{"id":24749,"date":"2025-04-15T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-15T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/?p=24749"},"modified":"2026-10-12T22:51:59","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T22:51:59","slug":"preparing-golf-tournament-maintenance-tasks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/preparing-golf-tournament-maintenance-tasks\/","title":{"rendered":"Preparing a Golf Tournament: 8 Maintenance Tasks"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>@import url(\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Poppins:wght@500;600;700&family=Roboto:wght@400;500;700&display=swap\");\n.tgb{font:17px\/1.65 Roboto,sans-serif;color:#333}.tgb h2{font:700 25px\/1.2 Poppins,sans-serif;color:#00505F;margin:1.9em 0 .6em;padding-bottom:.35em;border-bottom:1px solid #BCD9DC}.tgb a{color:#00505F;text-underline-offset:3px}\n.tgb .info{width:100%;height:auto;margin:1.6em 0;display:block}.tgb .svg-bg{fill:#F2FAFA}.tgb .svg-dark{fill:#00505F}.tgb .svg-card{fill:rgba(255,255,255,.1)}.tgb .svg-t{font:700 20px Poppins,sans-serif;fill:#00505F}.tgb .svg-tw{font:700 20px Poppins,sans-serif;fill:#fff}\n.tgb .svg-line{stroke:#BCD9DC;stroke-width:2}.tgb .svg-line2{stroke:#00F4F4;stroke-width:2}.tgb .svg-hex{fill:#008092}.tgb .svg-hex2{fill:#00F4F4}.tgb .svg-n{font:700 16px Poppins,sans-serif;fill:#fff}.tgb .svg-n2{font:700 16px Poppins,sans-serif;fill:#0B2E35}.tgb .svg-i{font:400 16px Roboto,sans-serif;fill:#333}.tgb .svg-c{font:400 15px Roboto,sans-serif;fill:#fff}\n.tgb figure{margin:1.6em 0}.tgb .scene{width:100%;height:auto;aspect-ratio:16\/9;display:block;border-radius:10px}.tgb figcaption{font-size:13px;color:#55666B;margin-top:6px}\n.tgb .faq{border:1px solid #BCD9DC;border-radius:10px;margin:.6em 0;padding:.2em 1em;background:#fff}.tgb .faq summary{cursor:pointer;font:600 16px Poppins,sans-serif;padding:.6em 0;color:#00505F}\n.tgb .cta{background:linear-gradient(135deg,#008092,#00505F);color:#fff;border-radius:10px;padding:28px 30px;margin:2.2em 0}.tgb .cta h3{color:#fff;margin-top:0;font:600 22px Poppins,sans-serif}.tgb .cta p{margin:.4em 0;color:#fff}.tgb .btn{display:inline-block;margin-top:14px;background:#00F4F4;color:#0B2E35!important;text-decoration:none;font:700 15px Roboto,sans-serif;padding:12px 28px;border-radius:99px}\n.tgb .rel{padding-left:1.1em}.tgb .rel span{display:block;font-size:14px;color:#55666B}.tgb .src{font-size:15px;color:#55666B}\n.tgb .ph{margin:1.8em 0}.tgb .ph img{width:100%;height:auto;aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover;display:block;border-radius:10px}\n.tg-float{position:fixed;left:0;top:50%;z-index:9999;transform:translateY(-50%);writing-mode:vertical-rl;transform-origin:center;rotate:180deg;background:#00F4F4;color:#0B2E35!important;font:700 14px Poppins,sans-serif;letter-spacing:.1em;text-transform:uppercase;text-decoration:none!important;padding:20px 11px;border-radius:0 12px 12px 0;box-shadow:0 6px 20px rgba(0,80,95,.35);transition:padding .2s,background .2s}\n.tg-float:hover{background:#3EF9DA;padding-left:16px}\n@media(max-width:767px){.tg-float{writing-mode:horizontal-tb;rotate:0deg;left:50%;top:auto;bottom:14px;transform:translateX(-50%);border-radius:99px;padding:13px 26px;letter-spacing:.06em;font-size:13px;white-space:nowrap}.tg-float:hover{padding:13px 26px}}<\/style><div class=\"tgb\"><a class=\"tg-float\" href=\"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/#demo\">Request a demo<\/a><p>When a club announces an important date, the course team feels the pressure from day one. <strong>Preparing a golf tournament<\/strong> is not just a matter of mowing the greens well the night before: it is weeks of work combining cultural practices, coordination with the organisers and a clear plan for the day of play itself.<\/p><p>We suggest eight tasks in time order so that maintenance reaches the event calmly. You will see what to agree with the organisers, which operations to bring forward, how to allocate staff and how to close the tournament with a review that serves the next one. These are general criteria that each course will adapt to its size and level of demand.