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Annoyed by arbitrary course closing time (while it's still light out)...

We always bring the flags in on the last half dozen holes at our Wednesday evening course. That part backs up to an area where the flags have been stolen several times.
 
KEV said:
I'd be upset also. This time of the year I would think courses should be open until the last tee time out completes their round.
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In the case that I mentioned about the carts I can understand the course's view on having the carts in. However they have also said if you are a walker, stay out as long as you like which I think is more than fair.
 
Hmm, okay, so maybe this is a regional thing. We have 3 or 4 courses that we routinely play late rounds on during the summer and we will just play til it's get dark and then return the carts. That kind of thing seems very common around here. Obviously I can't speak for all DFW area courses universally since I don't have the experience with all of them. But this was the first time I've ever run into this. And one of my buddies who was playing with me grew up playing golf around here and said he's never seen it in his life.

I also understand the mindset of just finishing the round without flags as kind of an "F.U." to the course. But that's just not how I roll. Someone owns that course and it is their business. They get to make the rules. If I think their rules are crazy, I can address it with them and potentially get satisfaction. But staying somewhere after I've been told I need to leave puts me in a gray area that could be considered trespassing (actually it technically becomes the very definition of trespassing). Also, I'm a peaceful guy and I don't want to have a course that I absolutely have to avoid in the future. I knew I would be reaching out to the GM in the morning so I won't consider the course "dead to me" unless the GM backs the marshal and refuses to make it right. It's a fun course, it would be a shame to not play there again.
 
mpeterson said:
Courses around here will usually have a hard stop for when carts have to be back. Makes sense to me. Someone's got to get the cart in, washed, etc. And if there's 1-2 groups on the course playing late they're preventing them from going home. Walkers they'll usually let stay out.
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Scarnici said:
This is exactly how it happens at the course I work at. We have a hard time for when carts have to be in. They can walk as much as they want but I need that cart. I know it's not the case here but you would not believe how many time groups will
Try to get in "extra" holes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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The two courses I've worked at the rule was to get them in by sundown (though what was really wanted was for them to be in before dark). So the actual time changes daily. What always sucked though was when you were waiting for one or two carts and it's been dark (way past "sundown") for 20 minutes! Mostly seemed to happen by people in leagues playing extra holes (the extra holes was fine; the getting in way after dark, not so much!) And while I'm at it, don't sit in your carts finishing your beers in the parking lot. Bring the carts back and then go drink in the parking lot!

JB said:
Really? Almost all of the courses here remove the flags at the end of the night. When I worked at the course years ago, it was one of my jobs actually.
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Only course I know fore sure that takes the flags down, actually bring them in every night. Bad neighborhood and they do it so they don't get stolen!
 
KEV said:
I'd be upset also. This time of the year I would think courses should be open until the last tee time out completes their round.
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Well, I agree with what some others have said here though. It is VERY common around here for courses to sell twilight rates because they know we can't finish before dark. And we do that a lot -- tee off after 6:00 and maybe you get 13-14 holes in. So I don't put it on the course to only sell rounds that can finish. But don't sell me a round that I *CAN* finish and then come tell me to quit before I'm done or before playing conditions are no longer conducive.
 
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Annhl8rX said:
Which course was this? I live in Frisco and play most of my golf here. I've never run into that, but I also rarely play that late. It'll be nice to know which course I need to avoid at that hour.
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Frisco Lakes. It's a really nice public course and fun to play. I recommend it (as weird as that might sound).

And it sounds like they're going to make it right. I'll report back when I know for sure.
 
lazychicken said:
Well, I agree with what some others have said here though. It is VERY common around here for courses to sell twilight rates because they know we can't finish before dark. And we do that a lot -- tee off after 6:00 and maybe you get 13-14 holes in. So I don't put it on the course to only sell rounds that can finish. But don't sell me a round that I *CAN* finish and then come tell me to quit before I'm done or before playing conditions are no longer conducive.
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We call that Super Twilight and it is 4:00 this time of year. It's for as much as you can get in and we don't give rainchecks for those rounds.
 
