factor?
Jerry: No, I'm not gonna tell her about your shrinkage. Besides, I think
women know about shrinkage.
George: How do women know about shrinkage? (They see Elaine walking down
the hall) Elaine! Get! (She enters) Do women know about shrinkage?
Elaine: What do you mean, like laundry?
George: No.
Jerry: Like when a man goes swimming... afterwards...
Elaine: It shrinks?
Jerry: Like a frightened turtle!
Elaine: Why does it shrink?
George: It just does.
Elaine: I don't know how you guys walk around with those things.
 

[Dan Kelly]

Science demands a new measurement:

The Coefficient of Shrinkage.