Are many courses over-played? And ...

[Thomas Dai]

Are many courses over-played?
And does that effect playing experience and enjoyment and other aspects and implications too?
Thoughts?
atb

[Tim Martin]

Thomas-I don’t know what the tipping point is to be considered over-played? The town owned course where I live saw 60,000 rounds at its height before 2008 and has picked up considerably since Covid although I don’t know how many they logged in 2022. At that number the tee sheets were full all day everyday. I found it more enjoyable post 2008 and pre Covid as the experience was not as factory like and as a result customer service, conditioning and pace of play all improved. So at the 60,000 round mark both the playing experience and enjoyment factor left something to be desired.

[Max Prokopy]

"Overplayed" in terms of conditions doesn't bother me, I grew up on dirt tee boxes.


Slow pace of play does bother me.  While some courses are just built to play longer, obviously the number of rounds can affect play and that's where I would draw the line on "overplayed". 

[Tim_Weiman]

Are many courses over-played?
And does that effect playing experience and enjoyment and other aspects and implications too?
Thoughts?
atb

A few people told me 20-25 years ago that Pine Valley was overplayed.

[Thomas Dai]

Thanks.
The 60,000 rounds per year Max mentions equates over 365 days to 164 players per day, ie 328 feet walking on some part of the playing surfaces or transition areas. Pondering this in terms of the same number of people walking across my lawn/back yard mown grass and the impact it would have on the quality of my lawn.
Pace of play, as mentioned by Tim M, is an interesting aspect too. Slow play ain't imo much fun. The closeness of tee-time intervals might have an impact here.
More thoughts?
atb

[Mark Chaplin]

Thomas Dai there is an R&A report on slow play and their evidence points fair and square to overcrowding being the number 1 cause of slow play. When we could play during Covid but with restrictions  we had 10 minute gaps for two ball play at Deal. Play was faster and there were no waits, now we are back to 8 minutes and play has slowed down again. They suggest 12 minute gaps for 4 ball play.

[Thomas Dai]

Thomas Dai there is an R&A report on slow play and their evidence points fair and square to overcrowding being the number 1 cause of slow play. When we could play during Covid but with restrictions  we had 10 minute gaps for two ball play at Deal. Play was faster and there were no waits, now we are back to 8 minutes and play has slowed down again. They suggest 12 minute gaps for 4 ball play.

Thanks Mark. Exactly the same has happened where I mostly play and quite a bit of standing on tees and on fairways has occurred as a result. Waiting isn’t fun, quite the opposite.
I’d be happy with 12 min gaps. Not necessarily sure proprietary and pay-to-play courses would too although greater footfall presumably comes with some higher associated conditioning expenses.
Atb

[Tim Martin]

Yale went to 15 minute spaced tee times since reopening after Covid and the pace of play has been terrific. I realize that most courses don’t have this luxury but there is no denying that the more times crammed into every hour the slower it gets.

[Thomas Dai]

15 min intervals. Interesting idea Tim. Nice and restful for the course too.
I'm imagine some folks can remember the days when there were no tee-times, yes this was once upon a time actually the case at some clubs/courses, and you tee'd off when the group in front were out of range and, the odd snail group excepted, the pace of play simply flowed. And folks did something they don't seem to do these days .... slower groups let faster groups playing behind play through!
atb

[David_Tepper]

"Nostalgia isn't what it used to be"

https://quoteinvestigator.com/2013/07/06/nostalgia-is-not/