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

[Jim Hoak]

Trees.
I love trees in a park, but they are anathema to a golf course for many reasons.

[Mark Kiely]

Driving ranges. They're a waste of space and so ugly. And I hate practicing. If I must warm up, I'm fine with a net (and I'm sure simulators will grow increasingly popular).


EDIT: Oops, just re-read the thread title. I don't really like driving ranges.

[Brian Finn]

I could do without anything but a simple clubhouse. I could certainly live with a reduction in conditioning. Fewer bunkers. No rakes in bunkers. There’s plenty I like that I’d be willing to give up.

[Jim Sherma]

I would happily give up tight and soggy turf; fairways, greens and/or surrounds. If you need to keep it wet in order to keep it healthy than the desired maintenance meld is all wrong. The worst of all worlds are greens that are fast and cut-up/bumpy from soft spikes as well as "chipping" areas that are mushy and essentially require a putter or hybrid because wedges will just dig with any downward stroke.


Will also second Tommy's willingness to give up green speeds over 10. Once you get up to 8.5-9 the greens roll well enough that you are not feeling like your bludgeoning the ball all day. Also speeds up play since you don't have to watch the group in front of you grind over 5-footers all day to save bogey.

[Charlie Goerges]

Thanks for all the replies. Sort of the point of this thread is getting more at what is essential than what is ideal. Getting rid of the things you don't like is toward the ideal, but getting rid of some things you do like gets you toward the essential. Hopefully that makes sense.

[Thomas Dai]

Would happily trade-in -
Course conditioning
Raked bunkers

Smart/flash/big clubhouses
Over elaborate design/build
Equipment/ball specification
That’ll do for now.
Why? Expense and unnecessary ostentation.
Golf is essentially simple ball, stick, hole game.
Atb

[Max Prokopy]

I grew up on dirt tee boxes so I'd give up most anything, I suppose. 


The hardest to give up would be decent drainage. 

[Charlie Goerges]

The hardest to give up would be decent drainage.

That's OK too! In fact, what it points to is that decent drainage is essential to the game. Now that doesn't have to mean lots of constructed drainage. If the site drains well naturally, great; but it must drain somehow. (Or something to that effect)

[Cal Seifert]

460cc drivers. I like the forgiveness they provide, but I can agree with the people who think ball striking has been traded in for power.

[Mike_Trenham]

Staffing for added level of service,


Want a drink, walk over to the bar
Order food via an app or writing up a chit like the old days
Want a cart, you’ve got #23 today it’s back there on the right
Want your clubs cleaned, here’s a bucket
Bring your own golf towel
Bring your own sun screen and toiletries
Range balls are in a single bin at the range, help yourself
No parking lot attendants
Self service 1/2 way house, drinks only served from one bar on the property
Add up your own scores for the daily game, golf shop only needs the total and your card will only be reviewed if you are getting a prize
Post your own scores everyday
Lessons are mostly clinics not one on one instruction
Shirts in pro shop are on hangers not folded
If it rains golf staff can go home even if shop is scheduled to be open until 6:30
Give up on expecting the next generation to want their shoes cleaned let alone shined
Annual plantings not allowed anywhere on the property
Different types of grasses for each height of cut are not used
Bunkers that are firmer but not uniform
Carts not washed after each round
No club storage unless you have a sports car and the need is justified
Water fountains not bottled water
Caddies in tee shirts and jeans not bibs

[Peter Sayegh]

The 14 club rule. I carry the max (sometimes three putters) because I don't want to think I lack the tool for a certain "job" while I'm playing.

Pick a number and I'm sure I'd adapt (concentrate, practice more)-and enjoy seeing/discussing how others compose their set.

[Daryl David]

The 14 club rule. I carry the max (sometimes three putters) because I don't want to think I lack the tool for a certain "job" while I'm playing.

Pick a number and I'm sure I'd adapt (concentrate, practice more)-and enjoy seeing/discussing how others compose their set.

This is interesting. The last Director of Golf at one of my clubs made a big deal of making a local rule for all events that there was no limit on number of clubs you could carry. 15, 20, 25 were ok. I asked him why. He said anyone that took more than 10 clubs was at a disadvantage. He figured it made some people very happy who would never win. 🤣

[Tim Martin]

The 14 club rule. I carry the max (sometimes three putters) because I don't want to think I lack the tool for a certain "job" while I'm playing.

