Should I go, or should I stay?

[FATC1TY]

I've got this battle going on with myself, and wanted some outside opinion.

I have the chance to play on a beautiful course in a few weeks. Cuscowilla is a very, very nice course, on a gorgeous lake. I've got family, who I've come to find out, has a membership at this club.

I can play there for $85, which is much better than the $145 it cost normally for 18..


However, I'm a terrible player. I'm relatively new to the game, and I haven't taken a formal lesson. I don't have a mechanically sound swing. My driving is short because of it, and randomly good and bad every hole.

My short game destroys it. I can't hit my irons to save my own life, it's think and fat over and over. My wedges aren't bad, just lofty and short. My putting is my only saving grace. If I get it within 15-20 feet, I can sink it in less than 2 almost every time.

Which brings me to this.. Should I go? I don't want to embarass myself, or slow anyone up. I want to enjoy myself, but I'm just not confident in my irons to go I think. I don't think I'll have the chance to play something like this for a while, so I really do want to go, but it is more than I'm use to spending, and I really want to try and get a lesson in before I go.

Whatcha' think?

[Wi-Golfer]

Personally I would wait, there are some fantastic courses around here that I wanted to play last year but I knew I really wasn't good enough at the time to take advantage of them & enjoy myself. Hacking out a 125 or whatever on an expensive course just isn't my idea of a fun time. This year though my game fundamentals are much better & I feel while I am still & always will be a hacker, at least I can go to the nicer pricier courses & enjoy myself by actually making a few pars & maybe even a bird or 2.

[FATC1TY]

That was my thinking.

Here's the deal, that makes this a tad harder to decide. It could be cheaper for me to play, like $50-60 bucks, or it could be free. I don't know the situation of how much it will cost me in the end. Regardless of price, I don't think that should be the sole reason to decide. It's around 40-45 to play at most decent places around here, so I really only might be out my normal cost, plus 9 for what I'd pay at home.

I enjoy golf alot. I shot a 55 yesterday, because of my hideous iron shot( If you call them shots). I still enjoyed it.

I'd enjoy myself hacking away in a beautiful place, I just don't know if something.. "high class" like this place is, would be ideal for.... me.

[Eracer]

Whether you hack it around or not is irrelevant. Whether you keep up the pace of play is not. You said you don't want to slow people down. That's a great attitude. Pay attention to cart management. Don't take too long on the putting surface (but don't rush!) Set a limit for yourself. No more than three over on any hole. If that means you pick up, then so be it. You're breaking a rule, but this isn't a tournament. Just don't turn the score in for handicap (if you do that.)

In a situation like this score does not matter. What matters is that you are playing golf on a beautiful course that you may not have the chance to play again (at least for this price.) So get out there and have some fun!

[SilverUberXeno]

I was going to suggest you hold off, but Eracer is making a good point. Hit a tee shot on every hole; if it's terrible, pick it up and go 200 yards up the fairway and play from there. Honestly, I wouldn't play. But it's your call.

[twogreen]

I agree with Eracer. If your playing partners are not senile they will remember their golf beginnings and not expect you to play well. Just be sure you keep up the pace and don't hold them up.

There is also a good chance that they don't shoot very well either...regardless of how long they have played. I played a round with a fellow that shot 123 last week. He has been playing for more than 20 years.

[eclark53520]

Let me preface this by saying i am NOT that great of a golfer by any means...

I have no problem with new people on nice courses, i have only played a few and i have kept up with the big boys just fine(speed wise). I agree with eracer completely that the score is completely irrelevant. As long as your replacing your divots, fixing your ball marks, and not slowing down the pace of play on the course, you should have no problems golfing on a nice track like that. Just realize too that with the greens fees there the pace of play will most likely be faster than your used to. Usually two kind of people that play tracks liek that, the really talented, and the overly rich(which may or may not be so gifted in the golf department).

[DouginGA]

nervious feelings about being "good enough" plague many golfers. simple cure - watch the first tee. there are tons of hackers out there!! like eracer says - just keep pace, people are worried about what they shoot not what you shoot.

[Pa Jayhawk]

Personally I would talk to your family explaining the same, and assuming they have no problem, go ahead and play. As mentioned ability is not as important in enjoying golf as common sense. Just pick up if it seems apparent that you are possibly slowing things down. When starting out, I was rarely as good as anyone else in my foursome, but in all likelihood I may have been the quickest as far as pace of play.

Pace of play, golf etiquette and common sense go alot further in your playing partners respecting your game than golfing ability. It's all about having a good time, and assuming they are of the same opinion and not all out serious, that should be an easy enough task.

Also a common issue I see is that if they play off the back tees, know your limitations and opt for the forward tees if there are multiple. There is nothing wrong with doing so, and playing within your limitations.

[FATC1TY]

I will more than likely, play the white tees, or the mixed tees in the middle like I always have.

I've found out that I won't have to pay to play, so I feel as I may as well go anyways since it's been offered to me to play there.

I'm not a terrible player, I just struggle greatly with my irons, which is 70 percent of the game IMO.

Maybe a quick lesson this weekend or next, will cure my worries a little.

[SiberianDVM]

Cuscowilla begins at 6. This is the most difficult driving hole on the golf course, bunkered heavily down the left and backed by deep native grasses the hole requires precision off the tee. Hole number 7, a relatively short par 4 offers a slim reprieve, before the 232-yard par 3 8th hole, the hardest of all the par 3's. Hole number 9 is a monstrously long 480-yard par 4 that slightly bends left to right. The 10th hole at Cuscowilla is a wonderful example of a well designed cape hole with the tee perpendicular to fairway.

Each player must decide how aggressive to be. Holes 11 and 12 are great short holes a par 3 and 4 respectively these holes are a real treat to play. Hole 13 is the bunkerless hole with huge pines that run the length of the hole on either side and dictate the right to left bend required off the tee. The 14th hole is a magnificent par 5 that stretches 625 yards from the tips, a double dog-leg first downhill then back up shows off the beauty of the land around you. Holes 15 through 18 are a very difficult series of holes with each one requiring precise driving and solid iron play to successfully complete a good round.

Sounds like it might be about as much fun as self-flagellation.

[MCDavis]

Originally Posted by Eracer

Whether you hack it around or not is irrelevant. Whether you keep up the pace of play is not. You said you don't want to slow people down. That's a great attitude. Pay attention to cart management. Don't take too long on the putting surface (but don't rush!) Set a limit for yourself. No more than three over on any hole. If that means you pick up, then so be it. You're breaking a rule, but this isn't a tournament. Just don't turn the score in for handicap (if you do that.)

In a situation like this score does not matter. What matters is that you are playing golf on a beautiful course that you may not have the chance to play again (at least for this price.) So get out there and have some fun!

I agree...go play!!

[Skiddlydiddly]

Originally Posted by Eracer

Whether you hack it around or not is irrelevant. Whether you keep up the pace of play is not. You said you don't want to slow people down. That's a great attitude. Pay attention to cart management. Don't take too long on the putting surface (but don't rush!) Set a limit for yourself. No more than three over on any hole. If that means you pick up, then so be it. You're breaking a rule, but this isn't a tournament. Just don't turn the score in for handicap (if you do that.)

In a situation like this score does not matter. What matters is that you are playing golf on a beautiful course that you may not have the chance to play again (at least for this price.) So get out there and have some fun!

Eracer's got the right idea.

Remember, sucking at golf is it's own reward.