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Replacing fairway divots, do you or dont you?

Replacing fairway divots, do you or dont you?

  • less than 5 yards

    Votes: 6 6.4%

  • less than 15 yards

    Votes: 5 5.3%

  • ALWAYS replace divot

    Votes: 59 62.8%

  • I like pie

    Votes: 24 25.5%
  • Total voters
    94
CrunchEasy

CrunchEasy

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On my approach shots that are around 100 yards +/- I usually end up taking huge divots(pic related). I really get some great compression and spin on the ball doing it this way. However as a result I get huge pads of grass sometimes that go flying on down the fairway. Normally I just let them be where they land and dont bother replacing them because I dont want to walk 15-20yds down to pick it up and bring it back. Most importantly I dont want to hold up the groups behinds because we all how much we love so play. Once I had some stranger with whom I was paired with actually go and grab my divots several times and go replace them himself. I told him hey man its just grass it will grown back you dont need to replace it, and besides that grass chunk is just going to die and prevent the grass from forming because it is blocking the light. He didnt like that apparently and he ended up just playing 9 holes with me and joined a different group at the turn.

So how far is too far to walk to grab the pad of grass that goes flying when you leave a great divot? Or Should you just always replace those
fairway divots?

club&divot.gif
 
Depends on the rules of the course and what type of grass I am playing. On Bermuda for example, you do not replace divots, but fill with sand. If I am playing on grass that warrants a divot be replaced, I replace it. It does not matter how far it is.
 
I ALWAYS replace them. Grass doesn't just grow back, you have to seed it. Then it takes weeks to grow back. If you replace your divot, it roots itself back in a matter of 2-3 days or so. That's one small thing you can do to keep a course in good shape.
 
JB said:
Depends on the rules of the course and what type of grass I am playing. On Bermuda for example, you do not replace divots, but fill with sand. If I am playing on grass that warrants a divot be replaced, I replace it. It does not matter how far it is.
Click to expand...

Truth. And you sir, can fling a massive beaver pelt.
 
At the public course I'm a member at, I replace it because it will grow back easily. At the CC I play frequently, I fill with sand/seed because it won't grow back if you replace it.
 
TC said:
Truth. And you sir, can fling a massive beaver pelt.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I have been known to spray some turf here and there. I just remember TPC Prestancia and poor Seth0 on the range two bays down from me.
 
Lol......around here most places ask not to replace divots as they have a grounds crew who do it.
 
CrunchEasy said:
On my approach shots that are around 100 yards +/- I usually end up taking huge divots(pic related). I really get some great compression and spin on the ball doing it this way. However as a result I get huge pads of grass sometimes that go flying on down the fairway. Normally I just let them be where they land and dont bother replacing them because I dont want to walk 15-20yds down to pick it up and bring it back. Most importantly I dont want to hold up the groups behinds because we all how much we love so play. Once I had some stranger with whom I was paired with actually go and grab my divots several times and go replace them himself. I told him hey man its just grass it will grown back you dont need to replace it, and besides that grass chunk is just going to die and prevent the grass from forming because it is blocking the light. He didnt like that apparently and he ended up just playing 9 holes with me and joined a different group at the turn.

So how far is too far to walk to grab the pad of grass that goes flying when you leave a great divot? Or Should you just always replace those
fairway divots?
Click to expand...

I would of done that for you and anyone else I play with, if you are in a foursome then where is the time wasting if someone else gets it for you and in all honesty I would of told you first about doing it yourself and if you took no notice I would of been off to look for some other group to play with too. Its just laziness and lack of golf etiquette on your part.

While I don't agree with you I do understand that not all grass will grow back in quick time once you replace the divot, most will, if done correctly and will look as good as new in a few days. Other grass types will just die which is why at some course they give you a mixture of sand and seed to use instead of replacing the divot.
 
Most of the courses I play around my area have the sand things in the carts. I usually just fill it with sand after taking a divot. I don't think you need to put the grass divot back in place.
 
As JB said Bermuda grass divots are filled. But in areas that use grasses that don't die upon being ripped from the ground I replace as should you. Always leave it better then you found it.
Divots taken out of bent grass fairways will grow back......it will grow back at the bottom of the divot, making the fairway uneven. It also takes about two weeks for a non-filled divot to repair.
 
