Golf Talk Tuesdays 2015-2020

[Music Lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HadEnuff the only issue I have with it is that I was always taught to lay your unused club on the stick so you wouldn't walk off without it. That's going to be a problem for me I think.

I do that too and it saves me from leaving clubs behind all the time.

[Huston55]

In Palm Springs for a few days. If would recommend Classic Club & Desert Willow Firecliff if you visit here. Both are great courses. It helps if you know a resident who can get you a good rate but, if you can’t do that, worth the resort rack rate IMO.

[robnplunder]

I like the changed golf rules for 2019. They are more sensible although purist may find the changes unsettling.

[HadEnuff]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robnplunder I like the changed golf rules for 2019. They are more sensible although purist may find the changes unsettling.

I generally like them a lot, especially for the amateur 4some trying to get around my municipal course in under 4 1/2 hours. I suspect that just leaving the pin in, unattended, for longer putts, will save 15-20 minutes per round, if employed.

I'm not crazy about fixing spike marks. There is something sacred about the line of a putt. OK, I guess I'm more of a purist than I would have previously thought. I used to think it was crazy not to be able to fix a spike mark, or a foot drag, until I played in a tournament where it was allowed. It's a thin thin line between tapping down the spike mark and pressing down the line of a putt to influence the break.
Temptation, temptation, temptation....but we all know golfers don't cheat, right?

[JoeWras]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HadEnuff I'm not crazy about fixing spike marks. There is something sacred about the line of a putt. OK, I guess I'm more of a purist than I would have previously thought. I used to think it was crazy not to be able to fix a spike mark, or a foot drag, until I played in a tournament where it was allowed. It's a thin thin line between tapping down the spike mark and pressing down the line of a putt to influence the break. Temptation, temptation, temptation....but we all know golfers don't cheat, right?

To me the changes are a swing back to early purism. I.E. put more trust in the golfer for doing What Is Right.

A lot of these ticky tack things got added through the years because of arguments.

So now we drop from the knee. One could say you can create a fairly good lie. Remember at the extreme dropping back over your shoulder?

Back to basics, back to trust. I like it.

[Music Lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeWras So now we drop from the knee. One could say you can create a fairly good lie. Remember at the extreme dropping back over your shoulder?

I assume that dropping behind your back was an attempt to make it as random as possible.

I don't have a problem with a drop from the knee as most shots bounce a few times with the last bounce fairly low to the ground. A drop from the knee probably recreates the lie more accurately that a drop from 4 or 5 feet up.

[davebarnes]

Golf-Home Owners Find Themselves in a Hole
Lawsuits pile up and fairways fall into disrepair as younger Americans shun golf, leaving behind homeowners who paid a premium for life on the links
https://www.wsj.com/articles/golf-ho...le-11547135191

"More than 200 golf courses closed in 2017 across the country, while only about 15 new ones opened"

[Big_Hitter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by davebarnes Golf-Home Owners Find Themselves in a Hole Lawsuits pile up and fairways fall into disrepair as younger Americans shun golf, leaving behind homeowners who paid a premium for life on the links https://www.wsj.com/articles/golf-ho...le-11547135191 "More than 200 golf courses closed in 2017 across the country, while only about 15 new ones opened"

that's why I joined an equity club

[Music Lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by davebarnes Golf-Home Owners Find Themselves in a Hole Lawsuits pile up and fairways fall into disrepair as younger Americans shun golf, leaving behind homeowners who paid a premium for life on the links https://www.wsj.com/articles/golf-ho...le-11547135191 "More than 200 golf courses closed in 2017 across the country, while only about 15 new ones opened"

15 - 20 years ago it used to be hard to get a tee time without reserving a few days in advance. Now I can get a tee time on most courses the very same day.

I rarely see young people on the course these days...there are few golfers under 30 and the sightings only seem to be at private and semi-private courses where they are likely the offspring of members.

[Big_Hitter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Music Lover I rarely see young people on the course these days...there are few golfers under 30 and the sightings only seem to be at private and semi-private courses where they are likely the offspring of members.

i see kids all the time - the Boise State men's and women's golf teams practice at my club, as do the local high and junior high schools

[JoeWras]

Oh boy, the decline is an interesting subject and I think it is also multi-faceted.

Growing up in a midwest urban area in the 70s for me meant visiting compact public courses, with forgiving fairways. A little hook or slice meant a quick poke from an adjoining fairway. And it was fairly affordable, even if the greens were not top notch, and the sand was practically non-existent. It was still golf. You could easily walk since tee boxes were right next to the last green.

