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are the golfers better at the "nicer" golf courses?

Tennis19

Tennis19

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ive played at around 20-25 golf courses in my life. mostly public course nothing super fancy or bucket list type course. i have a friend the works at trinity forest (byron nelson tournament ) and dallas national (consider to be one of the best course in texas). they have have a employee friends and family day coming soon and he said he could get me on. in general are the golfers better at the nicer courses?
 
I imagine you’ll find a mix like anywhere else.
 
I have a friend who is a member at a nicer course in Atlanta. There is a hole along the edge of the property with a wooded creek down the left side. The bank down to it is fairly steep, but negotiable with golf shoes on. When I play with him I always step down there while waiting on our foursome to hit and find between 5-10 ProV1, Chrome Soft type balls. I say this to say, they play the best balls and equipment, but they hit into the woods just like the guys playing Top-Flites at my home course.
 
As someone who worked at a nice course and generally golfs courses I can actually afford....the answer is no. Everywhere has good and bad golfers.
 
Having played at Pebble, Spyglass, Troon North in Scottsdale... in my experience there's no correlation between the price of the course and the skill level of the average golfer there.
 
I’ve actually been paired up with more low handicap randos at some of the munis in the area. Guys just looking to get out as much as possible and play.
 
Tennis19 said:
ive played at around 20-25 golf courses in my life. mostly public course nothing super fancy or bucket list type course. i have a friend the works at trinity forest (byron nelson tournament ) and dallas national (consider to be one of the best course in texas). they have have a employee friends and family day coming soon and he said he could get me on. in general are the golfers better at the nicer courses?
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I haven't played Dallas National but did Trinity Forest a couple of weeks ago. I didn't see any games there that were impressive but you might see Bryson or Jordan out there. Other than that, you'll have players on both ends of the spectrum at every course. I've just found the staff & most players at higher end courses to be nicer.
 
are the golfers better at the "nicer" golf courses?

are the golfers better at the "nicer" golf courses?

Typically it’s just people more committed to golf, have the money to do so, or want the community of belonging to a club. Past that it doesn’t really have an effect of skill level. My brother and his friends all just joined a club, and I think only one of them can break 90 on a good day
 
I’d say they are usually worse. Money can’t buy good golf score. But it sure can put some horrible golfers on a nice course.


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Nicer private courses tend to have and older demographic than public courses but I would not say they are any better on average. Golf is hard.
 
Nicer Courses = More $$$ and sometimes are either semi-private or private. IMO skill has no correlation with the quality of the course, however I do love how nice the greens/fairways are at higher end courses.
 
My parents lived on the right side of the 17th fairway at TPC Sugarloaf. My dad didn't have to buy a golf ball the entire time he lived there, and never played anything but premium balls. Plenty of people tried to break the windows on their house.
 
choppstixxx said:
Nicer Courses = More $$$ and sometimes are either semi-private or private. IMO skill has no correlation with the quality of the course, however I do love how nice the greens/fairways are at higher end courses.
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This. I've played my fair share of goat tracks, and quite frankly I don't really care. Golf is Golf.

Is it nicer playing at a semi-private or private course? Absolutely. But as long as I get to play I don't mind where I go.
 
CobraX51 said:
This. I've played my fair share of goat tracks, and quite frankly I don't really care. Golf is Golf.

Is it nicer playing at a semi-private or private course? Absolutely. But as long as I get to play I don't mind where I go.
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I had the same attitude for most of my life and I didn’t have a private membership until I was 45. That being said, it’s a nice luxury to have the faster play and better conditions, especially on the greens, of a private course. I still enjoy and play public golf courses for 30+ rounds each year but it’s fun to putt on perfect greens.
 
Hell no! I always ask the caddies at nice public courses that I play at - Kohler courses, Shadow Creek, Cascata, TPC Stadium course in Scottsdale, Erin Hills, etc. I always get the same answer - the majority of golfers cannot break 100 and it's a very nice break to caddie for someone that actually plays well.

There are just as many terrible golfers that I've played with at high $$$$ private courses too.
 
Over here we generally get more lower handicappers at higher quality courses BUT that is only because these courses are generally tougher. The spectrum of good and bad will be the same at all courses, just that more better players will frequent the harder courses.

That doesn't mean everyone at cheaper clubs are bad players, just more better players will be at a tougher course.
 
