Water hazards speed up play

[John Kavanaugh]

I'm sorry but I would rather lose a ball than look for a ball.  Isn't golf much more fun when you see a ball splash and proceed to a drop area instead of hole after hole spending five minutes a ball searching and then corrupting the rules by not returning to the tee?  Or even worse, hitting a provisional, finding your ball and then having to find and retrieve the provisional.  Given the high cost of golf and value of time what is really so bad about losing a ball.

note:  I think golf is the only sport where you can find more balls while playing than what you started with.  Wouldn't it be cool to go to the gym to play basketball and return home with a few new rocks?

[jeffwarne]

I'm sorry but I would rather lose a ball than look for a ball.  Isn't golf much more fun when you see a ball splash and proceed to a drop area instead of hole after hole spending five minutes a ball searching and then corrupting the rules by not returning to the tee?  Or even worse, hitting a provisional, finding your ball and then having to find and retrieve the provisional.  Given the high cost of golf and value of time what is really so bad about losing a ball.

note:  I think golf is the only sport where you can find more balls while playing than what you started with.  Wouldn't it be cool to go to the gym to play basketball and return home with a few new rocks?
[/quote

along the same lines,
what is the difference between playing a course with foot high rough just off the fairway on both sides on all 18 holes (Portrush comes to mind)
and the water at AAC, except that you can legally drop at AAC?

[Jeff_Brauer]

I was at a hockey game once where a puck dropped out of a players pants (lodged in there during practice, supposedly) and for a while, they were playing with two pucks.  Upon video review, the goal that went in was from the second puck, so it was called back.

[John Kavanaugh]

I'm sorry but I would rather lose a ball than look for a ball.  Isn't golf much more fun when you see a ball splash and proceed to a drop area instead of hole after hole spending five minutes a ball searching and then corrupting the rules by not returning to the tee?  Or even worse, hitting a provisional, finding your ball and then having to find and retrieve the provisional.  Given the high cost of golf and value of time what is really so bad about losing a ball.

note:  I think golf is the only sport where you can find more balls while playing than what you started with.  Wouldn't it be cool to go to the gym to play basketball and return home with a few new rocks?
[/quote

along the same lines,
what is the difference between playing a course with foot high rough just off the fairway on both sides on all 18 holes (Portrush comes to mind)
and the water at AAC, except that you can legally drop at AAC?

I suppose the difference is that when a hack hits it in the weeds he usually finds a ball to replace the one he lost.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Its a question of whether you would rather be bitten by gators or snakes, I suppose.

BTW, course managers have said water hazards speed up play over native areas for years.  At La Costa, we are using many acres of bark mulch, trying to reduce irrigation while reducing lost balls at the same time.  Granted, the super will have to spray like crazy for a few years to keep weeds out, but its a nice alternative to the long grasses.

I have heard more than one golfer say that at $50 per dozen, the "hidden greens fees" of lost balls is a factor in them not playing as much, though.  When will it occur to them that for the 2 lost yards per drive, that the $24 per dozen balls probably are a better deal, given they don't have PRO V I games anyway.....

[Brent Hutto]

I agree. Of course this observation leads to the temptation to place red stakes around any area of unmaintained junk that might maybe possibly at some point in the past or future may have had some water in there.

[Jeff_Brauer]

What would be golf's equvialent of bowlings bumper pads?

[jeffwarne]

What would be golf's equvialent of bowlings bumper pads?

Rees's faiways

[Melvyn Morrow]

John

You have given us the reason why the modern game is in the state it’s in NO FRACKING COMMITMENT BY MANY OF THE PLAYERS in the modern search for 'The Instant gratification or none at all Society'. TOO hard, so can't be worth the effort, how in Hells name did your country get men on the moon with that sort of attitude

John, yet again you shock me, perhaps one day I will understand why you ever bothered in the first place to play golf, but that’s your choice - hope you do not treat the women in your life the same way, because its commitment that actually makes the world look so good and the future bright.

Here's hoping that you might find some soon.

Melvyn

[John Kavanaugh]

John

You have given us the reason why the modern game is in the state it’s in NO FRACKING COMMITMENT BY MANY OF THE PLAYERS in the modern search for 'The Instant gratification or none at all Society'. TOO hard, so can't be worth the effort, how in Hells name did your country get men on the moon with that sort of attitude

John, yet again you shock me, perhaps one day I will understand why you ever bothered in the first place to play golf, but that’s your choice - hope you do not treat the women in your life the same way, because its commitment that actually makes the world look so good and the future bright.

Here's hoping that you might find some soon.

Melvyn

M,

I play golf for the same reasons both Old and Young played the game, I'm good at it.  I have been faithfully married to the same woman for thirty years.  There are only two things I have been doing on a regular basis longer, golf is one.

[Melvyn Morrow]

John

Well said and perhaps just a little more commitment re golf. As for my family, we have always played the game because we enjoy it. Some may be good at it, but that irrelevant as we have always enjoy the game. Being good at it is just a bonus, worth all the previously perseverance -  right, so find your 'balls' and start enjoying the game as well as being good at it. Water hazards by right slow the game down – period.

Melvyn