I've played more road golf this summer than I have in several years and I'm sorry to report that there are more of them than there are of us.
By "them" I'm of course referring to the mysterious and mercurial nether spirits that have possessed green committees and entire memberships in to confusing landscaping and manicuring with golf course "condition". I am so sick of the visual wow factor negatively effecting the playability of some really terrific golf courses, it's not universal, but it's a sad majority. I also must add that I didn't play any modern courses this year, the golf courses I played were all built before 1930.
The evil spirits have invaded and successfully entrenched themselves at some clubs that used to "get it" too. We have discussed the whys and where for's of changing memberships on several threads on this site, is this instant visual gratification part of the natural evolution from memberships that remember fast and firm, to memberships that have experienced only beautifully manicured cranberry bogs to play their golf on ?
I recently played a well known course in this area that should institute lift,clean and place as a local rule and we hadn't had any rain in over 10 days !!! My host( a newer member of this course) all the while was gushing (pun) about how beautiful (green) the course was. The whole place was damn near casual water,the Arnold Arboretum is beautiful too, but you don't have to hit any fairway woods there. Even six or seven years ago this club was always fast and firm especially in August and September, unfortunately the member that I used to play with has gone to the great practice green in the sky and apparently took fast and firm with him. The way this course is currently maintained it would make an exceptional field laboratory for Footjoy to conduct waterproof testing on their Dryjoys. Even the squirrels that live on the course must be developing webbed feet.
There were a few notable exceptions in my travels but those courses were of the nationally known variety where time stands still and the game of golf and their golf course is still their primary reason for existing.
I'm curious to hear from those of you in the treehouse that play all over the country (world) if you find the majority of the courses you play to be greener,wetter,softer than what you as a player and GCA fan would consider optimum playability.