Should courses should be required to disclose aerated greens?

[psumarkopolo]

Kind of funny story...not completely unrelated. I was playing with my buddy at a course on a friday afternoon (we wanted to go to a chopper paradise because it was like 5 pm and didnt wanna drop like 50 bucks to possibly get in like 12 holes. ) this place was 10 to walk 13 to ride since they punched the greens...my buddy is like a 15 handicap and goes...No three putts because of the greens being punched? (I am about anwhere from a 0 to 3 cap depending on the day and since i was giving him a stroke a hole for ease I saw this as an advantage to me since i am a bad putter)...i say sure...but not if you hit par 5's in two...which if i am trying to win is silly since he is probably not hitting par 5's in 2....well i hit all 3 par fives in two and 3 jacked all of them.....SMH

oh and edit: I got trounced. bahaha

[YMark]

[quote name='tmfool ' timestamp='1367109402' post='6929465']
should a course let you know - if it might rain while your on the 7th tee?
[/quote]

What a stupid post. First off, the greens are punched or they're not. No "might".

[SadTrombone]

Yeah they should let you know. They should also offer a reduced green fee. It's the cost of doing business. Yes, it's my choice to play there. Yes, if they want me to come back and see the course at it's best, they should offer me a discount on the fee for when it is hardly at it's best.

[duffer987]

[quote name='tmfool ' timestamp='1367109402' post='6929465']
should a course let you know - if it might rain while your on the 7th tee?
[/quote]

You've got the fool part down to a tee don't you?

Back to OP...
Good golf courses do inform you. Both via email notices and with big eff-off signs at the course. It's well scummy those that don't.
www.greenskeeper.org is a great resource for finding out aeration schedules.

[YMark]

GolfNow.com and EZlinks usually post when greens are aerated. They have a little icon that shows this, but they don't always get the data.

[zer0]

[quote name='tmfool ' timestamp='1367109402' post='6929465']
should a course let you know - if it might rain while your on the 7th tee?
[/quote]


Yes, assuming from your comment that the course controls the weather since why else would you make such an irrelevant statement.

[TheDominator273]

If you ask the course should tell you honestly what's going on, but there is no obligation to tell someone if they don't ask if they are punched or not.

[Johnny Biarritz]

Should courses be REQUIRED to tell you? Yeah, sure, if you can explain who, exactly, will make the requirement AND enforce it. So the basic answer is that courses will not ever be required to tell you that they've punched the greens or anything else.

Now, should they tell you? Certainly. That's just generally a smart business move.

[Lost Soul]

I've found that a lot of quality courses will let you know if they punched, and most offer some sort of discounted greens fees. It seems like it would be a good business move to let the players know.

[jwfgolfpro]

[quote name='Thunder Dan' timestamp='1367099660' post='6928749']
Here in Chicago there are a handful that do, but seriously, when someone calls to make a tee time you should atleast pay the courtesy of letting them know there is 50 pounds of sand on the greens. How is this different then ordering and paying for a pepperoni pizza and them giving you a sausage pizza?
[/quote]

Absolutely !!!!! We have 36 holes and have the luxury of only aerifying 18 holes at a time.
We offer an AERIFICATION Special. Drop the rate on the aerified greens and charge regular rates on the other course.
Value oriented folks love playing the aerified greens at a reduced priced. Suprises me every year how many people choose he bad greens for a price reduction.

JWF

[harpua728]

They definitely should tell you. I had the misfortune of playing aerated greens this past weekend and it truly pissed me off. If a course is going to charge you over $100 they better make sure you are getting a good experience. Not only that, many of the bukers were being worked on and we unplayable. What's mind boggling about this is that the course was closed all winter and recently reopened on March 31st. It was a mild winter on Long Island so there is no reason this work could not have been done ahead before the course opened for the season.

The course by the way is Harbor Links in Port Washington, NY. The worst service imaginable. For the 4th straight round, both golf carts in our group died on the 13th hole. This place is truly a joke.

