[Mark_Fine]

Start beginning golfers who are playing say a par 70-72 golf course for the first or second time 25 yards in front of every green.  When they can shoot 36 or better for nine holes, move them back to 50 yards from each green and continue the process. 


This not only teaches players to get the ball in the hole but is much more fun and less intimidating as they begin to learn to play on a full scale golf course. 


Of course 25 yards to start is arbitrary but you get the point. 


My home club has implemented this practice in their beginner golf program.


Note:  In all honesty, all of us, regardless of ability, could have fun with this.  I wonder how many of us could shoot under 22 or 23 from 25 yards out for nine holes.  What a great way to challenge yourself or get a few wagers going during an off peak time at your club.


 

[Matt Schoolfield]

You a describing a chipping course like the Meadows. You can easily fit a 9 hole chipping course on the plot of one golf hole or a small driving range.


I’ve advocated for these exactly because I agree with you, that they provide a fun on-ramp for beginners.

[Adam Lawrence]

I think I'd get pretty hacked off having to walk round a 3,500 yards nine holes to play each hole from 25 yards. Recipe for creating cartballers.

[Steve Sayre]

Mark is describing Operation 36, a learning program and technology platform for beginner golfers of any age. Now being used at 100's of courses and growing quickly.


Start 25 yards from the green, when you can shoot 36 for 9 holes you move to level 2. Shoot 36 from 50 yards out, etc.


operation36.golf


Adam -- no carts involved!

[Adam Lawrence]

Mark is describing Operation 36, a learning program and technology platform for beginner golfers of any age. Now being used at 100's of courses and growing quickly.

Start 25 yards from the green, when you can shoot 36 for 9 holes you move to level 2. Shoot 36 from 50 yards out, etc.

operation36.golf

Adam -- no carts involved!

That's good. Then it's a hell of a long walk for not much golf.

[Kalen Braley]

I think their time would be far better spent on the range and/or short game area over that.  They would learn a lot more on various types of shots.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Mark,


I had no ego related trouble getting my then 9-10 year old grandson to play from the 150 yard markers, and I doubt there would be any stigma for the "yutes" of America doing the same, or even shorter. Please keep us posted.


And I agree that everyone ought to consider using the course from at least 100 yards every so often.  Maybe the club could designate a day for exclusive play that way.  I'm not sure about the scores you mention....I have played many of my forward tees in the 3600-4200 yard range, and my scores really don't go down much!

[Mark_Fine]

Steve,
You are exactly right.  Golfers love it and it is bringing more people into the game that had resisted playing or who were too intimidated in the past. 

And yes most walk between holes and don’t mind a bit as they get some exercise.  They also don’t have to carry 14 clubs.  And soon, at least at my home club, (assuming our club finally realizes it is not beneath us to allow pull carts) they will be able to use a trolly to drag their 4 or 5 clubs around 


Kalen,
Many have been on the range and short game area for some time practicing before this step. This is how they transition to playing on the real course and easing into the actual game of golf.  It works. 

[Charlie Goerges]

It sounds worthwhile, but why put them on a big course? I agree with Adam that it sounds like a lot of walking for not a lot of golf.


Kalen, I think the idea is that this short round is more of a test. They are almost certainly spending a bunch of time on the range and practice green too.

[Joe Hancock]

The key word in the title is “club”. Maybe beginning golfers could help sustain the mom and pop type courses out there by learning to play where previous generations of golfers learned…

[Mark_Fine]

Jeff,
I think we are in agreement.  And yes those scores might be challenging (22 or 23 from 25 yards) which would mean getting up or down about half of the time.  Set the scoring goals as you see fit. 


Charlie,
What do you mean “not a lot of golf”?  The goal for most of these players is to try to take 36 shots or less in nine holes which for them is a big challenge from 25 yards out. For some of us, that is the same amount of shots we take from the middle or back tees.  And these golfers will probably do less walking to play their 36 shots because they don’t have to walk all the way to the back tees like we do .


Maybe you should be looking at this from their perspective, if they started at the regular tees and it took them 65 shots, that’s A LOT of golf for that much walking


Joe,
I didn’t mean to exclude Mom and Pop golf courses.  Love to see this same practice on those courses, many of which are just as long and challenging as “club” courses or private courses - call them what you want.  And for sure beginners can and should go find a chip and putt course to practice and many do, but this is a way to start playing on a regulation length course (many of which are the golfer’s home club).

