(Un)Crowded courses.

(Un)Crowded courses.

Post by John W. Griffi » Fri, 07 Oct 1994 23:16:55


Quote:

> I guess I'd like to start an informal survey of how things are in various
> parts of the country. Why not take a minute to post a short reply and tell
> us 1) where you live, 2) how long it takes to play 18 holes on a Saturday
> morning, 3) how long it takes to play 18 holes on a Monday afternoon and
> 4) are there any courses you know of where you can ever play as a single?

Indianapolis, IN:

Sat AM - probably 4.5 to 5 hours
Any PM - probably 3.5 to 4.5 hours, depending on course

There's not much problem with getting on as a single, but you'll most
likely be paired up.  I've only played two rounds as a single in 4 years.
Most of the city courses have leagues in the afternoons, so it can be
tough to get on.  I don't have the luxury of having a non-city course
nearby where chances of squeezing in 9 holes after work are better,
although I know of several in the Indy area where it would be no problem,
even as a single.

On a side note, the vast majority of this stupid state refuses to go
on Daylight Savings Time, so even leagues have difficulty in finishing
9 holes after work except in the very middle of the summer.  For some
reason, most leagues here are S-L-O-W.  The two I play in usually take
2 hr 15 min to 2 hr 45 min for a foursome.  I do everything I can to
suggest how to speed things up, but nobody seems to take it seriously.

--
John W. Griffin       |    Associate Engineer    |   Allison Engine Company

 
 
 

(Un)Crowded courses.

Post by hu.. » Sat, 08 Oct 1994 00:51:01

I guess this is in the category of "don't appreciate how good I've got it"
or something. Almost every post that mentions slow play or playing by the
rules or unsolicited advice or etiquette comes from the assumption that we
are playing on a crowded golf course. I appreciate that in many parts of
the world, that is the norm.

However, around here (central South Carolina) that just isn't how the public
courses seem to be. If I go play in the late afternoon on a weekday, I'd say
8 out of 10 times I can show up, tee off and play 9 or 18 holes all by my
self at the courses I usually go to. Even the courses which are a bit busier
simply will match you up with one or two others and send you off right away.
Pretty much the same story on Saturday or Sunday if you wait until after 2PM
or so. I'll often join up with another single player just to be sociable, but
it is seldom required.

A couple Fridays ago, I went to one of the nicer public courses in town
(Northwoods GC, designed by P.B. Dye and very nicely maintained) at 10:30AM
by myself. I was given the option of joining up with a twosome who were just
teeing off or waiting until after them and playing by myself. I went with
the twosome, BTW. Now that day we did get stuck behind a company outing with
around 30 people fooling around, so it took over 4 1/2 hours to play 18 holes,
but that's the first time I've ever taken more than 3:45 to play 18 and it is
more usually around 3 hours flat. I can do 9 holes after work at the low-end
course near my house in 90 minutes (walking) any weekday afternoon.

I guess I'd like to start an informal survey of how things are in various
parts of the country. Why not take a minute to post a short reply and tell
us 1) where you live, 2) how long it takes to play 18 holes on a Saturday
morning, 3) how long it takes to play 18 holes on a Monday afternoon and
4) are there any courses you know of where you can ever play as a single?
Or something like that. I'm probably talking about the not-so-nice courses
when I ask these questions. I would imagine anywhere there is a really,
really top-notch course, you'll have to pay more and put up with a bit of
a crowd. I'd just like to know how universal my experience is as opposed to
the typical "get a 6AM tee time or it will take 5 hours to play" sort of
thing that I see people in the news group referring to all the time.

 
 
 

(Un)Crowded courses.

Post by Robert Trembl » Sat, 08 Oct 1994 10:49:08

At my club, the standard is 4:00 hours.
--
Bob Tremblay                   |  'The secret of shooting low
Ottawa, Ontario                |   scores is the ability to turn
My ideas are my own            |   three shots into two'.
Happily retired, thank you.    |            ...  Bobby Jones

 
 
 

(Un)Crowded courses.

Post by Carl Gundlac » Sun, 09 Oct 1994 01:53:00


an informal survey of how things are in various parts of the country.  Why
not take a minute to post a short reply and tell us 1) Where you live, 2)
how long it takes to play 18 holes on a Saturday morning, 3) how long it
takes to play 18 holes on a Monday afternoon and 4) are there any courses
you know of where you can ever play as a single?"

                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For 15 years, up until last year, I lived in Lubbock, in West Texas.  It had
3 Country Clubs (private), 4 municipal courses and two executive courses.
Most of the small towns surrounding Lubbock also had their own courses.
Many were 9-hole, but there were some 18-hole courses as well.

