Changing Golf Clubs....

[fozcycle]

I have been running a Saturday Game for 5 years at a local golf club.  For the past year we have played on fairways with bare spots.....many of them, caused last byear by excess rain in Sept '12.  As a result, we adopted a local rule to lift and place if your ball is in a fairway bare spot.

 

Course mgt has not seen to repair these areas.  Some greens are hard while others are soaking wet from their inability to control and monitor their irrigation system.

 

There is no consistency.

 

There is another course just about 10 minutes away that has offered to take out game on a weekly basis and for the same cost.

 

Last year, we put 2,000 rounds of golf on the course.  At $30/round, that's approx. $60,000 per year in golf revenue....not to mention the Pub revenue...Saturday breakfast, then lunch and many pitchers of beer.  The loss of revenue from 30 - 40 golfers every week is a large sum.

 

The golf course also owns and manages 2 other courses (about 40 minutes away) and it appears they are funneling most of their time and energies on the other courses.

 

Often, they move the Tee boxes on #1 because they have weddings scheduled for 4 or 5 PM on Saturdays.  They also schedule other tournaments then sorta kick us to the curb as far as accommodations following the golf rounds.

 

It is difficult to change courses, but it appears that it is going to happen.

 

Any advice out there on how to smooth the transition?

 

 

 

[BIG STU]

Sounds like that the management does not give a hoot about you guys. Seems like they are into social events like weddings etc than the golf. That is not customer service. My dad ran a public faculity for about 20 years and he would have loved to have you guys. We had regular weekend groups with 30 or so players that played every weekend and he bent over backwards to accomadate them. Every year after the first frost he would do a customer appreciation day for the regulars and cook a big hog with all the fixings free. Also this was back in the day when you could only buy good equipment at a "green grass" shop he would sell equipment at less profit for all his regulars. That course you are playing at does not seem to care period. I would go to one of the local close by courses and talk to the pro or manager and tell them of what your group wants to do. If they have any management skills at all they should welcome you with open arms so to speak. I know if I was in that boat I would be glad to have you guys for steady customers especially in this economy. Just my insight good luck keep us posted

[BK in TEXAS]

Smooth the transition for whom?

[Paul S]

Hmmm, maybe Zinger has some insight. Though, his situation is different. I do, however, know of someone else leaving a longtime home course because of course conditions and it's a shame. I would imagine that your biggest hurdle will be getting everyone else on board. I don't know how competitive your games are, but maybe if there's a clearly defined break in period of a few weeks for everyone first, I can't see why anyone would have too big of a problem.

[fozcycle]

I just got a call tonight from the Golf Director at the course.......He's hearing rumblings of our impending departure.....the prob is, there is nothing they can do regarding the bare spots.  They missed their opportunity to fix them this summer, so the course conditions will be what they are for at least 6 months.

 

He was all gung ho for our group, as we represent about $60k a year in golf revenue, not to mention the $$$'s spent in the Pub.  It will be very hard to replace us if we do depart.

 

When I brought some guys there 5 years ago, they only had about 8 - 10 players in a regular Saturday Game.  We now have between 30-40 each week.  I run a great game, for no benefits...all the money paid in goes back out to the players.  I withold $4/wk from each player and put it in the bank until our semi-annual 2 day tournament.  Then all the paid in money, plus a buy-in of $4/wk for those weeks missed results in a tournament pot of $5k every six months.  All players get a payout, last week as we concluded the Fall Tourney, the player with the worst two day +/- points got $72 back. 

 

I noted today that some of the greens were firm, while others were spongy......Definitely no consistency from one green to the next. Not to mention that some of the Tee boxes have no grass left.

 

It is very frustrating 

[fozcycle]

I played a different course today, about 20 minutes north.......even though we used temporary tees, as they were overseeding the tee boxes, the fairways and greens were superb.

 

I shot an 88  (44/44) with a birdie on a Par 5.

 

My friends who played with me also play on Saturday.  The topic of discussion is how come all the other courses are in great shape and we are playing in less than okay conditions.