[Charlie Goerges]

Mark, I just meant that it's a lot of extra walking. If the beginners were taken to a pitch and putt, they wouldn't have to walk an extra 100-500 yards per hole is all. In the end it's fine, but the thought is there are already courses designed exactly for this.

[Thomas Dai]

Sympathetic towards this and no problem with a beginner or novice walking holes while someone, likely their mentor, plays and hitting putts and short shots.
Generally putting greens (even crazy golf aka putt-putt) and pitch-n-putt courses are the best places to start beginners and novices and novices though.
Importantly folks also start to absorb the etiquette of the game this way, ie being quiet and not moving when others are hitting shots, repairing divots etc, which is not the kind of thing folks learn at a driving range like facility.
Putting and short shots is a cheap way to learn the basics of the game too coz not many clubs are needed. It’s also worth considering that some who try the game might not actually want to continue to play so it’s pointless them spending loads of cash.
Atb

[Carl Johnson]

Mark is describing Operation 36, a learning program and technology platform for beginner golfers of any age. Now being used at 100's of courses and growing quickly.

Start 25 yards from the green, when you can shoot 36 for 9 holes you move to level 2. Shoot 36 from 50 yards out, etc.

operation36.golf

Adam -- no carts involved!

That's good. Then it's a hell of a long walk for not much golf.

But then again it's a less-spoiled walk.  Ref. Mark Twain.

[Mark_Fine]

Charlie,
Many do go to their local pitch and putt course (if there is one around) but they eventually want to graduate to a big course or maybe their home club/course to play and many are intimidated by that thought.  Even the forward tees on some courses are over 5000 yards long (2500 yards long for 9 holes) which compares to the 600 or 700 yard chip and putt course they were playing at.  This idea helps introduce them to a big course and as they break 36 for nine holes they keep moving back to longer yardages until they eventually get to the formal teeing locations.  They are effectively making their home course into what you call a pitch and putt (but to them this is quite a challenge).  And yes there is more walking but walking is not a bad thing for most people.  When they graduate to 50 or 75 yard shots they won’t be calling it pitch and putt.  If you don’t believe me, go watch some beginners play

[Matt Schoolfield]

Let me add my concerns to this topic. If Mark is describing  Operation 36, then that's all well and good, but such a program is targeted at people who both are already committed to learning golf via instruction, and also have the means and have already received guidance that this is a good way to learn.

While this is all fine and good for children of club members, presenting this as a general solution to on-boarding players leaves significant barriers in place for the general public, because you need to already exist in the golf ecosystem to practically begin this way. It also presents new players with the same practice-first-and-play-later paradigm that we seem to expect from new players.

Golf should be fun, feel rewarding, and not make people feel miserable from day one. Imagine if courses had one set of back tees at 7000 yards, and higher handicaps were expected to "go hit from the fairway until you learn to play better."   We have forward tees exactly because it should be fun for folks that aren't as skilled, and we should have the same type of formal infrastructure for beginners. That means quality putting courses, chipping courses, pitch & putts, and then finally short courses.

I may be too idealistic, but when I look at Scotland, where the game is deeply ingrained in the culture, we see these facilities. When I look at America, where the game is extremely niche, I see driving ranges, which people pretend are for beginners, but mostly serve advanced players.

[SL_Solow]

I started my son from about 125 yards when he was about 7.  Moved him back as he became an accomplished player.  When he was young and eager he didn't mind the walk.


While pitch and putt options are a wonderful alternative, in the states there aren't that many available.  Most private clubs don't have the room.  So if we like this alternative we need to find a way at existing courses.  Paradoxically, with the post-covid increase in popularity, it will be harder to find open times to allow this activity.  Nonetheless, golf needs to find ways to bring the next generation on to courses.  There is nothing wrong with experimentation.

[Matt Schoolfield]

Most private clubs don't have the room.  So if we like this alternative we need to find a way at existing courses.  Paradoxically, with the post-covid increase in popularity, it will be harder to find open times to allow this activity.  Nonetheless, golf needs to find ways to bring the next generation on to courses.  There is nothing wrong with experimentation.

Again, it should be noted that a chipping course trivially fits onto a driving range, which then can easily do double duty as both a range and beginners course. It is only a cultural decision that we've made in prioritizing driving ranges over playing areas for beginners. If a course/club decides to allow beginners to use the range facilities as a chipping course, say, in the afternoons/evenings, then they could trivially provide both of these types of facilities on any piece of land that already has a range.

