Golf course idea.

[holeintwo2]

I have officially decided that if I win the lottery, I will make a golf course. This will be an 18 hole course where the holes are separated into 3 sets of 6 holes. I was thinking and this could attract more people to play the game, being able to play a less amount of holes. Basketball you can go play for like 30 minutes, but if you wanna play a round of golf, it takes around two hours. This would also pick up pace of play on the back sets of Holes because there will likely be less people from them leaving after 6.

 

 

Does anyone know of a course like this?

 

Share your thoughts!!

 

 

Also add any ideas for a dream course. I want some crazy ideas!!

[cardoustie]

The course I used to be a member at had hole 7 and 12 and 18 end right by the clubhouse .. was awesome for playing and leaving when you needed to

I would also design my course with 6 threes, 6 fours, and 6 par 5's. I love those courses.

I've also played courses where two 9's were very different. ie front 9 parkland layout and back 9 linksland style.
Was truly awesome. work that into your lottery dream

[holeintwo2]

Awesome!

I love course with variety. I don't know why more courses dot do 6 of each pars.

[ben w]

I have a massive idea that revolves around this concept, I made a big post about it a while back and it blew up with lots of feedback. There are numerous issues with it, but basically you cannot satisfy avid players (this site) as well as total newcomers. I believe it's because everyone has to share the same course. In other sports you can choose to compete/play at your own level and not interfere with others, but in golf we all must share the same course. It's that aspect that causes all the log jams.

[bigred90gt]

There is a course outside of Houston in a little town (Magnolia) that is laid out like this. You come back to the clubhouse after 6 and 12. I don't know if they have fees for people who only want to play 6 or 12 holes though, or if there is only one fee. It is a pretty nice course too, and if it weren't over an hour drive to get there, is probably play there more often.

[markheardjr]

If you're not in a huge metro area or a place with a ton of private clubs, most sleepy public places will have some kind of membership special which is like 5 day or 7 day memberships, per year fee, and you pay extra for cart use. My course growing up was like $275 for youth for a year membership or $500 for 5 day or $750 for 7 day adult membership. So if you had time for 4 holes, you jumped out on an open hole and went. If you had time for 36 you just checked in and kept going.

Courses that aren't busy can easily accomodate that kind of thing. As long as you don't hold people up or cut in where there isn't really room you are fine to do a few holes. Personally I never played less than 9 unless it was the very end of the night and I was hurrying and maybe skipped a loop that went far from the clubhouse. I played 36 or even 45 holes in a day far more often.

I do like courses that have a jekyll and hyde 9 to 9. Dos Lagos in Corona, CA is my current example I play. Short very narrow front 9, long wide open back 9. I think if you do a 6, 6, 6, it would be cool to see a bombers paradise (long, open off tee medium size greens) , accuracy 9 (short, narrow, well bunkered tiny greens) and a links 9 (flat, hard, super deep bunkers, big greens.) Get 3 different styles, so you can really round out your game and learn to play all 3 on one course.

[holeintwo2]

[quote name='markheardjr' timestamp='1389039400' post='8409963']
I think if you do a 6, 6, 6, it would be cool to see a bombers paradise (long, open off tee medium size greens) , accuracy 9 (short, narrow, well bunkered tiny greens) and a links 9 (flat, hard, super deep bunkers, big greens.) Get 3 different styles, so you can really round out your game and learn to play all 3 on one course.
[/quote]


Love this idea!!

[Floris]

There's a few things I'd like to see at my ideal course:
- No handicarts
- Holes a bit apart (so you're not able to hit another fairway from any point)
- Not too narrow (should be >18 yards wide)
- Lot's of elevation and ondulation
- Soft, fast greens

[agray94]

I like the idea. I think the design would need to include the standard ninth hole also finishing near the clubhouse for those who want to play 9 only, not too mention outings and leagues.
Overall it would catch on in the right places. I work at a course, so I go out many times and just play 6 or 7- there is a nice cut through where you can go from 3rd or 4th green to the 7th tee...on even shorter times I can play 1, then the 2nd tee and 8th tee are next to each other, so I got and play 8 and 9.
Back nine also matches up as 12th and 16th tee are close, so you can go 10,11,16,17 and 18
I think it would go over big on afternoon rounds after work, especially when darkness comes early

[mr_divots]

If I won the lotto, I'd work to create a "players course."
Fast pace of play would be encouraged and the culture, and the clubhouse would be adequate and nothing more. It would be all about the golf. No weddings. None of that.

