I just love to play cheap crappy courses for a twilight round ever now and then

[Gbyeball]

Living the the Greater Toronto Area I am fortunate to be surounded by an abundance of great high end courses. My Monday league course " Royal Ashburn" has hosted the CPGA qualifying school for 25+ straight years. I have travelled alot and played some beautiful courses in tropical climates.

 

But one of my favorite things to do is play as a walk on single at a cheap low end course for a twilight round. It is usually nine holes after work, just show up and get paired with whoever. Some of the courses have a pretty loose dress code so you see everything from collared shirts to t-shirts with beer logos. The people I meet and play with all seem to love the game and are just happy to be out playing and scraping together some type of score. There is never any ego or pretense which makes for a light agreeable mood and easy comeraderie. We start out as strangers and after nine holes are good friends. I have been told many a time " I am usually here every Wednesday evening if you are looking for a game".

 

Plenty of times I will strip down my bag to 6 - 8 clubs and keep it simple. Most I meet have a complete set worth less than my driver, equipment doesn't matter to them. We head down the nineth hole as the sun is setting wrapped up in the silence and cooling air. We are golfers doing what we love to do and that is all that matters.

[ajschn06]

Ugh....I hate playing with people I don't know, luckily I live in an area where I can play with a friend or two without being thrown with another group, or even as a single...

[kchuckb]

[quote name='Gbyeball' timestamp='1342137153' post='5265092']
Living the the Greater Toronto Area I am fortunate to be surounded by an abundance of great high end courses. My Monday league course " Royal Ashburn" has hosted the CPGA qualifying school for 25+ straight years. I have travelled alot and played some beautiful courses in tropical climates.

But one of my favorite things to do is play as a walk on single at a cheap low end course for a twilight round. It is usually nine holes after work, just show up and get paired with whoever. Some of the courses have a pretty loose dress code so you see everything from collared shirts to t-shirts with beer logos. The people I meet and play with all seem to love the game and are just happy to be out playing and scraping together some type of score. There is never any ego or pretense which makes for a light agreeable mood and easy comeraderie. We start out as strangers and after nine holes are good friends. I have been told many a time " I am usually here every Wednesday evening if you are looking for a game".

Plenty of times I will strip down my bag to 6 - 8 clubs and keep it simple. Most I meet have a complete set worth less than my driver, equipment doesn't matter to them. We head down the nineth hole as the sun is setting wrapped up in the silence and cooling air. We are golfers doing what we love to do and that is all that matters.
[/quote]

Well put.I have also met really nice guys at the afternnon twilight. I go to sports authority and buy the 2 for $30 Callaway whatevers and just blast away. Anythiing too far astray I don't even bother looking for.

[batgeek29]

OP is not the typical WRX'er.

glad to see some people here "get it".

[Snufles]

[quote name='ajschn06' timestamp='1342137288' post='5265108']
Ugh....I hate playing with people I don't know, luckily I live in an area where I can play with a friend or two without being thrown with another group, or even as a single...
[/quote]

You are missing out some of the most memorable rounds of your life. Just look at some of the crazy stories people have posted on this website, many are with people they just met on the first tee.

Sometimes I break away from my regular foursome with some excuse, just to sneak in a mystery round.

[BNich0622]

[quote name='ajschn06' timestamp='1342137288' post='5265108']
Ugh....I hate playing with people I don't know, luckily I live in an area where I can play with a friend or two without being thrown with another group, or even as a single...
[/quote]

I don;t get why so many people are against this. It's my favorite part about golf. You never know what you're going to get. People need to enjoy golf for what it is. It seems some of us take it way too serious.

[butch33611]

My small town has 2 courses. One is a country club the other is a nice little course with a pro shop and a place to eat and thats about it. Memberships are not that far apart money wise. I joined the lesser place soley because of the reasons given in the original post. At my club those guys are just about golf. Easy to get along with and a lot of fun to play golf with.

Ive done the country club thing and hated every minute of it. It has little to do with golf and more about how much my car cost or what I paid for this or that. Everyone trying to one up the next guy on how much better he is and what he owns or does for a living. Its more of a networking place instead of a golf course.

Im a corrections officer at a state prison, I felt out of place every time I went there to play. I never found anyone to play with on a regular basis. The place reminded me of bushwood and a lot jugde Smales runnin around the place.

[Gbyeball]

[quote name='Snufles' timestamp='1342140290' post='5265362']
[quote name='ajschn06' timestamp='1342137288' post='5265108']
Ugh....I hate playing with people I don't know, luckily I live in an area where I can play with a friend or two without being thrown with another group, or even as a single...
[/quote]

You are missing out some of the most memorable rounds of your life. Just look at some of the crazy stories people have posted on this website, many are with people they just met on the first tee.

Sometimes I break away from my regular foursome with some excuse, just to sneak in a mystery round.
[/quote]

Sneak in a mystery round...........love that saying, think I will steal it.

You are correct about missing out, variety is the spice of life. I remember playing with a father and his 7 year old on a small par 3 nine holer. The dad was missing his right arm and his left leg was pretty messed up. They walked nine holes and he had one of the greatest attitudes I have ever experienced. You could tell his son looked up to him and adored him. He played rather well and never a bad word if he hit a poor shot.

If I am struggling with my game I think of him and give myself an attitude check

[golfingchuck]

I mostly play by myself and really enjoy getting paired up with new people! I have met some of my best friends just by runnig into them on the course. I just play the game as best as I can and enjoy the company of others

[tommyrobson]

Fellow GTA-er

I too love that feeling

[Gbyeball]

[quote name='tommyrobson' timestamp='1342144373' post='5265750']
Fellow GTA-er

I too love that feeling
[/quote]

Good to meet you. What part of the city are you in. One of the course I was talking about is Flemington Park, affectionately called Flemo. Don Valley and Eglington area.

[diablocrusher]

i've played by myself more than ever this year and I've been fortunate enough to always get paired up with some great people.

One guy I got paired up with ended up going to high school with an old college roommate of mine. Very cool

Don't take your game to serious, just go out there to have fun, and you'll find plenty of other guys who are looking to do the same and you'll have yourself a good time.

[teejaywhy]

[quote name='batgeek29' timestamp='1342138736' post='5265220']
OP is not the typical WRX'er.

glad to see some people here "get it".
[/quote]

The true spirit of golf.

[Nueve]

Sometimes I get a feeling of dread when I know I am going to be paired up with strangers. Not sure why, because I think in all the time I have played i have only ever gotten paired with one ******-bag.

Heck, I'm from Wyoming and I got paired with three BYU alums last week, and had a wonderful round of golf.

[alexle92]

I do this all the time. Being a beginner, its a great way to budget yourself. Although I lose a lot of balls due to bad course conditions.