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Deleted member 16999
Guest
I don't believe you, the only way I will is if you post the link
The problem with golf ....
- Thread starter Trojan615
- Start date
Canmore
Assistant Pro
Completely right! Think where we were 30 years ago - there was only a choice between the local muni or a private members club. Golf has come a long way - maybe choices and a more mainstream following are the real problem
Sweep
Journeyman Pro
You can't post something like this without the details!
I demand you start the thread again, only this time on this forum!
To refuse to do so would constitute gross unkindness to your fellow forumers.
PJ87
Journeyman Pro
I think the problem with Golf is people...
they say golf is struggling to attract people to take up the game so they come up with new ideas which get people to flock to the game on a temp basis and then the people who are happy with how the game is then find it harder to enjoy
just the way the world works now
for example how many courses now offer footgolf on a sunday afternoon? does wonders for the club sales but those people who enjoyed a quiet and quick round on a sunday afternoon now cant enjoy that anymore (at the same place that is)
this morning was a prime example
went to my driving range.. I used to love sunday mornings , handful of people down the range so could focus on areas of my game in peace. Great for me not good for the range im guessing which is why they installed half the bays with protrace... this sunday was packed... all the protrace bays were taken (no issue im there to practice) so place my bag on one of the other bays (5 to pick from) go to get balls and 5 middle age guys all go down looking for bays.. I come back and they set up either side of me talking away to each other so I decide to move so A. they can talk to each other B. I dont have them talking through my bay.. ended up with 1 bay to pick where they seem to focus on lessons now, 6 bays tapped off for lessons with no lessons being given and a bay on the end (with a post in the way that you cant swing a driver without hitting the post on follow through) fine ill do wedges I thought
60 balls I had, after about 10 I almost thought of going home.. all I could hear was the middle age guys chatting away to each other loudly.
I think headphones will be needed for range sessions in the future... as its my problem not theirs
however that said I cant wait for the novelty effect to wear off so you get a nice steady flow of people and not herds of sheep down there
they say golf is struggling to attract people to take up the game so they come up with new ideas which get people to flock to the game on a temp basis and then the people who are happy with how the game is then find it harder to enjoy
just the way the world works now
for example how many courses now offer footgolf on a sunday afternoon? does wonders for the club sales but those people who enjoyed a quiet and quick round on a sunday afternoon now cant enjoy that anymore (at the same place that is)
this morning was a prime example
went to my driving range.. I used to love sunday mornings , handful of people down the range so could focus on areas of my game in peace. Great for me not good for the range im guessing which is why they installed half the bays with protrace... this sunday was packed... all the protrace bays were taken (no issue im there to practice) so place my bag on one of the other bays (5 to pick from) go to get balls and 5 middle age guys all go down looking for bays.. I come back and they set up either side of me talking away to each other so I decide to move so A. they can talk to each other B. I dont have them talking through my bay.. ended up with 1 bay to pick where they seem to focus on lessons now, 6 bays tapped off for lessons with no lessons being given and a bay on the end (with a post in the way that you cant swing a driver without hitting the post on follow through) fine ill do wedges I thought
60 balls I had, after about 10 I almost thought of going home.. all I could hear was the middle age guys chatting away to each other loudly.