I'd keep membership dues reasonable. Space would fill up quickly. I'd make a reasonable profit and open more such facilities.
I would have a CADDIE program to get kids into the game.
If I could set it up as a non-profit, I'd gladly give away rounds to kids so they could play as well.

Conditions would actually be like they're preaching: NOT over-watered.

[Thinking_Man]

I love the idea of the 6-6-6. Just to add on that... I would make the starting hole a par 3 and the finishing hole a par five on each of the 6 hole layouts. I would, also, make sure there is a snack/drink stand after each 6 hole layout. Also, I would split the weekend days to accomodate all players skill levels. On Saturday's anyone can play. From +6 to 36 handicaps. On Sundays I would make it strickly for 10 handicaps or lower. I forget where exactly it is, maybe some where along the Grand Strand, but there is a course designed with the architects favorite holes from the world's most famous courses. I would copy that idea.

[pkwilli1999]

[quote name='dlgolf2' timestamp='1389058976' post='8412303']
I love the idea of the 6-6-6. Just to add on that... I would make the starting hole a par 3 and the finishing hole a par five on each of the 6 hole layouts. I would, also, make sure there is a snack/drink stand after each 6 hole layout. Also, I would split the weekend days to accomodate all players skill levels. On Saturday's anyone can play. From +6 to 36 handicaps. On Sundays I would make it strickly for 10 handicaps or lower. I forget where exactly it is, maybe some where along the Grand Strand, but there is a course designed with the architects favorite holes from the world's most famous courses. I would copy that idea.
[/quote]There are 2 courses in Texas just like this, Tour 18 Houston and Tour 18 Dallas. Every hole is a re-creation of famous holes and the Houston one includes amen corner as 5,6,and 7. My favorites are 7, Amen corner par 5, and 9, Sawgrass 17.

[natedd]

Luckily my local course is set up for short plays as long as it isn't crowded (and it typically isn't when I play). I can play about 25 combos of 3-7 holes whether in go off 1 or 10.

[holeintwo2]

[quote name='pkwilli1999' timestamp='1389059838' post='8412413']
[quote name='dlgolf2' timestamp='1389058976' post='8412303']
I love the idea of the 6-6-6. Just to add on that... I would make the starting hole a par 3 and the finishing hole a par five on each of the 6 hole layouts. I would, also, make sure there is a snack/drink stand after each 6 hole layout. Also, I would split the weekend days to accomodate all players skill levels. On Saturday's anyone can play. From +6 to 36 handicaps. On Sundays I would make it strickly for 10 handicaps or lower. I forget where exactly it is, maybe some where along the Grand Strand, but there is a course designed with the architects favorite holes from the world's most famous courses. I would copy that idea.
[/quote]There are 2 courses in Texas just like this, Tour 18 Houston and Tour 18 Dallas. Every hole is a re-creation of famous holes and the Houston one includes amen corner as 5,6,and 7. My favorites are 7, Amen corner par 5, and 9, Sawgrass 17.
[/quote]



There's a course like that in myrtle beach, it's a lot of fun to play.

[RichieHunt]

If I had to do it and was looking to make money I would create a 9-hole course. The idea would be to design everything around the restaurant. I would also create a nicer, fancier restaurant and another one that is more of a bar & grill.

I would also make it only 9-holes. However, I would create the tee areas wide and long enough so the hole can play differently depending on where the tees are located. For instance, the first hole may play like a 430 yard par-4 from the back tees that is straight ahead. But when you play the course again (if you're playing 18 holes), the course is now a 540 yard dogleg right because it is being played from different tees.

I would also look into eliminating all sand bunkers and have grass bunkers in their place. Bunkers are expensive and tough to maintain. And nobody likes getting plugged into one of those things. If anything, it would be a different design to a course and likely speed up play. And because it is only 9-holes, the maintenance costs would be significantly less while the golfers could get the feel of playing a 18 different holes.






RH

[ben w]

Here's the main problem with the 6-6-6 layout.


Making up some stats:[list]
[*]10% of people choose to play 6 holes. Most of these people will be beginners or people with kids.
[*]20% of people choose to play 12 hole. Most of these will also be beginners, seniors, or juniors.
[*]70% of people play the entire 18 hole layout. Most of these will be serious, regular golfers you see at courses presently.
[/list]

If you start groups off #1 normally, then the first 6 holes are going to be slow and take on way more wear and tear than 7-12 and 13-18. You'll stack up on #1 and the rest of the course will be comparatively lighter in play.

If you allow the 6- and 12-hole green fee players to start on holes 7 or 13 (the "first tees" of the separate six-hole tracks), you're going to have a traffic nightmare. No matter what, you won't have an orderly flow. You might be playing 18 and come to hole 7 and see a group of four juniors on the tee. "Are you guys playing 6 or 12?" you ask. Then on 13 you may run up against a group of senior men from earlier that morning playing an emergency 6. At this point you're losing your mind.

