Feckin weather!

Was hoping to get a game in Doonbeg before the fairway mats were out but they are already doing it now. Disappointed! Not even sure if I’d play for half of the €75 they’re looking for.

What's the rate they're charging there. Looking at our options for a Winter Matchplay and where we can get full 18 in, on links, in around the Leinster area

On the bright side the last few days have been good and St Patrick's day is usually time of the year when the weather turns. But agree it's been dreadful this year and last, I haven't hit a ball since Halloween and have no intention until things improve.

Think I read some place that already more rain has fallen in March than the whole of February

https://www.met.ie/climate/available-data/monthly-data

Currently snowing and raining (at the same time) in Cork.....

course closed again..........

Another horrible weekend on the cards when this should be the start of the season for most. It's not making me particularly hopefully for the summer to come.

I hope I'm wrong but I can see a world in 20 years time where the majority of golf is played on simulators with club competitions being replaced with online comps.

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.

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.

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

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

We mightnt even get that :D

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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