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Tim Pitner

  • Karma: +0/-0
Why are CommonGround's Greens . . .
« on: August 05, 2009, 12:05:49 PM »
. . . so firm and how can the course keep them that way?  I played CG yesterday and was delighted to find that the greens were firm and rolled very true.  When a 1-2 club wind kicked up later in the afternoon, the shots really became enjoyable, requiring landing the ball short of the green to get to front pins and challenging the golfer to guage the bounce on the greens to be pin-high for middle or back pins.  In short, it was linksy and the shots around the greens were great fun. 

It was quite a contrast to Riverdale Dunes, which I played on Saturday--Riverdale was saturated and balls were plugging into the greens.  Interestingly, an assistant pro had told me before the round what great shape Riverdale was in. ::)  (BTW, I love Riverdale, just not in the middle of summer when they saturate the bent grass fairways and greens). 

Is the firmness of CommonGround's greens mostly due to the fact that they're new?  And/or is there a commitment to firm and fast at CG?  I'd love to hear that it's more the latter, but I understand the challenges of maintaining those conditions at a public course where many players may not appreciate F&F.  In any event, hats off to Renaissance and the staff at CG for creating and maintaining such an interesting, playable, walkable and affordable course (15 minutes from my house). 



Joe Hancock

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Why are CommonGround's Greens . . .
« Reply #1 on: August 05, 2009, 04:20:08 PM »
Tim,

No one has answered(unfortunate for you) but one of the answers likely has to do with thatch. CommonGround was just (re)built and the sand based greens don't have a mattress on them yet.

Joe
" What the hell is the point of architecture and excellence in design if a "clever" set up trumps it all?" Peter Pallotta, June 21, 2016

"People aren't picking a side of the fairway off a tee because of a randomly internally contoured green ."  jeffwarne, February 24, 2017

Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +3/-1
Re: Why are CommonGround's Greens . . .
« Reply #2 on: August 05, 2009, 04:22:59 PM »
Greens are always pretty firm when they are brand new.

We hope they will keep them that way, but it's unlikely that all of the feedback on that issue is as positive as your take, Tim.  Which is too bad ... firm and fast should be the standard for the droughty weather of Denver.

Adam Russell

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Why are CommonGround's Greens . . .
« Reply #3 on: August 05, 2009, 07:53:19 PM »
. . . so firm and how can the course keep them that way? 

They're firm because I had to plate compact every square inch of putting surface on the course...but I'm not bitter or anything  ;D

As for keeping them like that, the maintenance staff knows what they're doing, and seemed to have developed a distaste for soft and lush from prior work experience. I really hope the locals buy into the conditions - it was the only public course around with that kind of mindset, so perhaps the area golfers will buy into the unique experience of it. Just for personal reasons I don't want it to change - I haven't got a chance to go play it yet!
The only way that I could figure they could improve upon Coca-Cola, one of life's most delightful elixirs, which studies prove will heal the sick and occasionally raise the dead, is to put rum or bourbon in it.” -Lewis Grizzard