How much more crowded are the public/muni courses since the lockdown?

[manku]

Due to a nagging injury, I've only played golf twice in the past 14 months (Hacienda...friend just joined)...

 

I used to play at Woodley/Griffith Park all the time with my friends (past 5-7 years)...we would play in the weekday mornings, and often we were done in well under 4 hours.  I was really surprised at how much emptier the courses were...when I moved here in 1990 from NYC, these places were parking lots!

 

I've heard a lot about the uptick in play...but if it's back to the 5+ hours of old, I'll have to reevaluate.

 

Thanks.

[tw422]

I bet they are crazy crowded and can't imagine how bad PoP is right now.  I have not been able to get a tee time with City Card at Rancho and with County/Players Card at Los Verdes even if I log in just after midnight on the day my booking window opens up.  Prime tee times at both courses are all gone almost immediately.  Makes me wonder if people have insiders and are getting into the system before others. If so, that would be a total disgrace. I've literally not stepped foot on a muni since March of last year when the pandemic lock downs started.  Simply can't get a time that works for me.  Actually, I lied, I was able to get one time at Los Verdes over the summer for 6am.  

Edited February 5, 2021 by tw422

[rbark11]

At least in the Bay Area, it's been really bad

[PearSorbet17]

Very bad in Orange County too

[doctorgriffo]

Monterey peninsula has been jammed since last summer. Gave up after 10 holes at Poppy Hills after 10 holes on Saturday twilight time, with 2-3 groups on each tee from 11 onwards. PG muni is constantly booked up, and all public courses seem to be pretty solidly booked. If you can get a tee time, you aren’t finishing much before 5 hours.

[Oldboy]

Much much worse in SoCal

[gripandrip]

Usually here in Michigan during November and December, the courses are relatively empty.  I would be on the course with just a few other diehards.

This year on the nice days courses were taking tee times.

 

Crazy.

[WildcatGolfer]

Getting a tee time is next to impossible but longest round I’ve had a Griffith or Rancho since they reopened is 4:40 thanks to the new 10 minute spacing on tee times which they’re enforcing. Most rounds have been around 4:15

[aloha b.]

As mentioned, really bad in the bay area and also on the Monterey Peninsula

[Locutusoforc]

It's been insanely busy in LA. Spoke to the guys at Rustic Canyon a few months ago and they said they were up from ~130 rounds on an average Thursday to ~270 rounds (booked solid dawn-dusk)

[zedster]

Crowded in the sense that everyone wants to get on so tee times are impossible to get.

 

But on the course, the spacing has improved PoP drastically.  Agreed with a previous post, here in LA it's about 4 hour to 4:15 round.  

 

Exception would be the inland empire courses where they continue to pack the course.  I had a couple rounds over 5 hours and even pushing close to 6 on a weekday.

[LesRWilliams]

I've been averaging about 4:15 per round her at various courses here in LA/OC/Ventura. However, tee times are hard to come by. Waking up at 4:45am a week before I want to play has become the norm for booking prime tee times.

[Golf10]

Honestly it's been horrible.  To highlight that point our last two rounds at Soule Park have been 6 hours.  There are lots of beginners and many of the fairer sex on the course.  Not that it necessarily means slower rounds but that's been my experience.

 

BTW how is Hacienda?  I heard that's a nice track.

Edited February 25, 2021 by Golf10

[tatertot]

What? All those people working from home aren't really working?

[Unplayablelies]

San Diego area mid week is ok. Weekend .....not so ok

[manku]

On 2/24/2021 at 7:32 PM, Golf10 said:

Honestly it's been horrible.  To highlight that point our last two rounds at Soule Park have been 6 hours.  There are lots of beginners and many of the fairer sex on the course.  Not that it necessarily means slower rounds but that's been my experience.

 

BTW how is Hacienda?  I heard that's a nice track.

 

Hacienda is fantastic...very old school, lots of variety.  Excellent condition when I last played.

 

Unfortunately, it's a solid hours drive from my house...and often worse.  Upside is I can pick up some good Chinese on the way home!

[JackpotJohnny]

On 2/24/2021 at 8:02 PM, Unplayablelies said:

San Diego area mid week is ok. Weekend .....not so ok

It’s absolutely ridiculous. You can’t get a time before 3pm anywhere in the county within a week. I was up at 12:01 trying to book a decent tee time for next weekend and still couldn’t do it. 

[darom86]

Hacienda just looks amazing in the photos I've seen.  Read on here or somewhere that new membership inquiries are going unanswered.  Good on your friend getting in there.  Has some significant golf architectural pedigree/bones too. 

[smrtchar]

LA City courses are allowing walk-ons now. Got to Rancho early last week and figured I'll just hit the range if I can't get on. Was lucky there was a no-show so was able to get on. According to the guys that were able to get tee times, there are a few people getting City Cards booking tee times with bots as soon as they become available and they're reselling them for a surcharge of $10 per person. They wouldn't share their contact with me since they didn't want more competition or for me to report the guy and they lose out on their privilege.

