Does your club cut the grass in the morning while most members are playing?

[jmtbkr]

I don't understand why this is done. 

I understand cutting/rolling the greens first thing. Gets the dew off the grass and smooths out the surface.

 

My club always cuts fairways, rough and other areas in the mornings, during play. And to make matters worse....the cuttings are left clumped, all over the fairways, most times for hours, until the jet blower comes around and blows it off.

 

Why can't this be done in the afternoons? Down here in south Florida, it's not busy, due to the heat/humidity in the afternoons.

 

I have been playing alot of other clubs this summer, mostly high end clubs, and never do I see maintenence workers on course during play....

[RSinSG]

Well, you say you live in S. Florida so you know the answer. When you mow your lawn our do some other physical task do you wait until it’s really hot to start the job? If not, why not? Course Supers not only have to think about players they also have employees to consider.

 

Aside from that, grass that is cut in the hot sun is more prone to stress.

[Krt22]

Nope. Our first tee time is at 7 and the crew starts well before that. In the summer some dew sweepers go out at first light and will eventually catch the grounds crew on the back, but you usually work through them in a hole or two

[8602081]

That is weird.. Used play first Tee, we always followed the guy that cuts the greens.. 

Never seen anyone cutting the fairways or rough in the morning..

 

This is in Ohio..

 

[Abh159]

21 hours ago, jmtbkr said:

Why can't this be done in the afternoons? Down here in south Florida, it's not busy, due to the heat/humidity in the afternoons.

 

I have been playing alot of other clubs this summer, mostly high end clubs, and never do I see maintenence workers on course during play....

 

You sort of answered your own question...

 

Also, most high end clubs will have 3-4x the maintenance staff compared to non-high end clubs. Makes it a lot easier to get everything taken care of before play begins when you have a dozen people out mowing compared to just 3 or 4.

[sheppy335]

Could be many reasons safer on the staff so they dont overheat and pass out. Could be they start early and dont want all the over time. 

 

We dont have that issue, they mow ruff and fairways on weekdays, only greens on weekends.

[mallrat]

Where would you like to start?

 

First and foremost it’s based on the crews work day. My day is 4:30 -2:30, Crews is 5 - 1:30. We couldn’t mow in the afternoon. Only course I’ve seen run a 2nd shift was Pebble. 

 

Fairways? Well you start before play and sometimes get caught. Getting caught doubles your mowing time. Not to mention the danger of getting hit by a ball. As for clippings, it’s just part of the downside of playing early but never seen a fairway that had huge clumps. One course I worked at used baskets on fairway mowers and dumped them in trailers. You were lucky to make a there and back pass before needing to dump. Now, that course sent out between 5 & 7 fairway mowers a day.

 

Rough, you just have to get it in. For us it takes 2 mowers 20-22 hours per mower to mow the whole course, not enough time in the day to do afternoons. This is where the clumping comes in as I see it. While it sucks you need to let the rough mowers get almost 6 holes ahead of you or you will catch them and have a guy sitting around. 

Also, it removes dew/moisture which helps with releasing disease pressure. There are so many factors in this it’s hard to explain. 
 

Also, we run a full time crew of 8 with some seasonal kids thrown in. Now if we have a big tourney a morning looks like, 

 

1 greens mower

1 collection

2 fairways 

1 blowing fairways 

1 on bunkers

1 doing tee’s, trash and cart paths 

Myself and the other Asst cutting cups and watering greens. 

Edited September 27, 2022 by mallrat

[getitdaily]

Florida

Afternoon

Thunderstorms

 

So judge smails, You should offer up a full salary to 2 people who'll mow when you want them to...

Edited September 27, 2022 by getitdaily

[RCGA]

My course hardly has all the holes set before 8am 

[Unplayablelies]

Every course I’ve worked at or played sends mowers out first thing. Save for the cup setter and sand pro, then they hop on equipment afterwards. You’ll generally have greens, tees, fairway and at least one rough mower going in the morning. Crew size makes a big difference too

[Mcgeeno]

Definitely annoying it happens on occasion if I'm the 7 or 8 AM dew sweeper group.

