USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
Things golf clubs get so wrong;
Played in a society yesterday at a local course to me. I have played here about 10 times before, and so am quite familiar with the club. The location was chosen as the course drains well, and hence is ideal for a winter day out. In theory.
I will start with one of my pet hates, the visitors car park. Why do I have to park somewhere miles from the club house when I am paying upwards of £50 to play their course? In this instance, the car park is gravelled, but the only way on foot from here to the club house is by road (no pavement, fun in the dark with oncoming traffic, and ankle deep in wet leaves), or via a swamp in front of the first tee, no path, no lights. They do specifically request guest don't park in the main car park.
They only have societies on Thursdays. First tee off time is 9.15. Meet up for bacon rolls (pre-paid for) at 8.15. Only trouble is, the club house doesn't open til half 8 minimum (or the pro shop). I remembered this from last year, but only when I was standing outside it, in the rain, with no shelter, and my car parked flippin miles away.
Chef arrived at 9 o clock. Tee time put back so bacon rolls could be cooked.
Two societies going out, dark at 3.30, first tee time 9.40. Upwards of 70 players to get out. That isn't going to work. Genius.
Arrive at first tee, to see the green keeper moving the yellow tee 90 yards forwards. Apparently, we always do this for societies. Nice. So the championship tees are off, the whites are off, the proper yellows are off, and we are going off the even shorter green tees. Luckily this is only for the first, but still is rubbish. If you have yellows, and they aren't for societies, what is the point of them?
Prior to going off, I had a look at the practice facilities. Nice putting green, nice chipping green, superb driving range. Big notice by the driving range. This range is only for the use of members and guests. Read a bit further down, point 3 on the list, guests may only use this facility in conjunction with a lesson from the pro. What? How stupid is that. An empty driving range, and the only people around are all guests, as it is thursday, society day.
Played the course. Greens stupid slow. 3 putted 5 times.
Never did like the layout. OB on 5 holes, always on the left, never on the right.
5 par 5s, 6 par 3s, one of which is 72 yards. What, in all this space they couldn't fit 18 proper holes?
On the 9th, the bunker to the left of the green is flooded. It has a GUR notice in it. The same bunker was flooded last year, with the same sign in it. Hardly under GUR then. In order for it to be under repair, surely some work needs to be being done to it.
A positive (there weren't many), the halfway hut on the 11th does a really good sausage in a bun.
Finish the round, 18th (a par 3, hate par 3s to finish), green next to mens changing rooms. This is as far from the visitors car park as you can get. Raining hard too. So walk all the way to car, put golf stuff away, walk all the way back to changing room, change, back to car to put changing stuff away, back to club house. Now wet, and covered in mud again. Nearest door to get back in club is by mens changing room. Why is there no door that is unlocked any nearer to the flippin car park.
Because we teed off late, they have to put the food back. Sadly, no one told the kitchens earlier, so now the food is over cooked.
How can they get things so badly wrong.
Shot 11 over with 5 3 stabs and an OB, so played ok, putting excepted.
Played in a society yesterday at a local course to me. I have played here about 10 times before, and so am quite familiar with the club. The location was chosen as the course drains well, and hence is ideal for a winter day out. In theory.
I will start with one of my pet hates, the visitors car park. Why do I have to park somewhere miles from the club house when I am paying upwards of £50 to play their course? In this instance, the car park is gravelled, but the only way on foot from here to the club house is by road (no pavement, fun in the dark with oncoming traffic, and ankle deep in wet leaves), or via a swamp in front of the first tee, no path, no lights. They do specifically request guest don't park in the main car park.
They only have societies on Thursdays. First tee off time is 9.15. Meet up for bacon rolls (pre-paid for) at 8.15. Only trouble is, the club house doesn't open til half 8 minimum (or the pro shop). I remembered this from last year, but only when I was standing outside it, in the rain, with no shelter, and my car parked flippin miles away.
Chef arrived at 9 o clock. Tee time put back so bacon rolls could be cooked.
Two societies going out, dark at 3.30, first tee time 9.40. Upwards of 70 players to get out. That isn't going to work. Genius.
Arrive at first tee, to see the green keeper moving the yellow tee 90 yards forwards. Apparently, we always do this for societies. Nice. So the championship tees are off, the whites are off, the proper yellows are off, and we are going off the even shorter green tees. Luckily this is only for the first, but still is rubbish. If you have yellows, and they aren't for societies, what is the point of them?
Prior to going off, I had a look at the practice facilities. Nice putting green, nice chipping green, superb driving range. Big notice by the driving range. This range is only for the use of members and guests. Read a bit further down, point 3 on the list, guests may only use this facility in conjunction with a lesson from the pro. What? How stupid is that. An empty driving range, and the only people around are all guests, as it is thursday, society day.
Played the course. Greens stupid slow. 3 putted 5 times.
Never did like the layout. OB on 5 holes, always on the left, never on the right.
5 par 5s, 6 par 3s, one of which is 72 yards. What, in all this space they couldn't fit 18 proper holes?
On the 9th, the bunker to the left of the green is flooded. It has a GUR notice in it. The same bunker was flooded last year, with the same sign in it. Hardly under GUR then. In order for it to be under repair, surely some work needs to be being done to it.
A positive (there weren't many), the halfway hut on the 11th does a really good sausage in a bun.
Finish the round, 18th (a par 3, hate par 3s to finish), green next to mens changing rooms. This is as far from the visitors car park as you can get. Raining hard too. So walk all the way to car, put golf stuff away, walk all the way back to changing room, change, back to car to put changing stuff away, back to club house. Now wet, and covered in mud again. Nearest door to get back in club is by mens changing room. Why is there no door that is unlocked any nearer to the flippin car park.
Because we teed off late, they have to put the food back. Sadly, no one told the kitchens earlier, so now the food is over cooked.
How can they get things so badly wrong.
Shot 11 over with 5 3 stabs and an OB, so played ok, putting excepted.
