Clearing Stuff from Greens

[DrvFrShow]

We all repair our ball marks, right? I'd like to think this is in the same spirit. We've had a lot of debris falling on putting greens from the pine trees lately. I'm talking 100' pines. I know you can brush sand out of your putting line and remove loose impediments. But this stuff has gotten ridiculous. Can you use a brush or broom? Call it "care of the course" because in my last round it took a lot of time to clear my putting line for a 30 footer and several other putts. Don't say putt it anyway because you know perfectly well no one in their right mind would have putt over that mess and watched their ball get deflected. 

[iacas]

Have you looked at the Rules? What have you seen that might help you answer this question?

https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules/rules-2019/rules-of-golf/rules-and-interpretations.html#!ruletype=fr&section=rule&rulenum=1

[Vinsk]

48 minutes ago, DrvFrShow said:

We all repair our ball marks, right? I'd like to think this is in the same spirit. We've had a lot of debris falling on putting greens from the pine trees lately. I'm talking 100' pines. I know you can brush sand out of your putting line and remove loose impediments. But this stuff has gotten ridiculous. Can you use a brush or broom? Call it "care of the course" because in my last round it took a lot of time to clear my putting line for a 30 footer and several other putts. Don't say putt it anyway because you know perfectly well no one in their right mind would have putt over that mess and watched their ball get deflected. 

c. Improvements Allowed on Putting Green
During a round, you may take these two actions on the putting green, no matter whether your ball is on or off the putting green:
    •    Sand and loose soil on the putting green (but not anywhere else on the course) may be removed without penalty.
    •    You may repair damage on the putting green without penalty by taking reasonable actions to restore the putting green as nearly as possible to its original condition, but only:
    »    By using your hand, foot or other part of your body or a normal ball-mark repair tool, tee, club or similar item of normal equipment, and
    »    Without unreasonably delaying play.

[fredf]

3 hours ago, Vinsk said:

c. Improvements Allowed on Putting Green
During a round, you may take these two actions on the putting green, no matter whether your ball is on or off the putting green:
    •    Sand and loose soil on the putting green (but not anywhere else on the course) may be removed without penalty.
    •    You may repair damage on the putting green without penalty by taking reasonable actions to restore the putting green as nearly as possible to its original condition, but only:
    »    By using your hand, foot or other part of your body or a normal ball-mark repair tool, tee, club or similar item of normal equipment, and
    »    Without unreasonably delaying play.

All true, but in addition: loose impediments such as pine needles may be removed "in any way" (Rule 15.1a). So a brush, broom or leaf blower are not precluded.

[Rulesman]

A few years ago we had a similar problem with one green which had a couple of overhanging pine trees. As it happens it was adjacent to the greenkeepers sheds. So they would leave a leaf blower nearby that members could use when necessary.

The trees were taken down recently as the shadow from the trees was affecting the green surface.