 

I remember working grounds crew as a kid and I worked 5AM to 1PM cutting grass/setting holes. I was deep into the back nine at worst by the time a golfer was even out there.

 

Workers nowadays! hahaha.

[NoTalentLefty]

Illinois all courses mow in the morning that I play.

[TexasTurf]

If you tee off as a single in a cart you're going to be interacting with the crew all morning. Either give them some time or link up with a group and problem solved. We do our best to get out of the way, but most everyone of those guys setting up the course isn't as insane as I am  and has a family to attend to first in the mornings. They work past 5 p.m. watering greens every day. If 12 + hours per day, 7 days a week from your course's crew members doesn't meet your expectations, can't help you more than that. These are real people who deserve to be treated as such.

Edited September 28, 2022 by TexasTurf

[BIG STU]

2 hours ago, TexasTurf said:

If you tee off as a single in a cart you're going to be interacting with the crew all morning. Either give them some time or link up with a group and problem solved. We do our best to get out of the way, but most everyone of those guys setting up the course isn't as insane as I am  and has a family to attend to first in the mornings. They work past 5 p.m. watering greens every day. If 12 + hours per day, 7 days a week from your course's crew members doesn't meet your expectations, can't help you more than that. These are real people who deserve to be treated as such.

I am usually first one out on the course weekday mornings. I run into the crew all the time. We only have 5 guys who do a great job. I am usually paced where I am behind the greens mower and the guy setting cups. Since I am a full member my rounds are free and I do not keep a handicap etc sometimes if the rough mowers are going or fairway mowers I just skip that hole. Yep I am very familiar with what their job is since my old man ran a course and I grew up doing their jobs. Sometimes the guy doing the tees will get me to throw the markers off for him and I do so. I know all the guys and they know me and I will help them out any time I can

[FormerBigDaddy]

My club is really great about being well ahead of the play on the weekends.  I play early and have never ran into the maintenance crew.  With that said I think they only deal with greens and bunkers on the weekends to avoid that since weekend play is much heavier.  This is pretty standard practice.  With that said, all bets are off during early weekday play.  They're going to be doing what they need to do.  I'm just grateful they're there doing a great job.

Edited September 28, 2022 by FormerBigDaddy

[Pepperturbo]

On 9/25/2022 at 12:34 PM, jmtbkr said:

I don't understand why this is done. 

I understand cutting/rolling the greens first thing. Gets the dew off the grass and smooths out the surface.

 

My club always cuts fairways, rough and other areas in the mornings, during play. And to make matters worse....the cuttings are left clumped, all over the fairways, most times for hours, until the jet blower comes around and blows it off.

 

Why can't this be done in the afternoons? Down here in south Florida, it's not busy, due to the heat/humidity in the afternoons.

 

I have been playing alot of other clubs this summer, mostly high end clubs, and never do I see maintenence workers on course during play....

One easy answer... Most muni and low-end private club staff on those mowers are paid hourly, with OT, etc.  Having them mow late afternoon to convenience players means OT.  Grounds staff usually starts at 5-6am.  Then there's pm working outside when SUN is high.  Plus most clubs members would bark getting extra costs pasted to them.  On the other hand, high-end clubs can afford to accommodate membership because members have no problem with paying extra costs.

[double_d]

On 9/26/2022 at 11:41 AM, RSinSG said:

Aside from that, grass that is cut in the hot sun is more prone to stress.

Basically this.

 

...and the aforementioned other reasons around staffing that were numerous

 

 

Edited September 28, 2022 by double_d

[mallrat]

I’ll add this, I can slow you down if I need to. One way that I hate is cutting brutal cups. If you play later in the day and the cups are in brutal spots on the back 9, tell the first group out to slow down. Next up is running fairway heads (which is often a necessity on weekends because most courses can’t send out hand waterers in the afternoon.)

 

We are generally ahead of play by a decent amount but we can’t start watering greens until first light. Mowers better not get caught or they aren’t mowing greens again. 
 

