Do you resent your Greenskeeper?

[Bechambo]

Lately I have noticed that my greenskeeper has been setting up some pins in unusually difficult spots. Does he realize that my handicap is suffering due to his apparently malicious practices of pin placement? I would like to hear from the community to see if this is a common thing, new trend or if mine is simply the outlier. Also, give some detailed examples of where your greenskeeper likes to place his pins.

[Bechambo]

To start this off, today at the 18th hole, my greenskeeper put the pin on a steep slope towards the back left of the green. This is a two tier green. The pin was not on either tier...FML.

[David in FL]

You're a 1 hcp and you're complaining about pin positions and how they affect your hcp? Wow......I got nothin' :-\

[cipher]

@Bechambo check out the funhouse greens thread.  I will just attach the second video here.  This was a similar situation.  The greenskeeper was doing this all year to us.  I mentioned it in the thread, but y ou can hear a maintenance guy in the background talking on the radio to the clubhouse saying the pin needs to be moved "either lower or up on the upper plateau".

[BENtSwing]

Was it a muni course? Maybe the guy who places the pins doesn't even play golf lol

[David in FL]

Was it a muni course? Maybe the guy who places the pins doesn't even play golf lol

A good point, and it doesn't necessarily have to be a muni. If there's been a recent change to how/where the pins are being cut, it could be someone on the crew who needs a little guidance. It wouldn't hurt to mention your observation to the GM or superintendent, just to make sure they're aware. You might gently mention that you're concerned that the brutal pins might frustrate less skilled players, causing them to play elsewhere. No one wants to hear that these days.....

[MS256]

The course where I used to be a club member had a superintendent that got a kick out of tough pins (sometimes actually insane pins).

In that case it was simply a combination of immaturity and having a captive group that were going to play there regardless of what he did. Sometimes he would ride around and laugh at us and ask "How do ya'll like those pins today?"

I play another course a good bit that has one green that has so much slope from back to front that there is not a single place on the green that's "fair".

Other than that...When I set the pins where I work I play there too so I never put a pin anywhere that is unfair but sometimes (in fact fairly often) a person will think a pin is a "tough pin" when I think it's the easiest place on the green, especially when a pin is on the right or left and the most trouble is on the other side. That puts the trouble on the opposite side from the target and also gives more green to work with if somebody accidentally hits it to the trouble side.

When they think that is a "tough pin location" I just shake my head and tell them it's the easiest spot on the green. Some people wouldn't be completely happy unless every pin was in the center of the green.

[wils5150]

Fact is sometimes you need to use " bad" positions to let the good ones heal. many factors go into pin selection ie slope, size speed of green. It gets hard especiallly on old greens that are not ment to be stimping at 10+. my first course was built in 1925. green speeds then were 5 or 6 max. with todays speed some of those greens have only 3 good spots.

[Golfingdad]

Was it a muni course? Maybe the guy who places the pins doesn't even play golf lol

I've always wondered this as well each time I've played a course where they've had a hole cut in a questionable position.

I've played a few courses recently that have some pretty severe tiers, and occasionally the pins have been precariously close to them - to the point of being close enough to "unfair" that it was annoying.

I remember one time though - a couple of years ago - playing a course in Fresno where the guy cut a pin ON the tier.  And I'm not kidding.  We all ended up (after various quantities of approaches/chips/previous putts) with straightforward uphill putts.  Every one of them that didn't go in, no matter if they were a little short or a little long, came right back down to where we were putting from.

No way that guy was a golfer.

[Shindig]

When they think that is a "tough pin location" I just shake my head and tell them it's the easiest spot on the green. Some people wouldn't be completely happy unless every pin was in the center of the green.

Man, every pin center of the green would be terrible. How would I ever get it into my head to stop aiming at the flag?

[tristanhilton85]

To start this off, today at the 18th hole, my greenskeeper put the pin on a steep slope towards the back left of the green. This is a two tier green. The pin was not on either tier...FML.

That is a tough pin, almost anywhere in the back left is considering how that green slopes. That being said, I no way resent the greenskeeper there; after all, the course is in the best shape that it's been in since I can remember.

[BENtSwing]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BENtSwing32

Was it a muni course? Maybe the guy who places the pins doesn't even play golf lol

I've always wondered this as well each time I've played a course where they've had a hole cut in a questionable position.

I've played a few courses recently that have some pretty severe tiers, and occasionally the pins have been precariously close to them - to the point of being close enough to "unfair" that it was annoying.

I remember one time though - a couple of years ago - playing a course in Fresno where the guy cut a pin ON the tier.  And I'm not kidding.  We all ended up (after various quantities of approaches/chips/previous putts) with straightforward uphill putts.  Every one of them that didn't go in, no matter if they were a little short or a little long, came right back down to where we were putting from.