<\/p><svg class=\"info\" viewBox=\"0 0 720 474\" role=\"img\" aria-label=\"In this article\"><rect width=\"720\" height=\"474\" rx=\"6\" class=\"svg-bg\"\/><text x=\"28\" y=\"42\" class=\"svg-t\">In this article<\/text><line x1=\"28\" y1=\"54\" x2=\"120\" y2=\"54\" class=\"svg-line\"\/><path d=\"M73.1,89.0 L73.1,111.0 L54.0,122.0 L34.9,111.0 L34.9,89.0 L54.0,78.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex\"\/><text x=\"54\" y=\"106\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n\">1<\/text><text x=\"94\" y=\"97\" class=\"svg-i\">Tasks 1 and 2 for Preparing a Golf Tournament: Initial Meeting<\/text><text x=\"94\" y=\"117\" class=\"svg-i\">and Reverse Calendar<\/text><path d=\"M73.1,153.0 L73.1,175.0 L54.0,186.0 L34.9,175.0 L34.9,153.0 L54.0,142.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex\"\/><text x=\"54\" y=\"170\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n\">2<\/text><text x=\"94\" y=\"161\" class=\"svg-i\">Task 3: Cultural Practices with Time for the Turf to Recover<\/text><path d=\"M73.1,217.0 L73.1,239.0 L54.0,250.0 L34.9,239.0 L34.9,217.0 L54.0,206.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex\"\/><text x=\"54\" y=\"234\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n\">3<\/text><text x=\"94\" y=\"225\" class=\"svg-i\">Task 4: Fine-Tune the Machines and Workshop Before the Big<\/text><text x=\"94\" y=\"245\" class=\"svg-i\">Week<\/text><path d=\"M73.1,281.0 L73.1,303.0 L54.0,314.0 L34.9,303.0 L34.9,281.0 L54.0,270.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex\"\/><text x=\"54\" y=\"298\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n\">4<\/text><text x=\"94\" y=\"289\" class=\"svg-i\">Task 5: Coordinate Pin Positions, Tee Markers and Signage<\/text><path d=\"M73.1,345.0 L73.1,367.0 L54.0,378.0 L34.9,367.0 L34.9,345.0 L54.0,334.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex\"\/><text x=\"54\" y=\"362\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n\">5<\/text><text x=\"94\" y=\"353\" class=\"svg-i\">Tasks 6 and 7: Tournament-Day Protocol and Staff Allocation<\/text><path d=\"M73.1,409.0 L73.1,431.0 L54.0,442.0 L34.9,431.0 L34.9,409.0 L54.0,398.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex\"\/><text x=\"54\" y=\"426\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n\">6<\/text><text x=\"94\" y=\"417\" class=\"svg-i\">Task 8: Evaluate the Event and Record the Lessons<\/text><\/svg><h2>Tasks 1 and 2 for Preparing a Golf Tournament: Initial Meeting and Reverse Calendar<\/h2><p>The first task is to sit down with the organisers well before the event. You need to know the format, tee times, the expected demands on green speed and firmness, the areas that will be used for spectators, marquees or parking, and the planned pin positions.<\/p><p>The second is to build a reverse calendar: start from tournament day and work back week by week to decide which operations are done and when.<\/p><ul><li>Heavy aeration and sanding, with enough time for recovery.<\/li><li>Course inspection rounds to spot weak areas with time to correct them.<\/li><li>Fertilising and treatments, always according to the label and technical advice.<\/li><li>Gradual adjustment of cutting height and mowing regime.<\/li><li>Extra staff booked for the critical days.<\/li><\/ul><p>When preparing a golf tournament, what is not on the calendar tends to be done late or not at all.<\/p><h2>Task 3: Cultural Practices with Time for the Turf to Recover<\/h2><p>The operations that disturb play most, such as deep spiking or verticutting, must be done with time to spare. If done too close to the event, greens arrive soft, uneven or marked. Conversely, if they are left undone for too long, thatch and moisture can build up and harm firmness on the key day.<\/p><p>As a guide, plan the most aggressive interventions several weeks ahead and keep the last days for light work: mowing, rolling and edge maintenance. Adjust according to species, season and the turf&#8217;s capacity to recover, and check speed and firmness with repeated measurements.