GOLFING etiquette requires golfers to replace their divots before moving to the next hole, however that is something the sulphur crested cockatoos that have invaded town have not learnt.
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The cockatoos have been ripping up the greens and fairways at the Cootamundra Golf Course in recent weeks.
Groundsman Craig Barron said on Thursday that every morning he was having to repair the greens damaged by the birds. He said he had never seen cockatoos in such numbers in town before.
He said while the galahs also damaged the greens the amount of damage they caused did not compare to damage done by the cockatoos.
He said the cockatoos were ripping up such large pieces of the greens, repairing them was like putting pieces of a jigsaw puzzle in place. He said they were snapping branches off the trees as well.
“I go around every morning to check for damage and it just stops you doing the other things you have to do,” Mr Barron said.
He said the other day the cockatoos almost dug the cup out of the 11th green
“It’s just a real nuisance and they are so noisy,” he said
“You just wish they would go away.”
Mr Barron said he had to repair the 10th green three times on Wednesday and that they had also damaged the 11th twice as well as the 3rd, 2nd and 6th.
Staff at the club had tried using a starter’s pistol to scare them away but that had not worked.
District agronomist Phil Bowden said that he did not think that cockatoo numbers had increased dramatically but there were certainly a lot of cockatoos about.
He said that being grass eaters the cockatoos definitely had plenty of food available given the past two good seasons.