Anyway, my regular partner and I could head out of town on the weekend, walk
on any small town course before 9:00 AM, and play immediately.  We seldom
got paired up with anyone, and usually played 18 in under 3 hours.  After
noon it could take another hour.  This was more true on Sundays in some of
the smaller towns (big post-worship crowds).  There were always singles
playing.

There are great towns out there; Littlefield, Floydada, Post, Sundown,
Lorenzo, and Plainview.  And every one of them has a couple of good ol' boys
in old jeans and gimme' caps that can flat-out 'tater a golf ball ... and
who won't think twice about separating you from your money with a
proposition that starts out with, "... Aw hell, as long as we're gonna' play
together, why don't we go on an' make it a little interestin'..."

The courses aren't always well-maintained manicured tracks, either.  They
are more likely to be flat, dry and have their "rules" posted on a big sign
next to the first tee box:

"No firearms allowed on course"

"No boots or high heels."

"No more than six in a group without prior permission from the club house."

"You may take free relief from the oil derrick on #9"

If you wanted to play one of the muni's in Lubbock, you needed a tee time.
They weren't too hard to get -- but even with an early start, the rounds
could take from 4 1/2 to 5 hours, and you could plan on getting grouped-up
to foursomes.  The traffic eased up in the afternoon (after 2:00 PM).  After
that you could walk on most of them, but you might have to wait 30-45
minutes to tee off.  Playing time didn't change much.  During the week you
could walk up and be finished in 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

I moved to the Dallas area last year.  I got a membership at The Ranch CC
when I built at Stonebridge Ranch, so I don't have much information on the
municipal courses in this area.  Since moving, I haven't played many of
them.

I'd like to, but it just hurts too bad to cough up $30-$50+ over and above
my monthly dues to play another course.  Especially when I can walk my home
course 'free' (I know it's not *really* free, but at least I don't have to
pay more than my dues).

The club allows public play, so there is usually a lot of weekend traffic.
There's not much difference in morning and afternoon on the weekends;
typical rounds are 4 to 4 1/2 hours.  Weekdays play under 3 hours, and have
light traffic.  I've heard guys at work complain about getting a tee time,
but I don't know how true it is.  Anyway, there are a lot of folks on the
list from around here that can probably give you more information.


 
 
 

(Un)Crowded courses.

Post by Walter Duflo » Mon, 10 Oct 1994 12:34:13

Quote:

>I guess I'd like to start an informal survey of how things are in various
>parts of the country. Why not take a minute to post a short reply and tell
>us 1) where you live, 2) how long it takes to play 18 holes on a Saturday
>morning, 3) how long it takes to play 18 holes on a Monday afternoon and
>4) are there any courses you know of where you can ever play as a single?
>Or something like that. I'm probably talking about the not-so-nice courses
>when I ask these questions. I would imagine anywhere there is a really,
>really top-notch course, you'll have to pay more and put up with a bit of
>a crowd. I'd just like to know how universal my experience is as opposed to
>the typical "get a 6AM tee time or it will take 5 hours to play" sort of
>thing that I see people in the news group referring to all the time.

In Southern California (Orange County - between LA and San Diego), the stories
are (for the most part) true.  If you play on a weekend, get up early or it'll
take 5+ hours to get around.  My friend has an LA Muni card (can't remember
exactly what it's called) - one out of every three weekends he gets priority
for a weekend AM tee time.  He says without this card, forget about it.  Even
when he has priority, it has taken him 6 hours to get around at times.

Weekdays are much more tolerable - fortunately I'm able to take advantage of
weekday play occasionally (yes, I have a job, but it's computer consulting so
working in the evening is not a problem :<)  I can either go first off by
myself and play the backside of almost any local course between 6-7 AM and
still get a full day of work in easily.  Or I can go around 5:30 and "play
under the lights" at local executive courses if I want to go after work.  In
both cases, I can usually play by myself or with one other person and play is
usually fairly quick - about 1:15 for the par-31 backside or 1:30 if it's a
little slow.

The courses where you can get right on and play single are not the cream of
the crop.  But since I can only get out once every couple weeks, I'll take
playing quick over quality courses most of the time :<)  Consider yourself
lucky - you have a nice situation for golfing in South Carolina.  Enjoy it.
--
Walt Duflock                            MS-DOS: the world's largest


 
 
 

(Un)Crowded courses.

