Is there a better way for walkers to carry divot repair mix?

[Bob_Huntley]

Here in Pebble Beach we do not replace the merkins because the crows would remove them to get at the grubs below the surface.

We use seed/sand bottles, large and small for riders and walkers. We also have a problem in that one course is grassed with Rye the other, Bent.

Bob

[TX Golf]

What is the deal with all the different types of "divot fill" that you come across at different courses. I've seen white sand, green sand (assuming this is just for aesthetics), mulch type stuff, and then just regular dirt.

Is this dependent on the type of grass found on the course?

Also, why is it that some places have seed in the sand while others do not. Seems like the seed would decrease the time of recovery. Is it an issue of cost?

Robert

[Sean_A]

I am starting to see more UK clubs have a divot mix rack full of bags of mix and pegs to hold divots down on a few tees.  As I carry I never use the things unless someone with a trolley is nearby and I can nick theirs.  I figure that if I am ditching clubs and gear because I carry there is no way I am gonna carry some mix around, but I have used the pegs - they are light.  However, in my experience, as with using mats in the winter, a course may be in better shape briefly in the spring for this effort, but once the decent weather comes along its as if the effort wasn't made at all.  Anyway, the system I have seen used looks to be homemade bags made of some sort of heavy tarp-like material with zip-lock like fasteners which control the flow of mix.  They seemed to work fine and if they are lost or thrown away it is no great loss.  

Ciao

[Mike Leveille]

Ed:

At my club, about 50% of the rounds are by walkers.  The club puts a box of 10 or so divot mix bottles near the start of one or two fairways on each nine, with a sign requesting walkers to empty the sand bottles on that hole.  The empty sand bottles are then left in another box by the green, hopefully after filling 10 or 20 divots.  The boxes are rotated among the holes on a daily basis.  Not a perfect system, but nobody has to lug a sand bottle around all day and each fairway gets taken care of every few days.

Mike

[Jerry Kluger]

http://divotaide.com/order.html

This is the product that we use.  Our superintendent then made boxes to store the fill next to the ball washers.  I would say they are 12" wide, 8" deep, and about 8" tall with the back higher than the front and a hinged lid so the fill doesn't get wet.  They are up on legs about 8" high and are fabricated from a green fiber board of some type.  The system works great as it is light to carry and one or two scoops fills it enough for at least a few holes.

[Mike Nuzzo]

I meant either warm or cool season grasses.
It will grow back either way.

Having one thread about golf surviving and another about concerns for divot holes....


P.S.
The guys in the carts should fill 2 each time.
The walkers have to put up with looking at the paths.
The cart guys still wind up way ahead...

[Carl Johnson]

Ed,

I carry sand in a container in the cup holder on my three-wheel push cart.  The difficulty is, and it's not that difficult, of course, is that I have to supply my own container because the standard cart containers won't fit in my cup holder, they're too big.  I've actually suggested, gently, to our head greenkeeper the idea of getting some sort smaller sand containers for bag carriers and trolly users.

[Pete Lavallee]

Ed,

In South Africa, where fairways are usually Bermuda or Kikuyu, they use little bags. They are made of vinyl and either have a draw string or two strap handles. They are about six square inches and hold just enough sand to fill 4-6 divots. There are barrels of sand on various tees to refill the bags during the round. They are mandatory at most course and because of the small size, very easy to carry around, however without the ability to refill them during the round you would run out of sand before you made the turn. They cost $4; I'm a bit sad I didn't bring one home as a souvenier.

[Jason McNamara]

At my club, about 50% of the rounds are by walkers.  The club puts a box of 10 or so divot mix bottles near the start of one or two fairways on each nine, with a sign requesting walkers to empty the sand bottles on that hole.  The empty sand bottles are then left in another box by the green, hopefully after filling 10 or 20 divots.  The boxes are rotated among the holes on a daily basis.  Not a perfect system, but nobody has to lug a sand bottle around all day and each fairway gets taken care of every few days.

This is a fantastic idea.  I must admit that in my regular playing days I wasn't one for lugging a sand bottle when I walked, but I would definitely do this.  (I also tried to make up for it by filling several bottles worth of divots those times I did ride.)

[M. Shea Sweeney]

I don't know if anyone has said this yet, but how bout just filling up a gatorade bottle with the mix and throwing it in your bag. Pretty easy.

[Bill_McBride]

Ed,

I carry sand in a container in the cup holder on my three-wheel push cart.  The difficulty is, and it's not that difficult, of course, is that I have to supply my own container because the standard cart containers won't fit in my cup holder, they're too big.  I've actually suggested, gently, to our head greenkeeper the idea of getting some sort smaller sand containers for bag carriers and trolly users.

Carl, do you have a Sun Mountain 3 wheeler?  They have a standard option container.

[TX Golf]

I really like the idea of the bag of sand... With a small box full of sandbags on every few holes you wouldn't ever run out... Hit your shot... Fill the divot.. And then loop the little bag on your pitching wedge and off you go... Seems pretty simple to me!!!

[Bradley Anderson]

Remember in "The Great Escape" where they put little packets of dirt in their trouser legs attached to a string in their pockets and then let out the dirt surreptitiously?  That would work, at least at clubs that did not allow shorts....

You scooped me. 

[James Bennett]

Rich Goodale and 'The Graet Escape' - ROFL

Bob Huntley and 'Merkins' - ROFLMAO.  Outstanding.  I'll never look at a divot the same again.  Personally, my game results in more of a brazillian merkin divot.

