Back in the 1950s, one of the courses where my family played golf (Tianna Country Club, Walker, Minnesota) had sand greens. They were a cheaper alternative to the manicured grass used in conventional golf courses; greens fees could be substantially lower than on grass-greens courses, and courses could be constructed in communities that couldn't otherwise afford a golf course.
The sand would sometimes be moistened with vegetable or motor oil. After completing play on a hole, it was the responsibility of the golfers to drag the green in a spiral fashion from the center to the edge with a piece of carpet to restore the smoothness of the sand for the next players. I don't remember ever using a roller to flatten a path between one's ball and the cup, and suspect that is a more modern intervention.
I'm delighted to learn that sand-green golf still exists. For the golfers out there, here are links to a Sports Illustrated history of sand-greens golf, and to Pasture Golf, which "features golf courses that have the distinction of not being excessively manicured but which are fun and affordable to play. These courses are a surviving link to the original Scottish links courses, golf’s historical grassroots."
by Stan, TYWKIWDBI | Read more:
Photo: John Paul Newport/The Wall Street Journal
