Ant or worm hills on green- What are the options, if any?

On our greens, there are some ( ant hills????). These are small round mounds, the base is the size of a quarter. The height is 1/2" to 3/4".

I haven't seen the ants or worms, but they looks like ant hills, a bunch of stacked up, miniature dirt balls, shaped like a mountain or volcano.

Someone told me to drop for relief, and another person said, mash out the mounds, because they are scattered all around the green.

So let me know the real answer, and we will start doing the correct procedure.

By the way, after putting out we usually knock down all of the mounds before walking off of the green.

Thanks,

Jack

I believe ant hills are considered loose impediments and can be removed.

On the putting green, sand and loose soil are loose impediments by definition.

There is a Decision on Ant Hills.  They may be treated as Loose Impediments.  As such they may be removed anywhere on the course unless they and your ball lie in the same hazard.

23/5

Ant Hill

We, my play social group,  offer free relief if any red ants on or near (inches) ball, regardless of location. Once bitten by those devils, you would fully agree.  Even if  you only disturb a nearby branch or tree trunk they will drop or run onto you to your regret.

Also, i have seen many grub casts, these insect larvae soil excavations which protrude onto, mostly, greens. I see few anthills on greens but lots of these grub casts, at certain times of the year.  These also can be swept away.

I see worms on the greens before we mow them all the time. They crawl onto the green from the rough, they don't usually break through the greens surface. But I don't know what kinds of chemicals your course is using so they could have gotten into them.

Some wasps burrow under ground in the winter, it could be from them as well, especially if you don't see ants.

They make really big holes though, I don't think they would be mistaken for ants. At least not the kind of wasps I've seen.

I may get to go out there this evening. If so we can take some pics. The holes in the middle of the mound are about the diameter of a toothpick.

It would be nice  to see the critters that are doing this.

Jack

Ant mounds.... look before you disturb. I have been bitten by fire ants. It is no fun.

What region are you in? That might narrow it down.

Also, if it is worms you are only going to see the worms on the greens in the early morning when there is still dew on the grass. They typically go back into the ground once the sun starts to warm up the surface.

Today I went to the course around 10 am. The mounds were there, and therewere some dried out dead worms nearby, they looked like earthworms. Also, A couple of fuzzy caterpillars were around. So, then I guess its ok to brush away the mounds? Here are some pics: thanks for looking, Jack ,

Hopefully those "caterpillars" weren't cutworms. You might want to notify the superintendent.