I am starting to hate early tee times

[The Beav]

I get up at 4:40 to be at work by 6:30am every day. I can sure as heck get up that early for something I love like golf.

 

 

[Under2hours]

I love the early morning times because I love to play fast and play better when I can play fast. My friend and I, riding in the same cart play 18 holes in around 2 hours 20 minutes if no one is in front of us. We usually just putt for 10 minutes prior to going off and generally take a half swing or one practice swing and hit the ball. We don't waste time but both don't just slap it around either; we shoot mid 70s usually. The early times are great because you can beat the heat and still have the rest of the day to go grab lunch and get other things done, plus for me I'd rather not play than play a 4 hour round as I can never get any rhythm when you have to wait 10 mins at every tee box.

Yesterday I did the twosome @ 3:20. The clock said we were ahead of the POP and the foursome of Club Pros ahead were in carts. We walked and did not rush, but waited on every friggin hole. Can't stand it. By the end I just wanted off and to be done.

 

On Sunday I was first off on the course with a nice couple. After 4 holes (and they were fast players all of us walking) I wished them well and moved ahead (which brings up another question as to whether they wanted a third wheel). The only concern I had was our course has a lot of maintenance and there were 2-3 on every hole. I made sure I stayed out of their way when I hit my approach and told them to keep their machines running and do their work.

 

Off one of the toughest walking courses in 2:10. Yes I was happy.

[Ohlinkster]

My biggest problem with early tee times is that the course is still wet. I can play in it, but dry is better.

[marmooskapaul]

My biggest problem with early tee times is that the course is still wet. I can play in it, but dry is better.

 

I agree...that drives me crazy. Why do people like playing in wet grass...wet greens..wet sand. I get enough of that in the spring..lol

[herdman]

Thick wet burmuda grass and slow wet greens are not ideal.

[fore_life]

Summers in Arizona .... no choice but to play 6am to 7:30am tee times.

 

That's starting late!

 

I like playing early not to try to rush and stuff, but to play uninterrupted golf. If that means we finish in 3 hours and I'm home early then right on, I enjoy being able to get some personal time as well as being able to handle family duty.

 

 

[cvvorst]

I love sleep, and there are only a couple of things I would wake up early for. Golf is one of them. I love being the first one out on the course, and I've gotten used to it. I can play 9 holes before work every morning and be done in an hour or even less sometimes. Most of my time after work is spent playing with my wife and kids for the few short hours before bedtime.

 

Some days I take my oldest on the course to play 9 (I got her a mini putter this year!) But every time I've gone out after work, I end up waiting on every tee box for 7-10 minutes. Last time out it was late, twilight golf. When I started the first 3 holes were completely empty. I caught up to a couple on 5. Ahead of the couple was a group of 4. If I hadn't seen this group of 4 shanking and topping shots I would have assumed they were playing for a Major based on the time they took each shot, and how no one in the group could prepare, they all had to watch each other warm up and hit each ball. My daughter was having fun putting on the greens while we waited, and driving the cart, so I stuck around to finish 9. While waiting on hole 8, 2 single players and a group of 2 walked up to see me waiting on the par 3 tee box. I know that golf courses have to make money, and a group of 4 buying food and drinks is more profitable than the single players who want to be in and out in a hour, but I can't imagine playing often if 9 holes took close to 2.5 hours every time.

[AcerRazr]

I love sleep, and there are only a couple of things I would wake up early for. Golf is one of them. I love being the first one out on the course, and I've gotten used to it. I can play 9 holes before work every morning and be done in an hour or even less sometimes. Most of my time after work is spent playing with my wife and kids for the few short hours before bedtime.

 

Some days I take my oldest on the course to play 9 (I got her a mini putter this year!) But every time I've gone out after work, I end up waiting on every tee box for 7-10 minutes. Last time out it was late, twilight golf. When I started the first 3 holes were completely empty. I caught up to a couple on 5. Ahead of the couple was a group of 4. If I hadn't seen this group of 4 shanking and topping shots I would have assumed they were playing for a Major based on the time they took each shot, and how no one in the group could prepare, they all had to watch each other warm up and hit each ball. My daughter was having fun putting on the greens while we waited, and driving the cart, so I stuck around to finish 9. While waiting on hole 8, 2 single players and a group of 2 walked up to see me waiting on the par 3 tee box. I know that golf courses have to make money, and a group of 4 buying food and drinks is more profitable than the single players who want to be in and out in a hour, but I can't imagine playing often if 9 holes took close to 2.5 hours every time.

