Time to change perhaps?

[Basher]

Nipped up to my course today in beautiful sunshine. A wee bit cold but very bright and sunny.
Pulled into the club carpark which was very quiet, great stuff me thinks. No need to rush my round.

Just about to haul the clubs from the boot when I glanced up to the main board close to the first tee.

Course Closed!!!

Bloody hell, what for?

Popped into the pro shop to enquire and was told the course was closed due to waterlogging on the course. Next inspection was due Friday morning.

I know we've had a bit of rain over the past few days but jeez, surely not enough to close the course. I understand the course should be protected, and I sympathise with the hard work the greenkeepers do, but bloody hell, we haven't had that much rain.

I jumped back into my car and left seething. I have even gone as far as to considering leaving the club and joining another. My subs are due but I'm not sure if I still want to pay them. What's the point when I can't even play on the course?
The course does suffer from poor drainage on some of the holes but surely not that bad.

Would you say I was being impatient or a bit previous in considering leaving or would my decision be justified?

At the end of the day, I only want to play golf.

 

[Herbie]

I sympathise Basher but its not just the rain thats the problem, its the prospect of re-freezing with higher volumes of water I suspect. Myself, as much as I like to get as much play for my cash as I can, I would rather be a member of a club that takes great care of the course, even if it means closures as I have been a member at clubs that havent taken much care and the courses over time have become rubbish and extremely costly to retrieve the standard.

 

[wackygolfer]

Hi Basher

I know how you feel, but perhaps the best thing to do is to ring around the other clubs in your area and see if they are open. Twenty years ago we would play every day of the year and never dreamt the course would be closed. Having said that my course has really changed in that time and does become waterlogged so much more than before. It drives you mad when you have a free day and it all goes out the window. In desparation today , I ended up at the driving range , first time for 6 months, so I must be getting withdrawal symptoms!
We will just have to move abroad!!

 

[Smiffy]

Myself and a few friends had a game arranged on Sunday at a local course. Unfortunately it rained quite heavily down this way on Saturday night but we didn't think it was enough to close the course. We drove up there but it was shut (should have rung first shouldn't we ). The stupid thing was that the entrance to the course meanders through two or three of the holes and there were only a few small puddles of water on the fairways that I could see with plenty of decent grass left to take relief. Compared to the quagmire that a few of us played on at the end of November (Old Thorns) it was as dry as a bone. Funny how one course can stay open when it is knee deep in water and another one is closed with just a few puddles on it.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I can understand your frustration. If it is being closed on a regular basis it may be worth considering if you are actually getting value for money for your fees. I don't know the course or local area so not sure what options are open but my first step would be to phone around and see who is still open, who has only be closed for the odd day and who is like your course and shut for long periods.

 

[thecraw]

Time to look at the greenkeepers point of view. Give the course a rest and let it drain, let the greenkeepers do their job and hopefully once the rain stops and the course drains then you can enjoy a very good course for the time of year.

However if you are simply looking for an excuse just to move on then go for it!

 

[vig]

Where do you play Basher?
My course was closed yesterday and that is a rarity be the recent conditions have not been great

 

[USER1999]

I fully expect my course to be closed this weekend. Lots of rain, and not in great nick to start with.

The odd thing is, about 5 years ago, it drained really well, but now it doesn't.

 

[viscount17]

Thanks for the heads up, I am planning to play this afternoon but will now call ahead. (This is probably wise as my course is notorius for flooding, nothing they can do about it - the river will run.)

Trouble is at this time of year, with such limited opportunities to play when you are free you want to go NOW

 

[Boabski]

i don't think many courses are missing this bad weather at the momment , if its not the frost its heavy rain

 

[jeffc]

When I call my club they have a pre recorded message telling of the conditions, how many holes open, summer winter greens or even if it's closed.
Great system saves loads of agro. I still go down to use the practise area sometimes even if it's closed. Not the same as playing but gets you out the house and saves some frustration

 

[Cernunnos]

Basher, imagine if they hadn't closed the course & you'd played. Then you'd waded through all sorts of waterlogged fairway & rough. Trying to hack your ball out of every spot, with great cloudds of wet mud flying hither & thither. You'd have probably had a few choice words about the playing conditions.

Anyone turning up to pay & play would probably want their money back if the course was waterlogged if they were allowed out.

No, sometimes its best just to close the course. We might not like it, but sometimes it has to be done.

And then sometimes we turn up & the course is under 6ft of Trent Water & we'd have no argument of it being closed unless we were jaques custau.

 

[Basher]

You are quite correct Cernunnos.

With the benefit of hindsight I agree that I suppose closing the course was the correct thing to do.

Have to admit I was feeling a bit sluffed yesterday as I had a free day and was unable play. I don't get that many days off to be honest and yesterday was a day I had looked forward to as I haven't played for a while.
If the course is closed tomorrow (good chance it will be) I'l probably make do with either the driving range or up to the club to have a thrash on the practis area.

I just want to go out and swing a club.