What separates a nice course from a goat track?

[Wi-Golfer]

Opposite of the other thread, what is it that puts a course in the category of "wow, I want to play it or I must play it again"? Is it course conditions, layout, pro-shop, upkeep, restaurant, toughness, the view, etc.

Can a great course also have a few goat track traits? If so what keeps it from being downgraded?

 

[TheTrueReview]

Opposite of the other thread, what is it that puts a course in the category of "wow, I want to play it or I must play it again"? Is it course conditions, layout, pro-shop, upkeep, restaurant, toughness, the view, etc.

Can a great course also have a few goat track traits? If so what keeps it from being downgraded?

Fairways that are like lush carpet and greens like smooth carpet. That'll get me their everytime.

 

[thekid65]

Beautiful beverage cart gals get me to go back every-stinking time...and add more $$$ to an already expensive habit.

Had a fine little cutie (not the one in the pic) driving around the course yesterday..really was liking her until she said I reminded her of her Grandpa (she was talking about the tattoo on my arm) but still, I'm only 44 :bang:

Oh, we're talking about courses, huh. Things that make a nice course for me are

1. Course conditions

2. A Marshall ensuring the pace of play is good

3. A nice clubhouse where I can enjoy a drink after the round

 

[sssmokin]

All the cute cart girls around the courses here have gone back to school, so now we have old ladies that look like some of my posts in the member's section.

 

[Nikonut]

The Goats.


ok how about...
some of the fairways have rock/gravel dirt.
all of the fairways have some kind of not-golf grass, and the ball bounces crazy.
And it costs as much as a decent Muni.

 

[thekid65]

One thing that I forgot to mention, that I really appreciate this time of year (where courses have seen a lot of play over the season, and getting hammered in places) is that someone takes the time to white circle areas that obviously are "ground under repair".

Came across this yesterday in a couple of fairways on a course that I play, large areas (10 feet square) in the middle of the fairway where it was nothing but damp dirt.. no grass at all. I had played the course a couple of days earlier, and warned my playing partner about these areas...and we aggreed that even though they werent properly marked, they were obviously ground under repair, and we would be granted a free drop onto the grass should our ball come to rest in an area like this in the fairway.

Seriously, how long does it take for a worker to spray paint and area like this. It's irritating, as our free drop agreement is technically against the rules, methinks.

 

[FATC1TY]

A goat track just needs to have some grass in the fairways, greens that you can atleast putt on, even if they are potted and shaggy.


What I consider the nicer courses, are mown regularly, like.. every morning. The fairways are lush, and the grass is cut even, no bare spots from mowers.

The greens are fast, smooth and true, and the pin position changes daily.

The bunker have sand in them.. and aren't rained out, and are raked DAILY.

Tee boxes that are level, and aren't so rock hard your using your driver to pound your tee in. I want cut and leveled tee boxes and it's a MUST. If I struggle to tee my ball up on more than 2 tee boxes, I'm pissed.

Beyond that, I could care less. If I find that the tee boxes are hard as rocks, un-level, and the fairways with more weeds or bare spots than an average persons yard, then it's a goat track.

If the greens are burned up, and it's been hot, I can understand, I live in the South. If I see water logged spots, greens with little green, and dirt/sand filling in areas.. Then it's a goat track.

I won't pay to play at a course that has destroyed greens. Simply put. It's a waste of my time, and my money, and I make it noted at the clubhouse when I'm done.