[revkev]

Hmmm, maybe Zinger has some insight. Though, his situation is different. I do, however, know of someone else leaving a longtime home course because of course conditions and it's a shame. I would imagine that your biggest hurdle will be getting everyone else on board. I don't know how competitive your games are, but maybe if there's a clearly defined break in period of a few weeks for everyone first, I can't see why anyone would have too big of a problem.

I love my league but have considered leaving it because of the course that we play. We have 110 people and go from April to October. Not everyone plays every week but I'm sure we average 80 rounds a week. The course gives us next to no consideration. But everytime we vote we vote to stay.

 

The hard part will be to get that buy in. Almost every course that I've played lately has been in great shape especiaLly the greens. Which course are you playing so I know where to avoid?

[jaxbeachpackerfan]

I just got a call tonight from the Golf Director at the course.......He's hearing rumblings of our impending departure.....the prob is, there is nothing they can do regarding the bare spots.  They missed their opportunity to fix them this summer, so the course conditions will be what they are for at least 6 months.

 

 

Not quite right--its a matter of money.  I don't know if you remember my posts earlier this year about the turf replacement at the TPC Stadium Course.  15 days to entirely strip and resod and reopen to resort play, with pretty remarkable results.  They could do it if they wanted to.  But I understand that economics can create the tension between ownership and members.  Because of my prior membership in a club up north, I can feel your pain.

[apprenti23]

I would just leave. Sounds like a downward spiral. Hate to do it but some mgmt firms are notorious for cutting and cutting and cutting.

 

I would just leave and go somewhere else. Sounds like there are plenty of options nearby.

[revkev]

I would just leave. Sounds like a downward spiral. Hate to do it but some mgmt firms are notorious for cutting and cutting and cutting.

 

I would just leave and go somewhere else. Sounds like there are plenty of options nearby.

 

It's Florida - we have tons of options and he on the other side of the Bay more than I on this side.  From what I'm reading I'm wondering if this isn't Bloomingdale Golfer's club.  It was once a premier course - it regularly hosted US Open qualifiers, it's a really nice classic Florida layout, lots of trees, water, sand, but now it's in terrible shape - they practically have to give it away to get anyone to play it.

 

Just my guess though - I'm anxious to learn which course it is.

[fozcycle]

Here's a quote directly from their website.....

 

The XXXXXX YYYYY Golf Club is widely rated as one of the Best Tampa Bay Golf Courses, by golf lovers. This “must play" Public Golf Course will keep you coming back without draining your bank account. This exquisite Tampa Bay Golf Club offers great course conditions and great value, plus Yamaha "Drive" Carts and FREE with your round, the "ProLink" GPS system

 

The reason we don't just up and go.....I am out of town for a tournament in Ocala this weekend;the following weekend there is a Junior Golf tourney scheduled; then they are overseeding with Winter Rye on the following week, so the 23rd is the first option the course will be available without any encumbrances.  The Golf Director wants our outing to be perfect. 

 

I will get them to play their one time, then it is up to the players to decide where they want to play.

[revkev]

Could you at least PM me to let me know which course it is so that I don't make this mistake. 

[Mr_Theoo]

Could you at least PM me to let me know which course it is so that I don't make this mistake.

It's the Tampa bay golf club

[fozcycle]

No it's not, that's too far north.....It's in New Tampa

[fozcycle]

It's the Tampa bay golf club

 

Nope....

[fozcycle]

Could you at least PM me to let me know which course it is so that I don't make this mistake. 

 

I tried, your box is full and can't receive any more messages....

[wbealsd]

I played in a league with a similar situation a few years ago, we ended up polling the players and once we were able to find a course that could fit our group in, we simply moved on...  Not everyone in the league followed us there, as it was about a 30 minute drive between the courses, but we ended up with new players that found it more convenient that our original location.

 

Snow on the local courses this morning, so it looks like I'll be swinging indoors soon.  This is probably the last week we'll see any temps at 50* or above, so the end of the season is near...

