The above photo was taken recently of the flag pole practice green next to #1 tee. The picture shows the extensive wear this green receives because of excessive foot traffic in and out of the clubhouse. We struggle throughout the summer just to keep this green alive because the wear and tear on the left side looking at the clubhouse becomes relentless. It is a convenient area for golfers to walk across to get to the first tee instead of taking the meandering blacktop path. What happens is the left side of the green near the patio gets worn out and then the diseases move in when the plant gets weak. We are then forced to spray the green much more than the other greens just to keep the different diseases at bay. The two pics above clearly show the worn out area, while the bottom picture shows how healthy and beautiful the other half of the green is that receives just normal golfing practice. I try to avoid using the unsightly ropes near the clubhouse as this substantially detracts the visual appearance of the golf course from the clubhouse. My suggestion for our membership and guests would be to be conscious of this issue and try to access the 1st tee going around the practice green to alleviate additional wear on the green. I understand our outings sometimes add to the wear load as well on this practice green.
Mike O'Neill
Golf Course Superintendent
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