Bringing non-golfers onto a golf course

blue note

What's the story with this guys? I hurl with a Dublin club and I know there are a few golfers in the club and said I would arrange a day of golf some Saturday. Some non-golfers will probably be interested as well. Now, I know some places have work days out where they go golfing (including people who don't play), so is it ok to bring people onto a course who haven't played before? I know I'd be fairly ticked off if I was behind them!

There would be plenty of golfers so there wouldn't be any group out without a proper golfer.

spacecoyote

As long as they have golfers with them & the outing is playing stableford then things should move along ok id imagine.

Just make sure they know that if they can't score they should be picking up & moving on within reason, ie you don't want a guy who has played 15 shots up the fairway & is then trying to hole out.

As long as everyone is aware of what's going on around them & keeping up with the group in front I don't think many people would grumble too much.

Everyone has to start somewhere

Kace

Many years ago at my local club a guy showed up on the first tee with football boots on. Thankfully he was spotted before he destroyed the place.

Golf trolleys pulled across the green was another one I saw with a client in Druids Glen once :eek: Another client who pulled the lad out and took a leak on the tee box :eek::eek:

Give the guys a bit of advice before the day and you'll be grand.

Seve OB

Kace wrote: »

Many years ago at my local club a guy showed up on the first tee with football boots on. Thankfully he was spotted before he destroyed the place.

Golf trolleys pulled across the green was another one I saw with a client in Druids Glen once :eek: Another client who pulled the lad out and took a leak on the tee box :eek::eek:

Give the guys a bit of advice before the day and you'll be grand.

PMSL

BigChap1759

I might be slated for this but I don't think it's fair to bring people onto a golf course who have never played before - I think they have a responsibility to at least get to a driving range before hand and be able to hit the ball - otherwise it can ruin the enjoyment for all.

ssbob

I recently introduced a few friends to golf and one of the lads would walk all over your line which tbh doesn't make sh1t of a difference but after saying a few things to him, he is way more concerned about the etiquette etc.

PMSL at the lad who pulled out his lad!

Actually my dad was at a wedding in Dundrum House Hotel last year and even though he likes golf he never played, decided to take a walk onto the course to see what its like, he walked right in front of the 18th green when lads were taking their shots from the fairway!!:D:D:rolleyes:

PARlance

ssbob wrote: »

Actually my dad was at a wedding in Dundrum House Hotel last year and even though he likes golf he never played, decided to take a walk onto the course to see what its like, he walked right in front of the 18th green when lads were taking their shots from the fairway!!:D:D:rolleyes:

He may know more about golf than you give him credit for.
In front of the green is a safe enough spot

bigtimecharlie

A working outing 5 years ago had want-a-be golfers tagging along. We made the mistake of leaving 3 of them in the final group. The hour wait for them to finish was excruciating.

Spread the experience and tee times to help the non-golfers (beginners).

Freemount09

Maybe suggest to them to play a scamble ? It should move abit faster for them and abit more fun ? Then only one of the 4 shots has to be any good to keep them moving in the right direction anyway ?

PARlance

blue note wrote: »

What's the story with this guys? I hurl with a Dublin club and I know there are a few golfers in the club and said I would arrange a day of golf some Saturday. Some non-golfers will probably be interested as well

Kace wrote: »

Another client who pulled the lad out and took a leak on the tee box :eek::eek:

Great to see lads getting exposed to golf

It may be an obvious one, but I'd play off the forward tees.

Everyone has to start somewhere, but it usually doesn't involve starting in a big group with similar beginners on the course at the same time... You may have your hands full but good luck and fair play for doing it.

This may be a bit controversial, but rather than getting them to pick up after x strokes, maybe encourage the regular players to spend as little time as possible looking for balls off the tee, maybe forget about provisionals... if they're going to result in looking for 2 balls instead of 1.
Instead, if players are struggling of the tee, get them to drop up closer to the hole and keep up with the pace of play that way
(suggesting this as I think it's important the newbies get some enjoyment out of it... and around the greens is where they should enjoy it more... It'd be harsh if some lad was forced to go around picking up and only playing on half the greens)

blue note

Thank you all. I hope no-one is going to take a leak on the tee box or anything similar, although you never quite know how a day will unfold...

A scramble or some sort of team event is a very good idea. I played a champagne scramble before (I think that's what it was called). You pick the best drive and all play out the hole from there. That could work perfectly.

Kace

I just remembered another classic from an outing I was at. One lady showed up with a couple of rusty old clubs in a black bin liner ready for her first outing on the links

blue note

I think we'll have a few beginners interested so I'm veering towards going to a par 3 course. Any opinions on what the better par 3s in Dublin are? We're generally South Dublin based, so I'm thinking Stepaside or Marlay.

spacecoyote

Think there is one out Lucan direction, Liffey Valley Par 3 maybe?

WRENALDO

blue note wrote: »

I think we'll have a few beginners interested so I'm veering towards going to a par 3 course. Any opinions on what the better par 3s in Dublin are? We're generally South Dublin based, so I'm thinking Stepaside or Marlay.

Pucks Castle is a good Par 3 out southside way . Good for beginners. I agree with some of the post think its a bit much bringing someone who has never played before out on a full golf course both for them and the other players on the course.

chuky_r_law

2 suggestions that have already been made

- play a scramble

- forward tees

will make it much more enjoyable for the weaker golfers. will give them a chance to actually contribute to the scoring

i work on a golf course and one of the worst things i see is societies, especially pub ones, which can be a real mixed bag, wanting to play off the competition tees. usually its decided by the better golfers, who just dont have a clue, or dont give a toss, about the standard of the weaker golfers. they usually leave the weaker ones on their own too :rolleyes:

i would also suggest avoiding the morning time as it is usually more busy. dont forget that you can tee off at 4 or 5pm now and get 18 holes in. and the course may not be as busy either, which may help. you might even get a better rate at that time.

at least you have been thinking about these things so i reckon that you will be fine. best of luck!

stockdam

blue note wrote: »

I think we'll have a few beginners interested so I'm veering towards going to a par 3 course. Any opinions on what the better par 3s in Dublin are? We're generally South Dublin based, so I'm thinking Stepaside or Marlay.

I took some absolute beginners to the par 3 course at Deer Park........there's no way that I would have taken them to a "members" club until they knew the basics and could hit the ball.