<\/p><p>A typical example: a course with bentgrass greens that wants to reach high speed on tournament day does not get there by dropping the cutting height suddenly the week before, but through a gradual reduction, regular rolling and prudent management of irrigation and fertilising. Preparing a golf tournament is largely about avoiding abrupt changes to the turf.<\/p><figure class=\"ph\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/ph-79-1.jpg\" alt=\"Work plan for preparing a golf tournament in the workshop\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption>Work plan for preparing a golf tournament in the workshop<\/figcaption><\/figure><h2>Task 4: Fine-Tune the Machines and Workshop Before the Big Week<\/h2><p>Nothing spoils a well-kept course more than a mower with an uneven cut. Before preparing a golf tournament, check reels, bedknives, cutting heights and oil and fuel levels on all the machinery that will be used.<\/p><ul><li>Sharpen and adjust greens equipment in advance, not in event week.<\/li><li>Schedule checks of critical machines and keep spares for the most sensitive parts.<\/li><li>Define which machines are backup if one fails during the morning.<\/li><\/ul><p>If the workshop keeps a record for each machine, this check is quick: you know when each unit was serviced and what is missing. When preparing a golf tournament it is also worth doing a test mow the day before, to catch any irregularity in the cut in time and correct it without rushing.<\/p><h2>Task 5: Coordinate Pin Positions, Tee Markers and Signage<\/h2><p>Flags and course markings are the most visible part of the work. Agree with the organisers how many different positions are needed, in what order of difficulty and who approves them. Prepare the plan by round and by green, taking into account slopes, worn areas and the balance between easy and difficult holes on the same day.<\/p><p>Also check stakes, lines, and signage for penalty areas and ground under repair. Clear marking avoids doubts during play and protects the most delicate areas. When preparing a golf tournament with several rounds, do not forget to plan the rotation of positions between days too, so that wear is not always concentrated at the same spot. In the days beforehand it helps to walk the course with the referee or the competition manager to resolve issues before they become a problem.<\/p><figure class=\"ph\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/ph-79-2.jpg\" alt=\"Placing flags when preparing a golf tournament on a green\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><figcaption>Placing flags when preparing a golf tournament on a green<\/figcaption><\/figure><h2>Tasks 6 and 7: Tournament-Day Protocol and Staff Allocation<\/h2><p>Task 6 is defining the morning protocol: start times, mowing order, assigned equipment, timings for each task and who gives the final approval. Task 7 is allocating staff with specific roles, including support during play, such as bunker raking, sand top-ups or checking trouble spots.<\/p><ol><li>Route sheets for each team, with time and area.<\/li><li>A single person responsible for on-the-spot decisions.<\/li><li>Clear communication with the organisers if there are changes due to weather or delays.<\/li><li>Breaks and relief shifts so the team reaches the end of the day in good shape.<\/li><\/ol><p>When preparing a golf tournament, the human detail weighs as much as the agronomic one: a team that knows what to do works calmly.<\/p><h2>Task 8: Evaluate the Event and Record the Lessons<\/h2><p>When the tournament ends, the temptation is to breathe out and move on. Instead, make use of that fresh memory: gather the team and the organisers and note what worked, what ran late, what unforeseen problems appeared and what would be done differently.<\/p><ul><li>Staff hours spent compared with the plan.<\/li><li>Incidents with machinery, irrigation or course conditions.