Course closures

Imurg

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We were Carry only Xmas and Boxing days, moving back to normal yesterday.
Back to carry only today and with the amount of rain forecast it may not change until next year.
No chance for me to play until at least Friday but might get a couple in before January.
 

SwingsitlikeHogan

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Course open…however…Be prepared to play from some forward tees as we endeavour to protect your course. If you can carry, please do.

Pouring down…but I have a match to be played by 08.01 and further delay makes it difficult to fit in…so will just have to get on with it.
Didn’t bother…we turned up…looked at the rain pelting down and considered 40mph winds due, and decided the sensible thing to do was play on the 2nd Jan.
 
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Shipley has only closed once this winter.....for a weekend about four weeks ago.
Played this week, and considering how much rain has fallen, it is in remarkable condition. I can't remember when I last had a plugged ball, whereas at my previous club it was a very common occurrence.
It is however (almost) compulsory carry only. In my opinion the Greenkeeper has done a top job to keep the course and especially the greens in such good condition.
 

C7usk

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Getting fed up with course being closed regularly over the winter.. Work during the week so can only play weekends until lighter nights... Its 18 winter greens, forward tees and mostly off mats or a area in front of tees. We don't even play from the fairways... Place ball off the fairways so the potential damage to the actual course is minimal... The inconsistencies in when it's open and closed is ridiculous. When it's closed I tend to walk the dog around it and get a look as it's 5mins away and sometimes you just can't understand why it's closed.. Who decides to close the course at most places? I presume the green keepers?
 

Crazyface

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Shipley has only closed once this winter.....for a weekend about four weeks ago.
Played this week, and considering how much rain has fallen, it is in remarkable condition. I can't remember when I last had a plugged ball, whereas at my previous club it was a very common occurrence.
It is however (almost) compulsory carry only. In my opinion the Greenkeeper has done a top job to keep the course and especially the greens in such good condition.


Cracking course is Shipley.

My place has been almost permanently shut for three weeks. My thinks my move will be on.
 

SwingsitlikeHogan

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Today…Course open holes 3 to 9 12 to 14 and 17 and 18 carry only

Email last week from pro…he’s taken on a stock of relatively inexpensive pencil carry bags…?
 

C7usk

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Today…Course open holes 3 to 9 12 to 14 and 17 and 18 carry only

Email last week from pro…he’s taken on a stock of relatively inexpensive pencil carry bags…?
I like that your course evaluates the condition of the individual holes as opposed to the course in general...at least they are doing everything they can to allow the members to get a game of some sorts. It's more about getting out with your mates and catching up and stuff for me over the winter than anything else.
 

jim8flog

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Who decides to close the course at most places? I presume the green keepers?

Green keepers where I play. One of the troubles I find is that they do a course inspection around 6 in the morning and will not re- evaluate. Our course dries very rapidly and the difference between 6 and 10.30 (when they go in for a tea break) can be substantial. Previous head green keeper did this but new one will not.

It is mainly buggy bans that keeps me off the course despite the fact we have a buggy route for wet conditions.
 

SwingsitlikeHogan

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I like that your course evaluates the condition of the individual holes as opposed to the course in general...at least they are doing everything they can to allow the members to get a game of some sorts. It's more about getting out with your mates and catching up and stuff for me over the winter than anything else.
That’s exactly it. Look at holes that are playable (which is most) and that can be stitched together in a reasonably coherent way.
 

Golfnut1957

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Getting fed up with course being closed regularly over the winter.. Work during the week so can only play weekends until lighter nights... Its 18 winter greens, forward tees and mostly off mats or a area in front of tees. We don't even play from the fairways... Place ball off the fairways so the potential damage to the actual course is minimal... The inconsistencies in when it's open and closed is ridiculous. When it's closed I tend to walk the dog around it and get a look as it's 5mins away and sometimes you just can't understand why it's closed.. Who decides to close the course at most places? I presume the green keepers?
I walked ours this morning with the dog. They threatened to open it, but they couldn't get enough holes open for the scheduled competition, so I guess they decided not to bother.

The course is in good nick and I suspect it is only the odd wet areas on a few of the holes which is proving to be a barrier to opening. The good news is the weather forecast which currently is excellent, and if it proves to be correct I should be out Tuesday. Might even slip a sneaky 9 in tomorrow if the opportunity arises.
 

Mandofred

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Course closed again, not surprised. Supposed to play tomorrow at 10:30.....if there is even a drop of rain tonight (and there is a chance) I will cancel. I don't want to play 9 holes in the muck even if it does open. I'm just not that desperate.

Because of all this rain, I'm going to a tennis evening Monday night for people who are thinking about playing. I used to play a fair bit in my younger days (70's-80's) but I haven't done anything that requires me to move sideways quickly since I retired almost 12 years ago. May end up in the hospital by Tuesday morning.....if anybody can get into a hospital:eek::eek:. I've been out swinging an old putter around like a tennis racket....with the hope that my arm won't fly off trying to hit a serve again. If I live through it, I think I'll change my gym membership to include tennis (4 indoor courts). I've been researching tennis rackets etc the last week.....the tennis world has changed a lot since my last time playing over 20 years ago....and just like golf the prices on everything are zooming up.
 

HeftyHacker

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Ours has been closed all week. It has put some rain down but I've never known it to be closed for more than a day or two consecutively before and judging by the comments from the guys who've been there years, either do they!

The greenkeeper quite bluntly put it when we called him out on WhatsApp and he said we need to get used to it as summers are getting longer and the winters more mild and wet.

Its a strange one our course, it tends to get surface water but stays quite firm and doesn't chew up and get muddy. Normally it takes a day to drain away and you're good to go but we haven't had that recently - Just relentless rain.
 

richbeech

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I joined a new course in December, and even thought it's a parkland course and I used to hear stories about how 'it was no good in the winter', it's been absolutely superb. I can't believe how well it drains for a parkland course. Since I've joined it's been closed twice for 1 day at a time. And when it has been closed, within 2 days after if would be reasonably dry again. You don't need waterproof trousers and you could play in spikeless shoes if you wanted to. There are a couple of places on the course where it's a bit wet and muddy but other than that the fairways are lush and greens rolling great. I'm a very happy golfer right now!
 
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