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Sand Greens
The future of putting now.
Early US greens were grass, except where aridity or difficulty of irrigation dictated otherwise.
Shinnecock Hills LI NY 1892
Yonkers NY 1888
Vermont ca. 1900
Horse Mower 1923
Sand greens were found mainly in the South, Southwest, and arid Western states. Also, Australia, Canada, and Puerto Rico. With the development of new strains of heat-resistant and aridity-tolerant grasses circa 1930, the sand greens started being converted to grass. But some conversions didn't occur until fairly recently, and the world still has quite a number of sand greens today.
Pinehurst pre-1935
"The "greens" of Pinehurst golf course were actually made of sand until the mid 1930s when grass was finally grown successfully on the area's hardpan surface. Horton Smith here watches Bobby Jones putt out at the 5th hole on No. 2 in March of 1935."
Miami FL 1905
Augusta GA 1905
Palm Beach FL 1900
Palm Beach FL 1904
Modern US Sand Green
Woodburn GC
Woodburn ORLocal Rules: "Rake all the greens. Don't be lazy. Think of others. Observe golf etiquette. If everyone follows the rules everyone else will enjoy the game better." Pete
Woodburn GC
Woodburn OR (built 1925)Advice: "Not a long course, no sand traps or water hazards. Straight shots keep you out of trouble. Wet sand greens are fast in inclement months, likely play slower in hot, dry weather. Task of sweeping the green after putting usually falls to the loser of the hole."
- Turfgrass
Golf Timeline Creeping bentgrass developed in 1927 by USDA.
- Sand Greens
US
Golf Digest: Design and history of Pinehurst No. 2 golf course Bermuda fairways 1907, sand greens until 1935.
PGA.com - There's no place like Pinehurst "Ross's home sits near the third green of No. 2, at a junction of holes 3 through 6. He built No. 2, which opened in 1907, with manual labor and horses that pulled earth-moving equipment. In old black-and-white photos, its sand greens stand out like white tablecloths." PGA.com - There's no place like Pinehurst
Golf in North Dakota "North Dakota still boasts over 50 courses with sand greens. At La Moure Memorial Golf Course, a hard 4-iron from the Canadian border, I ask about the whereabouts of courses with sand greens. Ah, you don't want to play on those things, offers the grizzle." Golf in North Dakota
Echo Hills, Wichita KS Built with sand greens in 1930s, converted to grass 1979-1980.
- Strum Golf Course, Chippewa Valley, Wisconsin Built in 1965 with sand greens; replaced with grass greens 1985; poem about this! (SEE BELOW)
Australia
Local Rules for Sand Greens - Victoria, Australia, Golf Assn
- Queensland Sand Green Championship
Canada
- International Golf Courses - Canada - Saskatchewan
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Golf Association Sand greens common from 1930s into 1950s and 1960s, when new bermuda strains were developed.
Viking Golf Course
Strum, Chippewa Valley, Wisconsin20 Years of Dragging the Greens 1965-1985
"The Viking was built with 9 holes and 9 holes exist today. In 1965 Golfers teed off on hole number one where the green for hole 9 is now, and ended at the current practice green. These greens were about 30 feet across and were actually sand covered with oil. I have been told that many people saw these oily greens from the road and stopped by to find out what these strange black circles were! After each round of golfers finished putting, the sand of course had to be dragged. Large carpets were used to smooth out the sand which were a great burden to the golfers. The members knew that greens needed to be replaced with grass.
The day that grass greens became a reality golfers went around the course twice, the first round on sand greens and the second on grass!!! That night the members enjoyed a large bonfire of burning carpets. Irrigation was now the problem at hand. The greens needed water and again the members of the community came to the rescue. Each took his turn until the irrigation system was afforded. Even then only the greens were watered the fairways came later."
JUNE 9TH, 1985.
Dedication of the Grass Greens
The mayor of Strum, Ruby Spangberg, gave tribute with the following poem:LONG AGO INDIAN TROD
UPON THIS EVERGREENING SOD
NO NORWEGIAN HAD BEEN SENT
TO SHAPE THE WAY STRUM'S HISTORY WENTFROM THAT EVOLVED THE HOLTE FARM
WHEAT AND OAT GAVE WAY TO CORN
NO STORE BOUGHT FERTILIZATION
THEN PLANT FOOD CAME FROM BARNYARD PENTIME WENT BY AND INTEREST GREW
IN A SPORT THOUGH OLD IS EVER NEW
HITHER AND YON OUR GOLFERS WENT
TO SATISFY THIS CURIOUS BENTENOUGH! THEY SAID WITH ONE LOUD CRY
THE HOLTE FARM'S WHAT WE MUST BUY
WE'LL START A GOLF COURSE OF OUR OWN
NEVER AGAIN WE'LL HAVE TO ROAMNO SOONER SAID THAN IT WAS DONE
OUR GOLFERS HAD THEIR VICTORY WON
THE GOLF COURSE GREW FROM THAT GREEN SOD
WHERE ONCE THE INDIAN HAD TRODSAND GREENS SERVED FOR MANY YEARS
DRAGGING BROUGHT BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS
ENOUGH! AGAIN CAME THAT CLARION CRY
GRASS GREENS ARE SOMETHING WE MUST BUYWHAT STRUM DECIDES TO DO IT DOES
WITH VERY LITTLE FUSS OR MESS
WITH COOPERATION SUCH AS THIS
HOW REALLY, CAN A SMALL TOWN MISSTO WORK THEY WENT WITH UTMOST ZEAL
TO MAKE A LONG TIME DREAM BE REAL
WITH DONATED MUSCLE GIFTS OF GOLD
OUR DREAMS OF GRASS GREENS DID UNFOLDTODAY WE DEDICATE THOSE GREENS
A REALITY NOW, ONCE JUST A DREAM
WITHOUT YOUR MUSCLE, YOUR TIME, YOUR CASH
A DREAM LIKE THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A RASH
YOU GAVE YOUR ALL, THE RESULT IS SEEN
TO YOU, WE DEDICATE OUR GREENS