As Big Stu said, get to know the guys. Talk to me and I’ll explain why I cut cups where I do (give you a proper miss, easy, hard, etc.). You have no idea how far a compliment or thank you goes. At a previous course we had a member who bought pizzas for the whole crew on closing day (or the day he went back to AZ for the winter) and there is nothing we would not do for that guy. 

[JetSpeed79]

Interesting thread.

 

I play every Mon, Tue, Wed at first light with a regular group. I’m so used to seeing mowing, sanding, etc., that I don’t even think about it. It just feels normal. We know all the ground guys and typically stop and chat. We do our best to stay out of their way and they do the same for us. It’s all very friendly and none of it has ever bothered me. 
 

There are however usually a few holes where absolutely every sprinkler in the fairway is on. Sometimes that gets a little old, but I guess it is what it is. It’s been a rough summer here and these guys have kept the course and greens in great shape. Definitely appreciate their hard work. 

[ShortGolfer]

I remember a few times last year where I patiently waited for them to get out my possible line of fire.  As a newbie who knows where the ball would go.  Late in the season when not many were playing.

This year I see them but they are almost never in the way, even though I now play in the early morning.  I think they know how fast I play.   

Closest was the chemical sprayer leaving the 8th ladies Tee box to the white Tees.

I played the ladies tees while they sprayed the white tees.

Edited September 28, 2022 by ShortGolfer

[mallrat]

Let me add this as an Asst Super, here’s a few notes. 
 

A) we want to be out of your way as bad as you want us out of your way. 
 

B) if the flag is not in and there is someone around the green wait for them to put the flag back in. 
 

C) wait for us to acknowledge you, if you hit one of us and we don’t acknowledge you it’s on you, if we acknowledge you and we get hit it’s on us. 
 

D) yell “fore” if we don’t hear fore we might move into the path of the ball. If we hear you yell we generally will stay in place. 
 

I’ve been hit 3 times and it sucks. 1 time no one yelled fore and I drove into it. The other 2 times I have no idea how I got hit but I did. Once I was locking up our shop; 40 yards left 15 yards beyond the cart path and the cart path is 20 yards left and 20 yards past the green. The other time I was making a pin sheet for a tournament, saw a group getting ready to hit so I went over and stood on the cart path, well I should have stayed in the middle of the green. 

[TexasTurf]

5 hours ago, mallrat said:

I’ll add this, I can slow you down if I need to. One way that I hate is cutting brutal cups. If you play later in the day and the cups are in brutal spots on the back 9, tell the first group out to slow down. Next up is running fairway heads (which is often a necessity on weekends because most courses can’t send out hand waterers in the afternoon.)

 

We are generally ahead of play by a decent amount but we can’t start watering greens until first light. Mowers better not get caught or they aren’t mowing greens again. 
 

As Big Stu said, get to know the guys. Talk to me and I’ll explain why I cut cups where I do (give you a proper miss, easy, hard, etc.). You have no idea how far a compliment or thank you goes. At a previous course we had a member who bought pizzas for the whole crew on closing day (or the day he went back to AZ for the winter) and there is nothing we would not do for that guy. 

Haha. i get it, but if we cut cups in hard spots or ran heads in front of members, pretty sure we would be fired on the spot. Where I am, they own the course, and we are there to accommodate their experience, not the other way around. We will make it as enjoyable as possible, and definitely get out of the way asap, but they will see the crew a few times a round, but absolutely not be held up or inconvenienced by them.

[mallrat]

58 minutes ago, TexasTurf said:

Haha. i get it, but if we cut cups in hard spots or ran heads in front of members, pretty sure we would be fired on the spot. Where I am, they own the course, and we are there to accommodate their experience, not the other way around. We will make it as enjoyable as possible, and definitely get out of the way asap, but they will see the crew a few times a round, but absolutely not be held up or inconvenienced by them.

Thats one nice thing about a privately owned public course. I’ve kicked 2 golfers off the course before and I know of a few others and the GM has had our backs each time. My last course was a don’t be seen or heard course. Many times had to stop in the middle of something and go hide until the group played through. Only thing you didn’t have to move out of the way for members was mowing/rolling greens. 