[Tim_Weiman]

Mark,


I like what Nick Schreiber decided to do at Old Barnwell better: having Brian Schneider and Blake Conant build a children’s course.


The work is well underway. I look forward to seeing it when I return to Aiken in the fall.

[cary lichtenstein]

The problem with most golfers is laziness, the inability to work on all parts of their game, hence, they have awful short games.


I was a dedicated practicer, I honed my short game. I got up and down at least 50% of the time, so if I hit 9 greens in regulations with a couple of birdies, I'd shot 74 all the time.


I bet 1/3 of my shots around the greens were for gimmes, that's what the average golfer does not do, does not care to do, has no motivation to do and doesn't ever want to put in the time and dedication to do. That's why they are 16 handicaps.

[Ryan Van Culin]

For everyone suggesting people should just go to pitch and putts, I would remind you that they are fairly rare in the US, and almost unheard of if you don't live in a city. We used to have one in my area, and it shut down because no one ever used it.


Also, I caddie at a nearly Top 100 course and it has a short course at ~800 yards and it almost never gets used. So, as much as I am a fan of them, they aren't popular enough for anyone to invest money into building them, as far as I can tell, unless it's a resort and can be marketed into the package.

[Rob Marshall]

The problem with most golfers is laziness, the inability to work on all parts of their game, hence, they have awful short games.


I was a dedicated practicer, I honed my short game. I got up and down at least 50% of the time, so if I hit 9 greens in regulations with a couple of birdies, I'd shot 74 all the time.


I bet 1/3 of my shots around the greens were for gimmes, that's what the average golfer does not do, does not care to do, has no motivation to do and doesn't ever want to put in the time and dedication to do. That's why they are 16 handicaps.

Course I'm a Social/Waiting list member in Naples has great short game practice areas. I could spend all day there. Never get bored with it. Experimenting  playing different shots with different clubs on the practice area opens up so many different options when you get out on the course.


On the original topic, I think it's a great way to get new golfers started. Learning to score is what it's all about.

[Pierre_C]

I'm fortunate enough that my home course has a 6 hole short course (1652 yds) with holes ranging from 133 yds - 410 yds. Most beginners, older players, & kids spend time on the short course.

When my siblings and I were learning to play golf my father would not allow us out on the golf course until we learn how to putt. We each spent nearly 3 years on the practice putting green. He would take us to the club, give us our putter then go play golf with his friends.

[Mark_Fine]

Just to be clear, this idea is NOT just for kids.  This is for all ages of players, young and old who are beginning to play golf and who want to play on their “home” course.  While this might be a surprise to some, there are MANY golfers playing or trying to play the game who will not shoot 36 or better from starting 25 yards in front of every green for 9 holes.  Furthermore, as they “graduate” to starting from 50 yards, 75 yards,..etc, believe it or not, this is Not chip and putt for many of these players.  When they get to 75 yards for example, many are still hitting woods to get to the green. 


And again as pointed out by others above, at many existing courses/clubs there are no options (extra land or money) to build a “short” course for these players.


This is a great idea/option to use their existing course for all ages and as I said, even accomplished players would benefit from playing nine holes once in awhile at their home/regular course from these starting points to see what they could shoot. 


And for the skeptics, go to a club/course that is doing Operation 36 and it might be eye opening for you to see who is participating.  It will also put into better perspective what many golf architects have to keep in mind with their designs/restorations/renovations.  Watching many golfers play at a wide variety of public and private courses for hours at a time has made me a very strong advocate of forward tees which we are adding at all my projects these days.  They are good for the game and I love this idea on top. 
 

[Pierre_C]

I'm fortunate enough that my home course has a 6 hole short course (1652 yds) with holes ranging from 133 yds - 410 yds. Most beginners, older players, & kids spend time on the short course.

When my siblings and I were learning to play golf my father would not allow us out on the golf course until we learn how to putt. We each spent nearly 3 years on the practice putting green. He would take us to the club, give us our putter then go play golf with his friends.

Something I'm noticing now is a lot of clubs are building short courses. This seems to be common for destination courses - Sand Valley, Citrus Farms, Pinehurst, Prairie Club, Old Saw Mill GC, Miakka GC, etc . My club in S. Carolina is planning to build a new short course - par 3s.

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