Am I being unreasonable or unrealistic ?

[User 105]

I left my first club due to pace of play during the week after work. It went from getting 18 holes in easy after work to lucky if I got 9 in. Usually weekends were Ok. Occasional slow one, but mostly fine.

I joined another club just over 2 years ago. Pace of play during the weeks is mostly good, course seems quiet late afternoons most of the time. Weekends are an absolute nightmare. Usually takes close to 5h to get 18 in on Sunday morning, can be worse when there's a medal. every 2-3 weeks well end up just playing 9 as it's so slow.

I've had a word with the club and the response I get is "Well it gets busy at the weekends". So they don't seem to be interested in doing anything about it.

I'm now thinking about moving again, but not sure it's going to be any better anywhere else. Even thinking about joining two clubs, one where ot's ok at the weekend and stay at my current club to play during the week.

Thing is I don't have 6+ hours, taking in travel to\from, drink afterwards etc, to spend every time I want to play 18 holes.

So am I just being unrealistic or unreasonable in my expectations ?

 

[JakeWS]

At ours we can usually squeeze 18 in about 3 1/2-4 hours, as a 2 balls, not rushing, spending a bit of time looking for lost balls etc, however we are a pretty quiet club, try having a look round and ask about membership numbers, think we are capped around 300, yet the course is still in great nick.

 

[Three]

Not unreasonable, but maybe unrealistic at a place with a lot of members.

Maybe the most likely solution is a more expensive club with fewer members.

 

[Crazyface]

Sounds like you should be looking elsewhere for a place that suits your requirements.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Not unreasonable at all. 5 hours is completely ridiculous for a round of golf and, if that's the norm, I'd say it's unacceptable for the club to just ignore the issue.

 

[Garush34]

Usually 3 1/2 - 4 hours at my place for a 3 ball, that's with looking for balls etc. Only reason for it taking any longer is letting groups through after a lost ball. 5+ hours seem a long time, I'd move on if it was me, I like a game of golf but I'd also like to have time to do other stuff on my weekend.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Can you adjust your time when you start? Early or late, we Tee off first at our place (when possible) and get a 4 Ball round in 3 1/2hrs tee off between 9-12 and you can add an hour to that.

 

[Hobbit]

Without knowing the difficulty of the course you're at its hard to say if its right or wrong.

I've played some top/difficult courses that are around 6800yds long. At the end of a round I was surprised to see I'd took close on 5hrs, and it didn't seem slow.

In simple terms, a 6000 yd, par 69 will take a lot less time than a 6800 yd par 72, especially if its a Hillside or Birkdale where the wind might be a major factor. 800yds + 3 extra shots x 4 people in the 4 ball hitting those 3 extra shots...

 

[pendodave]

I see that you're in Herts.

Do you feel able to name the courses in question?

I play mostly in the afternoons/evenings at Brickenden. Pretty much always millionaire's golf. I used to play at Whitehills on weekend afternoons and there weren't many about either, but I never played there in the mornings.

We had a couple of young lads join us from Essendon recently. They found that there were just too many people trying to get on the courses.

 

[Oddsocks]

Seems like you have specific requirements that both courses just haven't met.

I agree with an above comment. Pay more money for a quieter course. I love the members at our course but the truth is 4 1/2 rounds with 5hr medal/majors is grinding.

It's not slow play by the members, just the rough. HID moans due to the time a round takes, I know if I joined a quieter club I would get to play more due to a quicker pace of play.

 

[User 105]

Can you adjust your time when you start? Early or late, we Tee off first at our place (when possible) and get a 4 Ball round in 3 1/2hrs tee off between 9-12 and you can add an hour to that.

During the week I don't so much have a fixed time. Depends how work goes if I can get out a bit early and go play.

Weekends I'm kinda stuck on Sunday mornings. We have stuff we need to do on Saturday and usually want to do something with the other half on Sunday afternoon. So usually have to tee off by about 8am on Sunday.

It didn't used to be this bad at the weekends when I originally joined. I think the big changes was when they abolished 5 day membership about a year ago and converted loads of 5 days to 7 day. Which then meant all the retired folks that usually only played in the week now play on the weekends as well. Although they are offering 5 day now again but it's restricted and has a waiting list.

The other thing is I need a club reasonable close to where I live\work so i can get there quickish after work to get 9\18 in and then get home at a reasonable time. That probably limits me to maybe 3-4 courses. Two I've been\am a member of. 1 is a muni and not that great. Other is a possibility but I hear it's pretty much the same situation as my current club.

