Ballmark Repair and Divot Party

Our First Ballmark Repair and Divot party took place last Friday. We had a great turnout of 20 members. They were able to complete all 18 holes in about one hour. We started at 400pm on friday with a tutorial on ballmark repair. I explained to our group that using a tee can be detrimental to the surface and starting from the apex of the ballmark and pushing down and forward as you work your way around the ballmark. Many members had great questions on the importance of ballmark repair. The one that I think many people have is, "Is it worth fixing an old ballmark that has already turned brown?" The answer is yes. Even if the ballmark has turned brown. Leveling the surface and pushing some of the healthy grass closer together will help repair that spot quicker than if it remains un-repaired. The members then split up into foursomes and we started off of number one and number ten. With ten members on each side we were able to quickly make our way through the whole course. The members did a great job filling divots and fixing ballmarks. A special thanks to Don Davis Golf Course Superintendent of Chaparral Pines for assisting in keeping the members stocked with sand and seed. It couldn't have been done without his help. I would like to thank all of our attendees for making time to help the course. It was great to see a wonderful turnout. Hopefully this post will show how much devotion our members have with the course. It was a great to see everyone take time from their busy schedules to make a difference on the course. The next party will be held in the spring. With the weather turning much colder and play slowing down we will start our winter clean up. If you would like to join us at the next party keep your eye out for a letter closer to warm weather when play begins to pick up. Justin Ruiz, CGCS justinr@therimgolfclub.org