Unique Quirks

[Steve_Roths]

What are some of the unique quirks to your favorite places.  My two favorites are Ben's Porch and the bell at National.  Ben's Porch because of the view, the people, the burgers, and the fact that it is a mile from the clubhouse.  The bell at National because even when you are the only group out there you still ring it.

Anyone else....

[CHC1948]

Steve,

Not that this is a place, but the old water coolers throughout Seminole....it's the small things that make a place truely special.

CHC

[John_Conley]

Steve:

Quirks, or quarks?  I'm a little rusty on my astronomy.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

My favourite are the wicker baskets of Merion, but then I love evrything about Merion.
How about the showers at Merion, the best anywhere!!!

My pet negative quirk is the reluctance of courses back home{UK} to let you play from the back tees..they are always"saving" them..I just dont get that one!!!!

[Marc Haring]

Michael.

You must have played St Georges Hill and have encountered "the locker room".
Here, on every locker you get the members name written across it in gold lettering but when they die (death is the only way of leaving SGH) they draw this big diagonal stripe across your name.
Some of the lockers have only a few names with the stripe  but some have got so many they're practically writing them on the floor. Brilliant, the jinxed locker that everyone fears. Only at those eccentric nutty places like SGH would find such a thing.
 

[Scott_Burroughs]

The walking-only policy at Bethpage (Black).  The only muni that could pull it off, IMO, and they did it long before it was a place that everyone wanted to play because of the U.S. Open.  Stories from the guys who grew up playing there (Ward, Golden, etc.) tell of the days when the Black was the easiest course to get on.

And also the sign greeting you at the first tee (I hope it's still there):

[Dan_Callahan]

I've always thought the Latin on the scorecard at Taconic was oddly fitting, given the connection with the college.

[Matt_Ward]

Scott:

Good picture of BB's 1st and the famous sign.

What's really funny is that most people just look at the sign and simply think it's hogwash and proceed to play a course that handles them with utter disdain.

Scott -- your last comment is so right. The Black made a deal with the devil -- it improved to a condition few could ever dream of but now the issue of access and slow play are worse now than they have ever been. How glorious were the old days when 36 holes on the Black was indeed possible and for no more than $25. Never again ...

Gents:

One of my favorite quirks is when playing TOC during the winter months and I was told players were then given a patch of artifical turf to hit their approaches from! Do they then adjust the green fee given the fact that you're not really playing from the real turf at the course?

Michael W-P:

The same situation exists here in the states. Go to Pebble Beach and you will rarely see the back markers up. People then must play a "miniature" Pebble from tees way too far up. There's only one thing though -- the price charges wasn't adjusted because you were now playing a miniaturized version of the layout.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

Marc,
I have only played St georges Hill once, and have not seen the lockers but that is pretty cool.
next time I am home I will check that out..thanks

Matt,
I agree with what you said about PB, the only difference is, whenever I have played at Pebble, I have always played the back tees anyway..except for number5, {that darn fence}, without getting any agro.
However try that at somewhere like Royal Birkdale and they threaten to kick you off the course!!!

I have found however, a letter signed by your State executive confirming your handicap, carries some clout at some courses, whereby they will allow you to play the back tees.

One of particular note in that respect was Turnberry

[Matt_Ward]

Michael W-P:

Yes, the clubs across the pond can be a bit more flexibile but I also understand the feelings of the clubs because too many people may think they are single digits and can CARRY a ball in the air for 250+ yards and then when they go back to the tips they play to their normal double digit handicaps and the pace of play simply become a death march.

Nonetheless, there are many clubs in the States -- especially on the resort and upscale side -- that frankly will not play the full course. Why should I as a low handicap player be deprived in playing the full course.

One other thing -- some of these clubs won't honor letters no matter who signed them. The only recourse? Don't patronize them.

One last thing -- can someone tell me if the folks at TOC still do that silly thing with the fake turf during the winter months?

[Brian_Gracely]

The box of rusty pennies (for ball markers) in the ProShop at Cypress Point, near the pencils and scorecards.

The long shoehorns in the locker-room at CPC and Lost Dunes.

Kummel at Prestwick.

[Bob_Huntley]

Matt,

The personnel around the first tee at Pebble Beach have been known to instruct golfers to hit off of the front tee, but believe me when I say that should you wish to play the tips, you walk back and tee it up.

Bob

[Mike Benham]

Kummel at Prestwick.

I just shuddered from reading that ... good stuff indeed ...

[Brian_Gracely]

Mike,

I thought it was pretty interesting that it was carried by the waitress as if it was some explosive liquid....very gently.  Apparently they have a real concern about breaking the rim-level surface tension of the glass.

Now if I could only find somewhere in the US to buy a bottle and keep it at the club for cold days.

btw - send me your fax # (if you have one) via IM and I'll send you an interesting story I received about Prestwick and their fascination with Kummel.  

[Geoffrey_Walsh]

Bobby Jones Grand Slam monument on the 11th tee at Merion (and we can throw in the Hogan plaque in the 18th fairway)

Little known Nicklaus plaque at Taconic for his hole-in-one on #14.

The chimney in play on the 18th at Ed Oliver

[DPL11]

The snapper soup at Pine Valley.

The chain driven tram at Manufacturers' G&CC from #18 green to the clubhouse.

The ice in the urinals at Atlantic City CC.

[Tyler Kearns]

Matt,

They still use mats during the off season at the Old Course, the length of said season being Nov. 1 - Feb. 28.

TK

[Brad Tufts]

The bell on 15 at Cruden Bay.

The iced tea and lemonade on hole #9 at Myopia.

"No preferred lies: We play golf here."  -Taconic

[Sean McCue]

How about the periscope at Riviera's 18th tee

[Mike Hendren]

1. The Stewart Sandwich Toaster behind the bar at Rolling Hills CC in Ripley, TN.  Come to think of it, the bar itself in a totally dry county.

2.  The metal silo smack dab in the middle of the fairway of a dog-track outside of Maryville we'd play when I was in school in Knoxville.  Come to think of it, there was a concrete silo on the inside of the dogleg 10th at Pine Lakes in Knoxville as well.  Must be an East Tennessee thing.

Mike

[TEPaul]

My favorite quirk is Seminole G.C's beautiful SALT WATER swimming pool centrally located as it sits enfolded in the arms of that magnificent Addison Mizner clubhouse. I've been to that club about 300 times in the last 30 years and NOT ONCE have I ever seen a SINGLE SOLITARY PERSON in that swimming pool!