Woes of the municipal course

[medwayjon]

Reading another post "a question of etiquette" made me thnik back to this.

Myself and a buddy were once stuck behind a little firm of likely lads on the 1st sharing a set of 20y/o clubs who could barely top the ball 30yds and as for putting, I thought a 3-putt was bad let alone a 10.

Unfortunately infront of this motley-crew on subsequent holes was another, and another, and...... you get my jist.

We weren't in any rush but eventually it did get frustrating waiting to start so we jumped ahead to the back 9. We caught up with them again on the 7th.

I suppose everybody has the right to play on a municipal course but surely common sense would see the authority reserve certain tee-time windows for competent golfers.

 

[Golfer2112]

It's a sad fact that many good municipals are spoiled by such behaviour but there's not much that can be done. Years ago I played behind a 5-ball at Silverknowes in Edinburgh, all of whom had taken their polo tops off. There's a time and place for beer bellies and man boobs to be on display but not on the golf course.

In the original poster's situation, you are stuck because the chances are the people in front will have no concept about letting people through and may indeed produce a knife or similar implement if such an idea is suggested to them, however politely.

 

[Teetotal]

There are some muni's you need to stay away from. In my area unless you are up for a 6 hour round don't go near them on a Sat morning. I played one once on holiday and by the end of it the two lots of fourballs in front had merged together and were creating chaos by literally hacking up the course then they cracked open the beers. The fact that they were wearing flip-flops should have been a clue!

 

[GB72]

I have to say that I am generally lucky in that the 2 municiples near me, Thorpe Wood and Orton Meadows are well looked after and generally frequented by knowledgable and considerate golfers. Never been overly held up or experienced the behaviour described. That said, these courses both require a tee time to be booked in advance and there are normally no spaces by the time the weekend comes about and that helps control the crowds. Also insist on one set of clubs per golfer

 

[John_Findlay]

Similar experience at Silverknowes. The last is a par five next to the housing scheme. Many have told me stories of "losing" their balls after splitting the fairway. Wee buggars were running out and piching your ball. They employed a security guard lately because the flags were disappearing at night!

The other municipal courses in Edinburgh are better but the etiquette is usually pretty dodgy from those who have never been on a course before and have probably never been enlightend to the rules by an experienced golfer. On the other hand, if you do ever get let though by these guys, they think you're Tiger Woods.

 

[stevelockie]

I played a municipal course last week, first time for ages. Got out early before the "masses". It was quite funny, as we got into the round, all you could hear from over the previous fairways were plenty shouts of "fore" and "come on big man"!

 

[birdieman]

I seem to recall empty beer cans in the bunkers, balls getting nicked by children 'loitering with intent' and dog walkers wandering at will over the fairways - Happy days!

 

[madandra]

I think the worst muni's are the 9 holers. In Lanarkshire you have the infamous Larkhall (i once left my trolley on the fairway as I went into the trees to get my ball back and came back out to find it on bricks) which is lovely at the mo and Strathclyde Park which I played for 5 years when I started the game. These courses can atract the ASBO clientel because they can afford £3.80 for 9 holes and 2 hours of their lives but at Hollandbush (18 holes) they rarely venture because it is £10 and quite strict.

 

[DCB]

I once had the good fortune to play one of Glasgows finest municipal courses. Can't remember the name, but it was just off the M8 opposite Barlinnie !

We played one Friday afternoon in late october so the course was past its best and being late october the locals took to firing fireworks and rockets at us from the adjacent housing scheme!

First time I've wished for a tin hat rather than a nice cap!

On another course through in that part of the world, Linn Park, after we teed off at the first we watched in total disbelief when the green keeper moved the pin position on the green. Two of our number had already played to the original pin position!

 

[madandra]

Hoganfield ..... Or otherwise known as CASTLE GREYSKULL

 

[DCB]

Hoganfield, thats the place, one of the holes plays down the side of hoggie loch if I remember right.

Ah.... the joys of working in the west!

 

[DCB]

Played Belisle in Ayr a few years back on an Easter Monday. Not a good move. It seemed that one of the local 'Muni' rules was that the group behind could play off the tee once the group in front had played their second shot.

I managed to put up with this until the 18th, which has a bit of a blind spot not too far off the tee. As we dropped into the blind spot I could hear a ball fly over us and watched it land within yards of my own tee shot.

Well as we approached the balls, I'm afraid I must have slipped or lost my footing and in the split second it toook me to regain my balance my foot accidentaly landed on the offending ball and somehow buried is as far into the soft grass as it could possibly go!

Easter Monday is not the day to go and play a fast round on a course like that.

 

[Junior]

Good muni's are neccessary for people who have just picked up some clubs and want to try their hand at the game.

Let me ask you knowledgeable people this . . . Should we be like Germany / Holland whereby you have to take a Golf etiquette test before you are allowed on a course ????

 

[viscount17]

'balls getting nicked by children 'loitering with intent''

I have to confess in the days of youth, long ago and far away . . .

we lived next to Hollingbury (Brighton). My brothers and I had three clubs between us (2 & 7-irons and a putter) - never bought a ball nor paid a round. There were/are a couple of holes with blind drives so if someone was a misery they were liable to be looking in the gorse. Some others though, like the old boy who stopped to show us how to putt, could get an extra 20 - 50 yds!

wish I'd learnt golf then, as it is . . .

 

[GB72]

I like the idea of an etiquette lecture if not a test. Could also bring in certain other annoyances like showing how to repair a pitchmark. Problem is, whilst I can see this being enforceable in a members club or where a handicap certificate must be shows (attending the lecture could be part of securing a first handicap), I cannot see how it can work on a municipal or pay and play course.

 

[viscount17]

It's all very well having a test/lecture but how do you enforce them without policing the course. Would any of us want that?
What next, marshalls on each green and fairway to check that pitch marks and divots are repaired?
You would end up with higher fees to pay their wages to start with.

Print the basics on the score card possibly, but you can't guarantee they would be read anymore than you could guarantee they would be obeyed.

 

[Atticus_Finch]

Best Muni I've played is polkemmet. Just off the M8 at Whitburn very nice.
The worst is Townhead in Coatbridge. Just dreadful. Right in the middle of a housing scheme. I swear they had (instead of flags) branches ripped from trees with a McEwans Export can on the end. Plus the mandatory little scrotes stealing your balls and trying to sell them back to you later on in the round. That was a few years back now and have since heard that you shouldn't leave your clubs unattended for any length of time.
So glad i moved from there (sorry Andra' I know it's your manor, but you must see the scumbags around you.)

 

[madandra]

Atticus, I am in Motherwell and have had the misfortune of playing DUMPellier .... oh ... 20 years ago. I remember being called a toffee nose snob because my tattoo was spelt correctly. Played Polkemmet in May for 1st time in years and loved it. My only criticism is that they have chopped down all the rhododendrons on the 9th and removed the wee bridge. When I was younger we used to empty our bag of balls and hit them all onto the green (120yds par 3). Thats as close as I will get to Augusta.

 

[Atticus_Finch]

Aaahh the 9th at Polkemmet. Still one of my favourite holes in golf. I might have to pop in there one day when I'm passing just to play it.
It was always a little bit spongy round the 1st green and 2nd tee. Have they got the drainage sorted out?
Do they still have the little rail thingy that you put your ball into at the first tee?

Happy days.

 

[cosworth]

anybody play the 12 hole st marys course at pencoed, bridgend?
or am i the only welsh one on here.
nice course but if you go in the trees for your ball its easier to find a 4 pack of carling than your ball.their 18 hole is far better tho plus you fine more pro v1s.