[revkev]

I tried, your box is full and can't receive any more messages....

 

Great - I'll empty it right now - thanks

[Jmikecpa]

I would just have some of the guys choose a few tracks that may work and then reach out to the clubs to see what they can do for you.  In the free market system that is just how it works when the level of service and conditions are not what you would expect for the amount of income that you are consistently generating for the club.  

[fozcycle]

Almost every golf club in our area (North Tampa) already has a regular game on Saturdays.....however, there is one that does not ........and they have invited us to play our game at their course....my thought is that I will schedule an outing for the gang, then let them know we have been invited to move the game their.  The rest is up to the group.

[fozcycle]

Update……Yesterday I got an email from the golf club (PCGC)….from the Golf Director that was fired last week….I opened it and the new Pro Shop Mgr was asking me to call him….When I did he informed there was a 110 person shotgun start for a tourney this Saturday at 12:30 and they could not accommodate us for an 8 AM Shotgun….they needed our carts…..I asked if either of their sister courses could take us….He called back later and said "no"….so we settled on trying a 7 AM start……..Chalk up another reason to move our game……the course that wants us does not schedule many tournaments like PCGC does.

[fozcycle]

Well, we took our Saturday group to play at the other golf course…….36 players yesterday…..it took 5+ hours to play 18 holes…..a lot of the guys were pleased with the course but not pleased with the play…..they kept putting their members out in front of us even if they did not have tee times….not good.

 

We will be back at Pebble Creek next week……then maybe schedule another outing in Dec or Jan when they have a conflicting tournament.

[revkev]

I just don't get some of these clubs. Good luck with your quest.

[westy]

Blimey it's a bit different over the pond!

 

The course I play at got taken up by a big concern (Crown golf 20+ courses) and the improvement over the last 5 years has been good, slow for sure and some bigger jobs get put off due to cost (tees aren't the flattest which is frustrating) but overall pretty good.

 

But, if the conditions were bad for any period of time I'd jump to another course, yes you have to meet new groups of people but new friends are always a bonus. The longer you stay in one place the harder change seems to be.

 

The bonus of my membership Is I can play any of the other courses at any time free of charge - and friends get a reduced rate. So I go and visit friends across Southern England play for free and they get cheap green fees, bonus.

 

Now, there are better courses around and there are closer courses to me but I've balanced distance, course quality and things like food and social side. Oh and I play for the 2nd team in the local league as well which is fun as well

 

It's this that may be the issue with your group, is it just about the course or is it the whole deal - cost, quality, location, social etc.

[fozcycle]

It has been the course conditions over the past year.

 

Also, we tend to get bumped around when they schedule a large tournament on Saturday.

 

To the good, the Pub is Excellent! The staff know what we want every week and they get to us in short order.

 

Like I said in my last post, we will remain at Pebble Creek GC for now.

[westy]

The pub is a major factor - which is exactly as it should be!

[fozcycle]

On top of that….I received an email from the General Mgr tonight….

 

...As far as I know the job you do each and every week for the PC MGA Saturday Blitz is pretty much a “thankless” job. I want to change that just a bit - first I want to say “Thank-You” and second for the month of December I'm going to take care of your green fees….

 

With 4 Saturdays in December, that amounts to $120 in Free Golf……I am very grateful.

[westy]

Yep that's a nice touch - 120 bucks.....that's a third of a new driver right there!

[fozcycle]

Yep that's a nice touch - 120 bucks.....that's a third of a new driver right there!

 

 

LOL…..I decided to play my Black Set for a few rounds….so far, 2 rounds in the 80's….

 

Don't think I need new clubs……will stick with just saving some bucks.

[revkev]

On top of that….I received an email from the General Mgr tonight….

 

...As far as I know the job you do each and every week for the PC MGA Saturday Blitz is pretty much a “thankless” job. I want to change that just a bit - first I want to say “Thank-You” and second for the month of December I'm going to take care of your green fees….

 

With 4 Saturdays in December, that amounts to $120 in Free Golf……I am very grateful.

Now that's nice!