Trouble Getting Tee Times

[jsgolfer]

4 hours ago, CarlSpackler said:

I am hoping to play Algonkian and Brambleton again some day. I was a newb when we lived there, so I would like to see how they play now that I have more experience. Perhaps when all this COVID-mania dies down.

@DaveP043 and I both live very close to those courses.  I've been in VA for 15 years and have never played either of them.  

[DaveP043]

4 hours ago, CarlSpackler said:

I am hoping to play Algonkian and Brambleton again some day. I was a newb when we lived there, so I would like to see how they play now that I have more experience. Perhaps when all this COVID-mania dies down.

 

19 minutes ago, jsgolfer said:

@DaveP043 and I both live very close to those courses.  I've been in VA for 15 years and have never played either of them.  

I first played at Algonkian in about 1976, shortly after it was turned over to the NOVA Parks by PEPCO (I think it was), which had built it for its employees.  Its pretty straightforward, with plenty of length, tree-lined so accuracy is important.  I actually worked on the design team for Brambleton doing geotechnical explorations.  @jsgolfer may recognize the designer, a civil engineering firm called Gordon Associates.  I think I've only played the course once.  

I took a quick look at the online booking system.  Tee times are available at both courses, although not many for a foursome in the prime time frame of 8 to 11 AM.  The price seems reasonable for this area, in the general $50 range.

[jsgolfer]

4 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

 

I first played at Algonkian in about 1976, shortly after it was turned over to the NOVA Parks by PEPCO (I think it was), which had built it for its employees.  Its pretty straightforward, with plenty of length, tree-lined so accuracy is important.  I actually worked on the design team for Brambleton doing geotechnical explorations.  @jsgolfer may recognize the designer, a civil engineering firm called Gordon Associates.  I think I've only played the course once.  

I took a quick look at the online booking system.  Tee times are available at both courses, although not many for a foursome in the prime time frame of 8 to 11 AM.  The price seems reasonable for this area, in the general $50 range.

I've definitely heard of Gordon Associates, they are doing work for us right now.

@CarlSpackler if you come into town, I'm sure @DaveP043 and I would be interested in hitting the links with you.

Edited June 2, 2020 by jsgolfer

[DaveP043]

Just now, jsgolfer said:

I've definitely heard of Gordon Associates, they are doing work for us right now.

That was a pet project for Hank Gordon, I think around 1990 or so, he apparently always wanted to design a golf course.  Hank was a long time member at Fairfax CC, I think I played a B-Team match against him there.

[iacas]

10 hours ago, Yukari said:

Finally, as of June 1st, many "phone-in-only" courses have opened up online tee time reservation.  But with online, it's prepay whereas if you call, you can pay when you arrive for your tee time.

Seems like somethings are beginning to look somewhat like pre-SARS-Cov-2.

That’s not a COVID-19 restriction or anything though. They just weren’t set up for that, right?

[Club Rat]

There have been a couple of contributions regarding tee times at my club becoming difficult to obtain.
1. Tee times were spaced out to 12 minute intervals.
2. Many members have been out of work, families with kids are out of school and the addition of new members.
3. Tee sheet has been filling up with advanced reservations (2 - weeks in advance)

On a good note, intervals returned to 10 minutes and longer daylight allow for more play.

[Yukari]

13 hours ago, iacas said:

That’s not a COVID-19 restriction or anything though. They just weren’t set up for that, right?

It was COVID-19 restriction.

Prior to COVID-19, they did have online tee time reservation.  During COVID-19, they went to phone in only in order to have the tee time pre-paid at the time of making a tee time reservation.  I think they were not set up to take payment online.

[FlyingAce]

On 5/29/2020 at 9:57 AM, Darkfrog said:

Masks are required, with strong wording for people who don't comply: "Failure to abide by our protocols will cause a player be escorted off the golf course without a refund." But at times I feel like I'm the only one wearing a mask on the course. I wear a mask routinely for work, even in non-pandemic times, so I guess I'm just used to it, to the point where it is second nature.

The pace of play has improved significantly with the tee times more spread out, and no fiddling with the flagstick. A typical round at this course, even teeing off early morning is over 4 hours, but I've finished in less than 4 every time out so far.

