Boards Golf Society 2022

Seve OB · 26-09-2022 3:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119551831#Comment_119551831

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119552124#Comment_119552124

I can crunch numbers with the best of them 😁

slave1 · 26-09-2022 4:53pm

Well done Space, those back to back wins did it, the second one off your society reduced handicap was most impressive 🕺

srfc d16 · 27-09-2022 3:25pm

Hi All. I have been considering joining the society for a couple of seasons now but the one thing that has stopped me is the very regular talk of slow play.

What would be the average time a 4ball takes in the society? I know this can vary from course to course and group to group but would anyone have a rough average?

Seve OB · 27-09-2022 3:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119671575#Comment_119671575

average 4:30. twice hit the 5 hour mark this year in M & Carton which would be longer courses anyway (4:40). other than that, the only bad day was Dundrum which was because the course overbooked the tee sheet (greed).

I think the talk of slow play is a bit unfair. It was kinda brutal a few years ago, but it's not that bad at all anymore. Not in the slightest. You will always find our groups are keeping pace with whoever is out in front of us. Unfortunately playing on Saturdays means there will nearly always be a full timesheet in front of us and the odd time we get stuck behind other societies.

This year, we played Greystones on Friday with nobody in front of us. 3:50-4 hours would be an average members time around there. My Garmin tells me we went around in 4:08, so that tells me that we are not a slow society.

FixdePitchmark · 27-09-2022 3:47pm

Seve has great data ...all down to course type.

But to be honest...a boards outing is a day away no matter how you look at it.

I go on about slow play as I have a particular preference...I go on about it too much.

But in general we have improved...but championship courses ...are slow....

pakman · 27-09-2022 4:14pm

I hate slow play. It ruins my swing, and gets into my head but with the Boards society I have never noticed it. Don't let it hold you back if you are on the fence. The courses and company are always great and it's really good craic.

spacecoyote · 27-09-2022 4:36pm

Having played in work societies as well as local gaa/football club societies I can categorically say that we're not a slow society.

Pretty much everyone is a member of a club, so used to the expectation in terms of time keeping in club golf.

But the nature of 4-balls slows things a little and playing unfamiliar courses too can add to it.

As mentioned above, being out on a course that accepts societies on a weekend date likely means you have other societies out too, so there's a bit of extra traffic.

But if you're expecting to find that golden goose society that gets around every course in under 4 hours then you'll be waiting for a long time.

Society golf is a day out. There's the travel, the golf, the food after and presentations. I think people need to really do a fresh level set of their expectations of playing society golf in general

bobster453 · 28-09-2022 10:11am

If anything despite my age..grandad..thanks @benny79 😀..I wouldnt consider myself a slow player and have never found any of our outings particularly long.

As Seve said it is usually external circumstances that seem to impact.

Come along and join the best golf society ever.

You really will enjoy it.

blue note · 28-09-2022 10:22am

I find people are too obsessed with the length of rounds. In particular because they're longer than they used to be. Courses are longer, people are hitting it further (so into more trouble), greens are faster. We are still married to the idea that a Sunday fourball should be 3 and a half hours when in reality very few courses have that every Sunday bar the first few tee times.

4 hours is more the normal for a Sunday fourball. And I wouldn't be moaning until they're over four and a half.

That said, I've played 3 society outings and the pace hasn't been noticeably different to a Sunday comp.

slave1 · 28-09-2022 2:42pm

Agree, given the time travel to and from an extra half hour on the course is very little when looked at the day as a whole. I try and stay around but when car pooling cede to driver and there's times I just got to get home and never any flack when folk need to do these things.

FixdePitchmark · 28-09-2022 9:24pm

I accept we are a society - but the idea is we are far more into golf than a Pub or a GAA club. I think we should have way higher standards.

I know I'm an outlier who like their 4 hour or less rounds. I'm not a massive fan of 4 balls - and In an ideal world, societies should not be let out in 4 balls.

My favorite outings this year were Headfort due to the course quality and Greystones as we were in 3 balls.

