How many courses allow this?

[ILLZ]

A friend and I went to hit a bucket tonight around 7:00. The pro shop had just closed, but the kid washing off the carts told us after 7:00 you can just walk on for free and play whatever you want. We played the first hole, then turned around and played 16-18. It was awesome. I can't believe I've been playing here 3 days a week for 2 years now and never knew that.

[Shindig]

  ILLZ said:

A friend and I went to hit a bucket tonight around 7:00. The pro shop had just closed, but the kid washing off the carts told us after 7:00 you can just walk on for free and play whatever you want. We played the first hole, then turned around and played 16-18. It was awesome. I can't believe I've been playing here 3 days a week for 2 years now and never knew that.

You *can* play the course at night by climbing the fence, too. Doesn't mean the course approves. I'd check in the pro shop - or maybe call, so your face isn't associated with asking - and ask to see if the shop approves. That way, if they don't, you don't get kicked off the course permanent-like for doing this.

[ILLZ]

When we were about to tee off, the ranger pulled up and told us to be careful on the greens because it had rained all day and they were completely soaked. Good enough for me!

[Finn07]

Not many courses allow this, however there is one about ten minutes away from me, and my buddies have told me after 6:00 pm they just walk right up to the first tee and start playing, they almost get nine in... There is no starter in the shack and no rangers on the course.

[Spectrums]

It's possible at my course, but the manager hates us already from golf season, so we don't push our luck.

[dkm978]

After 7?? That'd give me 2 hours of sunlight to play for free! I could easily get 9 in...

[Soup Fan]

My buddy and I went to go play a course near us in late October many years ago. When we arrived, the course was closed for the season, which is dumb, because October is the best time of the season in Chicago. It's a nice, well kept public course, but it is not fenced in. After chipping and putting on the practice green for about 15 or 20 minutes, we decided to just grab our bags and play. We played the par 4 first. Since there were no cups or flags, we just picked a hole location and putted near. We weren't keeping score really, just felt like playing.

The second hole is an elevated tee, and past the tee is the fairway of the 6th or 7th hole. When we reached the crest of the hill and there were groundskeepers in carts on the fairway doing work, so we had to run - with our bags - all the way back to our cars in the parking lot.

It was a long, long run.

[highschoolgolfer]

I've never heard of this. Sounds like a great way to hone your skills.

[ndredsox]

  dkm978 said:

After 7?? That'd give me 2 hours of sunlight to play for free! I could easily get 9 in...

Or 3 hours the way indy has been lately!!

[Undr Par]

  highschoolgolfer said:

I've never heard of this. Sounds like a great way to hone your skills.

I agree

[LSU_justin]

In high school there was a course that would always be closed on Monday. So everyday after school we would go and get a quick 9 in.

[dkm978]

  ndredsox said:

Or 3 hours the way indy has been lately!!

Very true, sun set at like 920ish yesterday, probably closer to 3 hours until it would be too dark to play (I'm sure I'd push it considering it is free!)

[ILLZ]

I teed off at 7:18 tonight and walked off the 9th green at 8:38. It was dark. If I hadn't kept the ball relatively close to the fairway and green on 9 I would've been screwed. I shot 42 and hit 6 fairways though. Hell yeah!