<\/li><li>Comments from players and organisers on the condition of the greens.<\/li><li>Subsequent recovery of the most heavily worn areas.<\/li><\/ul><p>This record is gold for the next occasion and also for explaining to management the effort involved in preparing a golf tournament. With data, it is easier to justify extra staff, machinery or budget for future events. And if the club is regularly preparing a golf tournament and hosts competitions regularly, a good summary of each edition turns the experience of a few people into a procedure that anyone on the team can follow.<\/p><svg class=\"info\" viewBox=\"0 0 720 528\" role=\"img\" aria-label=\"Key takeaways\"><rect width=\"720\" height=\"528\" rx=\"6\" class=\"svg-dark\"\/><text x=\"28\" y=\"44\" class=\"svg-tw\">Key takeaways<\/text><line x1=\"28\" y1=\"58\" x2=\"120\" y2=\"58\" class=\"svg-line2\"\/><rect x=\"24\" y=\"76\" width=\"336\" height=\"96\" rx=\"4\" class=\"svg-card\"\/><path d=\"M75.3,114.0 L75.3,134.0 L58.0,144.0 L40.7,134.0 L40.7,114.0 L58.0,104.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex2\"\/><text x=\"58\" y=\"130.0\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n2\">1<\/text><text x=\"90\" y=\"119\" class=\"svg-c\">Meet the tournament organisers<\/text><text x=\"90\" y=\"139\" class=\"svg-c\">early<\/text><rect x=\"372\" y=\"76\" width=\"336\" height=\"96\" rx=\"4\" class=\"svg-card\"\/><path d=\"M423.3,114.0 L423.3,134.0 L406.0,144.0 L388.7,134.0 L388.7,114.0 L406.0,104.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex2\"\/><text x=\"406\" y=\"130.0\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n2\">2<\/text><text x=\"438\" y=\"119\" class=\"svg-c\">Build a reverse calendar from<\/text><text x=\"438\" y=\"139\" class=\"svg-c\">the big day<\/text><rect x=\"24\" y=\"184\" width=\"336\" height=\"96\" rx=\"4\" class=\"svg-card\"\/><path d=\"M75.3,222.0 L75.3,242.0 L58.0,252.0 L40.7,242.0 L40.7,222.0 L58.0,212.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex2\"\/><text x=\"58\" y=\"238.0\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n2\">3<\/text><text x=\"90\" y=\"227\" class=\"svg-c\">Bring aggressive operations<\/text><text x=\"90\" y=\"247\" class=\"svg-c\">forward to allow recovery time<\/text><rect x=\"372\" y=\"184\" width=\"336\" height=\"96\" rx=\"4\" class=\"svg-card\"\/><path d=\"M423.3,222.0 L423.3,242.0 L406.0,252.0 L388.7,242.0 L388.7,222.0 L406.0,212.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex2\"\/><text x=\"406\" y=\"238.0\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n2\">4<\/text><text x=\"438\" y=\"227\" class=\"svg-c\">Check and sharpen machinery in<\/text><text x=\"438\" y=\"247\" class=\"svg-c\">advance<\/text><rect x=\"24\" y=\"292\" width=\"336\" height=\"96\" rx=\"4\" class=\"svg-card\"\/><path d=\"M75.3,330.0 L75.3,350.0 L58.0,360.0 L40.7,350.0 L40.7,330.0 L58.0,320.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex2\"\/><text x=\"58\" y=\"346.0\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n2\">5<\/text><text x=\"90\" y=\"335\" class=\"svg-c\">Agree pin positions and<\/text><text x=\"90\" y=\"355\" class=\"svg-c\">signage<\/text><rect x=\"372\" y=\"292\" width=\"336\" height=\"96\" rx=\"4\" class=\"svg-card\"\/><path d=\"M423.3,330.0 L423.3,350.0 L406.0,360.0 L388.7,350.0 L388.7,330.0 L406.0,320.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex2\"\/><text x=\"406\" y=\"346.0\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n2\">6<\/text><text x=\"438\" y=\"335\" class=\"svg-c\">Define the event-day protocol<\/text><text x=\"438\" y=\"355\" class=\"svg-c\">and roles<\/text><rect x=\"24\" y=\"400\" width=\"336\" height=\"96\" rx=\"4\" class=\"svg-card\"\/><path d=\"M75.3,438.0 L75.3,458.0 L58.0,468.0 L40.7,458.0 L40.7,438.0 L58.0,428.0Z\" class=\"svg-hex2\"\/><text x=\"58\" y=\"454.0\" text-anchor=\"middle\" class=\"svg-n2\">7<\/text><text x=\"90\" y=\"443\" class=\"svg-c\">Evaluate and record lessons<\/text><text x=\"90\" y=\"463\" class=\"svg-c\">afterwards<\/text><\/svg><p class=\"src\">Further reading: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.randa.