Private club/Muni differences

[Undershooter]

I'd have to disagree. You can spend $100 and be able to fish every day for a year. You can have a initial $500-$1000 charge (the bike) and be able to cycle for years and years. There are people that spend an obscene amount on those things but if you want to you can do it really cheap. Unless you know people who have hook ups or are just willing to hit the range you cannot golf regularly for cheap. Now you can buy used or crap clubs and only golf once a month and then its pretty cheap. But if you are even kind of serious about golf it is really really expensive. You pay a few times a week and you're paying $500 a month easy. Course fees, range balls, clubs, balls, betting, food on the course, lessons ... etc ... It is borderline impossible to golf cheaply.

 

I am lucky to know a lot of people where I live so I get on most of the local courses for free. This keeps my wife off my ass about golf. But if I was paying for everything like I figure most people have to I'd easily be paying $150 a week. Thats a lot of money.

 

Try competitive bass fishing. Makes golf look like a beggars sport. You can fish or cycle for less annually but only if you aren't serious about it. If you want to really get into it, then it costs some coin.

[kfilly20]

Try competitive bass fishing. Makes golf look like a beggars sport. You can fish or cycle for less annually but only if you aren't serious about it. If you want to really get into it, then it costs some coin.

 

I get that. But its almost impossible to golf cheaply. Its an expensive hobby. There are very few ways around it. 

[Undershooter]

I get that. But its almost impossible to golf cheaply. Its an expensive hobby. There are very few ways around it.

 

Hitting the range isn't expensive and neither is practicing putting. And for most people just starting the game, that is where their time needs to be spent. Not on the course. I fully agree golf isn't cheap but if you are willing to play on bad courses then you can usually play 9 holes for $10-20. The problem is most people aren't willing to do that so its all or nothing. I've also noticed people starting out seem to not want to walk for whatever reason. They always want a cart.

[revkev]

I'd have to disagree. You can spend $100 and be able to fish every day for a year. You can have a initial $500-$1000 charge (the bike) and be able to cycle for years and years. There are people that spend an obscene amount on those things but if you want to you can do it really cheap. Unless you know people who have hook ups or are just willing to hit the range you cannot golf regularly for cheap. Now you can buy used or crap clubs and only golf once a month and then its pretty cheap. But if you are even kind of serious about golf it is really really expensive. You pay a few times a week and you're paying $500 a month easy. Course fees, range balls, clubs, balls, betting, food on the course, lessons ... etc ... It is borderline impossible to golf cheaply.

 

I am lucky to know a lot of people where I live so I get on most of the local courses for free. This keeps my wife off my ass about golf. But if I was paying for everything like I figure most people have to I'd easily be paying $150 a week. Thats a lot of money.

 

I understand where you are coming from but the fact remains that if you want to play golf as recreation it can be done fairly cheeply. What you are describing is not recreational. Recreational is inexpensive used clubs on eBay, a couple of group lessons or range visits with a friend and a round once or twice a month.thats not all that expensive particularly if you are comparing it to other recreation forms. Take a date or your wife to Outback, buy a couple of drinks, leave a tip and its $80.

[silver & black]

I've also noticed people starting out seem to not want to walk for whatever reason. They always want a cart. 

 

Personally, I'd like to see almost everyone in a cart. I walk occasionally, but it's rare.

 

Very few players can actually get around a golf course efficiently. Walking just slows them down even more. Walking should be left for the more accomplished players that aren't in the woods on almost every shot. Carts speed up the game. Just my.02.

[revkev]

I love to walk but Florida in the summer? It's actually dangerous to walk here, aside from the obvious heat issues storms come out of nowhere and you can be far away from a shelter, too far to reach on fort before the lightening starts.

[jaxbeachpackerfan]

Here in Jacksonville, the hobbies seem to be either golf or boating (with the Ocean, Intracoastal, St Johns River and dozens of tributaries).  Golf seems like a real bargain however you do it compared to recreational boating!   I don't have a boat.  

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

I love to walk but Florida in the summer? It's actually dangerous to walk here, aside from the obvious heat issues storms come out of nowhere and you can be far away from a shelter, too far to reach on fort before the lightening starts.

 

Not to mention the fact that alligators are faster than they look!  

[MattF]

Tell them to look at St Pete, seriously, there's more to do here because it's easy access to Tampa or even Orlando. We have two of the top ten beaches in the world. We have four Spring training sites. Even though traffic is a pain we have better roads so it's easier access on and off the beaches. St Pete is a great city.

 

The one negative is that Fort Myers has better golf choices. It's slimmer pickings when you get close to the water here unless you're willing to join a private club. But if they were to find a place around Clearwater there are some nice public options then.

