Course Etiquette 101

As we enter prime golf season here at Claremont, I wanted to take the time to talk about course etiquette. My father always taught me to respect the course and leave it in better condition than I found it. Here are some ways we can improve member experience by doing so...

BUNKER MAINTENANCE

Unfortunately we see this way too often. The staff puts many hours of labor into these hazards (204 hours last week!) and the picture here shows the result of one of the first groups of the day.

Please remember these tips when playing from bunkers:

• Enter & Exit from low side
• Rake out area of play and all foot prints
• Be sure to PUSH the sand back to where you played from. DO NOT pull all the sand back to the edge of the bunker
• Leave rake inside bunker
• Please tap your shoes when finished

Please take a look at the attached video from the USGA on bunker etiquette:

BALL MARKS

Ball marks continue to be left un-repaired far to often. Each flag in the below picture is an un-repaired ball mark.

This picture was taken on a Saturday morning just a few weeks ago. Please see the USGA video on Ball Marks:

                                             SAND & SEED YOUR DIVOTS PLEASE

Sand and seed stations are located at tees on holes 1, 2, 6, 10, 13 & 16.

TRASH - Tees & Butts Drive me NUTS!

I've received numerous comments lately regarding trash left around the course. There are trash cans at every tee box. Please use them. I'm not sure when it became acceptable to leave tees and cigar / cigarette butts all about the course but its to be the new norm. These items are garbage and someone has to pick this stuff up.

I would prefer to have the greenkeeper staff work on making the course look and play the way we all expect it to. When basic golfer etiquette is not followed, it creates additional work load the staff and as we shift labor away from grooming and detail to clean up and repair. The regular readers of this BLOG are a good lot. You know and practice what is being preached in this post and others. Let's get the word out to all others. WE can do better.

Please leave the course better than you found it.

Thanks!