Volusia
 

I played it yesterday and it was an absolute delight to play a golf course that actually has grass on it. It's the best conditioned exec that I've played recently.

The greens were heavily top dressed, but that needs to be done. The rest of the golf course was very nice and it is a great layout.

My one complaint was that I was playing the black tees and on one hole the black markers were on the very front of the golf tee.

While moving the markers around a bit, this was ridiculous. The hole went from 184 yards to 122 yards. I was expecting to hit a 4 or 3 hybrid. Instead it's another wedge hole.

Where were the gold and green tee markers?

I agree Volusia is one of the better executive golf courses. It was in great shape all winter long and we played it 7 or 8 times because it is close to our residence. Were they working on the black tee box?

I really didn't notice. All I can tell you is that the scorecard yardage is 184 and we hit from a tee marked 122. In fact the markers were on front of that tee. I believe that I paced it off to 111.

It didn't appear that any work was being done on the back tee.

I find this quite bit as I play these course. Seldom do I ever get to play from the back of the tees. Most of the tees were back on Volusia, but this one was way up front.

Well, for whatever reason, the grounds crew or superintendent didn't want anyone teeing off from anywhere but the front of the tee box. That said, I've seen alot of "big money" games played from the tips on very nice courses, regardless of where the tee marker was located. It would probably would have been okay for you to tee off from the back of the tee box, but to your credit you didnt.

Ya know that since the USGA doesn't recognize these exec courses you can play any tee you'd like. You don't even have to pay attention to the tee markers. So any issues with where they put them is a moot point.

As for me? Since you ask...I've been playing for over 50 years....stand at about a scratch or better on the execs(no matter the tees) and a 2 to 5 on the championships from the whites...perhaps 3 to 6 on the blues. I've never understood the idea that playing from longer is more of a challenge...if you're making a good swing then contact is the same and if you know your club distances the accuracy will be oddly similar whether it's a wedge or a 3 wood.

It gives me a chuckle to see men and women struggling from the black exec tees and claiming it's more challenging...I suspect that even if they hit from the green or gold their score would be quite similar, but might feel less inclined to accept a higher score from there. I again suspect that getting a higher score from shorter tees makes them feel crappy.

Skill from all distances is derived from practice and understanding. Accomplishments come from a ball well struck be it a wedge or a driver. Those who think it's less a challenge or less manly(womanly)are only fooling themselves.

Sorry to be blunt, but at this age it's not about kidding yourself, but fun.

Great course.

I love to ambush my "good golfer" friends who visit by booking at Pelican. They are expecting putt-putt, but not one has yet shot par . Now with overgrowth, at least 3 pins can not be seen from the black tees.

So much to address here. First of all, tee markers are moved for two reasons. Number one, to change the challenge of and give some variety to the hole. But secondly and probably more important, it spreads out the wear and tear on the tee by giving different areas a chance to heal. There is no way, under any circumstances that anyone should ever play from outside the teeing ground. Never mind whether you want to play by the rules or not, it's poor etiquette and not doing your part to maintain the course.

You claim to be a good player yet you fail to see the difference between hitting a 200 shot to a green and a 100 yard shot to that same green? This, to me, doesn't sound like something that someone who knows anything about golf would say. In fact it borders on ridiculous. Are you actually saying that it makes no difference if you're hitting a 3 iron or 3 wood into a green as opposed to a pitching wedge? Someone needs to tell that to all those guys playing on television every week, because they would hit the ball much closer to the target from 100 yards than they would 200 yards 99 out of 100 times. In addition, a shot hit with a higher lofted club will stop sooner. A longer shot struck with a lower lofted club can hit a green and go over.

It's simply a matter of physics that a ball hit with a club with more loft will go straighter than a club with less loft. The more loft, the more difficult it is to curve the ball.

It's a matter of math and geometry that of two balls hit off line, the one that is hit the further distance will be further from the target. Hit a wedge from 100 yards off line by 2 degrees and you're putting for birdie. Hit a 2 iron from 200 yards 2 degrees offline and you're probably chipping if you're not in the water or a bunker.

The one thing that you said that makes sense is that there are a lot of people playing from the wrong tees. I just don't happen to be one of them. But that statement completely contradicts your premise that a longer hole or course is more challenging. If that's true, why would men and women be struggling to play the back tees.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and say that I'm misunderstanding you, but on it's face, this post is absurd.

To me that is the most stupidly designed golf course that I've ever seen. Why would anyone design a hole and growth a bunch of vegetation in front of the tee so that you can't see where you're going.

Once you know the line and the distance, it shouldn't matter that you can't see what you're hitting at. There are plenty of uphill and downhill shots that create that effect, but it takes a lot of the pleasure out of the game.

I don't think that Pelican is overly difficult. It's just stupid.

I love Pelican.

Best description of Pelican that I have seen!!