 

I need an alarm to wake up on weekdays for work.. on weekends I am up on time without an alarm. Funny how that works :)

[cvvorst]

I love sleep, and there are only a couple of things I would wake up early for. Golf is one of them. I love being the first one out on the course, and I've gotten used to it. I can play 9 holes before work every morning and be done in an hour or even less sometimes. Most of my time after work is spent playing with my wife and kids for the few short hours before bedtime.

 

Some days I take my oldest on the course to play 9 (I got her a mini putter this year!) But every time I've gone out after work, I end up waiting on every tee box for 7-10 minutes. Last time out it was late, twilight golf. When I started the first 3 holes were completely empty. I caught up to a couple on 5. Ahead of the couple was a group of 4. If I hadn't seen this group of 4 shanking and topping shots I would have assumed they were playing for a Major based on the time they took each shot, and how no one in the group could prepare, they all had to watch each other warm up and hit each ball. My daughter was having fun putting on the greens while we waited, and driving the cart, so I stuck around to finish 9. While waiting on hole 8, 2 single players and a group of 2 walked up to see me waiting on the par 3 tee box. I know that golf courses have to make money, and a group of 4 buying food and drinks is more profitable than the single players who want to be in and out in a hour, but I can't imagine playing often if 9 holes took close to 2.5 hours every time.

 

I need an alarm to wake up on weekdays for work.. on weekends I am up on time without an alarm. Funny how that works :)

 

Waking up on days when the course has an event or is closed is hard for me, but I seem to have no problem waking up to golf. My wife has noticed this, and noted it.

 

She has also noted the 100+ grips I have accumulated from the various deals on here, and the 30+ golf clubs I have littered around the house. (she doesn't even mention all the clubs on my golf table) She get's more bothered by me watching golf in the afternoon than she does from me playing in the morning. (in my defense it was the Sunday round and Fowler was looking like he might win, in her defense we had company coming and I had to finish my chores) I've said this before on here. Of all the addictions out there, playing golf and or collecting golf gear is pretty tame. My wife realized that a long time ago it seems.

[Baitkiller]

Yeah well momma likes to boom boom on weekend mornings. She's not interested during the week. So I sleep in, make coffee, get a shower and some lov'n then figure out where I'm playing, with whom and what's for lunch.

Works for me.

[CosmosMpower]

I will take all the negatives for one positive, a 3 hour round.

[stage1350]

Yeah well momma likes to boom boom on weekend mornings. She's not interested during the week. So I sleep in, make coffee, get a shower and some lov'n then figure out where I'm playing, with whom and what's for lunch.

Works for me.

 

Plus, dumping that load improves your aim. At least, it does according to the Man With the Golden Gun... :rolleyes:

[Medic]

Here in Florida lately the only way to insure decent weather and a complete round is to get out early.

 

Still love trying to marathon it but for the past 6 weeks it has rained almost every day here in the afternoons.

[golferdrmjr]

My biggest problem with early tee times is that the course is still wet. I can play in it, but dry is better.

 

I agree...that drives me crazy. Why do people like playing in wet grass...wet greens..wet sand. I get enough of that in the spring..lol

Because in San Diego it's nice to see some water laying around for a change! :-)

[chinaski]

Here is the one I love. Play early and get the first tee time. Course double books so when you make the turn you are caught anyway. One course actually asked us to slow down one day.

 

This happened to me a couple weeks ago. We had the first tee time and they but two groups in front of us on the back nine. I told the starter that it was BS and went out behind the group. They didn't offer to let us through even though they hadn't teed off yet( I should have asked). After watching them "tee off" I went back and asked for a back nine rain check. Pro was gracious enough to come out after us and give us a full 18 credit.

 

I play early to get done in under 4 hours. Usually 3. My scores aren't as good as a club event, but that doesn't matter, because those rounds don't matter as much. I have found that excessive preparation before a round tends to lead to unnecessary pressure on myself. A few dry swings and a hand full of putts is more than enough for a casual round. Especially for a 10-14 handicap with a career and family.

[marmooskapaul]

Played in 2 1/2 hours tonight. Didn't tee off till 3:30....don't know why everyone associates afternoon with slow play?? Was just two of us....on.the whole 18 basically.

[glcoach]

Best time to play golf is Friday late afternoon. No one is out there.

[bubbagumpshrimp]

Best time to play golf is Friday late afternoon. No one is out there.