Pick a number and I'm sure I'd adapt (concentrate, practice more)-and enjoy seeing/discussing how others compose their set.

This is interesting. The last Director of Golf at one of my clubs made a big deal of making a local rule for all events that there was no limit on number of clubs you could carry. 15, 20, 25 were ok. I asked him why. He said anyone that took more than 10 clubs was at a disadvantage. He figured it made some people very happy who would never win. 🤣

Daryl-For many the DOG has it right as 14 can create indecision. I’ve had 12 for a while and feel like I could go to 11. When I play a short set of 8 it doesn’t have much effect on score.

[Tommy Williamsen]

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.

I used to belong to a club where the greens were uninteresting unless they stimped out at 11. At nine, many of the putts were straight. I played another course this summer with the fastest greens I've ever played. When I mentioned it to the pro, he replied, "That's because the greens are boring and need to be quick to quick to make them interesting," or something to that effect.


I think slower greens with slopes and undulation are more fun.

[Sean_A]

The 14 club rule. I carry the max (sometimes three putters) because I don't want to think I lack the tool for a certain "job" while I'm playing.

Pick a number and I'm sure I'd adapt (concentrate, practice more)-and enjoy seeing/discussing how others compose their set.

While I routinely play with 8 clubs I wouldn't be in favour of a rule requiring handicap golfers to do so. How does 14 clubs max hurt the game? I would love it as part of bifurcation that pros/elite ams were restricted to 8 clubs max, but that would be for entertainment reasons.

Ciao

[Peter Sayegh]

The 14 club rule. I carry the max (sometimes three putters) because I don't want to think I lack the tool for a certain "job" while I'm playing.

Pick a number and I'm sure I'd adapt (concentrate, practice more)-and enjoy seeing/discussing how others compose their set.

While I routinely play with 8 clubs I wouldn't be in favour of a rule requiring handicap golfers to do so. How does 14 clubs max hurt the game? I would love it as part of bifurcation that pros/elite ams were restricted to 8 clubs max, but that would be for entertainment reasons.

Ciao

Sean, I too think an event or exhibition with a club limit would be entertaining.
I don't think the 14 max rule hurts the game at all. As a handicap golfer, I like it but I could live with less.

[archie_struthers]

 


Absolutely I’m good with less water less green. Keep the greens and surrounds healthy and turn off the valve


Also a no tee time policy at the club is kind of nice. Most gotta have instant gratification so they can’t take not knowing but it sure makes for a little more bonding and social integration of the membership

[jeffwarne]

Staffing for added level of service,


Want a drink, walk over to the bar
Order food via an app or writing up a chit like the old days
Want a cart, you’ve got #23 today it’s back there on the right
Want your clubs cleaned, here’s a bucket
Bring your own golf towel
Bring your own sun screen and toiletries
Range balls are in a single bin at the range, help yourself
No parking lot attendants
Self service 1/2 way house, drinks only served from one bar on the property
Add up your own scores for the daily game, golf shop only needs the total and your card will only be reviewed if you are getting a prize
Post your own scores everyday
Lessons are mostly clinics not one on one instruction
Shirts in pro shop are on hangers not folded
If it rains golf staff can go home even if shop is scheduled to be open until 6:30
Give up on expecting the next generation to want their shoes cleaned let alone shined
Annual plantings not allowed anywhere on the property
Different types of grasses for each height of cut are not used
Bunkers that are firmer but not uniform
Carts not washed after each round
No club storage unless you have a sports car and the need is justified
Water fountains not bottled water
Caddies in tee shirts and jeans not bibs

a perfect list without the app for ordering-you can place your order and pay at the bar when getting your drink.(one of my favorite things about Australia)
and "sports cars" are not an acceptable reason to store your clubs...

[John Kavanaugh]

All those dudes working at the club aren’t there to annoy you. You can ignore them but at least respect the fact they are earning a noble buck. Two at a time if you are in an especially good mood.

[Max Prokopy]

The 14 club rule. I carry the max (sometimes three putters) because I don't want to think I lack the tool for a certain "job" while I'm playing.

Pick a number and I'm sure I'd adapt (concentrate, practice more)-and enjoy seeing/discussing how others compose their set.

