This divot, taken on the 1st fairway measured over 12" long and at a minimum 2.5" wide and an inch deep. In short, it was a healthy piece of sod more than it was a divot. After this golfer took this shot, the turf that was displaced landed less than 24 inches from where the shot was hit from. Yet, the golfer still elected to fill the void with sand, rather than replace the turf. As I walk the golf course most mornings, I find myself replacing dozens of divots everyday. The point of this post isn't to be negative, rather to educate members on what we'd prefer you do with divots. On Bermudagrass golf courses where divots aren't taken, filling the damaged area with sand is preferred. On cool season grasses, replacing the divot is a must. We don't have the luxury of the aggressive and fast, weed-like growth that southern turfgrasses, like Bermudagrass or Zoysiagrass, provide. A divot like this won't come close to healing this year, if it's not replaced. Please don't underestimate how much you can impact the day to day condition of the golf course by replacing divots and properly fixing ballmarks!! You can help keep your golf course in top shape with little effort. I'd be happy to talk more about this if you're interested in more information!
