9/25/2019 4:09 PM
Our course, in Central Indiana, is open for play all winter. There is no winter growth for recovery. My first winter there were no markers and play would hit from wherever they wanted. It was a mild winter, for our area, so play was heavier than normal. The tees got beat up pretty bad, especially the par 3 and a couple of the shorter par 4 where some hit irons for lay up shots. Instead of a few beat up spots where the markers the decks were evenly beat up all over. Ever since we will leave markers out all winter but we combine colors, 1 red with 1 yellow, and 1 white with 1 blue. We take in the in-season set for painting and have a set we use just in the winter. On some holes we place them between their normal location for the colors, some go more forward toward the area where one color normally goes, some go back a little more toward the area for the other, and we have a few small decks that are dedicated for winter placement. We will move the markers as needed but not more than a couple of feet forward of back. This leaves 1 isolated area to fill in the spring when growth begins and the in-season markers go back out and the rest of the tee surface is pretty good. The guys that play the blacks, very few especially when it is wet and soft, do not have markers on their decks and pick a spot.
Chris Thuer, CGCS, Bear Slide Golf Club, Cicero, IN