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Animal damage to turf


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Armadillo damage.  They make a pattern of 3/4” / 18mm holes in the turf, and being Bermuda grass, the grass gets puffed up all over the damaged area.  But at the same time, there are small patches of un disturbed grass.  If the ball is not in or affected by a hole, but is affected by a big wad of grass sticking up, is there free relief?  In case anyone wonders, the wadded up grass is not a loose impediment.  It’s still attached.

 

Is NPR outside of the affected area, or on a small good patch within the damaged area?

 

Photo doesn’t show the situation very well.  I drew a simulated ball position.  Absent the damage, this grass would have been level and of even height.

 

 

527B6BA3-6A1E-46C2-BED2-93C6A7520D4D.jpeg

Edited by Snowman9000

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2 minutes ago, Mr. Bean said:

Is that putting green, fairway or rough? If rough, tough life, no relief unless the Committee has marked the area as GUR. If fairway, LCP would help but again it is the Committee who decides. On the putting green you are allowed to repair the damage.


In this case it was rough, but it happens on the fairway too.  Not on the green.

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In the absence of either GUR markings or a  Local Rule,  it's bad luck and you need to get on with it by playing your ball as it lies, or by taking penalty relief.

 

The Local Rule which might be the most helpful to your Committee  is 8F-13.  It allows for recognisable damage around the course (except for penalty areas and putting greens)  caused by animal's feet/hooves to be designated GUR without having to be marked as such.  

 

 

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Just now, Colin L said:

In the absence of either GUR markings or a  Local Rule,  it's bad luck and you need to get on with it by playing your ball as it lies, or by taking penalty relief.

 

The Local Rule which might be the most helpful to your Committee  is 8F-13.  It allows for recognisable damage around the course (except for penalty areas and putting greens)  caused by particular  animal feet/hooves to be designated GUR without having to be marked as such.  

 

Just now, Colin L said:

 

 

 

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Yup, the rub of the armadillo.

Be happy that you have some green grass and wildlife in your area; many folks live and recreate in a concrete jungle.

 

Not directed at the OP but many golfers see nothing but  a number (how long the drive, distance to the water, which # iron to use, what's the number of penalty strokes for that, what did you shoot?) through 18 holes.

 

Walter Hagen long ago told us to 'slow down and smell the roses'.  I totally agree.

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Jeez, these guys above are tight-fisted with the relief.

 

First, a clear rider on these comments - I have never played golf in armadillo land - but we do have similar issues with galahs (parotty things for those unfamiliar) pushing their beaks into the ground to dig for grubs on a seasonal basis. They can do very extensive damage but like the photo above it is uneven in impact.

 

My understanding is these photo marks are also the result of the armadillo digging for grubs - whether they use feet or snout is irrelevant - these are holes dug by an animal and relief is automatically available anywhere on the course other than a penalty area.

 

At my club, we also keep this on our permanent local rule sheet purely for clarity (listing GUR stuff) - it is not required. 

 

On the other hand, if the damage is purely from animal footprints (which I don't think is the case here) then Animal Holes/1 precludes it being GUR unless so defined by a Committee via local rule. 

 

Snowman also asked whether, if relief is available, are they treated individually or collectively. IMO, the default under the rules is they are treated separately, so it MAY (emphasis on "may") be appropriate for the Committee to define areas of damage collectively unless that would force a player into positions they shouldn't be forced into.

 

 

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I thought they were marks of their feet. Never met an armadillo so my mistake must be acceptable.

 

Geez, a golf referee needs to be a well-trained biologist to always be able to give a correct ruling!! Once in a while around here a ball is embedded in moss (bryophyte) and you need to be a Master in Botany to know when the roots of the moss have turned into soil and where the margin lies as it is virtually impossible to perceive from the color. Seems to be the same with marks of exotic animals 🙄

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5 hours ago, antip said:

Snowman also asked whether, if relief is available, are they treated individually or collectively. IMO, the default under the rules is they are treated separately, so it MAY (emphasis on "may") be appropriate for the Committee to define areas of damage collectively unless that would force a player into positions they shouldn't be forced into.

 

Or, as in our Hard Card, limit the relief from animal holes for ball only. Might require more than one drop but there would be no need to specify the location of such damage on the course.

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Okay to circle back, my main question is, is the actual hole the only thing that merits relief?  The wad of grass they’ve pushed upward, can relief be gotten if you are stuck adjacent to that?

Edited by Snowman9000

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10 minutes ago, Snowman9000 said:

Okay to circle back, my main question is, is the actual hole the only thing that merits relief?  The wad of grass they’ve pushed upward, can relief be gotten if you are stuck adjacent to that?

