Where are you playing tomorrow - Chicago (Round 3)

[Argonne69]

So the Port Authority's Harborside course gets shut down, but the three Forest Preserve courses within the city limits are allowed to stay open. Who at the Port Authority p-ssed off the mayor's office?

[SpeedKills7]

Played Poplar Creek today and it seems like they were just shut down the whole month of March. Course was not in bad shape but it looked like they did not do much during that time. Pace was great and didn't see one cart the whole time out there. Could use a good range session, but that isn't going to happen for a while. Hopefully get out for another round early next week.

[Argonne69]

Bah. It's not often that I cancel a tee time when the sun is out, but with winds coming off the lake at 20 mph, and gusts up to 30 mph, I'm going to take a pass on Glencoe this morning. The RealFeel temp of 28 degrees doesn't sound particularly pleasant.

I'm booked at Glenwoodie tomorrow morning, but with overnight temps below freezing, and winds at 15 mph, it may fall by the wayside as well.

 

 

[MountainKing]

I refuse to ride right now because I don't want to be that fat guy in the cart! I've been enjoying the walk, I wish I could still carry but I'm getting used to the push cart. I played another round at Village Greens yesterday, nothing new to speak of. Game is coming around a bit, still don't feel comfortable over the ball but getting there. The course is nothing great, but I'm glad I bought the $200 membership, it's been nice to be able just go play whenever and not have to pay and not have to worry about how many holes we got in.

[Shriner]

Agreed, I played it Wednesday and was surprised at the conditions. The course is usually pristine and the greens are slick and perfect. For some reason, the greens were shaggy and bumpy and the rough was, well, rough. Fairways were soft and lush though. I guess we probably should not assume that all courses used the month off to maintain the courses in great condition. With no money coming in, I cannot blame them.

[mci711]

A couple months in Arizona and this happens...

[SpeedKills7]

Yea, with them being Park District owned they probably had all of their staff off. They usually have it in great shape so I'm sure they will later in season.

[DavePelz4]

No more golf in the city in May...https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/ct-harborside-golf-shut-down-20200507-eo57wo4tpnfrxfxyod7pcqvp4i-story.html

[Argonne69]

'Just doesn't make any sense.

[Shriner]

Wow, somewhat speechless. I love Chicago and the State of IL, but this is pretty difficult to justify. Thankfully plenty of other courses to play, but feel bad for the employees.

[golfdad907]

So glad I got out of that madhouse state.

[mci711]

You don't live here, you never positively contribute to this thread, no one cares what you have to say.

[chisag]

 

... The new WRX ignore feature is not the best, but putting him in the shade is better than nothing.

[Jazzmastafish]

Hey all. I am back from an extended hiatus from WRX... the new forum layout coupled with a couple BST posts being taken down kind of soured me to the site. And a few personal issues led to me reassessing my priorities in life like how much time I was spending on the internet... But that's all ancient history now.

I woke up this morning thinking about these threads and how much fun it is to discuss all the public courses in the area. That and I'm playing Tanna Farms for the first time tomorrow and rememebered there was much discussion here on what a weird course it is. So I have spent a good part of the day skimming this entire thread, getting some good ideas of places to play this year, and keeping an eye out for course condition reports from last fall to see where to avoid this season possibly.

Interesting to see how the old normal seems so far in the past with COVID changing the world in 2020. Glad to see the usual suspects are still all doing well.

Anyway, I can report that Old Oak is in good shape tee to green but still waiting on aeration to heal. Still managed to snake in a couple putts in the 15-20 foot range. Hilly layout for the area, so glad I have the day off today to recover for what I hear is an obnoxious walk at Tanna tomorrow. Tips appreciated :D

[mci711]

Tanna takes a lot of hate, but the year my wife and I met and started playing together we played there all the time (it was convenient and cheap). So it is kind of a sentimental place for me. It has been years since I've been back. I think it is fun golf, just don't go in expecting Pinehurst 2 and know it is an odd place and layout. I would think it would be in decent shape since courses just reopened, but I have no idea.

[ldchristopher]

Cinder Ridge tomorrow. The person in the pro shop who I spoke to was adamant that they wouldn’t be letting carts out. Whether or not they actually stick to that remains to be seen.

[ldchristopher]

After a 75 minute frost delay, Bear and I were the first ones out at Cinder Ridge today. The course is in decent shape. The greens are slow but that’s usually the case. The rough and tee boxes were recently cut and they put fresh sand in the bunkers. It was about 35 degrees when we teed off with a stiff breeze right in our face on the first two holes but it got progressively warmer as the round went on and there’s no better way to loosen up than to walk. Bad day ball striking. I strained my calf running on Friday and probably should have used today as a recovery day. I scrambled to save par a bunch of times and eked out a 77, but it felt much worse than that.

Also, as I expected, there was a line of carts on the first tee as we were finishing up but no one was parked in the handicap spots. I’d say 80% of the people on the course were also in carts. Hmm. So much for the “walking only” mandate. I’m over it but it’s hilarious how slow people still play in spite of having their own carts.

