12 Hole Golf Courses

[Patch]

I was reading an old article about golf course closings being a higher number than new courses being built. Something about millennials turning their backs on golf in general. To be honest, I don't know what a millennial is. I think I am pre baby boomer myself.....what ever.

Part of the article went on to report that some golf course builders were contemplating building 12 hole courses instead of 18 holers. The draw being less money to build, less maintenance cost, and quicker, 1.5-2 hour playing times. 

The first 12 hole course was going to be built in Canada some where. They were going to be in the 4500 yard range, with a par of 48, which would include par 3s, 4s, and 5s. 

Has anyone seen any of these 12 hole courses? Anyone played any of them? Would you play a 12 hole course? I am pretty sure I would. 

 

 

[billchao]

12 minutes ago, Patch said:

I was reading an old article about golf course closings being a higher number than new courses being built. Something about millennials turning their backs on golf in general.

You can find articles blaming millenials for the downfall of everything. It's dumb.

Maybe golf courses are closing because golf course development went through a bubble and there are more golf courses than the demand calls for, so the market is balancing itself out. Remember when almonds were the rage and all these celebrities invested in almond farms? Now they make almond milk because they need to figure out how to market and sell the abundance of almonds 😝

Or you know, just blame millenials because it's easy. We're so lazy we won't eat cereal because then we have to wash a bowl. It's not because cereal tastes like cardboard and sugar that big companies have to spend billions of dollars on advertising to convince you to buy or anything.

What were we talking about?

22 minutes ago, Patch said:

Has anyone seen any of these 12 hole courses? Anyone played any of them? Would you play a 12 hole course? I am pretty sure I would. 

Oh yea, 12-hole courses. No, I haven't seen any, but I'd probably play one at least to check it out. I don't feel 18 holes is too long, but sometimes I feel 9 holes is too short, especially when it usually takes me a few holes to get going.

25 minutes ago, Patch said:

quicker, 1.5-2 hour playing times

I'm not buying this bit, though. If you can crawl 18 holes in 5.5-6 hours, there's no way dropping 6 holes reduces the time that much. Even the typical 4.5 hour round (still slow IMO) would end up playing 12 holes in 2.5-3.5 hours or thereabouts. 

[HJJ003]

1 hour ago, Patch said:

Has anyone seen any of these 12 hole courses? Anyone played any of them? Would you play a 12 hole course? I am pretty sure I would. 

The preserve at Bandon is 13 holes right? I bet that would be fun to play. Have not played a 12 holer before, but  I would play one. It’s hard to find a course I wouldn’t play if the money and timing was right. 

[fishgolf]

I haven't heard about 12 hole courses.  It's an interesting topic though and raises the question why 18 holes became the baseline design (sounds like St. Andrews was the genesis?) It would seem that the primary reason for a 12 hole course would be smaller footprint and lower operating costs.  Shorter play time would not seem to be a key factor since just playing 9 holes at most all courses is an option.

A few courses I've played offer a 27 hole design; full length 18 and 9 hole.  The 9 hole had two tee boxes having different angles.  We often played the 18, ate lunch, then played 9+. 

[Vinny Cap]

Never seen or heard of a 12 hole course but like others have said, probably to lower costs.

I would try it if it was a decent track but do foresee it taking as long as 9 or 18 holes prorated to 12.  Might even be longer as you might have the people who slow down the 18 hole courses migrating there... this could benefit us golfers who play ready golf and could now play 18 in 3 hrs and get us home to do other stuff!

I am not a fan of playing 9 as I need 18!  Sometimes I want to play another 18!  Never played 36 in one day... might be too much but I guess I will never know unless i try it.  Almost tried it in Myrtle Beach but passed as we wanted to get back to the hotel and hit the beach!

[p1n9183]

12 holes it´s just not enough. I usually play 27 holes each day on weekends.

Instead building a 12hole course, you can build an 18th hole course divided in 3 sectors of 6 holes.
With that you can play just a fast 6 holes round in less than 2 hours. Ideal for the weak after work.
A 12 hole round for people that just cant play 18th holes anymore, because of injuries or age.
And keeping the posibility to play a normal 18 holes round for the rest of the players. 
 

[MrGolfguy67]

I think the idea of a 12 hole course is intriguing. It could be built with 4 each par 3's, 4's, and 5's. Or they could go with 8 par 4's, and 2 each par 3's and 5's. So many possibilities. I know if there was one in my area i would likely play it frequently.

[rehmwa]

probably not.  I suspect that overall operating costs would force the price to more than 2/3 of a regular full round (but I guess we'd see if it happens one way or the other).  No upside for the players, just the business.  I want more value per buck, not less.

My cartoon bubble thinks of things like buying ice cream  "Hey, this brand is 50 cents cheaper"  then you get home and find out the package is 4 ounces smaller....

[Patch]

20 hours ago, HJJ003 said:

The preserve at Bandon is 13 holes right? I bet that would be fun to play. Have not played a 12 holer before, but  I would play one. It’s hard to find a course I wouldn’t play if the money and timing was right. 

The Preserve is a par 3 course. I played it, and others in Bandon earlier this year. Nice par 3. 

[HJJ003]

2 hours ago, Patch said:

The Preserve is a par 3 course. I played it, and others in Bandon earlier this year. Nice par 3. 

Ah yes good point, not quite the same idea. IMO the Bandon course is a better idea though. Hope you enjoyed Bandon that’s a dream trip! 

[billchao]

Here's something I didn't see mentioned: how do you post a 12-hole round for handicapping purposes?

[HJJ003]

16 minutes ago, billchao said:

Here's something I didn't see mentioned: how do you post a 12-hole round for handicapping purposes?

Good question! Don’t you need 13 played for 18 holes? 

Edited May 11, 2018 by HJJ003

[billchao]

2 minutes ago, HJJ003 said:

Good question! Don’t you need 13 played for 18 holes? 

Yes, and two 9-hole rounds get combined as an 18-hole score. What do you do with 12 holes? Would you split the next 12-hole round in half and combine 12 and 6 into 18? Seems a bit odd.

[Patch]

46 minutes ago, billchao said:

Here's something I didn't see mentioned: how do you post a 12-hole round for handicapping purposes?

Perhaps they don't. In my travels I have played on a lot farm pastures, where the land owner turn the property into golf course. Never seen any ratings on those.