 

They want Bonita Springs unfortunately mate, but hopefully they'll find something.

[jbil8802]

Personally, I'd like to see almost everyone in a cart. I walk occasionally, but it's rare.

 

Very few players can actually get around a golf course efficiently. Walking just slows them down even more. Walking should be left for the more accomplished players that aren't in the woods on almost every shot. Carts speed up the game. Just my.02.

I don't know that I totally agree with you on this one. I played 9 the other day with two buddies. They rode and I walked. They're both around 20 in terms of handicap. I was waiting on them the entire time.

 

You drive to the first guy's shot and look for it. You find it, then he decides what he wants to do and plays his shot. Now you drive to your shot, or where you think it was, since your perception of it is now skewed and spend time looking for it. Even if I hit a poor shot, I can usually head straight towards it and find it much quicker than if I was in a cart, and I don't have to go over to find another ball afterwards and wait for someone else to play his shot. I also pick up a lot of time around greens.

 

Now if it was me walking with a guy in a cart by himself, then yes he'd probably be a bit faster than me.

 

Obviously, there are some courses that just weren't designed to be walked and in those cases I would agree with you.

[fozcycle]

Kfilly,

 

I rode for many years.....got my bike for about $400 while recuperating from hernia surgery, then decided I really liked it and my next bike was $700 + shoes, helmets, pedals and cycling gear. Weekend rides were free but when there was a sponsored event it was $100 to enter plus hotels and travel expenses..then USCF membership, indoor trainers, RX sunglasses, tires, spokes, gears, etc. Cycling is not cheap, so I had to live on a strict budget in order to compete. At age 40 I came in fourth in the Florida State Criteruim Races for cyclists over 40(Masters).

[Kenny B]

The expense of golf is relative based on what you want out of it; just like any other activity or hobby. It also depends on where you are located. In my travels I have seen nice golf courses for cheap, but as we all know, each city has the expensive ones too. A friend of mine lives in an area where he pays an annual fee of $350 and he can play any of 3 public courses in the area, walking of course! In that instance a minimal investment in clubs and balls and you can play golf for much less than many other activities. We have a 75 year old guy that plays every day at my 9-hole practice course. He walks. The pro figured it out that for the annual senior walking rate, this guy plays nine holes for 17 cents!

 

Sure you can pay more, but if you want to play for cheap, it's out there. Now if I were in California, I would say that it is much more expensive to play, but costs are high there for everything! It's expensive just for gas to get to the course!! However, I did find some sweet deals on golf in the Palm Springs area from June-September if you don't mind playing when it's 95* at 6am and the high for the day is 115*. Wait a minute... That's what is was here the other day!!!

[sp0rtsfan86]

The expense of golf is relative based on what you want out of it; just like any other activity or hobby. It also depends on where you are located. In my travels I have seen nice golf courses for cheap, but as we all know, each city has the expensive ones too. A friend of mine lives in an area where he pays an annual fee of $350 and he can play any of 3 public courses in the area, walking of course! In that instance a minimal investment in clubs and balls and you can play golf for much less than many other activities. We have a 75 year old guy that plays every day at my 9-hole practice course. He walks. The pro figured it out that for the annual senior walking rate, this guy plays nine holes for 17 cents!

 

Sure you can pay more, but if you want to play for cheap, it's out there. Now if I were in California, I would say that it is much more expensive to play, but costs are high there for everything! It's expensive just for gas to get to the course!! However, I did find some sweet deals on golf in the Palm Springs area from June-September if you don't mind playing when it's 95* at 6am and the high for the day is 115*. Wait a minute... That's what is was here the other day!!!

This. In NJ I can play a 5400 yard executive, for 25 I can play a links style or parkland course or for 35 I can play a course that's the most historic of sorts and the crown jewel. In Florida the options run the gamut. Here in Yuma, there's probably a half dozen courses. the rates in winter are astronomical for the courses themselves, in summer they are a steal if you brave the heat. 

 

I took a buddy to the golf store about a month ago. He doesn't golf but wanted to take a trip and wanted to learn about golf. He saw me pick up a wedge, nearly a pair of shoes, two 12 packs of golf balls. Dropped nearly 300 bucks including club repair. He looked at irons and was like how can I afford this? Two weeks ago my boss asked me about golf, cause he wants to learn. He asked what he could spend/how much he was looking at getting started. I quoted him about 750 dollars unless he went the cheap route. That's a used iron set, driver, wood, putter, wedges, a few dozen balls (figuring he goes cheap here) lessons and maybe a few trips to the course itself. Golfs not cheap, when you start. Not if you're semi serious or looking to get into it. However, once you get passed the intial sticker shock, you can play 2-3 times a month for 100 bucks in most spots. But then don't forget balls, which high handicappers would lose and your looking at more. 