Post by pcshu.. » Wed, 12 Oct 1994 03:36:13

I live inand work in the San Francisco Bay Area and apparently golf is the most
popular sport here.  Tee times are almost impossible to get on the numerous
courses here and can run to over $40 on weekends.  Saturday play is slow with
marshalls almost non e
xixting to enforce any rules about quick play.  A Saturday round can take over
six hours (5 hrs is considered a sppedy round) Weekdays offers some respite
from the hectic and weekend hackers, but not by much.  I am investigating the
problem and I think lea
gue play is the best soultion with guaranteed tee times and dedicated golfers.
One more observation the higher the green fees the slower the round! is their
any corelation
 
 
 

(Un)Crowded courses.

Post by Mark Hoim » Tue, 11 Oct 1994 21:27:35

IMHO, If I had to pay $40 for a round of golf, I certainly would take
my time on most shots.
 
 
 

(Un)Crowded courses.

Post by Mark Koen » Wed, 12 Oct 1994 05:02:10

: IMHO, If I had to pay $40 for a round of golf, I certainly would take
: my time on most shots.

This is the kind of attitude that leads to 5+ hour rounds.  I am not saying
that Mark is a slow player, but the attitude leads to it.

Here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, if you get off the muni course and onto
a good to great public access course (read: semi-private or top notch public)
you will now pay $50+ for green fee and cart (mostly required) on weekends.
You will also find a large majority of those players can't break 100 if they
played by the Rules.  You will also find that a large majority of those
players have trouble playing in less than 4.5 hours because they think that
a practice swing is required for each shot, they think a putt must be read
fo 15-20 seconds and they think that a shot can pulled out of the bag without
much (or any) practice.

{soapbox on}

Folks, you can play golf in less than 4 hours, you can even score at par
(or better) in the same amount of time.  You can even shoot 100 in less than
4 hours.  I know, I played on many courses all over this planet with a wide
variety of players (and playing abilities).  A round of golf does not need
to take 5+ hours.  If you are bad player, don't go to a course that charges
$40+ and has tight tree-lined fairways with water hazards around the greens
and expect to shoot your same score that you get on your muni course with
no places to lose your ball.  You will only make yourself miserable, you will
*** and moan that golf costs too much and you will***off all the groups
behind you because you are playing slow.

{soapbox off}

There, I feel better.  I has one of those rounds on Friday.  Played a
semi-private course that now costs $60+.  We played with a Mom and her son,
these people don't belong on a golf course.  Trouble is, they are members.
I really want to know someday what thought process went through their minds
to convince them that golf would be an enjoyable hobby to pursue.  They were
an absolute comedy team, trouble is, I coul not figure out which one was the
"straight man".

:-)

Good Putting!
Mark
--
Mark Koenig, Ports-R-Us, Technical Marketing, Convex Computer Corp.

 
 
 

(Un)Crowded courses.

Post by Warren Montgome » Wed, 12 Oct 1994 22:04:18

Here in north central Illinois (70 miles west of Chicago), I play
on a variety of public courses.  Greens fees for the ordinary ones
on weekends range from $15 to $30, with the fee rising as you get
nearer Chicago.  Most do not require carts at any time.  Some make
you play as a foursome Saturday AM, but all but the super-premium
courses will let you play alone weekend afternoons or any time
during the week.  For me, usually playing as a twosome or alone,
anything over 3.5 hours is SLOW.  How fast you play usually depends
on the speed and courtesy of the group in front of you, because
courses usually aren't packed.  Saturday AM is likely to play a
little over 4 hours, other times more like 3 to 3.5, providing slow
groups will let you through.  (The slow play hazard here is usually
outings, so call the course to make sure that you don't wind up
behind one if you want to play fast).

---
Warren Montgomery
iwrmv1!warren

 
 
 

(Un)Crowded courses.

Post by Don M. Kozlows » Fri, 14 Oct 1994 03:26:41



Quote:
>IMHO, If I had to pay $40 for a round of golf, I certainly would take
>my time on most shots.

There have been occasions when extremely slow players on our
course have been required to pick up their balls, and skip a
hole. The marshals will generally let people continue as long as
they let faster groups through with a minimum of delay, but when
the course is extremely busy, that may not always be possible. If
I was paying $40 I'd be more concerned that I get to play all 18.
--
Don Kozlowski                           Phone: (403) 220-5156
University Computing Services           Fax:   (403) 282-9199
The University of Calgary
 
 
 

(Un)Crowded courses.