This is interesting. The last Director of Golf at one of my clubs made a big deal of making a local rule for all events that there was no limit on number of clubs you could carry. 15, 20, 25 were ok. I asked him why. He said anyone that took more than 10 clubs was at a disadvantage. He figured it made some people very happy who would never win. 🤣

Neat story, thank you.  Most days I play with only the odds or evens.  The tradeoff of getting weird yardages is getting to practice some shotmaking. 

[Tim Martin]

The 14 club rule. I carry the max (sometimes three putters) because I don't want to think I lack the tool for a certain "job" while I'm playing.

Pick a number and I'm sure I'd adapt (concentrate, practice more)-and enjoy seeing/discussing how others compose their set.

This is interesting. The last Director of Golf at one of my clubs made a big deal of making a local rule for all events that there was no limit on number of clubs you could carry. 15, 20, 25 were ok. I asked him why. He said anyone that took more than 10 clubs was at a disadvantage. He figured it made some people very happy who would never win. 🤣

Neat story, thank you.  Most days I play with only the odds or evens.  The tradeoff of getting weird yardages is getting to practice some shotmaking.

Being able to hit half shots especially of the wedge variety inside of 100 yards is a valuable skill. I’ve often been paired with players who are lost at the range between 50 and 100 yards because they don’t have a club to hit a full shot.

[Charlie Ray]

Sand Bunkers.  About Half of them.  They are pretty though.  Notice how prevalent they are in golf course photography; contrasting and beautiful.   Two of the local clubs have reduced the # of bunkers.  65 to 48; the other from 44 to 29.  I initially believed this would effect my enjoyment greatly; however, with the exception of one single fairway bunker that influences the tee shot, the eliminations have reduced maintenance costs and have not been overly missed.  A big surprise that less is more.   

[Kyle Casella]

The 14 club rule. I carry the max (sometimes three putters) because I don't want to think I lack the tool for a certain "job" while I'm playing.

Pick a number and I'm sure I'd adapt (concentrate, practice more)-and enjoy seeing/discussing how others compose their set.

I agree. It's more approachable for beginners and would make the game far more interesting for professionals, for whom shot making is a lost art. And everyone in between might find the game a lot more fun!

[Sean_A]

The 14 club rule. I carry the max (sometimes three putters) because I don't want to think I lack the tool for a certain "job" while I'm playing.

Pick a number and I'm sure I'd adapt (concentrate, practice more)-and enjoy seeing/discussing how others compose their set.

While I routinely play with 8 clubs I wouldn't be in favour of a rule requiring handicap golfers to do so. How does 14 clubs max hurt the game? I would love it as part of bifurcation that pros/elite ams were restricted to 8 clubs max, but that would be for entertainment reasons.

Ciao

Sean, I too think an event or exhibition with a club limit would be entertaining.
I don't think the 14 max rule hurts the game at all. As a handicap golfer, I like it but I could live with less.

I was pointing more toward an 8 club rule for pros, but no limit for handicap golfers. Why is the number of clubs in my bag of any importance to anyone? 8 clubs for pros is only because I think it would be more entertaining to watch. I guess I am an outlier in that I think there are opportunities in the rules to make the game more entertaining to watch and less contentious.

Ciao

[James Reader]

Staffing for added level of service,


Want a drink, walk over to the bar
Order food via an app or writing up a chit like the old days
Want a cart, you’ve got #23 today it’s back there on the right
Want your clubs cleaned, here’s a bucket
Bring your own golf towel
Bring your own sun screen and toiletries
Range balls are in a single bin at the range, help yourself
No parking lot attendants
Self service 1/2 way house, drinks only served from one bar on the property
Add up your own scores for the daily game, golf shop only needs the total and your card will only be reviewed if you are getting a prize
Post your own scores everyday
Lessons are mostly clinics not one on one instruction
Shirts in pro shop are on hangers not folded
If it rains golf staff can go home even if shop is scheduled to be open until 6:30
Give up on expecting the next generation to want their shoes cleaned let alone shined
Annual plantings not allowed anywhere on the property
Different types of grasses for each height of cut are not used
Bunkers that are firmer but not uniform
Carts not washed after each round
No club storage unless you have a sports car and the need is justified
Water fountains not bottled water
Caddies in tee shirts and jeans not bibs

Play at 95%+ of clubs in the UK and you’ll be without almost all of these.