 

A CC to me would be perfect if I could find one that is cheap and I could get a free range pass. Sometimes you don't have time for 18 or even 9. That's where the range pass is key for me, I can go on breaks at work or late at night after work. Most golf courses ask you to pay a few bucks, which isn't that awful, but going twice a week would add up on top of greens fees etc.

[revkev]

Any club here would include range access and you could play 5 holes if you wanted.  I like that perk - hit the range this evening as a matter of fact.  Cost will be between $250 plus cart fee in season to $500 plus cart fee - all per month.  Some lower their monthly cost in the summer others are consistent.  Very few have equity buy ins any more.

[apprenti23]

And for most people just starting the game, that is where their time needs to be spent. Not on the course.

I agree with your entire post except for this statement. Too many people learn how to hit range balls rather than learn to play golf. That's also a huge problem with instruction. They beat it into them that until they're good enough they don't belong out there. That is so wrong on so many levels. People don't quit golf because it's easy.

[apprenti23]

Personally, I'd like to see almost everyone in a cart. I walk occasionally, but it's rare.

 

Very few players can actually get around a golf course efficiently. Walking just slows them down even more. Walking should be left for the more accomplished players that aren't in the woods on almost every shot. Carts speed up the game. Just my.02.

Your two cents are wrong, on so many levels... The walkers will be especially faster if they are less accomplished players because they have everything with them and can go directly to their ball. The only time this doesn't work is when you have four really good players that are playing well. If all four players walk versus all four players riding and there are no long stretches between holes or green to tee, the walkers will play quicker 9 times out of ten. The only instance where this is different would be when players drop off their playing partner at his/her ball and then drive to theirs which rarely happens.

 

At every facility I have ever worked at, the fastest players/groups were walkers.

[Kenny B]

Carts can be faster from the tee until you reach the point in front of the green where the arrow directs carts back to the cart path, but only if the players in them know how to play and move to balls in an efficient manner.  Most people don't know how to be that efficient.  Once carts reach the front of the green, walking is always faster.  I can't tell you how many times I have been in a cart, directed to the cart path up by the green and my ball is short of the green or on the far side of the green with big bunkers to walk around.  Walking up to the green allows the player to move directly to their ball.  If all players did this, it is amazing how much faster the play will be.  

 

Unfortunately, many courses that I play when traveling are not laid out very well for walkers and carts are included in the price; long distances from green to next tee. If some of these courses allowed walking, I would be walking when it is cart path only because I would spend less time walking than going back and forth to the cart, and I would always have the right club.  

[revkev]

Apprenti would have more experience but other than the issue of too long between green and tee the eye test would tell me that he's right.  Walkers tend to move, they go on a direct line to the ball, they learn to be efficient with their actions.  I love to walk, it's tough to do in Florida in a summer but I will go out and walk a few holes now and again to do it.  I'm so looking forward to being a member of this club in the winter, I will walk 9 at least twice a week when it's cooler.

[kfilly20]

Walking is pretty rare here for whatever reason. I'd say 60-70% of people use carts. I'll walk if its fall or spring, but not a chance in hell I'm walking in 100 + degree weather. I have found that those who walk are really slow, could be the demo that walks here, usually older guys doing it for exercise, but if there is a walking group in front I plan on my round being about 45 min to an hour longer than usual. 

[Kenny B]

Walking is pretty rare here for whatever reason. I'd say 60-70% of people use carts. I'll walk if its fall or spring, but not a chance in hell I'm walking in 100 + degree weather. I have found that those who walk are really slow, could be the demo that walks here, usually older guys doing it for exercise, but if there is a walking group in front I plan on my round being about 45 min to an hour longer than usual. 

 

Your temperatures are no different than ours.  We have been over 100* for 3 weeks now.  Supposed to cool to mid-90's by Friday.  Woo Hoo!

 

If your group of old guys walking are slow, then they are not doing it for exercise.  They are doing it for cost.  You should see the group of 20 old ladies we have on Wednesdays.  They are called "The Golf Bags" but most all of them walk and a foursome of them have been known to catch a twosome of guys riding in a cart.  Many of them use umbrellas on their carts for shade; it does make a difference!  

 

The slowest groups on our course tend to be old guys and novices riding in carts.  

[kfilly20]

Your temperatures are no different than ours.  We have been over 100* for 3 weeks now.  Supposed to cool to mid-90's by Friday.  Woo Hoo!