Slag

I have been chatted by my home club as a carrier.  I tried the Gatorade bottle, and you need really dry sand to work, and the lid is a pain to get on, and the sand goes all over your bag when you put your bag down quickly or if it falls over.

My solution - we have the little buckets with a hook, and that hook goes on the towel holder (on the GCA Sun Mountain bag, the towel holder is up near the top zip pocket, so it is well balanced).

Mike Nuzzo

should these divots (sorry, merkins) be replaced with sand.  Well, if the committee has decreed that they shall so be replaced, then they will be replaced.  The Stalag's rules shall be obeyed. 

There are some Australian clubs with couch (bermuda) fairways that have discontinued the sand buckets.  Often, some of the 'keener' members have preferred to make little sand castles on every murkin, sorry divot.  The mowers just loveoverfilled divots.

James B

[Mike Bowline]

At my club, about 50% of the rounds are by walkers.  The club puts a box of 10 or so divot mix bottles near the start of one or two fairways on each nine, with a sign requesting walkers to empty the sand bottles on that hole.  The empty sand bottles are then left in another box by the green, hopefully after filling 10 or 20 divots.  The boxes are rotated among the holes on a daily basis.  Not a perfect system, but nobody has to lug a sand bottle around all day and each fairway gets taken care of every few days.

This is a fantastic idea.  I must admit that in my regular playing days I wasn't one for lugging a sand bottle when I walked, but I would definitely do this.  (I also tried to make up for it by filling several bottles worth of divots those times I did ride.)

This would be FUN! I am always running out of sand in the dispenser when riding because I start filling old divots and can't stop!! It is addictive, and it makes me feel I am helping the course get a little better. I fashion it is like eating Lays potato chips - once you eat one, you can't stop.

Plus, once your ball is perched on a sand-filled divot vs. lying in the bottom of an unfilled divot, you will appreciate the improved playing characteristics of a sand-fille divot. Not to mention the faster "healing" timeline.

[John Moore II]

Why do the divot holes need to be refilled?

That was my first thought as well. With or without sand, bermuda will grow back within a week or so during the the growing season. Fescue, etc. I am not sure about since I don't live in a place that has to worry about cool season grasses. I walk very often, and it never really crossed my mind to worry about filling divots with sand.

[Carl Johnson]

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    Re: Is there a better way for walkers to carry divot repair mix?
« Reply #36 on: Today at 08:23:20 pm »   

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Quote from: Carl Johnson on Today at 03:24:04 pm
Ed,

I carry sand in a container in the cup holder on my three-wheel push cart.  The difficulty is, and it's not that difficult, of course, is that I have to supply my own container because the standard cart containers won't fit in my cup holder, they're too big.  I've actually suggested, gently, to our head greenkeeper the idea of getting some sort smaller sand containers for bag carriers and trolly users.


Carl, do you have a Sun Mountain 3 wheeler?  They have a standard option container.

Reply: Nope.  I use a low-end Bag Boy.  Regarding the effectiveness of filling divots with sand on burmuda grass courses, our greenkeeper assured me that it really does help.  One trick is not to pile the sand too high -- just a thin layer is what's needed.  As I walk the course, sometimes I'll smooth out the sand that appears to be piled too high.

[Richard Boult]

Why do the divot holes need to be refilled?

That was my first thought as well. With or without sand, bermuda will grow back within a week or so during the the growing season. Fescue, etc. I am not sure about since I don't live in a place that has to worry about cool season grasses. I walk very often, and it never really crossed my mind to worry about filling divots with sand.

I noticed that at Bandon, with 100% walkers, nobody is sanding divots, caddies included...  Does the maintenance crew fill them in, or does the fescue just grow back quickly?

[mike_beene]

Melvyn,do you have some more pictures of the work on the Road Bunker?

[BigEdSC]

Usually, outside of around 175 yards from the green, divots should not be too bad, but from around 150 in, it gets to look like a moonscape in some places.  The short par 4's seem to get beaten to death.  I like the idea of placing bottles on some tees, and filling that fairway that day and depositing them on the next tee.

I've seen bottles at 150 markers that seem to work, too.

[TEPaul]

What I'd like to know is this:

How long have these divot mix buckets on carts or divot mix bottles been around and used?

I ask because some tell me divots really shouldn't even be replaced any longer because they won't grow back!

Really? Well, I'm definitely old enough to remember when there was no such thing as divot mix and the rule of thumb in golf was just to replace one's divots. I do not remember the course was sprinkled with old dead grass from divots so what the hell has changed with golf course agronomy from then until now where the world NOW seems to have to rely on divot mix only?. What the hell happened to replacing your divot?

[Brent Hutto]

Two words:

Bermuda
Grass

[David_Elvins]

Why do the divot holes need to be refilled?

That was my first thought as well. With or without sand, bermuda will grow back within a week or so during the the growing season.

The idea isthat if the divot is filled correctly with sand the bermuda will spread across it at the same level as previously.  No sand and there will be a little hole in the fairway.

[Matthew Mollica]

When I carried my own bag I always packed a cyllindrical screw top Tupperware container about the size of one of those metal cannisters you'd get tennis balls in.

It always drew comments from people who saw me using it, which surprised me.

These days with a heavier bag I use a trolley / pull cart and have a bucket of sand on it.

MM

[Drew Standley]

I don't think I've ever filled a divot in my life.  It angers me to have to hit from a mini-bunker in the fairway so I choose not to fill.