Talking about how your course approaches green speed with members isn't always easy. Here are a few tips to help:
Establish maintenance standards. “If you don’t have written standards, get them,” says Larry Gilhuly, director, United States Golf Association. Written standards, agreed upon by all decision-makers, should cover every aspect of course management, including a green speed range. This prevents a few individuals from determining green speeds.
Emphasize the long-term health of your course. For The Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, greens may be cut up to five times a day and double rolled. “If we continued that through July and August, we would have some potential turf loss because the greens just can’t stand that type of input,” says Paul B. Latshaw, director of grounds operations at MVGC.
Accept the fact that interest in green speed is here to stay. With 50 percent of the game on the putting surface, the quality of a course is often equated with the speed of the greens. “That probably won’t change,” says Latshaw.
Help members see green speed variation as a good thing. For many reasons, green speed isn’t a one-size-fits all proposition. “What makes a good speed for one course might not be good for another because of design factors,” says Latshaw. At certain times of the year, fast greens may not be right for the clientele at your course.
Be articulate about what’s involved in maintenance. At Muirfield Village Golf Course, Latshaw communicates daily with the head pro and members to explain what they are doing and why. Good communication is the only way to crush the myth that you can flip a switch and have fast greens. Latshaw says fast greens are the result of good plant health, which can’t be created overnight. Tournament playing speeds stem from preparation. “It’s almost like training for a marathon,” he says. “People don’t just go out and run a marathon. They start with good fundamentals of training months in advance.”
Use online resources to educate members and decision makers. Committees and boards often determine green speeds. That’s why course superintendents must be good educators. Use the USGA Green Section Record to access articles dating back to the 1920s.