After tons of thought and discussion about this, it seems like golf courses nowadays have it figured out pretty well. Thus, my ideal course would be simple, time-tested (ask Augusta National!) and not overly complicated:[list]
[*]Driving range
[list]
[*]suits beginners, intermediate, advanced players, and those who just have time for quick bucket
[/list][*]9-hole par 3 course, 60-130 yard holes and small greens.
[list]
[*]the next logical step for beginners, they aren't in the way of avid players.
[*]no long searches for lost balls
[*]emphasis on chipping/putting which is what juniors/beginners need
[/list][*]18-hole regular course
[/list]

[The Pearl]

[quote name='RichieHunt' timestamp='1389105404' post='8414841']
If I had to do it and was looking to make money I would create a 9-hole course. The idea would be to design everything around the restaurant. I would also create a nicer, fancier restaurant and another one that is more of a bar & grill.

I would also make it only 9-holes. However, I would create the tee areas wide and long enough so the hole can play differently depending on where the tees are located. For instance, the first hole may play like a 430 yard par-4 from the back tees that is straight ahead. But when you play the course again (if you're playing 18 holes), the course is now a 540 yard dogleg right because it is being played from different tees.

I would also look into eliminating all sand bunkers and have grass bunkers in their place. Bunkers are expensive and tough to maintain. And nobody likes getting plugged into one of those things. If anything, it would be a different design to a course and likely speed up play. And because it is only 9-holes, the maintenance costs would be significantly less while the golfers could get the feel of playing a 18 different holes.






RH
[/quote]

I grew up on a small private 9 hole course in Western NY that was setup, for the most part, just like this. It's heyday peaked from about 1975 through the late 80's. The clubhouse sat on the lake front and was packed on Friday and Saturday nights. At that time there was a perfect mix of members in terms of age. The course was unique. The opening and closing holes were par 3's. Two par 5's, one short and one long. One very long par 4. The closing par 3, in my opinion, still ranks as one of the best par 3's I have ever played. It was slightly up hill with a wooded area to the right and you had to carry a small gully to the green. There was a small pond at the bottom of the gully. The green was on the highest point of the course with trees providing the visual back drop. From the tee you saw the pin against the trees, the gully on the right, a big tree on the left. It was like hitting the ball into a picture frame. The hill came up from the pond right up to the green which had a false front. The green was really wide, perhaps 30 yds, but not very deep. The actual landing area was very small. The right side of the green actually ran past the wooded gully so if they put the pin on the right side you had to fly the gully. On the left, you had to fly the tree. As Richie pointed out, there were two sets of tees. White for the front 9, Blue for the back. In tournament, the hole could play 110 on the front and perhaps 155 on the back 9. During the year ending Calcutta with a few grand riding on the outcome, I have seen mid HDCP take triples and quads regularly.

The course had two creeks that ran through it which provided layup and carry choices. During the couple of big tourney's, we shaved the greens down and grew the rough. Oh yeah, it was narrow and tree lined at key points. And yes, tiny greens. It could play hard and fast or soft and slow depending on the WNY rain and how much water the super dumped on it from the lake.

The weakness over time were the greens. At some point in time, due to a few bad super hires, they gave way to lack of TLC. Sometime in the early 90's they expanded and built another 9. They did a crap job on the new 9 and the place lost its charm. They should have put the money into tweaking the original 9. A redesign of about 3 holes and rebuilding of the greens would have made that place into a gem.

There is nothing rally special about the property. A few rolling hills, but that is about it. The point being you can do magical things with 9 holes of golf.

[KLeC]

Hmmm ... The 666 Club? Demon Hills? Gotta have a "Hell Bunker."

[The Pearl]

On a somewhat related topic, if one had the land and the resources, I am wondering how many holes one could design with only about 3 greens or so.

[Jefe21]

Lets get even crazier and build an indoor or even an underground course

[jed6293]

I was not sure where I read it, (probably a golf magazine) but one of these courses only had play for 4, 5, and 9 hole play. Maybe the course was routed in a way that brought 4 and 5 back to the clubhouse...it was meant to attract players for a few amount of holes/ time.

Great Idea!

[WormJones]

[quote name='Jefe21' timestamp='1389216234' post='8424097']
Lets get even crazier and build an indoor or even an underground course
[/quote]

I can only imagine golf balls ricocheting off of walls and flying who knows where, that would be hilarious!!!