I accidentally voted for I like pie... LOL!! But I always replace the divots if I have a decent size piece of grass top replace it with. Sometimes the divot breaks up into a million different pieces, if thats the case, i dont worry about it.

For me, I am not worried so much about the grass growing back, but if someone in a group behind me happens to hit in the same spot, it could really mess up their approach if that divot doesnt get filled and the ball happens to come to rest in my divot that I neglected to replace.
 
I always replace me divots at my home course, other courses I just follow the rules...I feel you should do your part to so others can enjoy their round as well. Nothing I dislike more then walking up and finding my ball in a crater size divot...just my two cents
 
I always replace divots or fill them on the tee box. Taking care of the course is one of my huge pet peeves.
 
My local courses want the divot replace so I always do. I know there are courses out there that don't want that and have seed bottles on the carts.
When I play those courses, I always go through at least a couple of bottles of seed to repair my divots and a bunch that uncaring golfers just walk away from.
 
club&divot.gif


Played yesterday and struggled on the front, got into a couple bad positions.
Got to 10, and said to myself, OK, new 9, forget the front.

I hit a nice drive and walking up, I see my ball in the fairway ~ 150 out... as I get closer, I see I am (literally) in a 2" deep divot that is about the width of my ball, UGGHHH, I end up taking double. Needless to say, I was more than a little irritated. The guy I'm playing with says, "you can pull it out of there", but I play everything down, it's the rule, just bad luck created by an a-hole who played before me.

Anyway, for some reason, my divots tend to shatter when I take them. I think it's because I am a little more shallow. If I take a good divot, I always replace it or (if I am riding and it has a sand container) fill it with sand. At a minimum, I tap down the sides and try an smooth it out.

AGAIN, people... try to leave the hole/course in the same or better shape (replace a divot or two and repair an extra ball mark or two) than when you played it. It really doesn't add any time to a round, SERIOUSLY...
 
JB said:
Depends on the rules of the course and what type of grass I am playing. On Bermuda for example, you do not replace divots, but fill with sand. If I am playing on grass that warrants a divot be replaced, I replace it. It does not matter how far it is.
Click to expand...

^^^This^^^
 
At our courses, they want the divots replaced, and that's what we do. It really doesn't take much time.
 
Troll thread.
 
DCSerafin said:
club&divot.gif


Played yesterday and struggled on the front, got into a couple bad positions.
Got to 10, and said to myself, OK, new 9, forget the front.

I hit a nice drive and walking up, I see my ball in the fairway ~ 150 out... as I get closer, I see I am (literally) in a 2" deep divot that is about the width of my ball, UGGHHH, I end up taking double. Needless to say, I was more than a little irritated. The guy I'm playing with says, "you can pull it out of there", but I play everything down, it's the rule, just bad luck created by an a-hole who played before me.

Anyway, for some reason, my divots tend to shatter when I take them. I think it's because I am a little more shallow. If I take a good divot, I always replace it or (if I am riding and it has a sand container) fill it with sand. At a minimum, I tap down the sides and try an smooth it out.

AGAIN, people... try to leave the hole/course in the same or better shape (replace a divot or two and repair an extra ball mark or two) than when you played it. It really doesn't add any time to a round, SERIOUSLY...
Click to expand...


according to 1 thread out here, you are supposed to take a drop out of the divot lol
 
I always replace and fill. They even have a divot fill party at my course where you head out with the kids and bottles of seed and fill any divot you find. It keeps the course looking nice. Yes it may hold up play just a bit, but in the end it's worth it. I know it's not the same thing but raking a bunker is similar, it holds up play a bit, but the groups behind appreciate that you did.
 
Most of the courses around here have bermuda fairways and you fill divots with sand or a sand/seed mixture....but you damn sure don't just leave the divot and not do something.
 
I always replace my divots, i'm not lazy and can walk the 10 yards to go get it. If the course requires sand/seed instead of replacing divots, that is even easier.
 
I always replace my divot. Even the little divots that aren't terribly deep. But I only do this because it seems like no one else at my course does. I'm hoping that others will catch on.

~Rock
 
Assuming I can find the divot, I will replace it. There have been times where my swing is just so fast the divot is vaporized (sarcasm); but in all honesty there are times I can not find my divot in a timely manner, possibly because I didn't take quite enough turf to hold it together, in which case I replace it with whatever I can find. On muni's there are usually plenty of divots laying around to use to fill mine.
 
I always repair my divots.
 
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