What really makes golfers happy?

[TJBam]

Originally Posted by barbm12thtee

1. All par 5's are reachable in 2.

2. All fairways have a level stance.

3. Fairways are 50 yards wide.

4. No water or lateral hazards or out of bounds.

5. All greens are set up to funnel into the hole.

6. No green side bunkers or all are puttable.

7. The rough is the same as the greens first cut (apron).

This would make me happy!

[PirateJim]

I read that article and sort of shook my head.  Though I think it is a useful exercise for course management to ponder, the fact is that different people will likely have different priorities.

Certainly pace of play is big for me because REALLY slow play could suck the joy out of discovering the after 2:00pm $50 greens fees at Pebble Beach.  Likewise, and this is just me, but if the people in the pro shop/club house aren't nice I may never find out what the course is like.  The course I play regularly isn't all that great, so far as condition, but the price is right and pace of play isn't usually bad, the design is pretty good and the people are nice.  That's a good combo.  Good food is nice, of course, but not really big for me in evaluating a golf course.

Some of the other stuff seems silly.  Weather?  I would think of likely weather when planning a trip, but I won't be mad at the golf course management if it rains.  The quality of the practice range sorta counts since I'm a range rat, but again, not the golf course.  I would care about the quality of the locker room if I was considering joining a club, but for a visit, not really a consideration.  Same for merchandise in the pro shop, not a big deal unless I forgot to bring a shirt or they didn't sell balls.  And quality of carts?  Please... if it will get me around without wondering if it'll make it or dumping my sticks along the way I'm pretty easy to please.

Bottom line (for me), I don't think pace of play deserves to be at the bottom of that list.  I don't know that Mr. Adler has any sort of agenda, but it seems funny that an article like this comes out just as the USGA begins a pace of play campaign.  I can, nonetheless, assure you that a nice cart, pristine locker room, immaculate course conditions, a super driving range and the promise of a decent lunch if we ever get the round done followed by a nice shopping experience in the pro shop won't offset the frustration of a 5+ hour round of golf.

[rkim291968]

Cost of green fee

< Distance from home >

Score

Course condition

< Course view >

Course design

Food & beverage

Weather

Pace of play

Service of staff

Practice facility

[Hardballs]

I call BS. Pace of play is my number one metric and it isn't close. Of all the least enjoyable rounds of golf I have played (and there aren't many), slow pace of play has been a contributing - if not the primary - factor.

Amen to this

[Fourputt]

I wonder if the differing ranking in pace of play isn't also partly because when playing on a vacation, we play on courses which for the most part don't pack the players on as densely.  I know that most of the nicer courses I play when I'm away from home use a 10-12 minute interval on the tee sheet as opposed to 9 minutes and less for most "home" courses.  As a result of the lighter load, pace is usually better so it doesn't raise as much concern as it might on a busier home course.  Then too, if you are like me you are playing more weekday golf when you are on vacation, so courses are naturally less crowded.  Just some thoughts anyway.

[Bananarama]

What makes golfers happy is performing better than their own expectations.  if you score low on the course nothing else really seems to matter

[wils5150]

The pace of play thing cracks me up. I am a ASuperintendent at a public course and ya we have had a few 6 hour rounds on the weekends which does stink no doubt about it. And the number 1 reason is the greens are to fast. Everybody wants fast greens but most people cant handle them. 3 and 4 putt greens is one of the big factors of slow play in my opinion.

[tomvk77]

some famous golfer said. Happiness is a long walk with a putter in hand.

Well for a single shot that is true.

My  experience is:

Just put together a good round off golf.

My best round and the round i enjoyed most, is a matchplay round that i actually lost.

It was in club championships think 5 years ago.

I had to play against Jurrian van der Vaart ( now a pro on the US egolf pro tour )

Actually this was his last year as an amateur, and used our club championship as

practice for qualifying school for a European tour ticket.

So basically i knew i would loose before i hit a single shot.

The match ended after the 16th where he made birdie number 6.

It was my greatest round ever. made 4 birdies and an eagle.

messed up 3 holes by risk taking.

[Mulligan Jeff]

Happiness is walking to the green knowing you have the shortest putt in your foresome.

[David in FL]

Originally Posted by Mulligan Jeff

Happiness is walking to the green knowing you have the shortest putt in your foresome.

Unless the rest of them are lying 2, and you just chipped up for your 4th.....

