Golf Course (Access) Opening times

[SingleFigureHacker]

Should golf courses have Opening & closing times to it's fully paid up members?

Not the Clubhouse as that needs staffing, but the actual course.

Fully respect Green Staff needing to carry out work, but on estates of 100's of acres you would think there would be space for golfers and green staff to co-exist as they do during the middle of the day when the course is in full swing and Green keepers are mowing and carrying out other duties.

Would be interested to get peoples thoughts.

 

[Imurg]

If it's light enough to play...we can play
The course officially opens at 7.45 but play is allowed from first light and I take advantage on every possible occasion.
Greenies have priority and we have an understanding that I'm in their way...normally they let me play and then carry on but I'll wait if necessary.
Started at 5.20 yesterday...best time of the day

 

[Slab]

We have a '1st tee time' that changes by 30 minutes for summer/winter months but other than that players can be on course until just before its too dark to play
GK's have about an hours head start & 10-15 of them will go out each day while its still dark, 3-4 per hole and leapfrogging each other to get each hole ready

Clubhouse, pro shop and practice area all open about half hour before 1st tee time so players can check in, warm up, drinks etc. Practice area has a close time at half hour before dusk

Basically if its daylight course is open

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Apparently, I can book a tee time tomorrow from 06.30 - 19.26, although I suspect no one would stop you after then. Back to the comment above, if it's daylight, it's open

 

[jim8flog]

We only open at 7.30 with no official closing time (have to wary about car being locked in though).

It was brought in many years ago to stop the green staff being interrupted when they were working. A lot of people think the green staff should wait for them rather than the other way round and they continue to have priority until 9.30.

 

[evemccc]

If it's light enough to play...we can play
The course officially opens at 7.45 but play is allowed from first light and I take advantage on every possible occasion.
Greenies have priority and we have an understanding that I'm in their way...normally they let me play and then carry on but I'll wait if necessary.
Started at 5.20 yesterday...best time of the day

Do you find the quality of the greens affected by dew / slower stimping speed than at noon?

 

[IanM]

5.20am? Fishing or golf?

 

[Imurg]

Do you find the quality of the greens affected by dew / slower stimping speed than at noon?

A bit but I'm not scoring so it's not really an issue.
Actually I find it makes me concentrate harder because I've got to judge the speed even more accurately than normal...

 

[SingleFigureHacker]

Love playing Early, 9 holes before work is perfect in the week, and with a young family at home and lots of children's activities its hard to find time on weekends.
£1,000-£1,500+ a year limited access.

The dew does affect the greens, you get the greens changing over the course of that few hours as they dry out. but at that time, i don't think it's about keeping score.

 

[Albo]

We have a first tee time and the greenskeepers get uppity if you go out before then. Last bookable tee time is about half 7 at the moment but many tee off after this and play till it’s dark

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We have booked times starting at 7.00am and strictly speaking you aren't supposed to go out before then. I have often gone out around 6.45 on my own but I'll always wait and let green keepers do whatever they are doing on any given hole

 

[Arthur Wedge]

We open at 7 during the summer , 7:30 at weekends in the winter and 8 during the week

Course closes when it’s dark

 

[Springveldt]

Old club you couldn't book a tee time before 7am.

New club you can book a tee as the sun rises. Looking at the tee sheet someone was out at 5:24am this morning. Lad I played with last night (was a member at the other club with me as well) said that he teed off at 5:48 the other morning, did 18 and was back home by 8:30.

 

[SatchFan]

We can officially book from 06:00 so I tend to book this time but start earlier. This morning I started at 05:15, did a full 18 and was home by 07:40.

 

[rulefan]

Booking available 7.30 Winter, 6.50 Summer until 1 hour before sunset. But can play from daybreak until dark. Must give GKs priority - at all times.

 

[IanM]

7.30 or 8.00 in winter, to give the greenstaff a head start.

Other club, it's first light and off ye go

 

[jim8flog]

I would add if a player goes out late where I play they better make sure they do not leave things in the locker room as that closes well before dark. I know of one guy who had to leave his car in the car park overnight because his keys were in the locker room.

 

[Dando]

Our first tee time in summer is 7am and the last is 90 mins before sunset but it doesn’t stop people going out outside of those times.

Not sure how that would sit with their insurance on the event someone got injured

 

[HeftyHacker]

No restrictions on the course at ours- I've been out a few times at 6am recently and it's my favourite time to play as it's just so peaceful on the estuary without another soul there.

We've no gate either so no worries about cars getting locked in of an evening.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I would add if a player goes out late where I play they better make sure they do not leave things in the locker room as that closes well before dark. I know of one guy who had to leave his car in the car park overnight because his keys were in the locker room.

Had that at Maidenhead. Played in a match (Mizuno pairs) and left all my stuff in a visitors locker. Got back and clubhouse fully locked and no access to wallet, keys etc. Fortunately I'd arranged HID to pick me up but had to come back next day as my work pass was in there. And we lost 7&6