Cart traffic issues

With the early heat, dry conditions and increased play, traffic patterns involving golf carts have been emerging that are placing extra stress on our turf and quite simply do not look good and detract from the beauty of our golf course and the hard work of our staff.  From our teeing areas, walk paths are created for our walking golfers to help reduce the amount of dew that they must walk through to get to their golf balls, hopefully in the fairway.  These paths should not be used by golf carts.  The turf is cut at a height of 1.25" and cannot handle the stress of the carts driving onto these paths.  Also, the areas in front of the tees are sometimes large expanses of turf which area stripped by our rough mower and look very good without golf carts creating traffic patters throughout the area.

Proper entrance into a fairway should be from the side of the cart path that runs along the fairway, not directly off the tee area.  This is a large area that can help reduce the amount of wear and tear on our rough.  Also, if you see wear patterns emerging, take a different route to get back to the cart path.  Golf carts seem to travel the same path like cattle do out to a field, the only difference is our members and guests can make a choice from the knowledge that changing patterns will help reduce wear and tear by altering paths from time to time.

In the picture below.  The proper way to enter the fairway would be up along the tree line on the right background where you could drive directly across to your ball.  Any opportunity to keep the cart on the path encourages better turf conditions and will save our operation money as well as improve the looks of our great golf course.

The walk path leading to 15 fairway.  The cart path tracks are ugly and unsightly and create added stress to the turf.  This requires more water and fertilizer to help the turf  recover.  We have placed cart directional arrow signs at the entrances of these paths to discourage use of these areas by golf carts.  Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.