[Ken Fry]

I've been enjoying the early morning television coverage of the Dunhill Links Championship.  During the final round coverage, I noticed numerous divots clustered in some of the low areas at The Old Course.

The one catch to firm and fast conditions is certain low areas will tend to collect shots and become littered with divots.  The Old Course reportedly hosts somewhere between 40,000 and 50,000 rounds per year.

I have yet to play TOC  but was wondering from those that have:  how much are these areas a problem during normal play and from a maintenance perspective, how do you repair and protect these low areas without giving up firm and fast conditions?

Ken

[Jon Wiggett]

Ken,

I have played TOC many times and have never felt it to be a problem. Maybe one of the reasons is that with the firm conditions the divots are generally shallow and so not as likely to hold a ball or effect a shot played from it.

Jon

[Adrian_Stiff]

Ken - They use mats in the winter (about 4 or 5 months), obviously its hard to regrow grass then. All heavily contoured fairways deflect the ball so some areas have almost zero divots which other areas are doubled up. Its definetly a problem for maintenance, if they have an Open, then they might almost use the fairway mats for 2 months before the championship, so its almost no fairway use for the best part of a year.

[Ken Fry]

Ken - They use mats in the winter (about 4 or 5 months), obviously its hard to regrow grass then. All heavily contoured fairways deflect the ball so some areas have almost zero divots which other areas are doubled up. Its definetly a problem for maintenance, if they have an Open, then they might almost use the fairway mats for 2 months before the championship, so its almost no fairway use for the best part of a year.

Adrian,

Is this also the case leading up to the Dunhill?  On the telecast this morning, I believe the hole was 6 and players were laying up behind the Coffin bunkers.  There were so many divots in the area I wasn't sure how a ball could stop there and not be in a divot.  I know how taboo it is to ask but do they ever use a "pick, clean and place" local rule when an area is so damaged with divots?

Ken

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I have over 25 rounds there now. I do not and have never heard of summer play where the rolls lead to collection issues. part of it is the types of divits the tight turf tends to have. Winter play is a different discussion and why the mats are in use. Of course the turf is so tite that play off hard pan in the same.

[Gary Slatter]

I never had a difficult lie for the 3 years I played the Old, at least not caused by a hole caused by a golf club. 
During the winter months all players use mats and by April most of the marks from the Dunhill have healed.   
The great majority of players cannot make a divot nor ball marks during normal play. 
Chip and run from 90 yards does not leave many divots.
Loved the Dunhill, another great South African player about to challenge the world, is there a stonger golf nation per capita.

[Eric Smith]

I played the Old Course 4 weeks ago and saw nothing of the sort. It was in fact one of the finest conditioned courses I have ever played.

[Sam Morrow]

For those who have played with the mats did you find it took anything away from the experience?

[Jon Wiggett]

For those who have played with the mats did you find it took anything away from the experience?

Yes

[John Chilver-Stainer]

You could say it’s like putting on a condom – still great, but not as good as the real thing!!!

[Adam Lawrence]

I know we're golf obsessed on here, but my only response to John's post was 'that would be a short putt'... then I figured out what he was talking about....

[John Chilver-Stainer]

... speak for yourself ...

[Gary Slatter]

For those who have played with the mats did you find it took anything away from the experience?

I found during the mat season I played far more pinched wedge shots - without the mat it would be a pitch and run, with the mat a normal wedge.  I felt my opponents used the mats to their advantage, often setting their ball on the edge of the mat and hitting a wood.
Yes it took away from the experience, however it was just another fun golf challenge while not mucking up the course during the wet season.

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