We’re kicking around some fun ideas for podcasts in the same narrative vein of The Shanks, Gary Player, and Hovland podcasts, and one idea that we loved was talking to people about what it’s like to try and get tee times at public golf courses in the post-COVID boom.
We’re obviously going to hit on the Los Angeles county scandal where tee brokers were hoovering up all the tee times at Rancho and Griffith/Wilson, but I know it’s getting insanely difficult to play at places like New York state, and at places like Memorial Park, and basically anywhere there is public golf that’s good.
Do you have a city you want to vent about? Or a story about how much it’s changed at your regular course? How they jam up tee sheets now when they once didn’t?
What’s public golf like in the current state of the game?
You can reach out to me via DM or you can email me, but I’d love to talk to you about the run of play at your local. I’d likely want to use a snippet of you talking about it on audio, but if you just want to talk to me and don’t want to be in the podcast, that’s okay too. We’ll use your info on background.
I play in a tournament for hack amateurs in the area each year. We travel to three courses, two are non muni public and one private. One of the publics is notorious for pace of play. Tons of shorter 4s, reachable 5s, etc.
One of the organizers of the tournament sponsors a lot of stuff through the Kentucky USGA branch. So we get Golf Genius access. So each group has an official, actual tee time.
I play well enough Friday that I’m in the last group on Saturday. Tee times start at 8:00 and run to 9:44. They are 8 minutes apart, not enough IMO at this course, but fairly standard.
I’m in the pro shop before we start. We are backed up about a half hour. I randomly see my uncle. Ask him what he’s doing here (dad joke). He says playing golf. I ask what time. He says 9:45. I start laughing and tell the guys I’m the 9:44 group. His buddies start laughing. I show them my app and they can’t believe it. The course booked a 9:44 group and a 9:45 group.
Six hours later, I didn’t even stick around to ask him what he shot. Just glad it wasn’t himself.
City of Phoenix munis: tee sheet opens 9 days in advance at midnight. In season, if you log on at 12:05 am on Thursday and want to play that next Saturday, I hope you’re cool with a twosome at 2:45 pm.
City of Austin. Weekend tee times available Tuesday week of. Show up, in person, by 5am to get in line. By 5:30am everything before 3pm is gone. No credit card taken. No cancellation window. No show without penalty. Book as many tee times as you want.
Houston’s a struggle, and it’s not just Memorial Park.
We lost a three-course complex (Bear Creek) and another public 27-hole facility outside the city (River Ridge) due to Harvey in 2017.
Memorial Park and Gus Wortham were both renovated during COVID, now they’re both desirable munis to play.
COVID Boom then drastically increased the number of golfers in the city and surrounding area.
So, if you wanna play Gus, stay up til midnight a week in advance to try and fight for a decent time.
If you wanna book Memorial, you have to prove you live in the city to get the discounted rate, then race to book it at 6 AM 14 days in advance.
You don’t live in Houston proper? Tough shit, that’ll be $120 weekday, $140 weekend. Cart path only too, sorry if you’re elderly or hate the Houston heat.
Most other courses in the city require full payment up front, no refunds. Sorry if a pop-up shower ruins your round, tough shit.
The public courses here outside Gus and Memorial aren’t good enough to warrant fighting for tee times or paying almost $100 up front, and the ones worth fighting for are swamped 98% of the time.
Oh, and eight minute tee time intervals.
In Albuquerque, the city courses were still using physical, paper tee sheets until this year. You still have to call to make a tee time but it’s managed in computer software now Desirable tee times are attainable if you call early when the window opens so it’s not a horror story. It’s nice to be somewhere with good weather where golf isn’t hugely popular.
On and off topic, and probably really niche, but the rise of David Duval and then the complete collapse of his game, plus almost winning the 09 US Open could be interesting.
I’ve struggled for a year+ to get on the Boston munis, particularly George Wright. From where I am, these would honestly be probably the best combination of course quality and price within 30 mins of Boston. Love that you guys went there and think it’s a place worth highlighting. If I can ever get on it’s a great deal for the money, but it’s so hard to get a tee time if you’re not a pass holder that I’ve played once since I think November 2022
Unless you know something I don’t, it’s two tee times per person per day when you show up at 5:00am (or 4:00, if you want to be sure of getting a good time). Got really fun this summer when two of the four public courses were offline because they lost the greens. At least they have 10 minute intervals - 8 seems crazy.
All of denver, if you’re not on the second they release tee times (varying from a week to 2 week windows) or happen to be on when 1 gets dropped from another patron, you’re essentially SOL of getting a tee time before 3:30p. It’s amazing how almost all the good courses out here (Commonground, Walnut, Riverdalex2, all of the city of Denver courses) and the okay courses (Applewood, etc) are completely filled every week. I don’t mind paying for a pass, but even with those you’re still SOL if you’re not on the second the TTs get released