Course setup? Protect your flags!

It’s spring, sun is rising on the course, grass is growing again, and it’s time to setup the course for play.
Many golf courses will choose to change their flags every year, many even do it twice or more during the year. It was the case before I joined WINSTONgolf, and when you have multiple courses like us, that make a lot of flags!

After I joined and few discussions, I reported previous experience from fellow friend turfie who used UV resistant spray protector to reduce fading, degradation of the print or yellowing of the flags. Immediately after the first year we were able to save a whole set of flags on each of our courses, and to keep the better looking flags at the end of the season for our short 9 Par3. Few bucks saved us a lot of bucks!

• What are the benefit?

1. Prevent fading of the colours (logo or background).
2. Prevent yellowing of the white flags or logo.
3. Prevent imprint logo to chip off.
4. If you spray tech spray over the flags, you can rinse off the flag with no mark. (Goodbye iron stain!)

• 

• Pre-requis:

1. Brand new and clean flags. If the flags are dirty, the wax will capture it for ever (attention of dirty fingerprint!)
2. A dust free place. The flags take few days to completely dry out, if you have high traffic or ambient dust, you risk the number one.
3. Couple of bottles of wax for 18flags, a microfiber towel and some elbow grease.

• What are the downsides?

1. The flags are heavier and “crispier” and doesn’t fly as easily in the wind.
2. It takes a bit of time to dry off.
3. They don’t like to be stacked and stored for too long.

Price and economic:

Easily found on Amazon, a bottle cost around 10-15 euros (16$). Two full set of imprinted flag cost us around 600 euros!
Simple maths: We use 3 bottles for 36 holes: 45euros, for 600 euros saving. Saving us 13x time the money! Or you can re-invest this money (i.e upgrade to embroidered flags) to improve overall presentation.

But what is you already replace your flags only once a year?
By protecting your flags with the UV Protector, you will keep them in a pristine condition for much longer, maintaining a consistent presentation of your course all year around.

• 

How to apply the wax?

Very simple process, but here are my tips:

1. Hang out the flags on a line, like a traffic rope, making sure you are not touching the ground.
2. Spray roughly the flags with the wax products on both side.
3. With a damp cloth, spread around and wipe off the excess of wax.
4. If you have some dark colour, the wax can leave white stain, wait an hour or two and when the wax is drier but not fully dry, wipe off again with a damp cloth.
5. Let dry for couple of day.
6. Simply take your new flags out on the course and see you next year!

Conclusion:

For a very limited amount of money and effort, you can actually save yourself a lot of money! It would be fool not to give it a go! So, if you do, tag me on twitter at @GkErwan and let’s spread the word around.

•