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Conference 7.286::golf

Title:Welcome to the Golf Notes Conference!
Notice:FOR SALE notes in Note 69 please! Intros in note 863 or 61.
Moderator:FUNYET::ANDERSON
Created:Tue Feb 15 1994
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2129
Total number of notes:21499

1396.0. "Call your Golf Association!" by CTHQ2::OCONNOR () Tue Nov 12 1991 12:52

FLAME ON.....

I just called the Massachusetts Golf Association and spoke with Dick Haskell, 
the Executive Director.

Earlier, I called Ballymeade for some tee times and they told me that carts 
were required and the fees were $43.00. Then I called Quashnet Valley, the
green fees are $20.00 all day, per player. The Pro at Quashnet told me that
all the courses on the Cape were considering requiring carts during the 
season. There are another couple of courses that have just opened and are 
requiring carts. They are Shaker Hills, Harvard, and the Hale Irwin course in 
Blackstone, MA., The New England Country Club, (I think or something like 
that). 

I have been upset at the rising number of courses that require carts and I 
voiced that to Mr. Haskell. He understood and he agreed with my concerns. He 
also mentioned that it might be a good subject for the "Massachusetts Golfer" 
magazine. I suggested that he might marshal the Massachusetts publinx golfers 
(through the magazine) to help slow down this growing trend. Golf, generally, 
is still a good buy compared with other sports at this time. Let us try to 
keep it this way. Riding carts have their place with senior citizens, 
physically handicapped and people who are ill. It keeps those people playing. 
There are, I am sure other good reasons to have them. But, GIVE US THE CHOICE!
I told Mr. Haskell that I would get as many golfers as I could to call the MGA
and express their opinions.

The number is 617-891-4300. Call if you agree, call if you don't and log your 
opinion. 
If you are not a Massachusetts golfer call you local golf association and 
register your opinions.

FLAME OFF....
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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1396.1Money talks...golfers don't walkNEWPRT::JOHNSON_DOTue Nov 12 1991 14:4914
    Interesting...but I wonder why there was no comment regarding the
    reason.  It is my understanding that in most palces, the club pro gets
    a large percentage of the cart fees, but next to nothing from the
    greens fees....therefore...they require carts to boost their income. 
    Often the excuse is made for faster play with carts, but this is for
    the most part erroneous.  Most golfers don't know how to play when in
    a cart and end up criss crossing the course, or worse yet, the course
    requires that carts stay on the paths or rope the fairways so you end
    up walking out to you ball and then back.  I also think that the public
    won't stand for a greens fee increase but the psychology of the cart
    fee is maor acceptable.  So the pro ends up better off, the courses
    still sell allof their tee times and the public gets the bill.
    
    SoCalDandy
1396.2Money! Money! Money!CTHQ2::OCONNORTue Nov 12 1991 16:208
    SCD
    
    Forgot to mention it. You are right, he did mention the excuse to speed 
    up play. Chalk it up to money. Looks as if my playing time is going to
    decrease over the next few years. Matter of principle.
    Rich
    PS Maybe the par three courses will not require carts, maybe get around
    in less than three hours! Hmmmm............
1396.3Economic forces will decideMR4DEC::DIAZOctavio, SME InternationalTue Nov 12 1991 19:4616
    Re:                      <<< Note 1396.2 by CTHQ2::OCONNOR >>>

Rich,

I'll try to give MGA a call, but at the end I think the decision is up to
each club to mandate carts or not.  I may be optimistic, but  I think, at
least  in our area, that there will be enough courses to choose from, not
abundant but enough.  In Stow, with Butternut farm coming and a developer
asking for building permit to build another  one will satisfy most of the
needs.  And when the ones who  require  carts  see  their  business going
elsewhere, they  will  change,  but not until then.

Some clubs are  smart  and  only  require  carts  in peak time/days, like
Juniper Hills.

Tavo