[BIG STU]

5 hours ago, mallrat said:

Let me add this as an Asst Super, here’s a few notes. 
 

A) we want to be out of your way as bad as you want us out of your way. 
 

B) if the flag is not in and there is someone around the green wait for them to put the flag back in. 
 

C) wait for us to acknowledge you, if you hit one of us and we don’t acknowledge you it’s on you, if we acknowledge you and we get hit it’s on us. 
 

D) yell “fore” if we don’t hear fore we might move into the path of the ball. If we hear you yell we generally will stay in place. 
 

I’ve been hit 3 times and it sucks. 1 time no one yelled fore and I drove into it. The other 2 times I have no idea how I got hit but I did. Once I was locking up our shop; 40 yards left 15 yards beyond the cart path and the cart path is 20 yards left and 20 yards past the green. The other time I was making a pin sheet for a tournament, saw a group getting ready to hit so I went over and stood on the cart path, well I should have stayed in the middle of the green. 

On your "C" point at our course a couple of the guys wear ear buds and listen to music so really they do not pay attention. I know which ones and if they are running the fairway or rough mowers that is the reason I skip that hole. On the greens mowers and cup guy I like having a freshly mown green with a new cup to putt at. If I am fast that morning I will hold back some and practice putting on that freshly mown green and will not play fast and run up their butts. With me it does not matter I am out there for the exercise and being on the course in the morning. Our course is in a community so lots of times I stay back and talk to some folks walking their dogs etc. For me it is just my morning routine in retirement and I relish in it seeing the humans and animals and enjoying the smells of fresh cut grass. It does not make 2 hoots to me if I play 9, 13 or 18 holes. Yep I have walked a mile in their shoes so I know what is going on

[tiderider]

On 9/26/2022 at 11:28 PM, mallrat said:

Where would you like to start?

 

First and foremost it’s based on the crews work day. My day is 4:30 -2:30, Crews is 5 - 1:30. We couldn’t mow in the afternoon. Only course I’ve seen run a 2nd shift was Pebble. 

 

Fairways? Well you start before play and sometimes get caught. Getting caught doubles your mowing time. Not to mention the danger of getting hit by a ball. As for clippings, it’s just part of the downside of playing early but never seen a fairway that had huge clumps. One course I worked at used baskets on fairway mowers and dumped them in trailers. You were lucky to make a there and back pass before needing to dump. Now, that course sent out between 5 & 7 fairway mowers a day.

 

Rough, you just have to get it in. For us it takes 2 mowers 20-22 hours per mower to mow the whole course, not enough time in the day to do afternoons. This is where the clumping comes in as I see it. While it sucks you need to let the rough mowers get almost 6 holes ahead of you or you will catch them and have a guy sitting around. 

Also, it removes dew/moisture which helps with releasing disease pressure. There are so many factors in this it’s hard to explain. 
 

Also, we run a full time crew of 8 with some seasonal kids thrown in. Now if we have a big tourney a morning looks like, 

 

1 greens mower

1 collection

2 fairways 

1 blowing fairways 

1 on bunkers

1 doing tee’s, trash and cart paths 

Myself and the other Asst cutting cups and watering greens. 

i'll take "this person seems to know wtf they are talking about" for $500 ... 

[Bonneville85308]

In my area (AZ) and the courses I play, pretty much all of the work starts very early in the morning, usually starting in the dark using machines with headlights. In summer, the entire crew at the course I play most often is done and gone no later than 10am.

 

However, I've noticed in recent years, some of the busiest value-priced courses here now have a guy or two out mowing fairways and roughs late in the afternoon/evening when the tee sheet dies down and the front nine in particular is empty.

Edited September 29, 2022 by Bonneville85308

[Pepperturbo]

I've been fortunate to have lived in two gated communities on absolutely wonderful private courses with no fences lines.  One of the benefits, setting on the patio with coffee, hearing and watching the mowers at the crack of dawn.  I used to tee off around 6-7am, and had no problem as they were told when players come onto a hole, pull over and shut-down util they pass.  Not something public courses can afford to do.  They cut early and keep cutting regardless.  Most times I manage to ignore them.