The Green And Its Parts

The Surface Of The Green

The green is the most closely mown area of the hole. Its surface can be relatively flat or it can be very undulating. The more closely mown it is the faster the ball will roll when hit. Generally you will find that most greens will tend to be sloped upward from the front to the back. This is so that when balls hit, they will tend to remain on the playing surface. You will also find, however that sometimes the slope is in another direction. You need to be aware of this.

Some greens may have a slope that has the high point at the middle and then slopes downward in all directions.

"Reading greens" is somewhat of an art and tends to improve with experience. However you can see what happens to others' balls and get some sense of the way your ball will roll.

The Hole

The golf hole is 4.25 inches in diameter. It should be cut so that the sides of the hole are vertical and not sloped, regardless of the slope of the surface. It can be placed at any point on the putting surface, although it would normally not be placed on a steep slope. There is usually a surrounding area that is relatively flat. It has an insert placed within it to provide a means to support the pin (flagstick).

Some courses use a coded approach to positioning the hole. On specific days each hole of the course will have the hole placed in a specified position on the green. The coded positions for each hole on the course would be shown on the score card, and the code for the day would be announced by the starter, and/or on a sign at the first tee.

On some holes the surface of a green may be hidden from the fairway, and a very tall flagstick may be used, or a high pole (usually painted white) will be placed behind the hole to indicate the middle of the green (left to right).

The flagstick is used to visually mark the position of the hole on a green. It is round in diameter and can be any height. It normally has a cloth "flag" placed at the top of the shaft in such a way that it can rotate to indicate the direction of the wind over the hole. It has a thickened base that fits firmly into the insert in the hole. Many flagsticks have a mechanism for indicating the position of the flag with respect to the front of the green. Sometimes it will be indicated by the color of the flag itself (red at front; white in middle; or blue at back). Sometimes a large plastic ball or a small flag will be placed at a specific height on the shaft to show the position (low on the shaft means hole in front; in the middle means hole on the middle; and high on the shaft means hole at the back).

The Collar/Fringe

The collar or fringe is cut somewhat higher than the surface of the green. Outside of the fringe the grass is cut about the same height as the first cut of the rough, although it could be higher (there is no rule). The fringe is not considered part of a green, and is not subject to the normal green rules. If your ball is on the fringe it is considered to be off the green.

Repairing Ball Marks

Ball marks, those indentations caused when a ball lands sharply on a soft green, must be repaired immediately or they will leave a damaged spot for several weeks. They must also be repaired correctly. Since the grass on a green is very short rooted, ball marks must never be repaired by inserting the repair tool underneath the indentation and simply levering the indentation up. This leaves a hole beneath the surface and damages the roots below the indentation. Also, never insert the tool in the indentation itself.

Insert the tool at a 30 degree angle just outside the edge of the ball mark. Push the grass toward the centre of the mark. Do this all around the edges of the indentation until the mark is closed. Tamp down the repaired area with your putter so that the surface is even. If your ball has actually displaced a piece of turf, do not replace it, just work around the edges with your repair tool as normal. The replaced turf will simply die, delaying the healing process. See the graphic that follows for the recommended procedure. (with thanks to the University of Iowa's Finkbine Golf Course staff)

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