Story changes - waste of time.

[Danny Noonan]

Anyone ever call the course to inquire as to how busy it is, only to show up and its totally different than as represented on the phone?

This happened to me today, a second time it has happened to me, at a particular Southern Nevada course.

Today, I call. I inform the person on the phone that I'm interested in teeing off around 2pm. I ask if it is crowded. He said not at all. I ask if, playing by myself, will I be able to work my way through the course without running into many people. He said that should not be a problem at all, that it was wide open.

So, I get to this course in 10 minutes. Seems his story changed. Now, the story was that the course was quite crowded, I would run into a great deal of people because there are a lot of large groups out there.

WTF?

I tell the guy I just called him 10 minutes ago and he told me something totally different. His attitude was as though he could care less that he wasted my time. What a punk ass I could have wrapped my club around his head I was so mad.

Is business booming at golf courses that they can afford to tick people off in such a way? Is it common for the story to change that quickly? Or, is it common for the guy on the phone to try to lure you to the course, only to tell you the truth when you get there, knowing you are so invested you are likely to play anyway?

Very angry today about it. As I said, its the second time this has happened to me at this particular course.

I'm understanding if things change between the time I call and the time I get there - when I get there an hour or two later. But 10 minutes later for a total change in the situation? Give me a break.

- DN

[Supermanwoot]

I was planning to tee off on course I at 2pm today, told the guys this yesterday. They didn't care but I guess thats to be expected. I get there and Derek Jeter or someone had that crap on lockdown with a tourney. I could hardly find a parking spot. Luckily I was able to tee off on course II but ran into about a million people. I am an absolute speed fiend and my partner would stand over the ball for no less than 5 min each shot, I almost called him out on it but decided not to. I played horrible trying to make quick shots/puts OH WELL.


ANYWAY, this one guy at the course I play is TERRIBLE. He has zero personality and whatever you ask him he gives a one word answer. How are the courses looking today? "good" So can I play on course I "sure" ok, right now? "ok" OK DOUCHE BAG THANKS FOR THE ENTHUSIASM. Its ridiculous, if you talked to him you would understand, I am usually super forgiving but I have almost told the pro that they need to fire this guy. Its like you are completely interrupting his life if you ask anything or even initiate a conversation.

[Lance]

I'm quite surprised they'd tell you that. I played Wednesday,Thursday and today.
All 3 times i scheduled tee times i was told exactly what to expect
in terms of traffic. I remember a month or so ago i called for a time at another
course and was told it was so busy that i may want to try another day even
so there were times available that day.

[O.B. Right]

Anyone ever call the course to inquire as to how busy it is, only to show up and its totally different than as represented on the phone?

I think they just tell you it's wide open so you'll come down. BTW - what Orange County golf course would be wide open on a beautiful Friday afternoon? That should've been your first clue the guy was jerking you around. I might have believed him if he said "not too bad for a Friday" but . .wide open? c'mon . . . .

[Shindig]

I think they just tell you it's wide open so you'll come down. BTW - what Orange County golf course would be wide open on a beautiful Friday afternoon? That should've been your first clue the guy was jerking you around. I might have believed him if he said "not too bad for a Friday" but . .wide open? c'mon . . . .

Danny's in So. Nevada for this story. It's not unreasonable to believe it if someone at what should be a good course tells you... the first time, maybe the second time too.

Of course, this was the second time it happened to him at the course. Hopefully, he will let us know which course so we avoid it too. As for courses wide open on a Friday afternoon in O.C.... I've played 4 hour rounds at Shorecliffs starting just before 1 on Friday afternoons. Once upon a time, I played a few Fridays in a row, 12:50 tee time for $12.50.

[Danny Noonan]

Yes, I'm in Southern Nevada for this story. I prefer not to name the course but it is the premier course in Pahrump, NV, if there is such a thing as a "premier" course in Pahrump, NV.

I've played the course before - worth the time and the money - beautifully cared for, beautiful mountains in the area, etc.

I have a house out here for firearms pursuits I'm involved in, and sometimes I skip a day of that to hit the course.

And yes, this course, being an hour from Vegas, it is believable that on a Friday after 2pm it is "wide open". My house is in the golf course community, which is why I was able to be there 10 minutes after my call.

I found out tonight that a new resident across the street is a pro at this course, so I'll probably introduce myself when I get a chance, and discuss the two disappointments I've had.

I just don't know why I've not been given a straight answer. I ask a lot of questions so I don't waste my time, or their time, whenever I play, wherever I play.

If I'm playing on a weekday at a random time, I oftentimes try to play alone so I can work on my game without the pressures of playing with others. If I get paired up, no sweat. But like today, I just wanted to cruise through however many holes I could play and if it was busy, I just stay home and take a nap (which I ended up doing).

I guess the main thrust of my thread was, do others find they hear the same thing prior to arriving, and then get the same routine when they get to the course. I imagine it would be common to get the player to the course, and by that time, they are so invested in playing they quickly get over the fib they were told to get them to the course. I don't get over the fib. As I said, I'm cool about things and I'm reasonable about how things may change rather quickly if three our four walk-on groups show up at a certain time. But for dramatic changes to occur in a mere 10 minutes - come on.

Also, I would not say avoid this course. I've played it only once, but got paired up with locals who were VERY nice and enjoyable to play with. I've eaten in the clubhouse a bunch and the locals are VERY nice. Its been at the counter in the pro shop where I've just felt mislead and unappreciated. But at $25 for a round after 2pm with a cart, hey, that is a bargain.

- DN

[Baglgolfer]

I think what you experienced was the guy was trying to get you there knowing that that once you showed up, you would play no matter what. My question to you is.....Did you end up playing after all?

[Danny Noonan]

I think what you experienced was the guy was trying to get you there knowing that that once you showed up, you would play no matter what. My question to you is.....Did you end up playing after all?

Nah, as I said, I ended up coming back to the house and took a nap. Part of the story at the pro shop (that I previously left out) is that "the carts are getting old and the cart might die" in the middle of the round. If so, you have to wait for a a range master to come around before anyone will know you are stuck. They will then trade carts and deal with it. The carts here do not have communications and gps so the pro shop does not know if you broke down. I told them that between the crowded course fib and the carts failing, it wasn't worth the trouble. I left in disgust, honestly.

In the future, I'm just going to ask for greater detail, even if it comes across as douchey, in the hopes that I don't waste mine, or their, time.

[PhilsRHman]

As someone who plays most of my golf as a single, I'm always overly explicit when calling around. If I'm in the mood to be paired up, that's fine, but on a rainy day or a day I expect to zip around, I'll ask how crowded it is if I want to come as a single. If they say, "we'll get you out" or "it's not bad, we'll get you out whenever you get here" I always follow with, "OK, but just to be sure, am I going to run into a bunch of 4somes, because nothing's worse than being a single surrounded by 4s" and then they often realize I'm not just concerned with the first tee, but the entire course. At that point they'll either offer to pair me up, or be honest and say it's crowded. I've had several times where what they consider "not busy" might mean 4 groups in an hour, instead of the normal 8. To them it's quiet, but as a single, that's still going to be a miserably slow round.

But that's not to let them off the hook, especially if they have done it twice. Sounds like it's convenient enough that you can leave if it's bad, but I would not hesitate to bitch and tell the pro that you had the foresight to call, and would appreciate an honest answer in return.