Again - I'm an outlier - but I can't really handle rounds over 4 1/2 hours - never mind rounds hitting the 5 hours.

scotty_golf9 · 29-09-2022 11:52am

The worse thing about golf is playing in a 4 ball. Even playing my home course, its 4 balls every weekend, and I just cant get into a rythem at all. Theres nothing worse than starting well and then everything slowing down, just for you to lose the pace of play and losing the feel of the round.

Seve OB · 29-09-2022 11:56am

I’d say most courses send groups out in 4balls, not just societies, members also. Exception probably some of the older clubs such as Greystones as you mention and the likes. Any new club, from what I’ve seen, it’s 4 balls all the time and there is nothing we can do about that.

anyway. It’s already been said time and time again, WE ARE NOT A SLOW GOLF SOCIETY, so will you ever stop stirring 🤣

FixdePitchmark · 29-09-2022 12:01pm

I'm not stirring...I think we can improve massively...

blue note · 29-09-2022 12:22pm

3 balls are my favourite even aside from timekeeping. Fourballs tend to have 2 one on one conversations throughout the round whereas three balls have the one group conversation. They're a little more sociable to me.

Seve OB · 29-09-2022 12:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119679861#Comment_119679861

If we can get out first.

there is nothing we can do when the sheet in front of us is full and we are up the arse of the groups in front

FixdePitchmark · 29-09-2022 12:30pm

Seve...I'll have to agree to disagree.

And that is OK..

spacecoyote · 29-09-2022 12:54pm

My club the only comps that are four ball are team comps. All the singles comps are 3-ball. Makes a massive difference alright.

4 ball is a massive part of the problem, but very hard to avoid with society groups. Clubs are generally looking to maximise income, so 4-balls are inevitable

slave1 · 29-09-2022 12:59pm

Exactly, it's the club sending out 4balls at sometimes 8minute gaps, not players/society fault. If we want to avoid that then filter out when planning outings

FixdePitchmark · 29-09-2022 1:00pm

Isn't going to happen ...but societies in 3 balls would be a total joy. Greystones was like heaven on earth.

We made very good progress this year ...well done all..But lots of room for improvement.

I personally wouldn't be into any golf event that is hitting over 4.5 hours on the course...

I'd be genuinely looking for a different type of golf..

A big thing I learnt this year is...certain courses are completely unsuitable for a society.

The difference and happiness in guys when the course was right was a massive education for me..

bobster453 · 30-09-2022 7:31am

I dont understand the brouhaha about 4balls at all.

If things slow down..relax..enjoy the scenery of this lovely land of ours as we have certainly seen this year...have a chat.

The number of times folks have said this year they could spend longer at this course or that course..and then we complain about spending longer on them.

Its when you allow yourself to become wound up that you lose focus so stay in the moment.

All this talk about slow play could put a person off their game especially when we are not a slow society.

FixdePitchmark · 30-09-2022 1:45pm

Guys had a meeting with RoadRunner - and the guy is off to a flyer - looks a class year ahead.

One thing I said I'd mention again - if members of the society know how to get out on courses of the type we like - or see a vast vacuum in our past or geography . Could they PM roadrunner for a few ideas and good rates. Again any money we save goes back into the society and increases our strength and ability to enjoy the big days out more. Or even do more stuff like coaching etc...

A big gap at this stage is the Big Irish Links courses - so if anyone has any ideas for a good rate there in particular could they PM him.

Thanks again - the generosity of members with 4 balls - great course rates and prizes - has been phenomenal. It was a massive aspect of our success in 2022.

scotty_golf9 · 29-10-2022 11:41am

Goodluck to the jug team today🤙🏼

bakerbhoy · 12-12-2022 4:40am

@RoadRunner Captain when is the launch for 23 ?

Snackbox20 · 25-12-2022 12:48pm

Happy Christmas Everyone.🌲🌲🎄🏌️‍♀️🎄🎄

Boards Golf Society 2022

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