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Whether you are playing the Miami Springs golf course in Florida or the Broadmoor Golf Club in Seattle Washington, there are subjective and objective qualities inherent to all golf courses. Golfers travel from all over the world play a variety of different golf courses.
Objective golf course factor #1 = greens keeper talent and dedication
Objective golf course factor #2 = weather and irrigation
Objective golf course factor #3 = pro shop, club house staff, and membership
Subjective golf course factor #1 = design (flat, hilly, difficult rough, easy rough, long, short, water hazards, sand traps, and natural hazards)
Subjective golf course factor #2 = location and scenery
Subjective golf course factor #3 = historical significance
Subjective golf course factor #4 = membership, initiation, and/or green-fee costs
Subjective golf course factor #5 = private or public golf courses
The objective factors that make or break golf courses
I was a greens keeper from age 16 to 19. I worked at two different golf courses. I soon learned a thing or two about the daily routine of the greens keeper. Early (before the sun comes up) hours and late nights. Dawn till dusk. Most of the work involved in keeping a golf course in pristine condition is done when the golfers are not around. Only makes sense. I also learned that the head greens keeper is not just the guy/girl who has the most experience changing pin positions and and cutting greens. Head greens keepers often have an impressive education. They are responsible for every aspect of a golf course's condition. The greens keepers I worked with were also weathermen by default. :-) The dedication to their golf course is intense in most cases (or they are unemployed...believe me) and a big source of their pride. I have felt the wrath of a head greens keeper when I did not give his golf course the attention it deserved. Not a pretty sight. If the head greens keeper and his/her staff are not dedicated the golf course has no chance of competing. Period.
The next objective factor for golf courses is the weather and irrigation. Golf courses in America are designed and built in a vast array of settings and landscapes. Imagine caring for a golf course in Pheonix as apposed to looking after a golf course in Seattle. Golf courses are all irrigated, but when there is extreme rainfall, frost, or unseasonable temperatures, the fairways and greens will suffer. When they suffer everyone suffers. Less money is made in memberships, initiation and green fees. The pro shop sales slow to a trickle and the greens keepers are all racking up overtime hours. I've seen golf courses loose three years of profit in one bad year due to weather! This is certainly an objective factor for all golf courses.
For my third objective factor for golf courses I consider the people operating the facilities. The pro shop, club house and restaurant(s). More importantly the board of directors and the policies they pass down to all staff. Golfing is a past-time and a passion coveted by millions because of the relaxing atmosphere and sense of peace experienced during their day on the golf course. Having an ill trained, unprofessional, unfriendly staff is a sure way to lose all your members fast. I've seen a new board of directors take over a golf course and run it into the ground in one season.
Subjective Factors that make golf courses special unto themselves
Subjective golf course factor #1 is the design and natural terrain. If a golf course is flat, hilly, has difficult rough, easy rough, long yardage, short yardage, water hazards, sand traps, natural hazards, championship tees, implemented women's and men's tee boxes. This is all a matter of taste. Some golf courses are much more difficult than others due to the above stated factors. A golf course that is too short will not be popular with the golfers who like to let loose with their drivers and woods. This brand of golfer will usually like a golf course that is wide open with little or no separation between holes. This enables them to miss the fairway all together and still be able hit the green in par.
Some golf courses have enough man made and natural hazards to deplete your golf ball supply in short order. The golfers that like these golf courses are usually finesse players who play a very consistent game of golf. They will usually be straight shooters who will opt out of wood play and stick their irons. These players will likely make a mess of their competition on a short golf course. The natural hazards can be OB (out of bounds) proximity or heavy wooded areas between fairways. For instance, most of the fairways on golf courses in British Columbia, Canada are separated by thick under brush and dense forest. Essentially rain forest. Good luck saving yourself from a bad slice or hook off the tee. Advantage: Lots of trees to wrap your golf clubs around....:-O Many golf courses that don't have natural hazards make up for it by surrounding their greens with man made water and sand traps. Once again, the consistent golfer wins.
Subjective factor #2 is the location and the natural landscape seen by golfers while out on the golf course. I've seen golf courses built right adjacent to the airport, construction projects, city traffic, highways, etc. Of course this is a key factor for golfers as they try to concentrate on every golf stroke and enjoy a quiet, relaxing game. Having a Boieng 777 take off and land directly over your head while you are lining up a 25 foot putt can be distractive. The landscape of the golf course and the country side is very important for some golfers when choosing a golf course. Some golfers will only play country clubs because of the beautiful scenery. Some people have no choice but to play golf courses located in the middle of an urban landscape. (actually..I personally enjoy these courses)
Subjective factor #3 is not often a big priority with most golfers. That is the historical significance associated with a golf course. Good examples would be St. Andrews in the British Isles and Pebble Beach on the west coast of the United States. (many more could be named of course) Golf courses like these have historical stature due to the many PGA tournaments played on them. You can appreciate that golf courses such as these are kept in pristine condition and are world class.
Subjective factor #4 for choosing golf courses to play is the cost associated with memberships, initiation and green fees. The cost of getting on golf courses across America varies greatly depending on the condition, the historical signification, popularity.
Subjective factor #5 is the option of playing a private course (members only) or playing a public golf course. In the past two decades there has been a shift to a less exclusionary approach to operating golf courses. Public golf courses have improved to the point where you can play a world class golf course for as little as $50 for 18 holes of golf.
I hope this brief article on golf courses was both enjoyable and informative for you.
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