I think there are many golfers who don't realize how much more fun they could have on the golf course than they already do.........
Many players--guys I play with in tournaments and non-competitive 20+ handicappers alike--adhere altogether too strictly to certain preconceived notions about what golf should be like............
I can't count how many college players...get so down on themselves after a squirrelly shot that it stays with them the whole round.
So perhaps some of those inspirational posters around the course might help? Like one saying "Your worst hole is often followed by your best!" Personally, I would love to have a course put out a sign saying "Why complain about being outdoors five hours in beautiful surroundings?" I might also put one out saying "Reading Putts is like taking a test - your first impression is usually right, so go with it!"
Anthony,
Great topic, and one every course owner ought to consider as golf faces more challenges for free time endeavors.
There have been some NGF studies on this for average public golfers. I don't have time to pull them out, but in general, its camraderie with friends (presumably including small, friendly wagers), outdoor activity, and shooting near your average score on a course you deem challenging - its not as fun on a pitch and putt or course you deem to easy.
Obviously, shooting your personal best would also be great fun, but its not expected.
I do think its hard to quantify, but having at least a few great successes through the round - like the great carry shot over water or a long putt, figures in. In that vein, a few spectacular failures need to be there to highlight the success.
That said, I also know lost balls are a real pain. You celebrate the successes for a few seconds, although the glow lasts a while, but you look for lost balls five minutes (which is no fun) and then the opposite mental images start, so a lost ball is at least 7 minutes of no fun at all, not to mention a $2-$4 hit to the wallet you weren't planning on. Do that ten times a round, and you have added over an hour of misery, which is difficult to overcome, so the ratio of great things, to average things, to bad things must be in line to walk off the course satisfied.....all IMHO, of course.
Dan Kelly,
What about the coiled bratwursts at Giant's Ridge? Or do they just look too much like dog turds to enjoy the taste, as Gov. Pawlenty thought?
Actually and seriously, as much as some of you guys hate the "experience" or at least its replacement of gca as a determinant of course quality, I think some signature food items, like the Arnold Palmer drink, or a specialty sandwhich can help a course's allure. 18 holes of golf AND a Buffalo Chicken Sandwhich!" If I owned a course anymore, I think I would try to get something pretty good and distinctive on the menu.