I think headphones will be needed for range sessions in the future... as its my problem not theirs
however that said I cant wait for the novelty effect to wear off so you get a nice steady flow of people and not herds of sheep down there
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
Sadly the range and the course are two separate things. I use the one nearest me for convenience but know when I go it'll be full of kids (not a bad thing and good to see them getting into golf) and teenagers mucking about and generally being a nuisance and so quiet practice is never going to happen. There is one in Ascot that's a little tucked away and so a lot quieter and used by people wanting to work in their game, although there are still kids and parents and kids classes. I use the furthest bays and rarely get anyone coming that far down into the next one. The best range I ever used was in Maidenhead and right out of the way and so was very quiet in terms of teenagers and idiots and used by those wanting to work on their game. Sadly having moved to the other side of town it's now at least 30 minutes away and too far to go
PJ87
Journeyman Pro
in my opinion it has always been the best range in the area. Its a scott cranfield centre however they have branched out into other areas to get more people through the door
you have footgolf (a course thats just for footgolf)
you have crazy golf (18 hole crazy golf)
and now protrace at the range with its simulation feature
Auto loading bays (always useful)
over 350 yards long (so even forum users can drive till their hearts content)
4 main greens , (astro turf) to aim for, at 65 yards , 110 yards, 170 yards and 140 yards.. so useful to have a proper target to aim for
a target at 225 yards (big bullseye to hit and if you land within the other part of the target its about 210 yards etc) something to aim the driver through (ofc to carry! lol)
until protrace you had a steady stream of traffic
cant wait until the novelty wears off and you get the people who want to be there rather than just trying a new thing
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
Sounds ideal although I'm not a fan of footgolf. Where is your range? I know Silvermere has pro tracer which means it gets busy and there's a rush to use these bays (five at ground level and five upstairs). The ones I use don't have this technology and so aside from my local one which has a happy hour (6.00-7.00) there isn't usually a rush. The one with happy hour does become a cattle market and so if you aren't there by 6.15-6.20 then you're unlikely to get a bay and will have to wait
PJ87
Journeyman Pro
It is in Romford , Havering greater london
they have built it up well
tried footgolf once (blooming harder than it looks!)
love the crazy golf but at £9 for 18 holes bit over priced IMO , I dont mind when I get a groupon for £9 for the 2 of us
The protrace bays are indeed packed. it surprised me today that the other end of the range was packed aswell! (must be all the normal golfers like myself who go on a sunday)
there is a part of the range with no auto loaders but recently what they do is leave 1 bay free and the other 7 or so they put a sign saying "reserved for lessons" which is annoying because they only have 4 pros so unless its a class (not that often) its sitting their unused
I like that part of the range sometimes because its normally empty as everyone wants an auto loading bay.
Theirs talk that the next stage of development is to half the number of bays in the quiet end , make them bigger with heating for just lessons which I can see as a good thing having an area just for teaching
have a decent enough short game area but they say its "members only" £239 for a year or comes free when you pay £40 a month for unlimited range balls.. I doubt they police it
has a 9 hole course attached now (par 3) but they expanding it to a full 18 hole course.. members only.. £79 a month I think for the "gold" membership which has everything, unlimited range, use of the course etc
do think its a tad overpriced in that sense
as a day to day range its very good and reasonable price
ive somehow managed to land a months worth of late shifts so 2 times a week on way to work head to the range , before 12 its half price for discount card holders so £4.25 for 120 balls and good to use the 18 hole simulator then
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
We are working hard to make the club more attractive by providing more golf facilities and doing our utmost to integrate new members. We already have excellent and extensive practice grounds but have just recently added a 3 bay cover for wet weather
and have installed an indoor swing studio
https://www.facebook.com/158439667522593/videos/1383850051648209/
And we seem to be succeeding. This Saturday our 10am roll-up had 34 of us. All new members are encouraged to join it - and they have...it is getting unwieldy and we don't quite know what to do. I turned up at 9:45am for the 10:15am draw - and didn't get off until 11:30am.
and have installed an indoor swing studio
https://www.facebook.com/158439667522593/videos/1383850051648209/
And we seem to be succeeding. This Saturday our 10am roll-up had 34 of us. All new members are encouraged to join it - and they have...it is getting unwieldy and we don't quite know what to do. I turned up at 9:45am for the 10:15am draw - and didn't get off until 11:30am.
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londonlewis
Tour Rookie
This makes great reading. Good to see new initiatives are having a really positive impact.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
Cheers - apparently out indoor swing studio uses GC2 and HMT technologies (they don't mean anything to me at the moment - but I will no doubt learn soon enough)
wish we could get something like this for our practice ground, unfortunately it would last about a week before it ended up 20 miles out in the North Sea or in someones garden in Findhorn
SteveW86
Head Pro
Looks like a great set up, remember you mentioned the developments when I was there the other week. A very positive and active club!
