How Often Do You Actually Get To The Course?

[David_Elvins]

50 times a year but nowhere near once each week. 

[Scott_Burroughs]

50 times a year but nowhere near once each week.  

Brilliant!  Like so many here, David, you're just not an average guy.  

Reminds me of the lines from (I think) Annie Hall....Keaton:  "We have sex all the time, 2-3 times per week".  Allen: "We hardly ever have sex...only 2-3 times a week."

[Brent Hutto]

I'm pretty much the prototypical "weekend golfer". Most weekends I play both days unless I'm out of town or something (although often I'll get in a round when out of town too). Other than a couple long-weekend golf trips per year my during-the-week golf is very limited. Probably around 8-10 weekday rounds per year, total.

My home and my office are each about 30 minutes of fairly heavy traffic from any golf course I'd care to play. And the trip out to my club is more like 45-60 minutes if I try to do it after work during rush hour. So that really puts a damper on any temptation to play on work days unless I can take off a couple hours early in the afternoon.

I've also become in recent years a "fair weather golfer". I hardly ever play when it under 40F or if it's raining for more than a light shower for a few holes. And two of the last three years I've gone basically the whole month of August without playing more than maybe nine holes a time or two. Just too darned hot, golf when the temps are much over 90F is more like work than fun given the humidity we have around here. I usually just wait it out for about 5-6 weeks during the peak of the summer, by comparison in winter it's almost never more than 2-3 weeks in a row without some decent golf weather.

[Joel Zuckerman]

I play a significant number or rounds annually, but generally in "micro-bursts" when I am on the road writing/researching a project.

High-water mark:  Summer '07 played 15 rounds on never-before-seen GC's in 9 days in/around Indy, Columbus and Akron.  Drove 1,000 miles to do so, wrote 2 chapters an evening.  (Ended up with damaged discs in the back, sorry to say.)

Last week's 7 GC's in 4 days in Panama City seemed but a trifle in comparison.  (Though the high-volume and compressed timeframes make it difficult for me to vividly remember many/most GC's after the fact.)

[PCCraig]

I play a lot.

Weather permitting, I play both days on the weekend and I probably average two more nights after work per week. After work, I sometimes only play 9 or 13 holes (No. 13 green is near the clubhouse). Or I might just practice.

From April until mid-October, I rarely go more than three or four days without at least playing nine holes after work.

Depending on my work schedule, I've been pretty consistent with Jeff above. On a slow day I was able to get in 18 holes after teeing off at 5:15pm, but then I didn't get out after work at all last week. I've been playing a fair amount during the weekends so far this year thanks to the terrific weather.

Add in a couple trips and I will probably get to ~60+ rounds this year...but I don't have any kids (which makes it obviously harder to get out).

[Tommy Williamsen]

I kept track last year and played 105 times.  Most, however, were 9 holes in between work and evening meetings.  When I played 36 holes I counted it as two times.  I think I played 36 about fifteen times last year.

[Greg Clark]

I generally play one 18 hole round a week, and 1-2 nine hole rounds a week in the evening.  I will mix in a few 36-45 hole a day trips during the year.

[Michael Herrmann]

With 2 girls about to be 6 and 2 and a wife whose job also requires some occasional travel (as mine does) it's a bit tricky to get out.  The last 3 years I've averaged about 25 rounds a year from the March-Nov. window, with 7-8 of those coming on 2 different quick hitting out of town trips.

Outside of those rounds, I do get to the range at my club about once a week as we live only a few miles away, but one thing that has almost totally disappeared with the kids and work is the evening 9 hole round.  I feel like in order to stay sharp enough for the 18 hole or tournament rounds I need to chip/putt/hit balls when I have a free 60-90 minutes as opposed to playing 6 holes or 9 holes.

The older daughter sometimes likes going to the range and putting so that is fun to do and will hopefully lead to more time at the club if and when both of them get more involved in the game at an older age.

[Tim Gavrich]

Now that it's light out when I get home from work, I try to practice or play nine holes each weeknight and try to get in at least 36 holes each weekend.  I'm putting as many rounds as I can in the bank now, since I imagine my amount of play will decrease as I get older and deeper into the working world.

I've got my eye on a local US Open qualifier on May 8 at Debordieu (a course I've never played in over a dozen years of spending time in Pawleys Island), just down the road from where I live, so I'm going to try and devise an after-work practice schedule to prepare for it.  It's been since August that I've played any competitive golf and I miss it terribly, so I want to make this one count.

[Kalen Braley]

Same here for me.

30-40 rounds per year, but probably 90% of those come in a 7-8 month window when the weather is decent.  Its not uncommon in winter here to not be able to get out for 2 months straight.

[David_Tepper]

I am fortunate enough to spend 7 weeks a year in Dornoch and usually play 40-45 rounds while I am there. I probably average one round a week the balance of the year in here San Francisco and usually chip/putt/hit range balls once or twice week.

That being said, I really have no excuse for being such an utterly mediocre golfer!

[John Kavanaugh]

I don't get this "rounds" deal.  I'm at a golf course at least 250 days a year.  Play half the time.  Thank God for carts or I would play as little as the "purists".

[Steve Lang]

  corollary, how often do you eat/drink or play cards or socialize at the course?

[Howard Riefs]

"Weekend golfer" during the all-too-short Chicago golf season. Add in a few trips along the way.

In sum, played 39 rounds in 2011.

[Bill_McBride]

I play a significant number or rounds annually, but generally in "micro-bursts" when I am on the road writing/researching a project.

High-water mark:  Summer '07 played 15 rounds on never-before-seen GC's in 9 days in/around Indy, Columbus and Akron.  Drove 1,000 miles to do so, wrote 2 chapters an evening.  (Ended up with damaged discs in the back, sorry to say.)

Last week's 7 GC's in 4 days in Panama City seemed but a trifle in comparison.  (Though the high-volume and compressed timeframes make it difficult for me to vividly remember many/most GC's after the fact.)

That could be because there's so little memorable over there, right?

I usually play once a week and try to hit balls once during the week.  I probably take four or five trips a year where I'll play 3-6 rounds.  So all in I'm probably 75 rounds a year.   Meanwhile the slide into mediocrity continues....

[Kalen Braley]

corollary, how often do you eat/drink or play cards or socialize at the course?

Very rarely, usually only do this at GCA.com events.

[JLahrman]

The goal is to get 20 rounds in a year (for a full handicap).

With a full-time job, wife, six-month old daughter, and numerous other interests, I'm pressed to get in the 20. No complaints though, I'd get rid of the job if I could but nothing else.

I feel like I score better when I play less, up to a point. Lower expectations for my game lets me swing more freely without putting pressure on myself to score, since I don't feel like like I should be able to put up a decent score due to rust.

[Mac Plumart]

corollary, how often do you eat/drink or play cards or socialize at the course?

Steve...

At my local clubs, I'll grab a bite, maybe, two times a month prior to playing a round.  Rarely, if ever, do I just hang out at the club.

[Ed Brzezowski]

3-4 times per week. I sell insurance and own an agency so it is required to play that much to keep up the idea that we don't work enough.
Also rate 7-8 courses a year for the local golf association and do rules for the same. WOW maybe my wife is correct and i should work more??

nah!

[Colin Macqueen]

Gentlemen,
I would play twice a week on a regular basis and at any and every opportunity make some lame excuse or other  to ensure that this luxury is extended. My coterie of golfing mates are much the same and are wise to this so many a last minute 9-holes gets arranged by us.

I like hanging about the golf course, chipping and putting, but the amount of time spent in these environs is not reflected in my game skills.....nil desperandum!

Cheers Colin