Course set up ?

My biggest dislike is that the greens are suddenly much faster than on any other day of the year.

It is not that I do not like fast greens but how do we get to practice on them if they are only like that for a day?

The pin locations on ours may be in the toughest position for the day but at several times of the year they would have been in those positions anyway so you know what to expect.
 
If my handicap is based on the way the course is set up for medals, that is how it should be set up all the time, if possible. Neither harder, or easier. Then my play should reflect my handicap.
 
I want the course to be at its best all the time. Club champs included, but realistically this isn’t possible.
The course can only peak 2-3 times per year IMO with a build up & a drop off either side. This needs to coincide with a big comp rather than ‘another’ weekend
 
Our green staff will present the course as well as they can, depending on conditions. They greens are usually pretty quick but they don't really do anything untoward to the set up to make it "exclusive" to the lower handicappers. We have some areas of real thick (knee high) rough but these are a fair distance off the correct line. Go in and it's likely a lost ball but given how wide it is it's arguably deserved. As we play both the scratch (club champion) and net competition on the same weekend it's a good but fair test
 
As long as a course is fair and playable it doesn’t matter.

A club must decide if it wants to be a club for handicap members or a challenging scratch layout.

Rutland County is an example of a place who knows it’s customer base and sets up the course to suit.
 
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Bunkermagnet said:
always presented in the best way possible.
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Best for who and what?

The average member, value for money, the elite golfer, visitor experience, playability, challenge? You can’t have all of them and have a legitimate business model unless you have a bottomless pit of money.

Best is too subjective but I am pretty sure I know what you mean by it, as most of us do on here.
 
ScienceBoy said:
Best for who and what?

The average member, value for money, the elite golfer, visitor experience, playability, challenge? You can’t have all of them and have a legitimate business model unless you have a bottomless pit of money.

Best is too subjective but I am pretty sure I know what you mean by it, as most of us do on here.
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For the members.
From those that have been playing matches at home, the over-riding response from members of other clubs has been how well presented and playing our course is.
 
If I thought the ball was going far at my parkland course, Leven Links today was on another planet :whoo:

560 yard par 5, thru the back with a drive and 6 iron. Another hole that had fairway bunkers 265 off the tee, I hit a 4 iron, guess what ? yep, in the fairway bunker :rolleyes: hardly a breathe of wind either...
 
Cabby said:
If I thought the ball was going far at my parkland course, Leven Links today was on another planet :whoo:

560 yard par 5, thru the back with a drive and 6 iron. Another hole that had fairway bunkers 265 off the tee, I hit a 4 iron, guess what ? yep, in the fairway bunker :rolleyes: hardly a breathe of wind either...
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Is the course better than the Old Course?
 
Cabby said:
If I thought the ball was going far at my parkland course, Leven Links today was on another planet :whoo:

560 yard par 5, thru the back with a drive and 6 iron. Another hole that had fairway bunkers 265 off the tee, I hit a 4 iron, guess what ? yep, in the fairway bunker :rolleyes: hardly a breathe of wind either...
Click to expand...

I hope you enjoyed it Gabby and remembered to repair your pitch marks, did you get on the 18th in two or did you lay up. Bet you were either in the Sconnie burn or the bowling club
 
Bunkermagnet said:
For the members.
From those that have been playing matches at home, the over-riding response from members of other clubs has been how well presented and playing our course is.
Click to expand...

We've had similar responses too, especially when we hosted the BBO ex captains a few weeks back and the Jamega tour were very impressed especially with the greens. I've been to a decent number of away clubs in matches and social golf this year and there hasn't been any that have blown me away with their own presentation and set up. Maybe there's a bias in there but at the moment, with the ball running, greens that are still receptive and quick and with patches of punishing rough to keep you on your toes, I'm extremely happy with how our course is set up. They've even put more sand in the bunkers when we were quiet during the Royal Ascot race week
 
Cabby said:
It seems common that folk think a course should be set up in a "particular way" for club championships, but I'm of the opinion any course should be "set up" for the membership not a handful of the better players, what's the general consensus on this ??
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Club Champs are a 'special' comp, so no problem that they are set up differently, which generally means harder. It shouldn't end up like Shinnecock Hills on the Saturday though!

As a relatively short, but straight hitter that loves fast greens, I tend to do well in Club Champs.

Remember that the intention is to find 'the best' golfer in the Club!

PS: I've managed to get a Par from the Sconnie Burn! Don't think I used those shoes again though!
 
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I remember the time when one of our lower handicapped players volunteered to help with the mowing of the fairways, it was quickly noticed that the fairways were being 'moved' to favour a draw.
 
Set up seems to mean different things us to different people!

I see no benefit to anyone in changing the course itself - if you regularily iron the greens then do it the morning if the comp, but don't do it once a year on that day! Cut heights should be the normal ones.

Pin positions are a completely different matter - a move to challenging but fair, taking into account the playing standard on the day is perfectly acceptable.....and frankly, you can use this one factor to account for the rough, fairways, green effectiveness and weather conditions; you simply don't need to try and change them for the day!

Add in the tee options and that's all you need.
 
duncan mackie said:
Set up seems to mean different things us to different people!

I see no benefit to anyone in changing the course itself - if you regularily iron the greens then do it the morning if the comp, but don't do it once a year on that day! Cut heights should be the normal ones.

Pin positions are a completely different matter - a move to challenging but fair, taking into account the playing standard on the day is perfectly acceptable.....and frankly, you can use this one factor to account for the rough, fairways, green effectiveness and weather conditions; you simply don't need to try and change them for the day!

Add in the tee options and that's all you need.
Click to expand...

I have played at clubs where this tack is taken for club champs and they do set it up harder that normal, especially with flag positions, length of rough etc and as a one off I've had no issues, tried my best and not complained when it hasn't gone well. However if they decided to take a decision to make, say every honours board event, a really difficult test in the same way I wouldn't be happy as it's not necessary and to be honest makes it non-inclusive for 90% of the field who will really struggle (even with handicap allowance)
 
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