Then the boomers grow up and demand super fancy, even for the public courses. Semi-private courses with homesteads are the new rage. Courses are spread out, sometimes with long walks between holes that demand a cart fee. There's no relief if you go in the rough, it is a lost ball or OB. I think for young golfers, the demand to buy a cart along with courses that are never forgiving is part of the problem.

[pb4uski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by davebarnes Golf-Home Owners Find Themselves in a Hole Lawsuits pile up and fairways fall into disrepair as younger Americans shun golf, leaving behind homeowners who paid a premium for life on the links https://www.wsj.com/articles/golf-ho...le-11547135191 "More than 200 golf courses closed in 2017 across the country, while only about 15 new ones opened"

In the community where my Mom lives there were many people who bought houses on the golf course... not because they golfed (some did), but more because of the nice grounds right in the back yard.... and they paid a small premium for that. One of those courses closed and is now just bush-hogged... better than forest but not what they bargained for.

We have friends who own in a golf community where belonging to the golf club is a deed restriction... aka "bundled golf"... that currently costs at least $2k a year.... if golf continues on its slide it will be interesting to see what that deed restriction does to property values. $2k/4%? Luckily though, the club also has tennis and pickleball, a nice restaurant and nice fitness center facilities too so perhaps the impact won't be so severe.

[zinger1457]

Not a scientific study, just my observation, but I travel to Phoenix/Scottsdale and Palm Springs regularly and golf in both of those areas seem to be doing well. It's definitely harder to get discounted tee times at the nicer golf courses then it use to be. Both of those areas do get a lot of seasonal long term visitors, I get paired with Canadians almost every time I play in Palm Springs.

[JoeWras]

We had one of these courses with homes fail in the local area. The county commissioners voted to buy it for a park. They then reversed their decision and want to sell it. It is a split decision by commissioners all from the same political party, so it is very contentious since "friends" are arguing.

Nearby residents promise heavy litigation. Basically, it is a mess. There's a lot of uncertainty as to how this will end up due to covenants and restrictions that were lifted and may be put back.

I don't live nearby, so it wasn't going to affect me much. But the intriguing thing to me is to try to understand how what is effectively strips of land between houses can make a park. For that matter, it is hard to understand how any of it can be developed in any way.

[zinger1457]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeWras I don't live nearby, so it wasn't going to affect me much. But the intriguing thing to me is to try to understand how what is effectively strips of land between houses can make a park. For that matter, it is hard to understand how any of it can be developed in any way.

I could see many golf course making a great park area if developed properly. The cost to develop it properly and the upkeep would be the problem. The typical golf course is probably over a hundred acres, not sure most areas have the budget to handle that kind of development without a big increase in local property taxes.

[robnplunder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Music Lover 15 - 20 years ago it used to be hard to get a tee time without reserving a few days in advance. Now I can get a tee time on most courses the very same day. I rarely see young people on the course these days...there are few golfers under 30 and the sightings only seem to be at private and semi-private courses where they are likely the offspring of members.

Unfortunately, around where I live, some courses have gone out of business without new ones popping up. There are less people playing golf (or getting into it). Golf needs to evolve into something younger generations can easily get into. 5 hour round at $xyz isn't going to attract younger folks.

[JoeWras]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robnplunder Unfortunately, around where I live, some courses have gone out of business without new ones popping up. There are less people playing golf (or getting into it). Golf needs to evolve into something younger generations can easily get into. 5 hour round at $xyz isn't going to attract younger folks.

What ever happened to par 3 courses? I played a lot of those growing up. Popular in urban areas. They really help your game. Affordable, doesn't take all day, and tunes your short game.

However, young men have this thing that everything has to be "extreme," so par 3 won't cut it. Even 40 years ago, these courses were not popular with young men because you couldn't go out and "crush it."

[pb4uski]

Interestingly, TopGolf is quite popular with young people.

[Midpack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeWras The habit I learned was lay it on the edge of green on a path you will take to your cart or path to next hole. Not as good, but maybe next best thing.

+1. That’s what I do as well.

But I have the added advantage of using head covers on irons, so I always have an empty head cover laying on my cart - an automatic reminder. Not everyones cup of tea I realize.

[Midpack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by davebarnes Golf-Home Owners Find Themselves in a Hole Lawsuits pile up and fairways fall into disrepair as younger Americans shun golf, leaving behind homeowners who paid a premium for life on the links https://www.wsj.com/articles/golf-ho...le-11547135191 "More than 200 golf courses closed in 2017 across the country, while only about 15 new ones opened"

We’re relocating this year, and though I love golf I’ve told DW we are NOT buying in a community where a golf course is any part of the POA package. One of the nicest communities near us now has struggled with a golf course since they broke ground over 20 years ago, constant worry for residents.