Practice Range Grass Teeing Area

Well, the time has finally come, the grass teeing area at the practice range will officially open for use this coming Saturday, June 16th.  The reason for the later opening date this season was to allow us to improve the density of the turf through regular slit-seeding and starter fertilizer applications.  As you can see in the photo below (taken yesterday morning), it has responded very well to the attention:

June 11, 2012

The original game-plan was to completely strip the grass teeing area late last season and re-sod it to start this season with a fresh stand of new turf, but that plan was unfortunately slashed from the budget.  We will continue to routinely slit-seed and fertilize the teeing area in an effort to reduce the healing time of the divots to ensure we have adequate turf for golfers to warm up and practice.

There is a way that you, the golfer, can help us to provide a better grass teeing area.  Here is a link to a great "Preferred Divot Pattern" video put together by Dan Meersman, Director of Grounds at The Philadelphia Cricket Club, which illustrates exactly how we'd like to see golfers use the range: "Preferred Divot Pattern" Following this practice method greatly reduces the healing time of the divots and uses far less teeing area on a daily basis.

Here is a fantastic article from this month's USGA Green Section Record that also provides great insight on how you can help us to provide the best possible practice teeing area: "Practice Like a Pro"

This photo from that article is very telling and will be posted at the practice range and throughout the club to remind golfers of proper range use:

"Preferred Divot Pattern"

Please keep in mind, our practice range was not originally designed to include a grass teeing area, but due to popular demand we added it in 2010.  It is quite undersized and we knew that when it opened a couple seasons ago, but we can only work with what we've got as there is no room for expansion.  In an effort to reduce the wear and tear on the grass tee, golfers are restricted to use the artificial turf mats on Mondays and Thursdays.  The grass teeing area is also closed on outside tournament days to reserve it for member use.  We typically complete much of the maintenance required for the grass tee on our scheduled "Maintenance Mornings", but we will occasionally close the tee for maintenance at other times too.  It is difficult to predict exactly when, but we do our best to provide as much advance notice as possible before doing so.

Last, but certainly not least, here is a friendly reminder to all that use the practice facility that you are not to use any club on the range that you can hit 230 yards or further.  There are many homes around the perimeter of the range and golf balls exiting the range can cause serious personal injury and property damage.