Turf Matters

Every year there are lists of the best golf courses in Malaysia or Asia or the world. There may be various categories or various reasons for each lists. But there are many lists of Top Ten or Top 20 or even Top Five and there are many clubs who would do their best to be on the list. The list could be based on a poll of golfers, a panel of experts or some secretive method that is not elaborated.

A club on the list of Top Ten would try to maintain its place or at least to not fall off the list and many would try to go higher on the list as a measure of improvement.

I believe that the rankings are subjective but I also believe the ranked clubs deserve them. What’s good is the clubs on or other clubs who want to be on the list will work harder to be ranked higher.

What about clubs not on or near or don’t care about The List? Every year they must have a list of things they want to improve on. In other words, have a Top Ten list to improve on for the year.

Some examples of items on the list of items to improve on:

1. Percentage of weeds on greens or resurfacing good grass on greens.
2. Reducing the number of wet landing zones on fairways; or adding more subsoil drains or aeration on fairways.
3. Increasing number of healthy tees;
4. Or ensuring greenspeed are consistent on all greens
5. Increasing water penetration in bunkers.
6. Closing bunkers or repairing bunker faces (there are new technologies nowadays)
7. etc etc.

I would worry if for the new year, the golf course does not set a target to improve on SOMETHING. Then this year will be no different from last year; merely surviving.