Pretty sure there are signs all over my club reminding people to wear masks, especially inside the club house or proshop, but no one is complying, not even the person who runs the show. He does not believe in wearing a mask or social distancing so all the workers aren’t doing it either.  Some players are still congregating in large groups despite the 15-min tee times and when other members brought it up, the response has been “So? This is a private club. They can do whatever they want.”

The range is opened and although they have increased the space between mats, people are still hanging out in groups there...

[Buckeyebowman]

We played Windmill Lakes in NE Ohio today. @iacas is familiar with this course. My buddy called 2 days ago and asked for a tee time around 10AM. He was told the only times they had left in the morning were 8AM and 11:20AM! The place was packed! 

We took the 11:20 time despite a threatening forecast, and the 4 of us made it around in 3:40 to finish as the rumbles of thunder grew ever nearer! And this was with a short break for a brief rain shower that got heavy enough to matter!

[Mr Puddle]

My club in the UK lengthened theirs from 8 minutes to ten, but everyone just tees off when there is space ahead. I have a phone app, and can book a time weeks ahead. No trouble up to now, but haven't played with a single player who can socially distance, honestly, the lot of them are useless

Edited June 6, 2020 by Mr Puddle

[Yukari]

On 6/3/2020 at 9:47 AM, FlyingAce said:

Pretty sure there are signs all over my club reminding people to wear masks, especially inside the club house or proshop, but no one is complying, not even the person who runs the show. He does not believe in wearing a mask or social distancing so all the workers aren’t doing it either.  Some players are still congregating in large groups despite the 15-min tee times and when other members brought it up, the response has been “So? This is a private club. They can do whatever they want.”

The range is opened and although they have increased the space between mats, people are still hanging out in groups there...

This is exactly what I've been saying ever since they opened golf courses.  No social distancing.  There are few who do, but the majority of the people do not.  Especially around the tee boxes and greens.

[iacas]

31 minutes ago, Yukari said:

No social distancing. There are few who do, but the majority of the people do not.

This hasn't been my experience at all. Six feet is not that far, and outdoors… the importance of social distancing is greatly diminished, anyway.

It's still "social distancing" if you pass by a person two or three feet from them. It's not if you stand facing them from two feet away for a few minutes straight.

Heck, riding in a cart with a plexiglass divider is considered "social distancing" by many, many health boards. So, maybe your definition just needs an update.

[Papa Steve 55]

54 minutes ago, Yukari said:

This is exactly what I've been saying ever since they opened golf courses.  No social distancing.  There are few who do, but the majority of the people do not.  Especially around the tee boxes and greens.

The local board of health told the pro to be careful as she would enforce the social distancing and per the govenor had the authority to shut us down. So me and a handful of other members have become rangers for the day, driving around. For the most part people complied. We had a few walkers hitching rides on carts on the hills, some guys pulling flags. Mostly forgetful stuff, not trying to circumvent the rules.

After round parking lot is the biggest issue, folks just want to lie about the round and plan out the next trip.

[Double Mocha Man]

1 minute ago, Papa Steve 55 said:

After round parking lot is the biggest issue, folks just want to lie about the round and plan out the next trip.

Nothing better than the parking lot to lie about your score after a round.  That way nobody in the clubhouse overhears your tall tales and calls you on it.

[Papa Steve 55]

6 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Nothing better than the parking lot to lie about your score after a round.  That way nobody in the clubhouse overhears your tall tales and calls you on it.

Imagine if they posted rounds as good as they say they shot?

[Double Mocha Man]

6 minutes ago, Papa Steve 55 said:

Imagine if they posted rounds as good as they say they shot?

They'd be challenging Tiger's +9.3 GHIN handicap from 2008!

[Mr22putt]

43 minutes ago, Papa Steve 55 said:

Imagine if they posted rounds as good as they say they shot?

There are a ton of vanity cappers posting scores...just sayin.

[Buckeyebowman]

On 6/6/2020 at 2:32 PM, iacas said:

This hasn't been my experience at all. Six feet is not that far, and outdoors… the importance of social distancing is greatly diminished, anyway.

It's still "social distancing" if you pass by a person two or three feet from them. It's not if you stand facing them from two feet away for a few minutes straight.

Heck, riding in a cart with a plexiglass divider is considered "social distancing" by many, many health boards. So, maybe your definition just needs an update.

Same here. Played Firestone Farms 2 weeks ago as a member of a threesome, and I got the cart by myself. I still felt crowded due to the plexiglass divider flapping around in the breeze and tattooing the hell out of my right elbow!