[darom86]

What a situation - curious what Rancho could even do about it if they were so inclined

[Oldboy]

On 4/15/2021 at 2:04 PM, smrtchar said:

LA City courses are allowing walk-ons now. Got to Rancho early last week and figured I'll just hit the range if I can't get on. Was lucky there was a no-show so was able to get on. According to the guys that were able to get tee times, there are a few people getting City Cards booking tee times with bots as soon as they become available and they're reselling them for a surcharge of $10 per person. They wouldn't share their contact with me since they didn't want more competition or for me to report the guy and they lose out on their privilege.

This is true.  I have an attorney friend in rec and parks and the city is aware and have been able to stop a few from doing this but they just get another players card and continue on.

Edited April 22, 2021 by Oldboy

[tw422]

If they were serious about it how about adding a CAPTCHA function to the booking process (someone else on another thread mentioned this)?  Wouldn't cost much to integrate into the current system.  I'm at the point where I say F LA, the city and Parks & Rec.  Not that they care about my $50 week but I won't give them my business anymore.  You can't let people game the system and expect loyal customers to not feel slighted. I'm happy that rounds are up and golf is thriving but to blindly go along with a bunch of turds gaming the system on an already busy course is total bs.  Not to mention that I pay taxes (a lot of taxes) into LA County and can't take advantage of one of the only resources that I would like to use. 

 

Sorry just needed to vent a bit.  CA lockdowns have everyone here going crazy.  We are bolting out of town for a month and renting a place in AZ for May/June. Figured I will have at least more than 2 jam packed muni's to choose from there.  Haha

Edited April 22, 2021 by tw422

[Oldboy]

1 minute ago, tw422 said:

If they were serious about it how about adding a CAPTCHA function to the booking process (someone else on another thread mentioned this)?  Would cost much to do and integrate into the current system.  I'm at the point where I say F LA, the city and Parks & Rec.  Not that they care about my $50 week but I won't give them my business anymore.  You can't let people game the system and expect loyal customers to feel slighted. I'm happy that rounds are up and golf is thriving but to blindly go along with a bunch of turds gaming the system on an already busy course is total bs.  Not to mention that I pay taxes (a lot of taxes) into LA County and can't take advantage of one of the only resources that I would like to use. 

 

Sorry just needed to vent a bit.  CA lockdowns have everyone here going crazy.  We are bolting out of town for a month and renting a place in AZ for May/June. Figured I will have at least more than 2 jam packed muni's to choose from there.  Haha

Believe me they're trying to address it.  And I'm with you.  Its super frustrating.

Apparently there are quite a few city officials that are avid golfers, my attorney friend included and they get it.  And during covid the only revenue coming in was from golf so its not lacking in priority.  I think they maybe don't care as much because they are raking in dollars regardless of whether a bot is involved or not.  My understanding is they've gotten plenty of complaints from pre covid golfers

[tw422]

1 minute ago, Oldboy said:

Believe me they're trying to address it.  And I'm with you.  Its super frustrating.

Apparently there are quite a few city officials that are avid golfers, my attorney friend included and they get it.  And during covid the only revenue coming in was from golf so its not lacking in priority.  I think they maybe don't care as much because they are raking in dollars regardless of whether a bot is involved or not.  My understanding is they've gotten plenty of complaints from pre covid golfers

Good to hear that they are addressing (trying to) it - I would think they are going to start to lose a ton of City Card renewal revenue too?  I won't be renewing and I can almost guarantee that the number of new cards vs renewals is not going to be a net positive for them.  What's the point of renewing to get the 10 day booking window if you can't get a time before 5pm??  Glad to hear it affected someone that matters and they are looking it.  

[Oldboy]

Well add this to the pot

 

some local politician is trying to convert the California muni’s into low income housing

https://www.kusi.com/proposed-california-bill-threatens-the-future-of-golf/

Edited April 22, 2021 by Oldboy

[RSinSG]

1 hour ago, Oldboy said:

Well add this to the pot

 

some local politician is trying to convert the California muni’s into low income housing

https://www.kusi.com/proposed-california-bill-threatens-the-future-of-golf/

Just when you thought they couldn't get any stupider.

[slocagolfer]

4 hours ago, RSinSG said:

Just when you thought they couldn't get any stupider.

I had a bunch of stuff here but it was a serious thread jack so I deleted it. I do agree with RSinSG's post though.

 

Edited April 23, 2021 by slocagolfer

[smrtchar]

I'm glad they're working on it too. I didn't even bother renewing my City Card.

 

I've been driving all the way out to Chino Hills to play at Los Serranos. Able to get there from Santa Monica in 40 mins without traffic. If you get their Players Card, weekday rates are $43 with cart and small bucket. The South course is especially fun. They used to play the LA Open there before changing it to Genesis Open and moving to Riviera. It's a long course and I'd rank it better than any of the LA Muni courses. Rounds are around 4.5-5 hrs and course is usually in great shape.

Edited April 29, 2021 by smrtchar

[slocagolfer]

Here in San Luis Obispo County, California, it's busy, busy, busy. And the summer tourist season isn't even here yet. Good for the courses. Not so good for us frequent golfers.