[Mulligan Jeff]

Not what I was thinking lol

[kw purp]

Originally Posted by Bananarama

What makes golfers happy is performing better than their own expectations.  if you score low on the course nothing else really seems to matter

Exactly. You show up and its pouring and the course is water logged and muddy, the people are jerks and it's slow play but your two under after 9 holes you are happy

[nevets88]

Pace of play on vacation I would think might be more important if you're trying for two rounds in a day. And shorter rounds give you more time to spend with your family, hit the beach, enjoy the nightlife, relax. I still think POP is important not on your home course. Who wants to hurry up and wait on vacation?

Merchandise shop? I don't care, but I can see people who want a memento.

Cart condition? I walk. Make me take a cart? That sucks.

For me:

Condition & Pace of play tied for 1st

Green Fees

Practice facilities

[wils5150]

I agree with bananarama. good score = good course bad score = goat farm for some people

[whatwoodtigerdo]

I bet everybody that complains about pace of play are the guys who play as a foursome and are constantly pushing the foursome in front of them and acting pissed off only to complete a weekend round in a little over 4 hours. I am not a slow golfer by any means, not even close, but I pay good money to come out and enjoy golf not play as fast as I possibly can. You want to play a foursome round in 3 hours go to the driving range and imagine you are playing golf don't ruin my experience.

[rehmwa]

The big stuff - that's under the control of the courses

1 - course conditions

2 - course conditions

3 - design

4 - course conditions

I want to play on a well maintained course with good turf and greens that aren't beat up and full of unrepaired ball marks.  Clean and raked sand, under a million divots.

I want to play interesting holes with different looks and challenges throughout a round.

and the minor but important stuff - a bit less objective, but some level of control is possible by management

5 - one that is not crowded or overbooked - pace can be fast or slow, I don't care, I just like it to keep moving steadily.  I don't want to stand around waiting, but I don't want to feel rushed by anyone.

6 - the other players on the whole course are decent and friendly types.  nothing takes away fun more than groups and individuals that act like they own the place.  Pushing or going slow, etc etc.  Aren't respectful to each other and other groups.  It's a social activity and good people make or break it.

My best round lately was on a course new to me.  I was able to walk right on without a reservation by joining a small group.  The layout was fun and each hole was unique.  It was in very good condition.  I played with two strangers starting on the first tee and we all enjoyed each other's company, had a cooler of beers, and played compatibly.  It was slow at times, but it didn't matter.  when we'd catch the group in front of us, or the group behind would catch us, we'd all tell stories and laugh together until it was out turn - at the turn, whoever was causing the log jamb must have left as the pace cleaned up and we only caught those groups maybe one more time.  I scored great.  (one problem.....no drink cart).  Facilities were clean, the staff was friendly, the carts operated well.

[Dave2512]

Originally Posted by whatwoodtigerdo

I bet everybody that complains about pace of play are the guys who play as a foursome and are constantly pushing the foursome in front of them and acting pissed off only to complete a weekend round in a little over 4 hours. I am not a slow golfer by any means, not even close, but I pay good money to come out and enjoy golf not play as fast as I possibly can. You want to play a foursome round in 3 hours go to the driving range and imagine you are playing golf don't ruin my experience.

That's not it. Obviously what defines slow play is different depending on who you ask. A few here have mentioned taking a few extra minutes to enjoy the surroundings and slapping friends on the back over beer. For me that's an everyday golf occurrence. Slow play is agonizing while a group or two ahead spends more time in the weeds surrounding the course looking for errant shots than golfing and not taking measures to correct it. That same group is usually guilty of other problems, like waiting for greens to clear on par 5's when they haven't hit a straight shot over 175 all day. Then after taking 5-6 shots plus drops to get there they line up putts like there's millions on the line on the way to shooting 90 plus. After 3-4 holes of that it creates a backup that's impossible to play through. The result isn't sitting around on tees and fairways but having to rush at inopportune times. Specifically around the greens in an effort to stay as far ahead of the group behind as possible out of courtesy. It's less about the actual time than the turmoil it creates. I wouldn't care if I had two weeks of vacation time to kill, that's not golf.

[nevets88]

Originally Posted by whatwoodtigerdo

I bet everybody that complains about pace of play are the guys who play as a foursome and are constantly pushing the foursome in front of them and acting pissed off only to complete a weekend round in a little over 4 hours. I am not a slow golfer by any means, not even close, but I pay good money to come out and enjoy golf not play as fast as I possibly can. You want to play a foursome round in 3 hours go to the driving range and imagine you are playing golf don't ruin my experience.

I would guess that many people who complain about slow play live in areas where pace of play on the weekends and even weekdays is 5 hours, minimum, typically 5:30 to 6. For example, in NYC or LA. I would be ecstatic to finish a round on a public NYC courses in a little over 4 hours.

I've been on vacation and played resort vacationer type courses where rounds are 5:30. That's something to justifiably complain about.