Feckin weather!

Infoseeker1975

We have had no counting competitions in our course since mid October, highly unlikely counting comps will start before May for us. Definitely going to be an issue going forward, unlikely to have 6 months of counting comps at parkland courses especially in the south west and south.

big_drive

The big problem really is many weather experts are saying this is the new pattern, we can expect this every year.

Hard to take when membership fees have increased in most clubs yet we're getting less playable time.

Anyone who's living within an acceptable drive from a links course should get in there while they can.

El Guapo!

Yeah if this is the new norm for the weather then it gets harder to justify membership fees. No links close enough to me to become a member so if it continues this way I may be forced to consider just joing a society or two and getting my golf in that way instead.

Either that or move to Spain but I'm not sure I could convince the Mrs 😂

blue note

Sure they might be closed due to drought over there.

callaway92

The fact that most places have upped their prices this year kinda sickens me - Between the lack of golf last year and obviously this year already, the jacking up of prices is unjustified and leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

Green fee/competition fee intake obviously down, but overheads surely down too.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121976616#Comment_121976616

Can't see how overheads would be down by any significant amount.

If the club has borrowings, interest rates may have gone up. Utilities are still higher than 2021, but thankfully lower than last 2 years. Staff costs would be up but with some saving on staff being needed, it's probably evened out overall. Insurance, rates, waste collection, and other costs are up too.

If green fees and competition fees are down, then there will likely be a hole in the accounts that needs to be filled by an increase in membership cost.

big_drive

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121976616#Comment_121976616

To be fair id say increases are justified, we can see in our everyday lives the cost of everything is increased. The course still has to be maintained regardless of course being open or not. It's just extremely frustrating, like already it's a certainty that the course won't be open Saturday with the forecast. And then even if it improves on Sunday weather wise the damage done Saturday won't allow it. So it's another weekend written off.

callaway92

But sure it doesn’t matter - if clubs are flying it they also raise membership costs, which we know well is the case.

OEP

Depends on the club. If it's members owned then the members decide what happens with subscription fees

REFLINE1

jesus this rain in relentless. Played four rounds in Portugal recently and if it wasn't for that i think i might have had a break down

awec

Front 9 only today at my club and it's still soaking wet. Zero run on the ball, drive will just stop dead as soon as it hits the turf.

It's gonna be weeks before we get qualifying I'd say.

Kiith

Got soaked again yesterday, and plugged balls a plently. Really getting sick of it tbh, and there's no end in sight. Have another matchplay match on Tuesday, and chances are the club will be closed again, at least going by the forecast.

If we get another summer like last year, it will really make some people reconsider the costs of being a club member.

REFLINE1

Going to be torture watching Augusta in glorious conditions while we are still playing winter rules

Benicetomonty

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121978676#Comment_121978676

We mightnt even get that :D

S_D

lost several balls from being plugged the other day. Would honestly drive you bonkers. At this rate the golf season will be only be 6 months long. If we’re lucky

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121978710#Comment_121978710

Infuriating when you know the ball is in a good location, probably edge of the fairway, and it's nowhere to be found when you get there.

boccy23

I do honestly believe there should be some rule around this if the score is counting, i.e. placing on fairway. Playing partners can all agree and move on. The time wasted on looking for plugged balls recently is a pain.

I did see where in the US (not comps I think), they use a 2 stroke penalty from an OB marker if you cannot find it when you get there to help speed things up. I think the R&A/USGA should look at consolidating that to speed things up.

coillcam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121979041#Comment_121979041

The first point is open to abuse. Swampy areas of courses that are normally benign are hoovering up plugged balls. It's not really golf if your ball should be sitting there ordinarily.

The biblical levels of rain over the last 6 months have just compounded the problem. Last year we were all getting ready for counting golf.

On point two I disagree with this idea for anything that's going to be recorded for a handicap/comp. It's easy for someone to smack another ball OB straight after when they re-tee. I would know, I've been known to do it occasionally.

slave1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121979041#Comment_121979041

That rules was introduced years back but as a local rule, so up to each club to implement

token56

Looks like my club is going ahead with reintroduction counting but a few new local rules introduced. We have a couple of holes with sections of the fairway marked off as do not play due to very soft conditions. Any balls landing there you get a free drop out and if it plugs in those areas specifically/GUR and can't be found but all people in the group agree it went in, you can do a free drop outside it.

Preferred lies on the fairway, lift clean and replace in other areas. Almost complete winter rules expect it is now just replace in the rough rather than a preferred lies.

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121980011#Comment_121980011

Does replace in the rough mean it has to go exactly where you picked it up from? Is there any sort of lie you'd get relief from?

token56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121980020#Comment_121980020

You are supposed to replace it exactly where you picked it up from in the rough, just the ability to clean the ball due to mud. But of course that is wide open for abuse.

Kingswood Rover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121980099#Comment_121980099

We have played this all through the winter and yes it is open to abuse as if doing correctly you are actually putting your ball back in the depression in the rough it makes. If I cant see mud on the ball i play as it lies. During our handicap review where Golf Ireland visit the club our Handicap and comp secretaries strenuously made the point that Golf Ireland want clubs to play counting rounds where ever possible and that this was obviously not happening at the vast majority of clubs. We got a shrug of the shoulders type response.

spacecoyote

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121980020#Comment_121980020

You'd still get the normal relief for a ball embedded in it's own plug-mark under lift, clean and REplace, I would assume

DellyBelly

Only hope is things pick up by the middle of April...been a terrible Spring but summer only a few weeks away. May normally one of the best months to play golf....

big_drive

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121982188#Comment_121982188

Fingers crossed, watching the Masters this week will have everyone bursting for a game

REFLINE1

if its not the rain its the wind. Open comp cancelled in Co. Sligo tomorrow :(

finglashoop

Was some wind this morning alright.

Not sure what sort of wind closes a course it was wild this morning and got stronger as the day went on. Still howling out there and to be similar in morning

awec

I went out there to try and play 9 holes and just called it quits after 5. Serious wind.

Hitting driver as hard as I dared and the ball was still only going 150 yards into the wind at best. 😅

billy3sheets

I played 9 this evening. Quite windy but not dangerous. It was nice and warm though and the course was drying up rapidly.