What thing (in golf) that you LIKE would you be willing to give up; and why?

[Charlie Goerges]

Any thing and any reason is acceptable. Carts, caddies, conditioning; for the good of the game, save cost, happiness, fitness, whatever.

[Tom_Doak]

Any thing and any reason is acceptable. Carts, caddies, conditioning; for the good of the game, save cost, happiness, fitness, whatever.

Nothing would make the game more affordable than lowering the standard for conditioning.

[Charlie Goerges]

I guess I should start.


I like the 460cc drivers, they're easy and fun to hit, but if it is shown to be an important part of an equipment rollback for the good of the game, I'm willing to give it up (still think the ball is more to blame, but there it is).


I like the fancy conditioning, but if it makes golf more sustainable, I'm willing to go back to something more basic, even at expensive courses.


There is probably more, but I'm really curious what others think of as essential vs. nice to have.

[Charlie Goerges]

Any thing and any reason is acceptable. Carts, caddies, conditioning; for the good of the game, save cost, happiness, fitness, whatever.

Nothing would make the game more affordable than lowering the standard for conditioning.

That and it would reduce the environmental impact of the game, but I also suspect that longer, much drier turf would be a fun surface to play the game on. I'm on board.

[Mike Hendren]

I grew up playing a 9 holes “Country” Club course with unirrigated fairways mowed once a week. Rough cut perhaps every other week.  Greens were cut twice a week when the cups were re-cut.  Nineteen bunkers raked only during play.  To this day I don’t find the course lacking.

Today the 160 members pay dues of $80/month.  Want a cart?  Park by the barn and take one.  Sign for it on a legal pad.  Plug in when finished. 


No golf shop but surprisingly nice bar/lounge.   Food service ended with the death of Stewart Sandwiches.  Dinners on Friday night with reservations and fixed menu.

The genuine article.  I miss it.

[John Kavanaugh]

Tees. Just another reason to bend over.

[Mike Hendren]

I bought a rangefinder but once the battery ran out six months ago I never replaced it.

[Charlie Goerges]

I bought a rangefinder but once the battery ran out six months ago I never replaced it.

So you liked it but could live without it? If so, I'm of a similar mind. I find the GPS ones convenient, but I'm fine stepping off a yardage (I like some yardage markers or yardages on sprinkler heads).

[Charlie Goerges]

Tees. Just another reason to bend over.

I wouldn't, I tee it up wherever I'm allowed, from driver down to sand wedge on a par 3 (I don't tee a wedge high, but I always do it).

[Mike Hendren]

Charlie, I played a lot of golf as a kid and developed an ability to judge distances. Even today I’m rarely off by more than 10 yards.  Irrelevant when my shot dispersion (distance-wise) is greater than that due to fat and thin strikes.  Regardless, I can live two-putting from 30 feet all day long and rarely hot it closer any way.


I play with a dear friend who uses his if he’s 40 yards out laying 5. He’s a real  diamond-cruncher.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Greens that stimp out at ten or more.

[Charlie Goerges]

Greens that stimp out at ten or more.

Why? (agree by the way)

[Tim Martin]

Greens that stimp out at ten or more.

Why? (agree by the way)

Charlie-I think I can safely answer for Tommy and use one of Jeff Warne’s tag lines as quoted from Tom Doak. “Let’s slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them.” Tommy most likely would have refrained from using the word damned.

[Tim Martin]

I agree on the cutback in conditioning and would be content with only having the putting surfaces be green. I also don’t see the need for tees to be green.

[Charlie Goerges]

I agree on the cutback in conditioning and would be content with only having the putting surfaces be green. I also don’t see the need for tees to be green.

I'm on board. I think it needs to be made clear that it's not just the greenness, the height of cut needs to be raised to really make it sustainable.

[Tim Martin]

I agree on the cutback in conditioning and would be content with only having the putting surfaces be green. I also don’t see the need for tees to be green.

I'm on board. I think it needs to be made clear that it's not just the greenness, the height of cut needs to be raised to really make it sustainable.

+1

[Ben Malach]

Over the past few years. I have given up playing golf in exchange for the chance to see and study more golf. It's a strange one but to be honest it's done wonders for my golfing mind. As now I have a larger distance between my game and my preferences.


In turn now, I really enjoy the rare games I do play.

[Sean_A]

Happy to give up lovely gin palace clubhouse with excellent service and food for a small, plain house.

Excellent conditions for good conditions including slower greens.

Ciao

[John Kavanaugh]

None of the above would make golf more affordable.

[Wayne_Kozun]

I agree on the cutback in conditioning and would be content with only having the putting surfaces be green. I also don’t see the need for tees to be green.

I agree with the first part, but wouldn't tees on par 3s become devoid of grass if they weren't irrigated and the grass was dormant?  At my course our worst tee box is on a short (100-115yd) par 3 due to divots.

[Tim Martin]

I agree on the cutback in conditioning and would be content with only having the putting surfaces be green. I also don’t see the need for tees to be green.

I agree with the first part, but wouldn't tees on par 3s become devoid of grass if they weren't irrigated and the grass was dormant?  At my course our worst tee box is on a short (100-115yd) par 3 due to divots.

Wayne-I’m not advocating for killing off the grass on teeing areas or a complete lack of irrigation if that’s the result.

[Ira Fishman]

Watching professional golf on TV. It is too much wasted time, and the courses distort good architecture.


Looking at golf course rankings. See above.


Golf Club Atlas. .


Ira

[jeffwarne]

Make golf an outdoor game again.
Utilize more available features and landforms,rather than making a great effort to replicate what we see elsewhere.

[Jay Mickle]

I found at The Cradle that after the first round I really didn't mind the mats. Would certainly cut costs and provide great flexibility.

[Mark Pritchett]

Fewer bunkers.