No way that guy was a golfer.

That's insane! Which course in Fresno? I actually grew up there before I moved to Socal 12 years ago.

If anyone in Orange County has ever played Rancho San Joaquin in Irvine, the 15th hole, about 175 par 3 has the worst down slope on the front half of the green. And they ALWAYS put the flag in the middle of that tier. It makes me want to rip apart the golf cart with my bare hands. Literally, if you are above the hole, you cannot keep it on the green. If the ball makes a full rotation it's going bye bye. The last couple times I played there, my buddies and I agreed that once you're on the green take one putt at it...if you miss, the 2nd is given.

[Golfingdad]

That's insane! Which course in Fresno? I actually grew up there before I moved to Socal 12 years ago.

Eagle Springs.  You probably know it as Brighton Crest. I'm not sure when they changed the name but it was well after I left there (I grew up there as well, moved down here after college in 1997).  If you are familiar with the course, it's the 18th hole ... which, while I was living up there was the 9th hole.  Played it once last year and the pin was front right, but not on the lower tier where it should have been, but rather ON the slope between the tiers.  Ugh.

If anyone in Orange County has ever played Rancho San Joaquin in Irvine, the 15th hole, about 175 par 3 has the worst down slope on the front half of the green. And they ALWAYS put the flag in the middle of that tier. It makes me want to rip apart the golf cart with my bare hands. Literally, if you are above the hole, you cannot keep it on the green. If the ball makes a full rotation it's going bye bye. The last couple times I played there, my buddies and I agreed that once you're on the green take one putt at it...if you miss, the 2nd is given.

Yeah, you're talking about the front left of the green, right?  It is a bit nuts over there ... and you're right, it seems like the pin is ALWAYS over there too. @Beachcomber ... you love that hole too, right??

[BENtSwing]

@Golfingdad I've definitely heard the name Brighton Crest. I never played golf while I lived there, but will definitely be playing a lot when I go back to visit my family...thanks for the heads up on the 18th hole lol.

Glad you guys feel my pain regarding that 15th green

[Golfingdad]

@Golfingdad I've definitely heard the name Brighton Crest. I never played golf while I lived there, but will definitely be playing a lot when I go back to visit my family...thanks for the heads up on the 18th hole lol.

Glad you guys feel my pain regarding that 15th green

When you go back to play, I'd recommend against Brighton Crest/Eagle Springs.  There are a lot of better courses.  I like Riverbend, although it's a little bit pricey for the area.  Fig Garden is a long time favorite, Madera Municipal, Riverside, Sherwood Forest ... those are all fun and better (and less gimmicky) than Eagle Springs.

Within the last couple of years, though, both my brother and dad joined Belmont Country Club, so when I visit now we always play there. :)

BTW, when and where did you go to school??  (1991 Hoover grad here :))

[WUTiger]

I see some of the worst pin placements at a small nine-hole course in our area.

• On a downhill par 3, it gets put out on a little raised node of the green that's about 10 feet deep. Lay it out 15 yards to the right, and lag.
• On a short par 4, it goes on a small upswing between two levels of the green. I've seen people pitch up and three-putt from 10 feet.

Possibly the greens crew is trying to "protect par." I moved the course to my prefer not list.

[BENtSwing]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BENtSwing32

@Golfingdad I've definitely heard the name Brighton Crest. I never played golf while I lived there, but will definitely be playing a lot when I go back to visit my family...thanks for the heads up on the 18th hole lol.

Glad you guys feel my pain regarding that 15th green

When you go back to play, I'd recommend against Brighton Crest/Eagle Springs.  There are a lot of better courses.  I like Riverbend, although it's a little bit pricey for the area.  Fig Garden is a long time favorite, Madera Municipal, Riverside, Sherwood Forest ... those are all fun and better (and less gimmicky) than Eagle Springs.

Within the last couple of years, though, both my brother and dad joined Belmont Country Club, so when I visit now we always play there. :)

BTW, when and where did you go to school??  (1991 Hoover grad here :))

Awesome man, thanks for the recommendations!

I went to school in Clovis at Buchanan High, class of 1999 :) . . . my mom went to Hoover though...in the 60's lol

[newtogolf]

I don't resent them, but I do question his / her intelligence when they set really difficult pin positions on the weekends and holidays when the course is most crowded.  You would think they would plot out the pin locations on a calendar to ensure they don't set ridiculously hard pin locations on days when the course is expected to very busy.

The "While we're young" initiative directly addressed pin placement, but like most initiatives these seem to be ignored or forgotten.