Temp Greens

We've had a bit of frost the last couple of days & some courses have now resorted to temp greens & probably will until next year.

My question is "Do you not play when on temps or do you take it as a challenge & hope your short game improves?"

For me I carry on playing as I'm a member of a club & therfore have already paid my green fees but if I wasn't I would not pay to play on temps.

John.

When someone hits a wet or frozen green with an approach shot (as opposed to a chip on or bump and run) it can cause real damage.  And wet greens with lots of spiked shoes trampling all over them soon start getting torn, causing them to kick a ball all over the place. 

I don't have an issue with playing tems as long as some effort has gone into them and they aren't just a 'flag in the fairway'.  And I think it improves your short game as you generally have to chip onto them. 

As one of the courses I play has a white line marking the edge of the temporary greens, we have a local agreement that as long as you stay within the line it's a guaranteed two putt i.e. putt once and if you miss you pick up for two putts.  It takes away the unfair kicks that you have no control over that you wouldn't get on a normal green.  Given that these temps are usually no more than 10 feet across, it's not unreasonable. 

Chris,

Another 'local rule hey (tut tut)

John.

But a sensible one John.  How often have you been within a foot on a temp and it's kicked it wide of the hole?

I would not choose to play a course that has temp greens that are in a poor condition.

Over the last few years I have noticed that the use of temp greens seems to be getting a lot less than it used to.

Both courses at my golf club don't even have any areas set up for temp greens, we play the greens all year round.

Russ

The worst temp green I've come across had a rabbit scrape on it.  When I complained in the club house that they had made no attempt to repair it I just got some nonsense that they have to decide where the temp greens are going to be in the summer.  I sighed and left.

It's the 'British Disease', rip off your customers.

If the course is on temp greens then a good discount should be offered, simple as that.

And it should also be left to the golfers as to them playing a course with temp greens or getting their money back.

Russ

Today was a good day. After getting a phonecall this morning to say my course was re-open, I played in the winter league. Had 11 temps but still managed to score 37 points & take the money. Ended up with a birdy on the 18th Par5 when I was 80 yards away in 2 & it was on a temp green also

Short game was on fire, Mr Pettitt would have been proud.

It was really good to see the 'BIG' hitters struggling when a delicate chip was required!

I am sure I would have been, John, not easy conditions when playing to temps, as a different tehnique is required. You obviously mastered that today. Well done for taking the cash as well.

I've just woken up this morning to a thick frost.

Playing golf at 11:30 and I know we won't be on any temp greens.

I do remember years ago the moment there was a frost most clubs moved the flags off the greens and onto temps.

So what is the difference now?

Russ

Good result Mr Flood.  The 18th on your course is a tough hole to birdie on regular greens so you must have hit a cracking third to the temp. 

I agree with your comment about the big hitters struggling with the 'feel' shots.  Games are won on and around the greens and as temps are usually quite small it means these 'feel' shots are needed more often; that sorts the golfers from the boomers. 

Our club only have one or two temporary greens which are on in the worsed weather but normally we are temp free.

But today our club is closed due to snow so tried another course £16 a round with "18" temporary greens...

Stuff that - stayed in bed....

Hey Chris. Did you get those 27 putts with temp greens? You gotta love those local rules.

I did Danny, but when you're chipping on to within 2 feet most of the time it' difficult even for me to miss!  As I said on another thread, it was more of a reflection of how good my short game was than how well I putted. 

A good putting round is to hole out every short one, hole a couple of 12 footers and not three putt anywhere.

Chris,

My shot to the 18th was superb, pitched it to within 2 feet & then rolled in the putt for birdy. Good thing about it was that someone else also came in with 37 points but I beat him with a back 9 of 21 so the 18th clinched the £40 for me.

Were your 27 putts, real putts or your 'gimme' within the white line??

John.

All real John, no white line gimmes.  Even if I missed this first it was close enough to be a gimme on a proper green anyway (12" max).  My short game was working well and if I'm honest my putting didn't do it justice as there were two or three that I should've sunk and didn't.  If the greens are wet on Friday I'm considering using a pitching wedge and chipping for long putts to lessen the effect. 

I'd use your driver Chris, couldn't be any worse than your putting on Friday.  It was something to see, have never seen so many lips in a single round - I was convinced a few of them were in.  Still, I managed to scrape 29 putts that day!

Nice to know it wasn't just me!  It's possible there were subtle breaks I didn't read that caused the misses, slight aiming issues or even my putting stroke was flawed, but when your playing partners can't believe they won't drop (and you only take 27 the following day!) then you know it's not just you. 

I'm putting it down to one of those days where the putter just didn't work.  If I'd have been having trouble with my driver I would've gone to my 3 wood instead but I only had one putter in my bag.  Maybe I should ask Santa nicley for a putter that isn't broken.... 

Chris,

the fact that you took 27 putts the following day proves it wasn't your putter!!

John.

Chris,

the fact that you took 27 putts the following day proves it wasn't your putter!!

John.

Chris,

the fact that you took 27 putts the following day proves it wasn't your putter!!

John.