I've played late in the day where the starter is at the turn advising you of the time carts need to be back, and suggesting that walking may be required to finish 18. Around me, typically it is carts in by dusk and you can play until dark.

that said, the marshall could exhibit some tact rather handle it poorly with multiple paying customers...
 
lazychicken said:
Frisco Lakes. It's a really nice public course and fun to play. I recommend it (as weird as that might sound).

And it sounds like they're going to make it right. I'll report back when I know for sure.
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I like Frisco Lakes a lot. It's about a mile from my house, and is my favorite Frisco course. I've never played there that late in the day, and now I know not to. Hit me up sometime if you're looking for somebody to play with.
 
lazychicken said:
Frisco Lakes. It's a really nice public course and fun to play. I recommend it (as weird as that might sound).

And it sounds like they're going to make it right. I'll report back when I know for sure.
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The course is issuing rainchecks. I appreciate them making this right. As I always tell customers were pitching our services to, we continuously strive to do our best to do everything perfectly, but we're not magic, we know mistakes will occur. The difference between a great organization and a crap organization is in how they respond when mistakes occur. Props to Frisco Lakes for responding in a customer-friendly way. As far as I'm concerned, the ledgers between me and this course are back to balanced. I am standing down the missiles in their silos, recalling the bombers, and taking us back to DEFCON 5.

:clapp:
 
Pretty normal, my course has a sign all carts must be in by x:xx and it is 30-45 minutes before it is really dark.

Didn't even realize golf now sells hot deals that late, and if it wasn't then you payed the course and have nothing you can complain about. Honestly never tee off that late expecting to finish.
 
Annhl8rX said:
I like Frisco Lakes a lot. It's about a mile from my house, and is my favorite Frisco course. I've never played there that late in the day, and now I know not to. Hit me up sometime if you're looking for somebody to play with.
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Sounds great, thanks! I'll shoot you a PM.
 
lazychicken said:
The course is issuing rainchecks. I appreciate them making this right. As I always tell customers were pitching our services to, we continuously strive to do our best to do everything perfectly, but we're not magic, we know mistakes will occur. The difference between a great organization and a crap organization is in how they respond when mistakes occur. Props to Frisco Lakes for responding in a customer-friendly way. As far as I'm concerned, the ledgers between me and this course are back to balanced. I am standing down the missiles in their silos, recalling the bombers, and taking us back to DEFCON 5.

:clapp:
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that's pretty awesome you get another round. What did they say? Did they say its their policy and offered you rain check anyway? That's very awesome. Or did they say their marshal shouldn't have done what he did. Just curious. Iether way they did a good thing for you here but curious anyway.
 
jdtox said:
I have never worked at a course so I really don't know for sure, but have been on plenty of courses at or near dark and have never seen anyone removing flags.
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Once kids get bored and start stealing them in the middle of the night that course will start bringing them in at night
 
Was the course in good shape? Plantation was pretty decent this morning. Greens were in good shape, and only a few mud puddles on the cart path.
 
rollin said:
that's pretty awesome you get another round. What did they say? Did they say its their policy and offered you rain check anyway? That's very awesome. Or did they say their marshal shouldn't have done what he did. Just curious. Iether way they did a good thing for you here but curious anyway.
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Yeah, I wondered that too. They seemed surprised at the story from last night. But we didn't press for an actual indictment. Today was about pragmatism. When we play there again I'll make sure to ask what the formal policy is (or if there is one). And, let's be really clear, I will only play there earlier in the day from now on. All good.
 
tomcat said:
Was the course in good shape? Plantation was pretty decent this morning. Greens were in good shape, and only a few mud puddles on the cart path.
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The fairways were in really good shape. I think there were only a couple places where the ground was soft. It was so good, in fact, that we wondered why they were still on cart path only. Abundance of caution, I assume. Many of the bunkers were flooded though. Fortunately I didn't find any of the bunkers, but we were playing them as offline/free drop.

Sorry I missed connecting with you this morning. I really wanted to. Yeah, Plantation gets pretty rough on flooding, but it's been 2 full days since the rain. Glad to hear it was in good shape. I've encountered a lot of casual water out and squishy conditions there in the past.
 
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