 

What does Definition of Animal Hole say, have you checked?

 

Animal Hole

 
Any hole dug in the ground by an animal, except for holes dug by animals that are also defined as loose impediments (such as worms or insects).The term animal hole includes:
  • The loose material the animal dug out of the hole, 
  • Any worn-down track or trail leading into the hole, and
  • Any area on the ground pushed up or altered as a result of the animal digging the hole underground.

 

 

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16 hours ago, Snowman9000 said:

Armadillo damage.  They make a pattern of 3/4” / 18mm holes in the turf, and being Bermuda grass, the grass gets puffed up all over the damaged area.  But at the same time, there are small patches of un disturbed grass.  If the ball is not in or affected by a hole, but is affected by a big wad of grass sticking up, is there free relief?  In case anyone wonders, the wadded up grass is not a loose impediment.  It’s still attached.

 

Is NPR outside of the affected area, or on a small good patch within the damaged area?

 

Photo doesn’t show the situation very well.  I drew a simulated ball position.  Absent the damage, this grass would have been level and of even height.

 

 

527B6BA3-6A1E-46C2-BED2-93C6A7520D4D.jpeg


You get relief for your stance too so that should get you well clear. 

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2 hours ago, Snowman9000 said:

Okay to circle back, my main question is, is the actual hole the only thing that merits relief?  The wad of grass they’ve pushed upward, can relief be gotten if you are stuck adjacent to that?

It is possible to modify the local rule to exclude relief for stance. So relief is available if there is interference to the ball or swing only.

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32 minutes ago, Mr. Bean said:

 

Looking for grub..?

 

No, a "secret." It's down there somewhere.

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22 minutes ago, Mr. Bean said:

 

Hogan's secret..?

 

That would be the one.

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Callaway Diablo Octane Tour 13* - Aldila NV 75 Stiff
or
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or
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5 - PW Cleveland CG7 Tour Black Pearl - DGSL S300
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On 9/23/2022 at 1:33 PM, third-times-a-charm said:

We get moles...bastards get into my backyard as well

Is the Scots word for them - "mowdies" - used across the border in Northumberland?  

 

I wondered if there were still mowdie catchers around and there are! https://www.britishmolecatchers.co.uk/location/the-mowdy-catcher/

 

I wouldn't be surprised if there's a specialist magazine devoted to the lovable but pesky little creatures and how to deal with them (humanely I hope).

 

I'm just putting on several layers of thermals before going out to  brave a northerly wind funelling through a buggy at a universities tournament on Alyth.   10 degrees C  and a 3 degree windchill.  Some people do this sort of thing for a living and get paid; then there's the army of volunteers (aka mugs) doing it for a bacon roll and some pick-ups.   The trouble with the pickups is that they are mostly pro-v 1s or similar, designed for the young and athletic with swing speeds of 120mph.  I'm an ageing bogey golfer with a swing speed about half that.  

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, Colin L said:

Is the Scots word for them - "mowdies" - used across the border in Northumberland?  

 

I wondered if there were still mowdie catchers around and there are! https://www.britishmolecatchers.co.uk/location/the-mowdy-catcher/

 

I wouldn't be surprised if there's a specialist magazine devoted to the lovable but pesky little creatures and how to deal with them (humanely I hope).

 

I'm just putting on several layers of thermals before going out to  brave a northerly wind funelling through a buggy at a universities tournament on Alyth.   10 degrees C  and a 3 degree windchill.  Some people do this sort of thing for a living and get paid; then there's the army of volunteers (aka mugs) doing it for a bacon roll and some pick-ups.   The trouble with the pickups is that they are mostly pro-v 1s or similar, designed for the young and athletic with swing speeds of 120mph.  I'm an ageing bogey golfer with a swing speed about half that.  

 

 

 


Not met with the term but I met a one only once, c 1986, by the River Tweed at Mertoun, St Boswells when salmon fishing.  I had to keep Covid-distance from him as he made a tramp look like a film star at the Oscars. 
 

I had a crack with him when he showed me his MO which was to stop the tunnel, break into it, placing strychnine-laced worms therein. This is likely banned these days. Then the carcasses were hung on barbed wire, presumably to allow other vermin to suffer e.g. crows, stoats etc. 
 

Moles provide valuable natural drainage and should be left alone unless present on greens. One other benefit is that it’s well known in gardening circle’s that the soil in mole-hills is very fertile, to the extent that experienced green keepers on links courses use them for divot mix. So there you are then - destroy them at your peril.
 

p.s. The only magazine I know about was featured on that Friday night show “ Have I got news for you “.

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