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">R&amp;A<\/a>. The R&amp;A, together with other governing bodies, publishes general information on preparing courses for competition and on the Rules of Golf.<\/p><h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2><details class=\"faq\"><summary>How far in advance should preparation for a golf tournament start?<\/summary><p>It depends on its importance, but it is best to start several weeks ahead for the work calendar, and months ahead if the event is large. The sooner the format, demands and logistics are fixed with the organisers, the more room the team has to spread the tasks without rushing.<\/p><\/details><details class=\"faq\"><summary>Which operations should be avoided in the days before the tournament?<\/summary><p>The most aggressive ones, such as deep spiking, intensive verticutting or heavy sanding, which can leave greens uneven. When preparing a golf tournament, keep those days for mowing, rolling and fine adjustments, and bring everything else forward so the turf can recover in peace.<\/p><\/details><details class=\"faq\"><summary>How is maintenance coordinated with the organisers?<\/summary><p>With an initial meeting, a shared document of schedules, areas and requirements, and a single point of contact during the event. This avoids last-minute changes and resolves questions about flags, signage or use of areas. It also helps to walk the course together a couple of days before.<\/p><\/details><aside class=\"cta\"><h3>Total Greenkeeper<\/h3><p>A tournament is prepared with a calendar, work orders and clear communication. Total Greenkeeper is golf course maintenance software that helps digitalise maintenance processes, control operations, reduce costs and produce simple, intuitive reports, with task planning and work orders. Request a demo at totalgreenkeeper.com.<\/p><a class=\"btn\" href=\"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/#demo\">Request a demo<\/a><\/aside><h2>Keep reading<\/h2><ul class=\"rel\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/pin-positions-rotation-criteria\/\">Pin positions<\/a> <span>Pin Positions: 6 Criteria for Rotating Them Well<\/span><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/green-committee-report-essential-sections\/\">Report to the greens committee<\/a> <span>Green Committee Report: 6 Essential Sections<\/span><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/daily-greenkeeper-planning-effective-steps\/\">The greenkeeper&#x27;s daily planning<\/a> <span>Daily greenkeeper planning: 6 effective steps<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"FAQPage\", \"mainEntity\": [{\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"How far in advance should preparation for a golf tournament start?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"It depends on its importance, but it is best to start several weeks ahead for the work calendar, and months ahead if the event is large. 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These eight tasks help the maintenance team prepare a golf tournament: calendar, advance work, coordination, event day and post-event review.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":26351,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24749","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-operations"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24749","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24749"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24749\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25802,"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24749\/revisions\/25802"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26351"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24749"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24749"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/totalgreenkeeper.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24749"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}