Deterring Geese from Putting Greens

If you golf much at The Peninsula Club you know the geese have been damaging #4, 7, 9, 16 and 18. These greens are located directly next to the water making it very easy for geese to fly directly onto the greens or swim up to them. Furthermore, they are attracted to the bright painted putting greens in the middle of a dormant, brown golf course. Geese cause damage when they get on the green and begin looking for food in the soil. 

The GCM department is trying multiple avenues to deter geese from further damage. First, is tying string between red and yellow penalty stakes. This will make it more difficult for geese to swim up to the edge of the bank and walk up to the green. 

Secondly, we are using coyote decoys. During the middle of the day the decoys are set up around the greens. At the end of the day the decoys are set up on the greens for better protection. We currently have two of them and it is working very well. We have ordered three more so we have a decoy on all problem greens. 

Jesse Cigary setting up one of the decoys on #18 putting green.

"Palmer", one of our coyote decoys keeping guard over the 9th green. In the background there is string between all red stakes.

Goose Damage on #9 Green

Last Monday Canada Geese that reside on Lake Norman caused damage to #9 green. The geese were averted from damaging other greens after our staff found the damage on #9. 

The Canada goose population in our area is becoming a concern. Damage caused by "resident" geese to public property-- lake shore property and the golf course is becoming more common. The GCM department is formulating an action plan plan to discourage the geese from residing on or near the golf course. 

Below are pictures of the damage that the geese caused on the putting greens.

Goose damage to #9 green. The plugs seen in the picture are from previous damage earlier this fall.

Close-up of damage caused by geese.

Close-up of damage caused by geese.

Cesar placing plugs into damaged areas.