Actually Freehouse looks chefs kiss for an afternoon with the misses, without the kids.
Added to the list!
I played TPC MB and True Blue the week before Helene and immediately after the Tropical Storm that rolled through before it. True Blue was soggy from all the rain but good shape and TPC had mostlydried out by the time we played there. I thought it was in good enough shape for my tastes and didn’t notice any glaring issues from a conditions perspective
on another note - any locals think I’m crazy for thinking Prestwick had some excellent green complexes? There are definitely some dud holes there, but all in all I was pretty impressed.
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Not at all. Grew up playing it and in laws still live on the course. The greens are always in good shape.
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Charleston residents,
I have long been troubled by our Muni and the impossibility to book tee times for anytime before 3:30pm.
As I watched Strapped South Carolina on our Muni, I noticed a nefarious character who prompted an investigation. There is a group of elderly only “Rascals” who have Monday, Wednesday, and Friday(!) morning tee times reserved for them every single week.
This would be no problem if they had an open sign up system, however the sign up is controlled by a “Rascal Board Member”
https://www.charleston-sc.gov/2813/Blitzes-Leagues-and-Group-Play
"# The Rascals
The ‘Rascals’ have been a Muni staple since the early 90’s. With times on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, this group has provided a league setting for senior golfers in the Charleston community to meet new golfers and regularly participate in a ‘blitz’ format game. While the Rascals are inclusive of anyone interested, space may be occasionally limited with a waitlist. Those interested in joining this popular group can reach out to the golf course at golf-course@charleston-sc.gov, and a Rascals board member will be notified to reach out to any inquiries."
Would anyone believe that this is a totally open enrollment system? Or does the “board” give priority to their regulars and friends?
Even worse, is a group called the Jenkins Links Golf Association, which regularly features Saturday and Sunday morning blitzes for their group.
" * ## JLGA Weekly Blitzes
Weekly blitzes are available for anyone to participate on Fridays (afternoon skins game), Saturdays (morning blitz), and Sundays (morning blitz). While you do not have to be a JLGA member to join these events, more information and league registrations can be found on the [JLGA Website.)"
If you follow through their event sign ups, the sign up sheets can be viewed with a regular group of the same people playing every weekend.
I emailed the course manager asking about these groups and the lack of morning tee times available and in his response was “The blocks for group play are all public too, but there are roughly 1,000 people on these lists; so there are waitlists for these as well.”
How are the same people getting on to weekend tee times for these groups with lists of 1000+ people.
I believe that our Muni’s most premier tee times (Friday, Saturday, Sunday morning) has been taken over by groups of people who can select their members while the general public has to fight over the remaining scraps of late afternoon times when the course is jam packed and slow.
Anyways, let me know if I am being crazy and a complaining Karen, or if I am correct in my theory that this “Rascal” has destroyed the sanctity of public golf.
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I get what you’re saying. We have guys play with them and I have a couple of times. Pretty sure lately they’ve got space. It would be cool if you join them a couple of times and report back. Not sure it’s a problem from what I’ve seen. Bring an extra $20 for the game and hit a lot of birdies.
To your root concern if you’re having trouble booking times I can give a few pointers: Book when times first open up. Watch throughout the week for times that others cancel. Book a later time and start earlier if there’s an opening (hasn’t failed me yet). Start early after an event (hit or miss). Play consistently and make friends with the regular groups (many non-rascals grab 4somes and chat to fill them). Demand is huge so you just have to work around the constraints. Some days it’s not possible to get in and you play somewhere else. Good luck!
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I forgot to add: the Jenkins Links is kind of the ‘membership’, you pay $50ish, which covers GHIN. This connects you to the interclub and other matches on the calendar as well as volunteering at events and other opportunities in the community. You also get access to the muni member guest etc. Another form of ‘membership’ exists and it’s effectively prepaying for a year and if you use it enough you will get a cheaper cost per round. No early booking of tee times or other benefits are out there to my knowledge. From what I have seen is a well operated golf course, a great community, and hugely popular for good reason.
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My friends, the general public and I are not looking for competitive GHIN score keeping level of golf. The problem is this is the only option to play golf on at the Muni. If you look at the JLGA schedule it is EVERY saturday and sunday morning (the most desired tee times in golf) that there is not a tournament or event at the Muni.
This is a publicly owned golf course, it is for the people of the city. Yet the most desired times, especially on the weekend, which is the only time most people can play, it is reserved for a select group with the only option to play their way.
You want to meet and play the Muni?
There’s open tee times Saturday.
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It says this is your first post on your new account, are you interested in the roost and meeting more locals?
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Let’s do it, I’ll message you
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This news does not bode well for my future (Friday morning, 7AM EDT sharp) attempt to gain a Friday, 10/18 AM tee time. But damnit, we’re going to try.
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Let @smith be your guide and you’ll magically find yourself on the muni. He’s a wizard
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Usually not much effort is needed. Pretty much have to look at the website lol.
There’s no problem with how they run the course. You’re not going to consistently be able to book a short notice four ball at extremely good value course regardless if it’s a muni or resort or private.
If the goal is to shrink the game by unreserving retiree league rounds, it won’t move the needle because they have nothing better to do than to watch the website and book those rounds before a more casual player will anyway.
@bignanski currently lots of openings for the times a week ahead even after 15 min. I know you’re looking for Friday but it is hopefully an encouraging data point.
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Beautiful. We deal with the same things up here as well, all the top and middle tier publics are very hard to book for a preferred time unless you stay up until they’re released. We’ve developed relationships with enough of them that if we need a block of 3 or 4 tee times we can usually call and get those booked ahead of time.
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Too many PiGS, not enough teets as they say
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P🌴GS
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Real nice logging in at 6:28 am EDT to see that 10/18 times are already open and most are gone… So much for the 7 am policy I guess
Edit: good news is they had a Thursday afternoon spot open so we shuffled Chuck National to Friday and we’ll be at Muni Thursday. Grinds my gears when there’s a posted policy and they just ignore it, though.
I’ve done the same thing as you did before so don’t feel bad… Tee times open at 7:00. I’m sorry I couldn’t remember the opening time previously when we talked. I grabbed you a 10/18 Friday 2:51 foursome at the Muni. Holla
They have a tournament up until 2:00 on Friday is why most of the tee times looked used up. That announcement is on the website but they are not always easy to find.