skipping around an empty golf course

[clearwaterms]

As a follow up to "play alone" thread. I have a question. My "home" course is a local forest preserve 9 hole course. I play it probably two to 3 times a week, and judge the quality of my game, on the scores that I shoot at it. My question is this... If I playing bymyself and the course is fairly empty, is it okay if I replay holes? For instance, after finishing 8, I am very close to the 7th Tee, could I go back to 7 and play 7 and 8 again? I don't keep score on my practice rounds, often times hitting two balls to try different clubs and shots in different situations.

I wouldn't do this if the course was busy, but I play alot of early bird and twilight golf when the course is fairly empty.

Thank you

[walk18]

why wouldn't it be OK?

[SergioFan23]

If you are a member at the course, I see no problem in playing some of the holes twice. That is what practice rounds are for, practice.

If you are not a member, the course management might look upon that as you taking advantage of them.

[Ed_Bighead]

I don't know if it would be taking advantage - the twilight rate where I play is playing until it gets too dark and you decide to leave. Theoretically, you could play 27 or 36 holes, but you'd run out of sunlight before then...

[clearwaterms]

I don't know if it would be taking advantage - the twilight rate where I play is playing until it gets too dark and you decide to leave. Theoretically, you could play 27 or 36 holes, but you'd run out of sunlight before then...

this isn't a country club that has a membership, it's a public community course.

COuntry clubs around my area are all REDICULOUSLY expensive. Even the local municipal public course gets $1500 a year for a membership.

[Ed_Bighead]

this isn't a country club that has a membership, it's a public community course.

Well, the one I play at is semi-private (I think a membership is like $750), but they're real cool about letting me play. One day it was almost empty and the guy told me that I could "do whatever I wanted".

[woodzie264]

I don't know if it would be taking advantage - the twilight rate where I play is playing until it gets too dark and you decide to leave. Theoretically, you could play 27 or 36 holes, but you'd run out of sunlight before then...

Agreed.

As long as no one is having to wait on you, you're absolutely fine - you're not abusing anything, you're simply getting your money's worth out of a practice round.

[wrx_junki]

The management at a course I play at encourages me to hit as many balls I want as long as I don't slow down the play. Although some other course's management will scold you for doing so.

[mirv]

i have a local 18 hole course that i'm a member of, and it really empties out around 6 or 7 usually in the summer. just about everyone out there is on the back nine, finishing their round, so often times i'll have the front nine almost entirely to myself, and i hit as many balls as i please on whatever holes i please, and so long as i don't cut in front of anyone or hold anyone up, the owner of the course has given me free reign to do as i please.

[wrx_junki]

Yeah, we usually play a slow front 9 and play it again so that we can finish before it gets dark.

[flopdarock]

since you play there alot... maybe you know the proshop staff or the marshalls well enough to ask them if its okay?

[clearwaterms]

since you play there alot... maybe you know the proshop staff or the marshalls well enough to ask them if its okay?

being a 9 hole course they don't have marshalls during the wee hours of the morning or in the evening. In all honesty, the layout of the course and the fact that I walk, they wouldn't know how many holes I played.

[zeg]

In the interest of "doing the right thing," if you're not sure, then ask them. If they say yes, then you're all set. If not, then you avoid them noticing and getting pissed off. If the twilight really is all you can play and the course is empty, I don't think they'd have a problem, but why not ask?

[wrx_junki]

If they say yes, and if no one is around, it's pretty fun to play some holes from different tee boxes. When we play the first hole for the second time during our twilight round, we play it as a par 5 to the second hole green instead of having it play as a par 4 and par 3. Also, we lengthen our 3rd hole by teeing off from the 17th tee box which forces us to carry 230 yards to avoid a water hazard. Makes the courses you play often quite interesting.

[superotto80]

I skip around all the time when no one is there.Where I play there is a one time green fee for an entire day so they encourage you to play as many holes as you want.

[XMScott]

I play a 9 hole course. I play 2 holes that are next to each other twice if i can. They also allow me to play 18 if i want. As long as you are walking and not taking up others people time they dont care.

[Rooster]

I don't see this being an issue at all unless there happens to be some pretty stuck-up staff at the couse...

[ugottabjoshinme]

Are you paying for 9 holes or paying a "twilight" fee that is good until dark? If paying greens fee for 9 holes only, you are technically stealing from the course.