I would imagine the commitment to the game from those golfers is elevated, and that goes on to include dress and etiquette, assuming we're comparing to the more basic muni setups.

But skill? I don't really know. There are a lot of high handicappers at my course, but also quite a lot of single digits. Maybe by sheer frequency?
 
Canadan said:
I would imagine the commitment to the game from those golfers is elevated, and that goes on to include dress and etiquette, assuming we're comparing to the more basic muni setups.

But skill? I don't really know. There are a lot of high handicappers at my course, but also quite a lot of single digits. Maybe by sheer frequency?
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I'd probably bet you have a slightly better chance to randomly bump into a single digit at a private course. just simply because it takes more time and effort to be that, and thus they may be more inclined to join a club.

Based on the USGA's numbers (take that how you will), there are only 30% of all golfers that keep a handicap, who have a single digit cap in general. That number drops by over half, to about 13%, if you want someone with a 5 or under. So maybe you have a slightly higher % of people at private clubs that are single digit, but the vast majority will still not be.
 
Canadan said:
I would imagine the commitment to the game from those golfers is elevated, and that goes on to include dress and etiquette, assuming we're comparing to the more basic muni setups.

But skill? I don't really know. There are a lot of high handicappers at my course, but also quite a lot of single digits. Maybe by sheer frequency?
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This is kind of how I feel. There definitely is a sense of ownership at my club which results in people doing a better job of doing their part - filling divots, repairing pitch marks, picking up trash & lost golf balls. etc.
 
I've played a wide variety of courses including muni executive 9s, private courses, PGA tour stops, and premium resorts. Golf is full of nice people. In my experience, there's not a discernible correlation between type of people and course.

When it comes to private clubs, there's a vibe to each one. My cousin belongs to a club in Palm Desert and they're a high-test crowd in my humble opinion. You just need to understand you're a guest so be respectful (tuck in your shirt, remove hat in the club, clean your shoes off, etc.), and don't play slow. Each member stroked a sizable check to join and they probably pay a grand each month. Therefore, it's easy to see some people like things to be a certain way and don't always embrace change. Example; everyone knows Bob parks his cart in the same spot everyday at 11:30 for lunch. What moron would park there at 11:20?? Whoops. :D
 
Def not. Your going to have a mix every where you go. Iv seen guys at low low low budget courses with 10-15 year old equipment in a bag that's been through hell and back, play used balls, shoot very very good.
 
2BFAST said:
Def not. Your going to have a mix every where you go. Iv seen guys at low low low budget courses with 10-15 year old equipment in a bag that's been through hell and back, play used balls, shoot very very good.
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The best player I’ve seen at the low cost 9 hole course I sometimes play caries driver, 6 component hybrids, a wedge, & putter. And rarely shoots over par. You’d never know it to see him. Velcro Walmart shoes, cutoff jean shorts, & beer hut hanging out of a shirt that’s a size or two too small, lol
 
I worked at the nicest course in my hometown for a decade growing up, and those golfers were awful. So no. There is no correlation.
 
tahoebum said:
I had the same attitude for most of my life and I didn’t have a private membership until I was 45. That being said, it’s a nice luxury to have the faster play and better conditions, especially on the greens, of a private course. I still enjoy and play public golf courses for 30+ rounds each year but it’s fun to putt on perfect greens.
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No doubt.

Play some of the Public courses I play and you are forced to lay up just so you’ll be in grass and not some dirt haha.

But when I get to play the exclusive courses a few times a month, it’s nice hitting off lush fairways and be able to chip around the greens since the grass is nice. Well kept bunkers and good greens.

But again my PB a few months back if you walked up to it would be like “what and where in the hell is this place?” So really I don’t feel any less slighted playing a lesser course.


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wubears71 said:
Hell no! I always ask the caddies at nice public courses that I play at - Kohler courses, Shadow Creek, Cascata, TPC Stadium course in Scottsdale, Erin Hills, etc. I always get the same answer - the majority of golfers cannot break 100 and it's a very nice break to caddie for someone that actually plays well.

There are just as many terrible golfers that I've played with at high $$$$ private courses too.
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Good golf doesn’t always come with the higher price. Just more disposable income. Even worse, just cause it’s private doesn’t mean the members rake the bunkers or know how to fix their pitch marks either
 
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