[Symphonize]

Played the short 9 today at Buena Vista, Played a lot better today than I did on the first. Had 4 greens, a few pars, and shot a 40 (par 32) which was great for me. Made up and down for par on 9 from 55 yards with a 20 foot putt which was nice to close the round.

[Argonne69]

It turned out to be a much nicer day that I expected. Glenwoodie today, a course I haven't played in close to six years. I received an early morning email stating that there would be a 90 minute frost delay, but with the possibility of some no-shows, I got to the course a few minutes before my regular tee time. I wound up teeing off only 35 minutes late, which was more than acceptable. I think it was a combination of no-shows and the starter packing the twosomes at less than 15 minute intervals.

Did I say twosomes? Lol. I saw several threesomes and foursomes out on the course. Oh, and plenty of carts. I was chatting with the starter after I made the turn, and he said that on a busy summer day they'll have 200 players throughout the day, and maybe two or three handicap flags handed out. This past Thursday he said he set out 40 carts. Wow, this virus is really taking its toll on the physical wellness of the players in the area. I didn't know it affected one's ability to walk. FFS.

The course was in very nice shape. Fairways were a bit spongy, but no real wet spots. Rough was thick. Bunkers looked very good, other than the left greenside bunker on 18 that had a large lake in it. A bit strange given the condition of the other bunkers. Greens looked like they had been aerated two to three weeks ago. The holes were still visible, but didn't really affect the roll. Speed was impressive at a good 10 to 11.

[ldchristopher]

At this point, I’ve just come to grips with the fact that courses are mostly ignoring the “walking only” policy that Illinois tried to enact. Courses won’t turn down the extra revenue (especially after no business in April) and people are inherently lazy. For me, the silver lining is that no course can get away with a carts only policy on weekends.

[mci711]

I just drove by that crappy driving range at maple and 53 in lisle and it was packed with people hitting balls. Did I miss something?

[@_the_crook]

chilly morning at Sunset Valley - play began after a two hour delay.

played decent. hit half the fairways and most of the par threes.

getting used to the routing and placement of things.

when the landscaping and rough comes in the course is going to look pretty nice.

[AndyC76]

Played prairie isle. Can’t tell you how many single carts were out with perfectly fine looking people.

Surprised my clubs came home at all. Hit a lot of solid shots that were not good. Greens were phenomenal though. Wish I could say as much about my putting.

[Jazzmastafish]

Anyone want to join me at Ravisloe Tuesday morning 10:15? My friends are all unable to make it.

Tanna Farms was about as expected, far away, super long walk and weird AF, but I actually played well. "Made" a bunch of putts with the holes raised. Greens were pretty nice and I found most of them easy enough to read. Not sure why they can't get with the insert system other courses are using to let the ball actually go in the hole. They also didn't have tee markers out, which is odd. Golfers aren't known to rub them for good luck before teeing off or anything, lol. The guy in the pro shop told us we could make a foursome holes 2-17 as long as we split back into twosomes coming in... We all golfed with each other last weekend so we were cool with it. He told us the twosome behind us would be taking their time, and we even checked with them. They were cool, drinking beers and playing slow. Didn't hold them up. Course had some play but not packed by any means. Nice day. Won't be going back until things get back to normal with carts, and even then it's a maybe, mainly because its far but also because it's weird. Had to experience it once tho thanks to you guys!

Edit: we did walk and everyone else I saw playing was walking too. they seemed strict on the no carts unless you really need one policy.

[Argonne69]

Yeah, I'd love to join you. Did you make a tee time for two, or do you need me to call the course and book the 2nd slot?

[Jazzmastafish]

I sent you a PM

[VNutz]

Played St. Andrews Lakeside Saturday, and despite playing it many times before it was a different course to me. I usually know that course as soft and fairly slow, but it was playing firm and fast. I couldn't get chips to check, full swings wouldn't stop, didn't fix a ball mark all day. I don't know if it was the wind or what but it played so different, being above the hole on putts proved a struggle for a while, especially with no practice greens to warm up on. I liked it and wouldn't mind seeing that more often though.

[Argonne69]

A beautiful day at Fresh Meadow. Lol. 'Just kidding. I wasn't going to sit around doing nothing today, and I figured there was no point in paying good money to play in cold and windy conditions. FM was just about right. Fairways were shaggy to say the least. Once again I was sucking wind pushing my cart through the fairway grass that would be rough on many courses. The rough was absolutely brutal. If you weren't standing over your ball you simply could not see it. If you missed a fairway there was little chance on getting enough club on the ball to reach the green. Bunkers are trash. That never changes. The greens were in nice shape, though. Probably rolling at 9. With the conditions the course played awfully long. Pace was very good at 2:45.

Can't say I have much game at this point. The driver is a two way miss. Irons are going every which way. Can't put spin on a wedge. At least the putter is cooperating. After playing great golf over the winter in Arizona, the two month layoff was costly.

[Argonne69]

What's with all the d-mn courses only allowing twosomes to book? With no carts who cares if two singles book a round separately. FFS.

 

[jimwgt26]

I played Blackstone Saturday afternoon. Except for two greens that were punched, the course is in great shape. With no traffic, it was only 45 minutes away. I'm definitely adding it to my regular rotation.