Well folks, it looks like the season is winding down. We are officially in fall and all the seasons best things are beginning. Cooler temps, some frosty mornings, and wonderful breathable air. Now is a great time to come to the course and enjoy a quiet round of golf. And the trees will soon be ablaze with color. Frosty mornings may mean that you will have to start your rounds a little later so you won’t damage the greens.
The Houlton High School golf team will be playing this Wednesday for the Penobscot Valley Conference golf crown at Jato Highlands in Lincoln. They have a strong team and we wish them well. Go get’em Shires. State championships will be at Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro in early October.
I have received many positive comments after lesson in golf etiquette last week. Also many new topics. The topic I will discuss this week happens to be one of my pet peeves. It has to do taking care of the course.
When hitting a ball from the fairway or tee box, you are bound to strike the ground and remove a section of grass. After you return your club to your bag, you should retrieve that piece of grass to the hole and tamp it down. You have now fixed your divot.
When you approach the green, your ball will sometimes leave a depression in the green. It is your responsibility to repair the damaged area. Take a tee or a repair tool to the exterior of the hole and lift and push the grass back together. If there is a flap of grass under the lip, try to dig it out and continue the repair. With a little practice, you will be making invisible repairs. These will only take a few seconds to fix, but you will reap the rewards of beautiful greens to putt on and the appreciation of the golfers behind you and the greenskeeper that mows the greens in the morning.
Green turf is somewhat delicate and an unrepaired ball mark can kill the grass in that spot within 20 minutes. And left overnight they would get scalped by the greens mower. After you get the hang of it you will be able to fix two or three when you get to the green. If you have questions, ask someone in the clubhouse. They would be happy to help.
The Lakeside Restaurant will be providing entertainment this Friday night. Paul LaPointe is singing songs from the 1960’s, 70’s, and even the 80’s for your pleasure. Call Nancy for reservations at 694-9494. Come out, enjoy a wonderful meal and sing songs with your friends and family.