 

Yup. I've plate late on a few Friday afternoons in the past couple months. Great bang for your buck...and the course is empty.

[dpb5031]

I strongly prefer a gentlemen's early time of 10:30 or 11:00am. The last couple years I've started declining offers to play at ungodly hours like 8:00 or even 8:30.

 

My body doesn't really function smoothly first thing in the morning but mostly I hate playing on wet grass in steamy conditions. Around here, summer or winter things don't generally dry off until the sun has been up 3 hours or so.

strange, I totally agree with your post. I enjoy and 11 a.m. tee time because it allows me to have breakfast stretch and prepare for my round.

 

+1 - Agree with both above 100%. Even better, I like finishing around happy hour when I can sit on the patio with the guys and shoot the breeze over a cocktail with no stress about having to rush home.

 

I prefer to get my household chores done in the early morning so I can enjoy my golf and the remainder of the day. When my kids were young they'd wake early on weekends. I'd let my wife sleep in, get the kids bathed, dressed, and fed, then pass them off and head to the club around 10. She'd meet me there at the pool around 3. Worked well for us.

[J2putts]

We play a Sunday fouresome at 620 am..I get to course at 6.. hit a small bucket and off we go. I love it. We walk ..and we're done by 10am

[mfm22]

No early rounds for me - no way, no how ! Main reason is my body won't cooperate with anything resembling a golf swing before 10am

I prefer the after 3 to twilight hours ,much more relaxing, as I find it less crowded .

just need deal with the course being a little beat up [divots & pitch marks , traps poorly raked etc. ]

 

All you early birds don't change a thing .

[Sean2]

I play earlier because I am always awake at 0 dark hundred. If I am up at 4 or 5 am, I don't want to wait until 11:00 to play.

[goaliescott]

a group from work played the "dawn patrol" for several summers on Friday morning.

gates open at 6:30, rush to the starter, hurried tee shot, and off we go.

2 regulars and sometimes a full 4...if two, we'd rush down the first fairway and then get back to a normal routine.

We'd play 9 at a good pace, but also trying to play good golf, before heading into the office.

Good way to start the workday.

[tannyhoban]

We tee it up around 7 a.m. on Sundays, but we aren't jackrabbits. Done at 11 and head home. I don't see the point of running about just to say you did. Golf is about leisure too.

[frankp2491]

Actually this post opened my eyes to the idea that morning golf isn't the best idea. My dad is the guy who got me into golf his friends always play early. Exactly as described we spend the whole time worrying about the 4 guys behind us holding them up and bla bla bla. We roll 10 putts take a dozen practice swings before the round and we're off...

 

I always find when I walk on by myself later in the day I play great.. But early AM I suck my brains not even on half the round.

 

I always thought I needed to suck it up and just learn to play better at 7am but it makes sense. I hate the anxiety of "the foursome behind us is gaining ground hurry up!!" It's like I spent 5 min looking for your ball 2 holes ago but now because it's my ball I gotta rush huh?

 

Lol thanks for the eye opener guys

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

I personally cannot stand wet greens, so I prefer to play in the afternoons. I did play 4, 7am rounds in Florida this summer, but mainly because its too hot and humid to play in the middle of the day.

[Bonneville85308]

At one course I enjoy playing, you need to get out before around 8:45am on the weekend to have any chance at a round of less than 4 hours 15 minutes. The slowpokes come out after that time. I don't mind the wet grass since I am playing tees appropriate for my driving distance. The wet greens are fine with me, they typically have just been cut an hour or two prior so they roll smooth. We usually finish just around lunch time so it's a good time to roll into the 19th hole. We play quick but aren't rushing. It allows for a good rhythm which I believe leads to better scores.

[Orlimar1]

I get up at 4:40 to be at work by 6:30am every day. I can sure as heck get up that early for something I love like golf.

 

My wife says "why are you setting your clock for 5am on your day off to play golf?" I say, "If I can set it to go to work - I can set it to go play golf." We have the same coversation about me playing golf when it's 40°. If I can work in it, I can play in it.

[The Beav]

I get up at 4:40 to be at work by 6:30am every day. I can sure as heck get up that early for something I love like golf.

 

My wife says "why are you setting your clock for 5am on your day off to play golf?" I say, "If I can set it to go to work - I can set it to go play golf." We have the same coversation about me playing golf when it's 40°. If I can work in it, I can play in it.

Amen. Exactly what I say!

[hybrid25]

Breakfast at 9, tee time at 11 a.m.