Drive For Show...Putt For D'OH!

When I was a kid my friends and I would frequently hang out down the street at the Vickerson's house for hours. There was a baseball field across the street and trails for riding bikes through the woods behind their house. My friends Frank and Bill Vickerson had a ping pong table in the basement and a basketball hoop in their driveway. It was like today's neighborhood "rec" center only without the registration fee. Anyway, it was common to see several kids standing around the driveway shootin' the breeze and firing shots at the basket....for HOURS! An actual game rarely happened. For the most part, we just stood around and kept throwing up shots at the basket while we talked about sports, girls...well, that was about it...sports and girls. We were a simple lot. This dreary, slow-paced activity really put my type "A" personality to the test. The same held true for baseball or soccer or hockey. "Enough already with the pre-game routine....let's play!" But, golf was different.

For some mysterious reason, going to a practice putting green and working on chipping and putting for an hour or more seems just fine, thank you. It's made even better if the practice facility has a bunker. Not only do I find that it has a strange calming effect but, as we all know, it really helps to shave strokes off our score.

So, with putting playing such a crucial and pleasurable role in the game of golf, it is particularly annoying when golf courses fail to notify us when they have aerated or top-dressed their greens. These nasty conditions make long putts swerve unpredictably left or right (or both) on their way to the promised land and even short-range putts are an adventure. I'm fully aware of the need for this course maintainance. But, I also understand the financial reasons why golf courses don't make it a habit of telling us about it when we call to make the tee time. It's sort of a "don't ask - don't tell" policy. As in: If the customer doesn't ask - then don't tell them.

General Managers...hear me now...and hear me later! As a daily fee golfing nomad, I am more likely to come back if you tell me up front that you've just punched your greens then if I find out when I get to the end of the first hole. I would encourage any of you readers out there who have experienced this short-sighted policy to speak up when you finish your round. Competition among the courses for your hard-earned cash is stiff and they should feel inclined to listen to their customers' concerns.

Conversely, when a course DOES tell you up front or offers a small discount until their greens are more playable, give them positive feedback and your repeat business. We should encourage all courses to do the same. So, to all of you GM's who already employ the full disclosure policy. Thank You! It shows respect for the game and respect for your customers.

As always, your comments are welcome.

Hit 'em straight! And knock in a thirty-footer while you're at it!

The Colonel