[rustyp]

Originally Posted by kcrazorbackfan

I love free and I love golf, but with what I've heard about this event, I swore to my wife this week that I wasn't going to partake in it, since I get to play at half-price anyway, but a few of the neighbors talked me into playing. We showed up at Bonifay around 9 and teed off at 10:10; play was sooooooo sloooooooow; only got 15 holes in by 2pm and the others had to leave. The starter said everyone has to experience it at least once; mine was today and no more. I fixed so many ball marks and went thru 3 bottles of sand; it's a damn shame that the privileged, the entitled or the just plain lazy can't fix their ball marks, sand their divots and rake the bunkers.

What program allows half price? If you have a priority membership it is $15 less than a resident price at this time a year. Plus you already paid for the priority pass. That's a long ways away from half price. Also how could play be soooooo slooooooooow. Normal pace of play on Bonifay is 4 hours 17 minutes. Given your statistics are accurate you were going to be 18 minutes off the pace. On a free day I think that's reasonable. I played Orange Blossom in 4 hours even.

[drcar]

Originally Posted by rustyp

What program allows half price? If you have a priority membership it is $15 less than a resident price at this time a year. Plus you already paid for the priority pass. That's a long ways away from half price. Also how could play be soooooo slooooooooow. Normal pace of play on Bonifay is 4 hours 17 minutes. Given your statistics are accurate you were going to be 18 minutes off the pace. On a free day I think that's reasonable. I played Orange Blossom in 4 hours even.

1/2 price = golf course employee, ambassador, starter, golf shop, etc......

[golfing eagles]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and Deb!

[spring_chicken]

Originally Posted by rustyp

Great golf at Orange Blossom. Very organized. Pace of play excellent. Could not have been better.

Maybe we shouldn't let the secret out. I knew going in that Tierra and OB would be the least crowded and I love both courses. Another benefit of being up north!

[DonH57]

Maybe by next year I can tee off with an adapted K-9 cannon tennis ball launcher so I don't tire my shoulders out. That should fix my slice !

[Roaddog53]

I like the idea of free golf too. But don't believe it is worth the frustrations. Early in the morning we saw many of the exec courses were pretty empty and thought hmmm maybe we should go play a round but did other things. It did say on the course schedules that all exec courses were closed on Christmas. However, by late morning they were filling up. Too bad many 1somes and 2somes playing, hitting couple balls versus saving some tee times. Saw lots of disrespect for the courses too age wise and ability. One couple walked to the hole with their pull cart and putted out!
We saw at Belle Glade early afternoon 16 carts lined up on the first hole!! Now given they were all 4somes and 10 minutes per tee time that means that last group waited 1 hour and 20 minutes to just tee off! All for a free round of golf that they will than go out and spend $40+ on a dinner. Maybe friends pulled the carts up while some went in for lunch during the wait. On Evans Prairie at the Hillsborough Rd crossing, 4 people were riding in 1 cart! 1 on back standing, 3 in the seat carrying their clubs. Wow
But hey, for those that like the idea and free golf, hope all had fun. it was a nice day. Merry Christmas

[golfing eagles]

saw that group going by my lanai---it was MUCH worse than just 4 riding in a 2 seated cart

[golfing eagles]

Anybody out there who played today have a damage report?

[kcrazorbackfan]

Originally Posted by rustyp

What program allows half price? If you have a priority membership it is $15 less than a resident price at this time a year. Plus you already paid for the priority pass. That's a long ways away from half price. Also how could play be soooooo slooooooooow. Normal pace of play on Bonifay is 4 hours 17 minutes. Given your statistics are accurate you were going to be 18 minutes off the pace. On a free day I think that's reasonable. I played Orange Blossom in 4 hours even.

See drcar and figure it out. I usually do early bird and, if I catch a twosome at the turn, I can play 18 in a little over three. Got it?

[tomwed]

When the rates get cheap in the summer at 5pm this year some courses cost more than others. Even though it's only a couple of dollars more it seems like it makes a difference to someone that never played golf or a champ before. I agree for Christmas only Villagers should play for free.

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Anybody out there who played today have a damage report?

Talked to a couple that played this afternoon...they said it was significant. There was a time, I guess, when free golf made sense. When it was smaller, when it was a different time, when respect meant something. I know, the few always ruin it for the majority, but seems that is happening on many fronts in TV.

[rustyp]

Originally Posted by JoMar

Talked to a couple that played this afternoon...they said it was significant. There was a time, I guess, when free golf made sense. When it was smaller, when it was a different time, when respect meant something. I know, the few always ruin it for the majority, but seems that is happening on many fronts in TV.

I heard from = hear say. This is BS. The ambassadors go out every evening and repair all divots. Yesterday was no more than a busy day. How about the times that some lunatics go out in the middle of the night and ruin a green doing doughnuts in a golf cart. I played today and the course was fine.

[CWGUY]

Originally Posted by rustyp

I heard from = hear say. This is BS. The ambassadors go out every evening and repair all divots. Yesterday was no more than a busy day. How about the times that some lunatics go out in the middle of the night and ruin a green doing doughnuts in a golf cart. I played today and the course was fine.

And here's a novel idea ........ Let's say THANKS TO THE DEVELOPER FOR HAVING FREE CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF and THANKS TO THE PEOPLE FROM GMS THAT WORK ON THE CHRISTMAS.

[tomwed]

Originally Posted by CWGUY

And here's a novel idea ........ Let's say THANKS TO THE DEVELOPER FOR HAVING FREE CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF and THANKS TO THE PEOPLE FROM GMS THAT WORK ON THE CHRISTMAS.

I think that misses the point of the thread. Certainly a golfer appreciates free golf and any volunteering. The point is that if you let kids or adults on the course who don't know any better they will damage the course because they can't hit a ball.

Regular golfers know that not climbing off the bank of a sand trap, only putting on a green, hitting a ball without damaging the ground or slightly damaging the ground and making the repair is part of the game.

You wouldn't allow kids shoot pool if you knew they didn't have the skills to not touch the cloth. So if you let the kids unintentionally screw up the tables one day a year why should the pool shooters say thank-you?

[rustyp]

Originally Posted by tomwed

I think that misses the point of the thread. Certainly a golfer appreciates free golf and any volunteering. The point is that if you let kids or adults on the course who don't know any better they will damage the course because they can't hit a ball.

Regular golfers know that not climbing off the bank of a sand trap, only putting on a green, hitting a ball without damaging the ground or slightly damaging the ground and making the repair is part of the game.

You wouldn't allow kids shoot pool if you knew they didn't have the skills to not touch the cloth. So if you let the kids unintentionally screw up the tables one day a year why should the pool shooters say thank-you?

Because the grass grows back and the felt does not ?