What do you think of executive courses?

[boogielicious]

They're great for beginners and to brush up on your par 3 work.  There was a nice one near work that just closed for an apartment development.  It's too bad.  The local HS teams used it for practice.

[mcanadiens]

My area has two par 3. I cut my teeth on a fairly easy 2800-yarder called Rollandia. It shares a property with The Magic Castle" and offers batting cages and putt-putt along with the driving range. Fantastic place to learn the game. Now that I'm on a bit, I only go when we're trying to break in someone new.

Now, I often play the other executive course, The Falcon. It's over 3700 yards and has eight par-3 holes over 200 yards along with the par 4s on 9 and 18. As far as I'm concerned it's harder than three or four of the regulation courses I play. Being able to get in 18 challenging holes in two hours flat is pretty strong. Often it's my only real option when I'm busy.

[Patch]

I use to play executive courses a lot several years ago. They were fun, and time convenient. I was part of a lot of business meetings on some on those courses, which also made them quite lucrative.  I think there should be more of them available to today's golfer.

[Crim]

I've played a ton of executive courses for monetary reasons. Such a great way to work on the irons, plus a fun little outing for friends IMO. Especially if your friend doesn't play all that often. I wish the greens were a little bit tougher (slope) and faster though. I probably play 75% executive courses and when I get to head to a nice championship course... the main thing I'm missing is the feel around those fast harsh breaking greens.

I always tend to knock my first putt 5-10 feet past the hole on "big boy" courses.

[davechen]

I'm a newbie, as well as a senior, and all I've played on so far are 9 hole/executive courses.

It's a great learning environment.  It's relatively cheap.  No crowds.  No problem playing alone.  No need to reserve a tee time; just walk on.  Doesn't take too long to play 9.  No worries about being embarrassed about how poorly I play or getting sh*t from better golfers or regulars who don't want to put up w/beginners.

This is important because I hit the ball so short that I can actually use my driver/3w the 200-250 yard holes and, since it's uncrowded, I can hit/putt pretty much as many balls as I want until I can make a decent shot and, as long as I can find them, I also have the time to pick up all of my extra balls.

I don't plan to step foot on a regulation course until I can master the executive courses effectively.  When that time comes, I'll probably starting playing just the front or back 9 of full 18 hole courses to get use to the longer distances and then, if things progress well enough, move on to a full 18 hole experience.

Get yourself out on a big boy course! If you can drive the ball 250 yards you're doing better than most.  I'd guess the average drive of all golfers is around 200 yards with half of that being slice.

[Crim]

Get yourself out on a big boy course!   If you can drive the ball 250 yards you're doing better than most.  I'd guess the average drive of all golfers is around 200 yards with half of that being slice.

He didn't say he could drive it 250.

[davechen]

He didn't say he could drive it 250.

Ooops.  Clearly I can't read.

[MrDC]

I see your personal info says NY. I grew up in New York. We had a lit par 3 in Jamestown. Forest Heights. Only course I've played where every hole was par or birdie. What town are you from?

Long Island, a little ways from Jamestown :)

[inthehole]

I've played a couple very nice executive courses in Myrtle beach - they've always been a great warm up on the fly-in day.    I wish we had them in my neck of the woods ....

[NJpatbee]

We have an executive course in out community that I learned on and still play occasionally when I have a short amount of time.  It has 3 par 4s (longest is 400 yards), 1 par 5 (440), and  5 par 3's from 120 to 210 yards.  There is no irrigation of the fairways so it can get scruffy but the greens are watered and play at a decent moderate speed.  Little sand and rough is cut short, but a great place for a quick tune up and their are youngsters that grew up spending half their summer on the course and became outstanding golfers.

[DeadMan]

I essentially learned to play on an executive course, so they have a spot in my heart. I still really do enjoy playing on them now. It's a great tune up of your irons. There's an 18 hole executive course near me that I really enjoy playing because they have par 3s that require me to use every club in my bag.

It's also a way for me to get out with friends who aren't as good and couldn't keep up on a full course. You can take a little more time and relax a little more.

I also really enjoy the occasional par 3 course for the same reasons.

[Strandly]

I think they can be pretty fun and are great for iron practice.  I'd mix in a couple rounds at one every summer even if I was very, very good at the game.

[ghalfaire]

I think they are great places for the beginner to start playing the game and a lot of fun for the old hands too.   I also have played some executive courses that are difficult and a real test of your short game.  I personally would not want to play par 3 courses all the time but I when I do, I enjoy it.

[Spitfisher]

I learned how to play on a 9 hole executive course in upstate NY- its still there 50 years later.