 

If your group of old guys walking are slow, then they are not doing it for exercise.  They are doing it for cost.  You should see the group of 20 old ladies we have on Wednesdays.  They are called "The Golf Bags" but most all of them walk and a foursome of them have been known to catch a twosome of guys riding in a cart.  Many of them use umbrellas on their carts for shade; it does make a difference!  

 

The slowest groups on our course tend to be old guys and novices riding in carts.  

 

I like to walk and have no problem with walkers. Very few people walk correctly, meaning they walk like they are in a cart. Going from ball to ball and such instead of fanning out and heading to their shots. 

 

The absolute worst hold up imo, is the guy that just won't admit his ball is lost. Up on the mountain, searching the edge of the lake, in a huge thick bush. Just give it up man, you get 30 seconds to look for it or just move on.

[Kenny B]

hahaha!  Every course has a few of those people.  Those people, meaning that they look for their ball, and while they are at it, they look for others too!  After all, it must be a good place to find balls since they hit it there!

 

These people need to be reported to the pro.  The pro should talk to them and say that it's OK to look for their ball for x amount of time, then move on if there are people behind them.  Most people looking for balls here will wave up the group behind if they want to keep looking.

 

I agree that there are people that don't "walk correctly" but there are more people that don't know how to play in a cart correctly, and as you said with 60-70% players with carts, the whole course gets shut down, not just a hole or two.

[revkev]

Thursday reminded me of another difference between Munis and Clubs, the Pro.  Do not get me wrong this is not about the quality of the Pro, it's about what he is able to do. 

 

At our Muni the Pro is almost always on the range because he is teaching non-stop.  He knows very few people who are regulars at the course by name.  He knows who we are, for example he knows my face, always says "hi" and also knows that I'm a Pastor but that's pretty identifiable.  He knows next to nothing about my game other than what other people tell him because I've never taken a lesson from him and he's too busy.  I can't even begin to imagine that I would ask him about anything or engage in a conversation with him.  It's just the reality of his position and nothing to do with him as a Pro or a person.

 

The Pro at our club is a totally different matter.  He is always available and in fact always engages with membership when we come in to play.  He knew my name after one meeting and knows already that I'm a better player because he's seen me hit balls on the range.  He is getting a sense of what I like and don't like and really acts like a personal assistant to any of the members.  As an example my took my Associate Pastor to lunch there last Thursday and stopped by to ask Doug about booking a tee time at one of our reciprocals.  He said, no problem, go upstairs and have lunch and I'll take care of it for you.  On our way back down he had actually booked a different course for me because several members had stopped in to say that the course I wanted to play was in terrible shape (they are redoing their fairways.)  He called around and found the course with the best conditions that he thought I would enjoy playing.  Of course he also said that he'd gladly change back to my original choice if I wanted.  Great guy, great reason to stay a member.

[fozcycle]

Rev, What reciprocal courses for you have? We have Crescent Oaks(played today) and Wentworth. The fairways and greens were in terrific shape.

[sp0rtsfan86]

Walking/riding depends on the course. Certain courses should be played faster by walkers and others drivers. One course by me has about 500 yards between two holes, and other holes have large walking areas. In a cart it's a 15-30 second ride. Walking takes upwards of 5 minutes. My home course in NJ I am just as fast as carts. Around the greens I make it much faster than carts because I don't have to park the cart away from the green. I walk up to the ball and put my bag in an area where it's on the way to a tee. Yes it takes me about an hour more to walk, but that's because I'm really quick in a cart as well. I don't like wasting time. 

 

If a CC had a walking policy I'd have no problem. If a GC was riding only it's not a big deal. I'm one of those who can go either way.

[revkev]

@ Foz, We have two reciprocals in Tampa, I know that Riverhills is one of them and can't recall the other.  I've got some great ones in Pinellas County,  Bardmoor, Bellaire, Pasadena, St Pete and Isla del sol. 

[jkittlesen]

Great post Rev!

[fozcycle]

@ Foz, We have two reciprocals in Tampa, I know that Riverhills is one of them and can't recall the other.  I've got some great ones in Pinellas County,  Bardmoor, Bellaire, Pasadena, St Pete and Isla del sol. 

 

 

 

Riverhills is a great track.....and I know Isla del sol is as well.

[revkev]

Isla is the weakest course of the group.  Seriously - other than Copperhead which is of course a resort, these are the best courses in Pinellas County. 

[fozcycle]

Well, besides my club, which is a public course as well, I also play a considerable number of rounds at the Muny, Babe Zaharias GC. A group of guys that play at my club on Sat also play at The Babe. I do the numbers upkeep for both games. Most of the time the course is in great shape, for a Muny. It's a shorter track but fun to play.