Slightly OT: Softball at Clubs

[Kalen Braley]

This is more than likely only applicable to us Yanks on the West side of the pond.....

...but with all the club models out there that include pools, shuffleboard courts, tennis courts, etc. Is there room in there to include a softball field at a club?  I'm sure there are many others who enjoy a good game of softball just as much as I do.

It would seem a softball field would make sense at the local club because:
1)  It doesn't take much space relative to the golf course.  It'd be about the size of a practice area.
2)  The club already has equipment, manpower, and the know how to maintain it so it won't cost much extra to install/keep going.
3)  Its gotta be far cheaper than a pool to maintain on an annual basis.  No pump house, additional chemicals, lifeguards, etc.
4)  It'd be a great place to hold a weekend game every now and then amongst the members, or for Monday night league games.
5)  It'd be a good way to attract in some of the young members and the kiddies could use it during the off hours.
6)  It only take 1.5 hours to play a game, it could be a later evening alternative to squeezing in an extra nine.
7)  You only need 10 guys to field a team

Overall I think it'd be a great addition to a club without doing something expensive like a pool.  As its a team sport it would help members bond with each other.  Each club could have its own team and even inter-club tournies every now and then.  I've always thought it would be one of the extras at the club worth having.

Thoughts?

[Bill_McBride]

I wish we could bulldoze our money losing tennis courts.  

[Sam Morrow]

I wish we old bulldoze our money losing tennis courts. 

Yall's tennis courts feel like they aren't even part of the club. I do like the softball field idea, it would be a great way to promote family activities.

[SL_Solow]

A long time ago., a club a at which I was a young member following my Dad used to have an annual softball game on the prcacice range against our "rival" club one suburb over.  I think it was discontinued when tempers flared.  No skinned infield but it worked out very well.

[jeffwarne]

A long time ago., a club a at which I was a young member following my Dad used to have an annual softball game on the prcacice range against our "rival" club one suburb over.  I think it was discontinued when tempers flared.  No skinned infield but it worked out very well.

using the range is a much smarter idea than maintaing a field for an occasional game.
If softball why not a gym, workout, tennis, platform tennis,ice skating,bowling, lacrosse.....

[Kalen Braley]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the input.

I did suggest a softball field, because unlike pools, tennis courts, gyms, etc..where you need people with a different skill set to build and maintain them, its not so with a softball field.  You would have a one time cost to install the actual field with fences, infield, etc....but after that you wouldn't need to keep anyone additional on staff to maintain it.  Its just smoothin' some dirt and maintaining grass, stuff everyone on a golf course crew does every day.

As for tempers flaring....are you suggesting tempers don't flare on the golf course too?  If closing the course was the reaction of tempers getting hot, then there wouldn't be a golf course left open on the planet!! 

[Mike Benham]

7)  You only need 10 guys to field a team

Who you going to play against?   Count on needing at least 18 ...

[Tim Leahy]

We used to play our Little League games on the grounds of the Catholic church so that is kind of like a club ownership wise. But I wonder about the insurance needed for a club to have a softball field. I guess it couldn't be much worse than a basketball court.

[JMEvensky]

7)  You only need 10 guys to field a team

Who you going to play against?   Count on needing at least 18 ...

And don't forget the short fielder if playing slow pitch--so count on 20.

Most clubs wouldn't want to keep prospective golfers away from the golf course--they're overlapping seasons.

[John McCarthy]

12 or 16 inch?

[SL_Solow]

We are from Chicago so 16 inch.

[Bill_McBride]

We are from Chicago so 16 inch.

I love to watch that game when visiting Chicago.

No gloves!  Those third basemen have really big balls.....about 16 inch in fact!

[Tim Martin]

Really? Are they golf and softball clubs or golf clubs? If you want to play softball there are leagues everywhere. Do you want to hear screaming and yelling as well as the thwack of an aluminum softball bat when you are playing?

[PCCraig]

If it's warm enough to play softball it's warm enough to play golf, which is what I'd personally rather do. Can't you play softball in almost every public park in America?

[Kalen Braley]

To answer a few of the questions:

 - Yes 12 inch softball, although 16 inch ball games look fun too.

-  I also don't buy the argument about parks everywhere.  There are also plenty of munis/daily fees everywhere too, but guys pay a premium to play private clubs 

- As for the pinging of a bat, I hear the same thing on the golf course with the new titanium heads.

 - As for softball vs golf, when its warm enough, I'd rather play both, not either/or.  Winter sports is for stuff like bowling, cards, ping ponging, etc.

[Mike_Trenham]

If a club has room for a softball field they should use it to lengthen the course or improve the golf practice areas.

[Sam Morrow]

I used to have an FT-3 with a Diamana Blueboard, it sounded like a softball bat.

[Joel Zuckerman]

16 responses and no one has mentioned the obvious: the softball swing will mess up your golf swing, and vice versa!

[Sam Morrow]

16 responses and no one has mentioned the obvious: the softball swing will mess up your golf swing, and vice versa!
[/quote

I've played with a enough GCA'ers to know their swings are already messed up.

[jeffwarne]

16 responses and no one has mentioned the obvious: the softball swing will mess up your golf swing, and vice versa!

Sports myth 53b