Grass Clippings
Brian J. Stiehler,
CGCS
With a new season upon us, there is a new procedure
regarding divots. I want to take the
opportunity to explain why we are moving in this direction. In the past, the greenkeeping staff was
responsible for filling all of the divots.
We were able to complete this process on fairways twice a week given my
labor resources. I hope that you will
take even more pride in the condition of your golf course and make sure your
guests also abide by the new policy.
Remember, replacing divots in bentgrass is far different than the policy
of your home club, which is most likely Bermudagrass. When you hit the ball off
any turf surface, you are bound to take a divot. That said, the divot can be very thin and
‘explodes’ or can be thick, like a small piece of sod.
The Exploding Divot
In the event your
divot does explode, simply fill the divot with the sand on your golf cart. Be careful not to overfill the divot because
this not only wastes sand but is damaging to our mowers when they run across
it. It is always good to step the sand
pile down with your foot once you fill it.
Replacing a divot like this is not worth it. If there is not soil attached to the turf, it
will simply dry up and die. Straight
sand is the best option here.
The ‘Sod’ Divot
When you take a divot that does have a nice soil layer
attached to it, it is important to replace the divot. New roots will emerge from the turf and it
will simply re-root. Like any type of
sod, adequate moisture is essential. If
the divot dries up, it will die.
Therefore, when you replace the divot, step it down to ensure good soil
to soil contact. Then sprinkle sand
around the edges. This does two
things. One, it fills the seams to
ensure the divot is level. Secondly, it
helps prevent moisture loss around the edges. All too often I see golfers
replace their divot by using the 10 yard approach. This is where they essentially throw the
divot back in the void from 10 yards away.
You might as well not replace the divot if you use this method. By not stepping it down, it will either dry
up and die or be dragged off by a fairway mower. Highlands CC is a small golf course and gets
a large number of rounds compacted into a small time frame. To keep your course in top shape, you help is
required!
Will this save the club money?
No and Yes. My staff
will still walk the fairways twice a week and fill those divots that members
miss or neglect to fill. I can only hope
for 60% participation this year. If more
members do fill their divots, it may shorten the amount of time my staff has to
be out there filling divots. In that
case, labor can be redirected to other aspects of course maintenance, focusing
on details around the property.
What kind of sand are we using?
Our divot mix is an 80% sand 20 % peat mixture. The peat is included to help with moisture
retention as the divot regrows. Of
course it is dyed green to make them less noticeable. Some cool season turf golf courses like HCC
do put seed in the mix. I will not be
using seed. The reason is simple. If you fill a divot in the rough with sand
and bentgrass seed mix, our problems become exacerbated. While bentgrass does not grow as aggressively
as Bermudagrass, it will creep to fill the void.
Once again, sand is not an excuse to ignore your divot! Physically replacing your divot is always
best for your golf course. Please help
make HCC the best it can be and help with this important program.
