Golfers, A Question
 

You call the course you are a member at practically. You play their every week almost thru the season, you know the staff on a first name basis etc etc.. So anyways you call the course this morning and ask if you can play 18, making sure it was somewhat open. No big deal, the usual. So, the Club Pro mind you says yeah Curt its open and the course is in good shape if your off by noon.

I get out their and all the greens have been aerorated (spell check me) and not too mention they had a College Tourney going off on the BACK 9 when I was making the turn on 9 ready to play 18. He knew this, all of it but never said a word on the phone or when he took my money. I spend close to a grand at this course on a yearly basis. Play close to 25 rounds. Should I write a letter to the Club Pro whom I have known for close to 5 years or should I bite the bullet? Why did he not tell me that the greens have been aerorated? Even more important, why would he send me out on 1 after I payed for 18 knowing that the College cats are teeing off on 10 2 hours from then?

I have been nothing but a good customer to this course and I ask you fellow Golfers how I should handle my frustration.

FYI my frustration is 10 fold because its September in Ohio and the Golf season is almost over..........................................

He was wrong on both counts.

I personally would address it with them. Explain your frustration in person instead of writing a letter. I believe they owe you a free 18 at least. Describing a course as excellent when the greens were aerorated(not sure how to spell) is horrible. Golf is a sport that takes time and your time is worth $, besides the $ you spent. Did you even finish 18? I hate when I tee off at 1 and they put groups off on 10 right as you are making the turn. This is why people spend a little more $ and play better courses. On a side note I played one of the best new courses in the country on Sat and it is Awesome! Check it out

http://www.erinhills.com/

Many times that is done for a reason. It is called using "split tees." It allows the golf course to accomodate more golfers throughout the day (leading to higher revenue). When it is done properly, it works best for everyone involved (golf course and golfers). Unfortunately, all it takes is one slow group to screw things up for everyone.

I used the method quite successfully at the last course I was the head pro at. I had good marshalls though and we never hesitated to move people along if they got to playing slow.

[quote=GPK]Many times that is done for a reason. It is called using "split tees." It allows the golf course to accomodate more golfers throughout the day (leading to higher revenue). When it is done properly, it works best for everyone involved (golf course and golfers). Unfortunately, all it takes is one slow group to screw things up for everyone.

You should never have a group teeing off on 10 around the time you are making the turn at 9. This is ridiculous. If I am at the green on 9, there should not be someone teeing off at 10. I understand split tees, etc, but what most courses do is allow people to play 9 and start on 10. This is fine as long as the pace of play is good, but never seems to be the case. I swear the rangers at most golf courses could be replaced by a wooden post, because they don't do anything.

[quote=wiphan]
Never heard those complaints before... :-)

Not much water. I have played Whistling Straights (PGA Championship 2004) and Erin Hills is almost as nice (at 1/3 the price). They only moved dirt on a few holes and took the natural landscape and made the course. You may see a USGA Major there in the next 10-20 years. The tips play over 8000 and one green is 1800 square feet (2) and one is over 78 yards long. Very hilly. Lots of the area there was formed by glaciers and have caused the hills. There are numerous blind shots, but at times you can be playing and not see another person.

no 1800 square feet. The green is extremely tiny. The hole is short so they made the green extremely small.

ok...that was why I deleted. I read it at first as the green being 1800 sq ft and 78 yards long...but then realized you were referring to two different greens.


Whats the best course you ever played?

We are blessed with a ton of great courses within 1 hr from my home, but I would have to say the best course is The Straits course at Whistling Straits. It is about $350 plus tax and caddie gratuity. So at over $400 to play it is a once every 5 years type of course for me.

http://www.destinationkohler.com/golf/ws/ws_index.html

Yeah...a buddy of mine played in that PGA Championship there a few years ago (and played well if I remember). He raved about the course.

I once carved up Oakland Hills like a cheap roast. :D

Seriously,for $400 don't you think some kind of great feeling physical contact needs to take place?

That's a BIG 10-4 on that thought,good buddy!:D

I don't think the split tees is a big deal at all, but it drives me crazy when you go to a course and don't know the greens have been punched til you get to the first green and it's chinese checkers with a sandbox chaser...pisses me off....

Every course I have ever worked at, I always made sure people knew the greens had been punched. Two of the high end resort courses I was an assistant at, we even gave people a $20 off coupon to return and play when the greens had healed. We secured a ton of repeat business just by respecting the golfers and being honest with them before they even teed off.

We may have lost $20 off the green fee the next time they returned, but having their repeat business meant that most likely they were gonna spend $$$ in the pro shop and restaraunt. Repeat business is never a bad thing at golf courses. The competition from the excess of golf courses nationwide is an ongoing problem for golf course owners. It is really a golfers market right now and has been for a while.

Which is why you need to move up here and be the pro at one of the local high end courses that laughed at me when I complained. Shell out $100 to find out you're putting on sand. Let me know if you need a real estate guide.

Hurt them where it counts Sam. Don't give them anymore of your business. Trust me...enough people do that, they will get the message.