Post by Robert Rau » Sat, 15 Oct 1994 07:32:54

Quote:
>Indianapolis, IN:
>Sat AM - probably 4.5 to 5 hours
>Any PM - probably 3.5 to 4.5 hours, depending on course
>There's not much problem with getting on as a single, but you'll most
>likely be paired up.  I've only played two rounds as a single in 4 years.
>Most of the city courses have leagues in the afternoons, so it can be
>tough to get on.  I don't have the luxury of having a non-city course
>nearby where chances of squeezing in 9 holes after work are better,
>although I know of several in the Indy area where it would be no problem,
>even as a single.
>--
>John W. Griffin       |    Associate Engineer    |   Allison Engine Company


Ahhh,
I see some one else here from Indy!  I agree the city courses are slow.  Eagle
Creek (18 holer) is a great couse but too crowded and too slow.  I only play
it about twice a summer.  I think 5-6 hours there is to be expected anytime
you go.
I joined a course in hopes of being able to play faster.  I belong to***
Tree and play there as a single most of the time.   I can get around in 2.5
hrs, of course I go through a lot of groups.  I have to play with others on
crowed times, Fri Sat and Sun, then it is a 5 hour round.  They are very good
there about keeping people moving most of the time.  I also play a lot at Golf
Club of Indianaplolis and find that I can play fast there also.  Slow on week
ends, espcially after 1pm.  I have found in Indy that usually the more you pay
the faster you can play.

Cindy

 
 
 

(Un)Crowded courses.

Post by Dave Tutelm » Mon, 17 Oct 1994 08:48:20

I live in Monmouth County at the New Jersey shore (Springs*** country,
just thought I'd mention that).

Within a 20-minute drive of my house is a state course, three good county
courses, three clubs open to the public on a non-priority basis, and two
for-profit non-club courses.  The weekday prices range from $12 for the
state course and $15-$17 for the county courses to $18-$30 for the private
courses (profit and clubs).  The prices are only randomly related to
either the quality or condition of the course.  (Spring Meadow [state]
and the less expensive two of the county courses were in the best shape
of any of them this month.)

Difficulty of getting a tee time varies:
 - Computer reservation system for the county courses helps a little, but
   the demand far outstrips the supply.  The system opens for reservations
   at 8PM one week before the day; if you haven't gotten through and gotten
   your time by 8:20, you won't get a time that will allow 18 holes.  The
   good news is that walk-on singles generally get put into a foursome
   without too much waiting.
 - The state course requires in-person reservations on the day you play. I'm
   a morning person, so it doesn't bother me to be there at 6AM to get my
   group an afternoon tee time.  (6AM can usually get you a 9AM or 10AM time;
   be there extra-early for earlier tee times.)  Again, walk-on singles go
   quickly, but not alone.
 - The clubs allow phone-in non-computer reservations, but on shorter notice
   than for their members (say, 3 days vs 7 days; still not bad).
 - The "public privates", you show up and wait to play; no reservations.

With a few exceptions (e.g.- rain or predicted rain), ALL the courses are
sufficiently crowded to guarantee a round that lasts over 4 hours.  4:15
to 4:30 is typcial, but I haven't taken a full 5 hours all year.  The
county and state courses are generally good about sticking to their
scheduled tee times.  Jumping Brook (the best course among the clubs) is
really poor about (1) teeing you off at the scheduled time and (2) over-
crowding the course so the round takes forever.  The last two over-5-hour
rounds I played were last year at Jumping Brook.

I know I didn't say anything about the weekend.  I seldom play on the
weekend.  I have enough years with the company and a good-enough
relationship with my boss that I take a good bit of my large amounts of
vacation in half-day (afternoon) chunks.  When I get a last-minute
request to play on the weekend, I can always get a reservation at the
state course or go wait in line at a public private.  But the round WILL
last close to 5 hours.

There are also two 9-hole par-3 courses (100-200 yards per hole) and a
pitch-and-putt (30-70 yards per hole).  Not real golf, but OK for family
fun and short game or iron practice.

Dave

 
 
 

(Un)Crowded courses.

Post by KEVE » Tue, 18 Oct 1994 06:27:02


Quote:
Tutelman) writes:

Here in Minnesota tee times very hard to get.  We have many city or county
course all with different rules for getting a tee-time.  Mid-week is also
hard to get a tee time.  No more deciding to go golfing Wednesday
afternoon on Wednesday morning, you better have a tee-time by Monday at
least.  
A Saturday morning round 7:30 still takes 4 to 4.5 hours.  But if you tee
off at noon you better plan to spend 5 to 7 hours on the course (honey,
where did we put those golf clubs, I know I saw a set around her last
summer).  
The latest wrinkle for getting a tee time is giving a credit card number
when you make your time.  If you reserve a time for four players, you
better show up with four because you are paying for it.