Think My Course is Outdated:(

[skyking]

Our course is semi-private so we get a good mix of players. I was at the range this afternoon by the 1st tee and saw a couple younger guys tee off with low lofted hybrids flighted pretty low...not stinger low but just about. I asked why the club selection and they said our rough has become so penal the last few years, fairways so tight and tree lined they don't use the driver on a single hole anymore. They said it was only a club and a half, two max on a couple holes. So rather than a wedge to eight iron it was 5-8 iron. They don't even miss the driver. Said it's like playing a shorter version of the U S Open. Not a steady diet but one and then it's fun.

 

They aim for the middle of the fairway and the wind will carry it a little left or right but they flight it so low...no real worries. If they need a few extra yards on the 3 longer par 4's they'll turn it over for extra roll. Just sting their way around, hit 14 fairways, zero time hunting for a ball even a few yards off the fairway. Sad thing is our parkland style course was renovated only 6 years ago. I've only lived in this part of the country a couple years, haven't ventured out much to other courses but assumed most had rough well above the ankle like ours.

 

I guess our course is just throwing up all the defenses it has but with the new equipment, physically stronger players it's really not holding it's own. Conversely though I've heard several members and a few daily fee golfers comment the course has gotten "unplayable". After talking to those guys I finished at the range, grabbed a cart and tested their strategy on a few holes. I play a tee up from the tips where they went off and sure enough, after 4 holes I'd hit every fairway with my 17* hybrid and every green. Just stripe it, glance down the fairway, pick up the tee and head for the cart. I did ask the guys how that strategy worked here when it's wet. Then they don't play here, simple as that. Hum...

[Mikey Town]

Sounds to me like those guys are using a strategy that would result in lower scores on almost any course.

Figure out how long of an approach shot you are comfortable with, do the math, then hit the club off the tee that gives you the best chances of being inside that yardage, and in the fairway.

Your course isn't outdated. These guys were just better than the typical player when it comes to managing a course. Many people have a hard time leaving driver in the bag when they step up to a tee box, even if it's the wrong play.

[jholz]

I really only hit a handful of drivers at my home course. We don't have penal rough, but we do have woods lining most of the fairways. 3wood or hybrid is generally the right play off the tee as a result. It is different than playing a longer or more open course, but it still presents a wonderful challenge.

[bk52]

The tale would be more interesting to me if I knew the course/location. Also, on the basis of watching these guys play one hole, it seems a bit premature to decide the course is out-dated and ripe for the taking by anyone wielding a hybrid.

[Yepyukon]

If they are playing from the tips, able to flight their ball, able to curve their ball, and are able to hit hybrid and still have 8 iron in on some holes, then I don't think it is your course being outdated. They sound like solid players, both with their ball striking and their mental game. Most courses I play, unless I am at the tips, I don't have to hit driver. I can hit my 5 wood or 4 iron off the tee and still have a mid iron in on most par 4's and that is just hitting 215-230ish off the tee.

[skyking]

Interesting guys...I was just thinking the archictect surely didn't design the course for a member to sting his way around the course. Wish I'd thought of this strategy a long time ago. I'm not long with the driver by any means. 230-240 including roll on my very best drives but stinging it today at least 220. Even played a bit more precise off the tee on a hole to reduce the length of my approach shot. I'm only an 8, not scratch or anything.

I'm not that strong, so more times than I care to remember it would take two big hacks to get back on the fairway. I moved up from Texas, haven't played for that many years but played some really nice courses, including the one that part of the academy where I learned. Never ever saw rough like this and just figured the superintendent under the advice of the pro is making the course as tough as possible to keep golfers from bombing and wedging a new course record every week during the summer.

[teejaywhy]

[quote name='skyking' timestamp='1404957448' post='9670247']
Interesting guys...I was just thinking the archictect surely didn't design the course for a member to sting his way around the course.

[/quote]

Probably not. The course was probably not designed for equipment that allows a reasonably athletic person to hit the ball nearly 300 yards either.

Here is my thought. The course should be setup and maintained for the enjoyment of the 90% of the members who aren't expert golfers and can't bomb the ball off the tee. The course may be outdated for the very few, but what is really outdated is the maintenance philosophy that makes a course harder for the majority of the members in the theory of protecting par or bettering the challenge for a very small minority. As you have observed, this maintenance setup doesn't really challenge the skilled golfers at all, it merely make for a miserable slog for all the rest.

Widen the fairways, lower the rough and cut back the tree encroachment and you will very likely have a much better course.