That's why I'm considering 2 clubs. Probably try and go 5 day at my current club for the week and then maybe re-join my first club for the weekend.

I can afford it, but seems a bit OTT.

Also considering just not playing at the weekends at all. Which pretty much means no golf during the winter.

 

[Hosel Fade]

Pace of play is about #3 on my list of concerns when joining somewhere right after: Is the course a complete dump? if no is the membership full of bellends? if no, do competition rounds on a weekend normally take somewhere around 4 hours (not unreasonable at all imo)

Clubs are missing a trick in an increasingly competitive market and should be actively promoting themselves as a quick place to play golf and its not hard to achieve the basics

 

[sawtooth]

I think you have lousy management at the course.

I currently play at a public course and although it is busy at weekends for general play it isn't during competitions.

We get around in 3.5 to 4 hrs and everyone on the club has a healthy attitude to slow play. There are penalties for slow play (if you are over a certain time behind the group finishing ahead) As it turns out this ends up being a deterrent as it is rarely enforced but it's very effective.

Scorecards have a label stuck on with your name, handicap, start time, etc but also there's a space for "end time".

On top of that we have a Marshall that goes around in a buggy to keep things moving, no problems with getting played through as well if needed.

Sounds like your committee are not recognising and doing enough to tackle the problem IMO.

 

[User 105]

There are definitely some things that could be done at our place.

The course probably is one of the tougher in the area, you do need to be straight off the tee. They do tend to keep the rough a reasonable length though. But it's also once of the nicest courses to play in the area as well. Main reason I have stuck with it really.

There's probably 2-3 factors that lead to slow rounds there.

1. Gaps between tee times. We have no tee booking system, you show up, queue up and go out. Which is great when it's quiet, but when it's busy it's like jets taking off at Heathrow. As soon as the group in front is clear, off goes the next, then the next.
2. Amount of folks wanting to play Sat\Sun morning. There's just too many people on the course, especially during medal weekends. And 5-day converted to 7-day memberships. Combine that with 1 and you can see why it goes at a snails pace.
3. And I might be doing folks a bit of a disservice here. But lets just say the age of the average member is quite high, and some of them aren't exactly quick on their feet anymore. Not having a dig, it's just a fact.

Thing is I really like the course, it's a great place to play during the week when there's not so much traffic out there. They also tend to try and keep societies to a minimum and keep them as small groups as well. Which really helps.

 

[DCB]

You could transport that scenario to almost any course near a major city I'd have thought. It's always going to be busy at weekends and in this case sounds as if it's fairly busy during the week. Not sure moving club again would actually give you more of an opportunity to play when you want.

 

[User 105]

You might be right. Hence the unreasonable vs unrealistic. I don't think I'm being unreasonable but maybe unrealistic.

I do fear if I move clubs again it's not going to be any better.

I think my options really are

1. Stick where I am and just put up with it. Play 18 at the weekend when it's possible, if not then just 9.
2. Just don't bother playing at the weekend in the morning. Maybe try and get out late afternoon if I can find time.
3. Play at my current club in the week and join my last club for the weekends. I don't mind paying more if I get to play when i want.

Seriously considering option 3.

 

[duncan mackie]

Without knowing the difficulty of the course you're at its hard to say if its right or wrong.

I've played some top/difficult courses that are around 6800yds long. At the end of a round I was surprised to see I'd took close on 5hrs, and it didn't seem slow.

In simple terms, a 6000 yd, par 69 will take a lot less time than a 6800 yd par 72, especially if its a Hillside or Birkdale where the wind might be a major factor. 800yds + 3 extra shots x 4 people in the 4 ball hitting those 3 extra shots...

This - all courses have a natural speed/time and it's only over this you make adjustments for the normal factors to arrive at a realistic time.

 

[MarkE]

Seriously considering option 3.

If you are considering paying 2 memberships, would'nt it be preferable pooling the 2 and joining a more exclusive club with less members? Presuming there's such a club nearby.

 

[snell]

Can't say I've ever had a 5 hour round of golf at my place...even during peak times. Don't think you're being unrealistic at all!

 

[User 105]

If you are considering paying 2 memberships, would'nt it be preferable pooling the 2 and joining a more exclusive club with less members? Presuming there's such a club nearby.

I would do that but nothing quite close enough for me.