Conference 7.286::golf

    
    If new golfers can't keep up then they shouldn't go out during prime
    time. Try 4:00 on a Sunday afternoon, or early afternoon during
    the week.
    
    Mike

    
    Hmmm 2-1/4 hrs too long....what time do they expect 4 players to
    complete 9 holes in????
    
    Seems to me that 2-1/4 is a pretty fair pace........Shane

    
    2 1/4 hours for 9 is not to long. Even if they had been playing slow,
    they were treated rudely and that is inexcusable, they should have
    been told, politely that they were playing slowly. Not speed up or
    get out.
    
    Also, they say that they never saw anyone behind them, how can they be
    holding someone up if there was noone behind them.
    
    --Bob
    

    I once had a marshal rudely tell our group to close up the gap between
    ourselves and the group in front of us.  Well, we hadn't seen anyone
    behind us or in front of us since about the third hole (we were
    stopped by the marshal somewhere early on the back nine) and we
    felt that we could enjoy ourselves and take our time.  I asked the
    marshal if someone was now on the hole behind us, and he said that
    that didn't matter - our only job was to close up the gap in front.
    
    We rushed and sweated and ceased enjoying our round.  We caught
    up  on 17.  And we waited about 40 minutes after holing out on 18
    for the group behind us.  It is my opinion that most marshals have
    a "clerk" mentality and are terrible asses.  The point is to insure
    that no one is holding anyone else up, and to approach them even
    as we approach our customers; that is, politely and positively.
    Too many marshals act like a stubborn government clerk and alienate
    their customers.  I will never play this golf course again, and
    I doubt if the folks in the lead note will go back.  They were playing
    along fairly well and were unfairly treated.  The heck with thos
    kind of marshals...    
    

  Some questions I have...

1) Why did that group 'ask' to go get a drink at the club house?

   I would have just gone. I would think that if I were running a golf
   course/club that having golfers stop in for a drink and a bite after 9 holes
   would be good for business! And if I treat 'em right, they may come back
   and buy drinks after 18!! That's absolutely absurd that the starter/marshall
   would say no to this request. I actually don't find it too hard to believe
   though because i've had several run-ins with these guys.

2) Why was there no mention of letting the 'faster' player play through?

   Apparently their only option was to play fast or get out!! Even the Amherst
   score card says to let the faster players play though.

3) Why does Amherst CC management allow this kind of behavior to go on?

   Having rude and obnoxious people like this has got to hurt business!!
   Maybe it doesn't. Like the article says, there is a limited supply of
   golf courses with a growing number of golfers. I guess they can do what
   they want and where can we go?
    

    Does any one know how much the annual golf membership is at ACC
    now?  I know a few years ago it was around $500 to $600?

    Membership at amherst was $825 this year if paid before March 1.
    
    re. this topic
    
    I talked with the starter who was involved with the incident, he said
    that the man was a liar, he told me that it took him 3 and 1/2 hours to
    play 9 holes, and that's a threesome. The starter also said that the
    man was giving lessons to 2 beginners that couldn't hit the ball more
    that 20 feet.
    
    Me, I don't know who to believe, all I know is that there is 2 sides to
    every story.

    I used to play at Amherst CC in the Digital league about seven years
    ago.  The type of behavior that has been discribed in this note is,
    apparently, consistent, since it was the same then.  I participated in
    an attempt to have our league moved to (hard to believe) Green Meadows,
    because the starters, course management, etc. all had the "If you don't
    like it... go somewhere else" mentality.  We came close to getting
    physical with one starter who had obviously just retired from one of
    the Massachusetts Division of Motor Vehicles offices and was not using
    his "clout" to beat up on unsuspecting golfers.
    
    I do believe there must be a "Starters School" which is run by folks
    who have never been invited back to any function that requires even a
    semblance of human kindness and understanding, let alone good manners. 
    And I believe all Southern New Hampshire courses ONLY hire the top
    graduates of that school!!!!
    
    One of these days people who run golf courses will FINALLY understand
    that they are a SERVICE INDUSTRY.  But probably not in my lifetime!!!
    
    Too bad.  Golf could really be a lot of FUN!!.
    
    

    
    Last Friday we played the finals of our league at Amherst. When
    I was paying my greens fee I noticed these new signs everywhere.
    
    	"You are expected to take no longer then 4 hours for
    	 18 holes of golf. Thats 13 minutes per hole."
    
    With an attitude like that you wonder why the DEC league is opting
    to move to the new course in Litchfield.
    
    Mike