If I knew the greens were aerated and they offered a discount, then I wouldnt walk away with a bad taste in my mouth. Also, there are probably people who dont play courses like this because it's over $100. If they advertise a discounted rate due to aeration, then maybe some of thsoe people would play just to get a feel for the course and they wouldnt mind the condition of the greens since they know what they are signing up for ahead of time.

Anyway, I'm playing a course this weekend that was aerated a week ago (last Monday). Should I be ok come Saturday?

[Thug Hunter]

[quote name='harpua728' timestamp='1367239827' post='6936233']
Anyway, I'm playing a course this weekend that was aerated a week ago (last Monday). Should I be ok come Saturday?
[/quote]

I doubt they'll be in pristine shape in that amount of time. I think it takes about a month to recover.

[SilverBullets]

[quote name='Thug Hunter' timestamp='1367242455' post='6936469']
[quote name='harpua728' timestamp='1367239827' post='6936233']
Anyway, I'm playing a course this weekend that was aerated a week ago (last Monday). Should I be ok come Saturday?
[/quote]

I doubt they'll be in pristine shape in that amount of time. I think it takes about a month to recover.
[/quote]

They won't be pristine condition but I doubt they will be that bad by then. From my experience the packed sand is pretty well mixed in/grown out by 2 weeks after and the plugs are filling in. I would bet they will be OK but nothing better than OK

[larrybud]

[quote name='tmfool ' timestamp='1367109402' post='6929465']
should a course let you know - if it might rain while your on the 7th tee?
[/quote]

Wow, who knew aeration was an act of God!

[T Shaf]

Absolutely the course should disclose - I have seen many put maintenance info on their websites and have also seen an "AE" icon added to the booking box on Golf Now. In Chicago at this time of the year it's always best to ask when reserving a tee time.

And the post from "tmfool" is about the most ridiculous point made here on this site...and that's saying something! Funny he hasn't been back to defend his logic - or lack thereof.

[mikpga]

I think they should, and tie in a promotion/special with it!

[avgjoe]

they should, since you might choose to play elsewhere. but they won't, because you might choose to play elsewhere

[VNutz]

It certainly would be nice, but I don't expect it, I've been burned by too many in the past. Any course that would notify me, however, would gain big points in my book towards getting me back in the future.

[apprenti23]

[quote name='Thug Hunter' timestamp='1367242455' post='6936469']
[quote name='harpua728' timestamp='1367239827' post='6936233']
Anyway, I'm playing a course this weekend that was aerated a week ago (last Monday). Should I be ok come Saturday?
[/quote]

I think it takes about a month to recover.
[/quote]
You're the reason they don't tell golfers!!!! A month?!? Wow

If a super knows what he's doing they're playable the next day or so. With good weather healed up in a week is not uncommon.

[jdhallissey]

Well funny thing. I called Whistling straits today, they said nothing about being punched. With that said they are running there spring special still. I have until sunday to cancel, The honest thing is if the greens are still bumpy and slow I wont go out even with saving money. I get to fed up. I can tell you that in the northern midwest it is 3 weeks until the greens are back to there normal self no matter how much money you toss at them. So hopefully the guys in that thread respond back to let me know what shape they were in.

[Thug Hunter]

[quote name='apprenti23' timestamp='1367382018' post='6948881']
[quote name='Thug Hunter' timestamp='1367242455' post='6936469']
[quote name='harpua728' timestamp='1367239827' post='6936233']
Anyway, I'm playing a course this weekend that was aerated a week ago (last Monday). Should I be ok come Saturday?
[/quote]

I think it takes about a month to recover.
[/quote]
You're the reason they don't tell golfers!!!! A month?!? Wow

If a super knows what he's doing they're playable the next day or so. With good weather healed up in a week is not uncommon.
[/quote]

Of course weather is going to be a huge factor as well as the superintendents ability to do his job well. I live in drought land aka Central Texas. I don't know if it takes as long as a month, but I can say the greens I played at Barton Creek were not even close to being playable (and that's subjective) after two weeks. I then played another course that punched and sanded a few days prior. You certainly could putt, but making 3 footers was no longer a sure thing. So I estimated that another two weeks and they'd be back to playing shape.

