Practice Green Etiquette?

[the_scalp]

Hey Golf Forum.

I live a few blocks from Finkbine golf course in Iowa City -- the University's golf course. I golf there about once a week (18$ twilight rate!).

Recently I've just been going over there every couple of days to use the practice greens (there's five of them). I have several questions about etiquette:

1) Is it okay for me to use the practice greens even though I'm not a member of the course? I am a member of the University community.

2) If all the holes (10 or so spread out among the greens) is it okay to share a hole with someone (if I ask first)?

3) Some of the green seem more torn up than others -- I suspect they're used for chipping practice mainly. Is there a common way to know at nicer courses which greens you're supposed to chip on and which you're supposed to putt on?

4) I'm assuming I'm supposed to rake the sandtraps and repair my ball marks just as if I were playing a round, this is correct? Others don't seem to bother.

Thanks

[BrunoThePug]

1. I'd say that as long as you leave the practice area in better shape than it was when you got there you're fine.
2. A lot of people like to have their own hole so IMO I'd just wait till something opens up. You can always push a tee into the ground and putt to that.
3. Usually the areas for chipping practice will have one or two holes with normal sized flags and possibly a sand trap around. Practicing your chipping on the large putting practice area might get you some weird looks.
4. As in number 1... plan to leave the area in better shape than you found it and you'll be fine.

[cardsharkk04]

1. Well it seems pretty damn weird that the university golf course is private, but if it is like a country club then you should not being using their greens. I get the feeling that this is not exactly the case and it is probably okay. More info needed.

2. Yes perfectly fine

3. Some clues that a green is a chipping green: condition is not as good, there are practice bunkers next to them, the flag sticks are bigger, and you never see anyone putting on them. You should be able to figure this one out.

4. Yea rake the traps and fix the ball marks, but you're probably not gonna make very noticeable ball marks if you aren't hitting monster flop shots or hitting from pretty far away.

[the_scalp]

Thanks all, my questions are answered. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't trespassing or anything since I wasn't paying for a round each time I used the facilities.

Cardsharkk - it's not a private club, but they sell annual passes -- that's what I meant by my not being a "member".

[ntnBO]

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2) If all the holes (10 or so spread out among the greens) is it okay to share a hole with someone (if I ask first)?

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If there's not an open hole, you don't have to ask. Naturally everybody prefers their own hole, but if there's more putters than holes then people are going to have to share. The key to sharing a hole is to putt at 90 degree angles from one another. If you putt straight across from the other golfer, then putts that miss will be in the way of the other.

BO

[tuq]

I've been to Finkbine. Nice course for a Big Ten university IMO. Had no clue that they had FIVE practice greens though. That's ~3 more than normal.

Also, where I'm from the chipping and putting greens are pretty clearly marked and/or obvious as to which is which.

[Butcho22]

I used to practice at the ASU Karsten course in Tempe, AZ all the time, for hours.
Just look for "no chipping" signs and you should be good, along with what others have mentioned. If it isn't private, practice all you want.
Buy some X-out pro v's or someething, get a good ball for chipping like that, and buy a bag to keep them in. It's worth it, trust me. Chipping with range balls sucks.

Related story,

There is this course called The Phoenician (sp?) down right near there. It's not private, but it's very upscale. $145 iirc a couple years ago to play peak season. $10 for a hotdog. They have a range that you drive your cart down to which is quite a distance from the proshop. The balls are already stacked, ready to hit.
I would just show up and head to the pro shop for a minute to look like I'm checking in for the sake of the cart guys outside. (they've already loaded my clubs on a cart at this point). I come back outside, tell them my friend is late from a meeting and I'm heading to the range to kill some time.
The turf was nice, endless balls, lots of fresh water, etc..

God damn I miss the Phoenix area the more I talk about this

[westhoff]

I think using their putting/chipping greens without paying for a round or bucket of balls is fine if you play there once in a while. I also recommend putting to a tee.

[BrunoThePug]

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God damn I miss the Phoenix area the more I talk about this

[/ QUOTE ]

I should try this...

Actually, I work RIGHT near Karsten, I wonder if I can get on the range after work.

[TobDog]

Where do U live now? You know Phoenix is a nice buck-twenty about this time if year, and oh yeah "Its a dry heat" Ive been hating the humidity weve had here in LA the past few weeks. I cant imagine living in that all summer.