Where Have All The Benches Gone?

[Pete_Pittock]

A nice person on a nice bench at a nice location



In addition to carts multiple tee locations is a factor. Where do you put one bench and make all the golfers happy?  When I was on the greens committee a few years ago the superintendent passed around brochures and most benches were $100 and up, so no benches. Later that week I was doing rules at a course, saw they had simple benches, and asked where they got them. Made 'em ouorselves. How much? Maybe $50. Took pictures. Gave to superintendent. I think we had eight benches in a week. 

[Garland Bayley]

This has happened at my course too...1910 Emmet...new green Chair wants to DECLUTTER...no benches, no trash cans, no ball washers....really silly

Why do you think it's silly?

If we can get rid out fouling out from basketball, they could remove the benches for substitutes.

[Kevin_Reilly]

We were a textbook case of "over cluttered" before recent work.  We've removed a significant amount of "stuff" (tee signs, ball washers, trash bins, benches etc) and selectively replaced those items where needed.  We are moving away from items you'd get in an equipment/accessory catalog, and instead making our own items under Josh Smith's supervision.  Here is an example - a walnut bench made in-house from a fallen tree.  We've made a few of these and placed them in positions around the course where there might be an occasional need.

[Dave McCollum]

I didn't read this thread.  We have benches.  Maintenance hates them.  Maintenance also hates rakes outside of bunkers or anything that makes them get off their machines and move stuff.  Seems reasonable here where workers are seasonal, under paid and over worked and seems of little consequence to golfers for the most part.  Perhaps not so for others.   

[James Brown]

I think the best bench in the world is between 2 and 3 at Dornoch.  Left a copy of Bobby Jones' On Golf there by mistake once. 

[Greg Smith]

If you go to the Yeamans Hall website, one of their chosen pretty images is ... a bench!

[Jim_Coleman]

    I don't think it's the carts. My club was told that its ranking among classic courses dropped because, among other reasons, we had too many benches. Other criticisms included the existence of ball washers and color coded flags.  All pretty silly to me. None of these "faults" has anything to do with the course's architecture.

[JESII]

Or reality, Jim. If Rolling Green dropped, like the old saying, it must go back up. It's too good.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

As I recall - I am no longer a member - the 14th at Wilmslow had the only bench where you rested before tackling the hardest hole, a par 3 across a ravine with nowhere to lay up. I am so pleased not to have to play the bloody hole any more!

[Garland Bayley]

Some benches could use wider seats.

[Mark Kiely]

Plentiful benches out at San Clemente Municipal yesterday, which were appreciated on a rare hot, humid day. This one has a nice view from white tee of the par-3 15th.


IMG_20170707_170305796 by Mark, on Flickr