All Things Michigan Golf....the Mulligan (MOD EDIT: NO POLITICS, NO COVID-19, NO ECONOMICS)

[njspence]

10 min before TEE TIME at UofM?!?!?! usually if you're 15min early you are late there! Haha, those who have experienced this here would laugh

 

[HappyGilmoresBoots]

What are 'proper precautions' looking like? I've got a tee time tomorrow with my dad and uncles (all in their 60's), and want to keep everyone safe as best as I can. Does this mean bandana/buff band? One guy per cart? Hand sanitizer in my bag?

 

Then, of course, the important questions: Green Noodles (like my avatar), yellow e6 Speeds, or Taylor Made Distance+? Green checker pants, or a more subdued slack? My thrifted white shoes with kilties, or a more contemporary spikeless shoe?

What? I can't hit Pro V1's or other fancy balls worth a darn...give me $20 a dozen or less.

[1puttTUT]

When I've been out playing I've felt incredibly safe. I've only had to verbally check in from 20+ feet away from the nearest person. Tee boxes similar; everyone usually around 20 feet apart. I lysol wipe my ball down if I hole out. The only people I've gotten close to were my playing partners, who are close friends, and I know they've been staying home for the last 6 weeks with the minor exceptions like getting groceries, and most of them have been doing curbside.

So unless you go to a course where you have to go into the clubhouse to pay/check in, or you get paired with random strangers, I feel like golf is one of the safest things you can do right now!

[3_Jack_Par]

I'm not sure if your group has medical issues requiring use of a cart, because otherwise carts aren't permitted, and I think some courses are just avoiding the issue altogether by only allowing walking and not even providing push carts. According to the latest executive order, accommodations for people with disabilities who need a cart (I'm guessing this is in there to comply with the ADA) need to be arranged in advance with the course. Payments have to be taken online or over the phone.

Otherwise, from what I've heard, recommended precautions include:

If you can walk, do so. If you are able to take carts, disinfect the crap out of it, and don't ride with anyone from outside your householdkeep your distance from other players from outside your household. It's probably not a bad idea to have a face covering handy for when you're in closer proximity to each other, mainly on tees/greens. don't use anyone's clubs/shake hands/high five/etc.don't touch the flagstick. There probably won't be any rakes, but if there are, don't touch those either.courses are generally either putting something in the hole like a pool noodle/piece of pvc pipe to keep the ball from dropping all the way below the surface or putting the cups in so they're raised above the ground, so you just putt it off the cupPersonally, the one time I played since they reopened (by myself), I carried a bottle of hand sanitizer, and disinfected myself and the ball any time I holed out. I didn't tap in any gimmes to avoid needing to do that more than necessary.

[HappyGilmoresBoots]

2 in our party have knee issues, so I'll have to check in and find out for sure. I myself LOVE walking, especially at Wallinwood (where we're playing tomorrow), but between the three others, there have been 4 knee replacements.

[knickerbocker]

Did they let you take a cart?

[HappyGilmoresBoots]

Yes, it was one person per cart, but I kept my bottle of hand sanitizer with me. The cart boys were hard at work with Lysol and everything, and the course itself was busy AF...those kids were earning their keep today!

I learned a few things: I can't hit an e6 Speed worth a darn, but the e6 Soft works spectacularly for me; my Nike SuMo driver was well worth the $15 I paid for it, but it will take some hard practice; and I've completely fallen off my wedge game, as I overshot the green at least 4 times. I topped a 9i shot into a little goose and killed the poor thing. And, all my uncles do is complain...They're family and all, but I'm gonna think long and hard before golfing with them again.

[1puttTUT]

Just put together some golf organizers for my basement simulator setup

[mattsam]

Where did you get those?

[1puttTUT]

Overstock. They have a few different options to choose from.

[bigmoneyp]

I have the same one! Working out well!

[scrody17]

Any driving ranges open in the Grand Rapids area currently?

[njspence]

Egypt Valley?

[bigmoneyp]

I know Maple Hill is open. I'd like to see if there is a better range open. Maple doesn't keep their grass short enough. I wonder when carts are gonna be let out. I'm hoping after the 15th.

[knickerbocker]

Driving ranges are supposed to be closed. But courses are not supposed to allow carts, but they are.

I played a local Muni in Battle Creek - walking with a couple friends and the course was giving a cart to anyone who asked. Guys pulled up behind us on first tee in the same cart - one of which I see at Planet Fitness working all the time, so I know he is not handicapped and can walk perfectly fine.

[scrody17]

Was thinking more like public access driving range. Although I'd love to go hit balls/practice there :D

[odshot68]

Golf emporium is open guys

[swizbeatz]

Carts and ranges allowed

[3_Jack_Par]

I know I won't be taking a cart anytime soon, especially not with someone else.

[1puttTUT]

I'd be fine riding with one of my buddies, but not a stranger. As long as the weather stays cool I'll just keep walking though. I'm actually really enjoying it.

[knickerbocker]

I will be walking for the foreseeable future.

[bigmoneyp]

At all courses? Was this ordered?

[birdiestobogeys]

https://www.mgcoa.org/

[1puttTUT]

Sharf is now open at OU. Cart is mandatory. Guess I'll be taking a cart! I didn't pay for a membership to only play Katke lol.

[1puttTUT]

I just picked this up from Tempercraft and decided to do a little charitable promotion where every time I do a birdie shot (i.e. make a birdie) on the course over the next 15 days I'm going to donate $10 to a local charity to help people struggling due to the covid crisis.

Btw, the flask is really nice and high quality. I found it in an article in Golf magazine last week and decided to take the plunge while coming up with a fun way to give back. The flatten the curve is one of the current designs they are promoting and I was able to add "TUT" at no extra charge. Total cost to my door was $19.99

[mattsam]

Southwest Michigan guys, can you give me some course updates for a guys trip? If you’ve played anywhere between South Bend to Grand Rapids area lmk how the courses are looking. Very interested in how Stoatin Brae is looking, Pilgrims rUn, more.

i was at Harbor Shores last week and the conditions were great. Water level high in the river making 18 real tight. I assume 3 green is waterfront.

thanks

[swizbeatz]

I haven’t played over that way but everything I have played is in great shape. We’ve gotten a lot of rain and had some really sunny days like yesterday and today, plus little play compared to normal and no carts until recently. I think grounds crews, like the rest of us, enjoyed getting out of the house even if it was for work. I know one of my local courses did a lot of work on the greens because there was only so much “essential” grass they were allowed to cut.

[3_Jack_Par]

The courses at the retirement community in Texas where my parents spend the winters installed these things in the cups -- seems like a really smart solution to allow for basically normal play where the ball can go in the hole, and no one needs to touch the hole or the flag. This touchless ball retrieval solution is a Cool Golf Thing

[kruege]

My home course just installed these same things a week ago. i was skeptical about durability, and still am, but so far they seem to work quite well. the biggest problem is when it is really windy and the flag stick is bending in the wind, then the metal rod that slides up and down binds a little due to the flag stick no longer being straight up and down, but not a huge deal. under normal conditions the slide easily and when you let go of the hook it will slide all the way down without further interaction from the player.

[jcorna01]

My league at Mystic Creek will get going in early June. They are going 2 to a cart but installing plexiglass dividers in the carts. A bunch of the younger guys are walking.