[MountainKing]

Yes they should, and they should also not charge full price...this is a problem with so many courses in the Chicago area. Hell if there's issues with planning or it was moved because of weather I don't care if you tell me before I tee off, just tell me and don't charge me full price. If you had cable TV would you pay full price every month if you were missing 18 channels?

[mpdsr]

I played TPC Sawgrass a couple years ago. Was not told that the greens were punched and sanded, several tee boxes were being redone, and every fairway had been stripped of most of the grass and sanded! Full price plus mandatory forecaddie.

Only reason I played was that my son was playing a practice round for a tournament - that was being held in these conditions.

[Hot Rod 71]

I work pat-time as a member of the pro shop staff at the course where I play. The director of golf doesn't like us to mention the aeration when people call and make a tee time because he is afraid he will lose business. We have talked about this a few times and I try to tell him he will lose even more business if people show up to play and they find they were not told the greens had been aerated. These customers may never return because they feel they were deceived, and I can understand that. But I think people need to understand that every course must perform aeration to get the greens in the best condition possible.

No one enjoys playing on aerated greens, but the fact of the matter is it is a necessary part of green maintenance.

The same guys that complain about playing on aerated greens are the same ones that will complain if the greens aren't in top-notch condition during the season.

[Priceyd]

Just got email of my local course saying doing this to the greens Monday and Tuesday 50%off green fees and cart fees

[scottvw13]

[quote name='Priceyd' timestamp='1367792728' post='6975424']
Just got email of my local course saying doing this to the greens Monday and Tuesday 50%off green fees and cart fees
[/quote]

THAT is how you turn a negative into a positive.

[scottvw13]

[quote name='Hot Rod 71' timestamp='1367669044' post='6968862']
I work pat-time as a member of the pro shop staff at the course where I play. The director of golf doesn't like us to mention the aeration when people call and make a tee time because he is afraid he will lose business. We have talked about this a few times and I try to tell him he will lose even more business if people show up to play and they find they were not told the greens had been aerated. These customers may never return because they feel they were deceived, and I can understand that. But I think people need to understand that every course must perform aeration to get the greens in the best condition possible.

No one enjoys playing on aerated greens, but the fact of the matter is it is a necessary part of green maintenance.

The same guys that complain about playing on aerated greens are the same ones that will complain if the greens aren't in top-notch condition during the season.
[/quote]

If someone calls for a tee time and the greens have been done, and the customer asks if the greens were aerated, are you expected to lie?

While I agree 100% that aeration is a necessary evil, the condition of the golf course is one factor that determines what people are willing to pay for greens fees.

If I go to a course and the greens aren't a good as usual I'm disappointed, but understand.

If I call sunday for a wed tee time and the greens were aerated on Monday, and I paid full price without disclosure, I'll never be back.

[Boogs2]

Yes they should and should offer discounted rates. Who wants to pay 65-90 bucks on a course that has more dimples than Kim K.'s buttocks?

[big yellow]

This happened to us last week.
How is your green? Great, its rolling good.
Have you punched hole? It's scheduled for middle of May.
OK, I need a tee time for tomorrow afternoon. Sure.
I get there next day, believe or not they are punching the holes. I complained to head pro and asked for refund. He gave us refund and we went to another course to play.

[MileHighClub]

[quote name='Hot Rod 71' timestamp='1367669044' post='6968862']
I work pat-time as a member of the pro shop staff at the course where I play. The director of golf doesn't like us to mention the aeration when people call and make a tee time because he is afraid he will lose business. We have talked about this a few times and I try to tell him he will lose even more business if people show up to play and they find they were not told the greens had been aerated. These customers may never return because they feel they were deceived, and I can understand that.
[/quote]

It looks to me like the wrong person is running the show at this course. Take care of the customer and the customer will take care of you. Transparency is important. This poster gets it.