Golf!!!2! - Page 370 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

PepsiFree · 09-10-2025, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayswin

Trying to boom tee times at city of calgary xourses the minute they open is truly one of life's joys.

It’s so much worse the last couple months. Even the ranges are way more packed than I’ve seen them in my admittedly short time golfing.

I don’t even bother trying for city courses lately.

Senator Clay Davis · 09-10-2025, 10:56 AM

City golf is close to full capacity and the last course built within Calgary was....Sirocco? I would say bring on some night golf to add some more capacity, but we know that will be a peak NIMBY issue. The other approach, of course, is to try and have more aggressive enforcement of slow play issues, but that requires more spend and....yeah no shot.

Weitz · 09-10-2025, 11:09 AM

Mickleson if you count it but it’s private now.

In the NW Hamptons, mickleson, and now bearspaw are private.

Slim pickings out there.

nfotiu · 09-10-2025, 11:20 AM

I am thinking of trying to sign my son up for the Canadian Amateur qualifier that's in Calgary next summer. It would be a fun tournament to get into, and I've been trying to find an excuse to take a trip back to Calgary. https://www.golfcanada.ca/articles/t...-championship/

Anyone know anyone who's tried to get into these? From what I can tell the qualifier is first come, first serve, so I am guessing just have to be online when it opens. The scores to qualify seem surprising high from looking at last year's. https://www.golfcanada.ca/articles/t...-championship/

I'm not sure if that is a tough course, or if the qualifier fields are not that strong.

Any insights into the courses they are playing?

Slava · 09-10-2025, 11:31 AM

Mickelson is mostly long. You can expect it to be windy, and that can be a big factor there. There isn't a lot of cover from the wind, and that can work for you or against you. The longest hole (which might be 11 or 12?) heads west to east, so despite it being about 600 yards, you can have a significant tailwind to help you out.

jayswin · 09-10-2025, 11:32 AM

Yeah, it sucks. And then add courses that require full payment upon booking, which with my busy/flakey golfing circle, I simply wont do.

I love McKenzie Meadows and would probably play at least once a month there, but instead play once every year or two due to $400ish required when booking. I get it, but if you want to keep people from canceling just require like $25 or so per spot that goes towards the bookers green fees like many courses do..

GomerPile · 09-12-2025, 10:05 AM

I had some buddies down to Vulcan yesterday, they live in South Calgary. The comment that stuck with me was that they believe they can get to Vulcan, play a round, have a beer and a bite after and be back to their place, quicker then they can play a round in Calgary. We teed off at 9, had a group ahead and behind us, finished in 3:05. (three hours and 5 mins - For Winsors clarity lol)

I haven't golfed in the city in years, but they said 5 hour rounds are not uncommon. Yikes.

Winsor_Pilates · 09-12-2025, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GomerPile

I had some buddies down to Vulcan yesterday, they live in South Calgary. The comment that stuck with me was that they believe they can get to Vulcan, play a round, have a beer and a bite after and be back to their place, quicker then they can play a round in Calgary. We teed off at 9, had a group ahead and behind us, finished in 3:05.

I haven't golfed in the city in years, but they said 5 hour rounds are not uncommon. Yikes.

6 hours!
That should be illegal. I can often be home 4 hours after my tee time; including a 15-20 min drive back.

Edit: Misread that as finished at 3:05pm; not "in" 3:05.

PepsiFree · 09-12-2025, 10:19 AM

I’ve yet to experience a 5 hour round but I’d say 4-4.5 is typical. 5 hours would definitely be uncommon in my experience.

Vulcan is a great course though. Really enjoy it.

Senator Clay Davis · 09-12-2025, 10:33 AM

Always depends on the course, but in general it seems having a Marshall on the course is becoming less and less of a thing. Five hour rounds on weekends when the course is packed is something you see more often than during the week.

mrkajz44 · 09-12-2025, 04:18 PM

I feel like the slow rounds lately are due to the marshalls not really being able to enforce anything. I played with some pretty slow guys last weekend (over half their shots were in the woods and they looked for every one of them no matter how far in it went), and the marshall gave us the "close the gap" comment. The two slow players basically told him to eff off and continued their slow play saying the marshall couldn't make them go faster.

I can't remember the last time I actually saw, or was part of, a group that was forced to skip a hole to catch up. If you never enforce, then guys have learned the "warnings" don't matter.

Goriders · 09-12-2025, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Always depends on the course, but in general it seems having a Marshall on the course is becoming less and less of a thing. Five hour rounds on weekends when the course is packed is something you see more often than during the week.

I played a 5 hour 9 hole round at Confederation once. About 25 years ago. There was no Marshall. I remember one par 5 had 5 groups on it.

I vowed never to go back. I’m surprised there weren’t any fights.

Weitz · 09-12-2025, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

I feel like the slow rounds lately are due to the marshalls not really being able to enforce anything. I played with some pretty slow guys last weekend (over half their shots were in the woods and they looked for every one of them no matter how far in it went), and the marshall gave us the "close the gap" comment. The two slow players basically told him to eff off and continued their slow play saying the marshall couldn't make them go faster.

I can't remember the last time I actually saw, or was part of, a group that was forced to skip a hole to catch up. If you never enforce, then guys have learned the "warnings" don't matter.

Most Marshalls I talk to now basically describe what you wrote. They have not method to hold them accountable so they ignore it and try and encourage them to speed up a bit. The joys of public golf.

Dion · 09-12-2025, 07:06 PM

I'm headed to Norther Minnesota next week to visit my brother and his wife. There are a couple of really nice courses near his place that I plan to play. You can click on the links if you're interested in seeing the course itself

https://www.ruttgers.com/golf/jacks-18

https://hardwoodhillsgolf.com/public...ria-minnesota/

PaperBagger'14 · 09-12-2025, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goriders

I played a 5 hour 9 hole round at Confederation once. About 25 years ago. There was no Marshall. I remember one par 5 had 5 groups on it.

I vowed never to go back. I’m surprised there weren’t any fights.

I don’t know how you even stuck out 9 holes, I would have left to get my money back after an hour and still being on hole 2.

Dion · 09-12-2025, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

I don’t know how you even stuck out 9 holes, I would have left to get my money back after an hour and still being on hole 2.

The problem with a lot of marshals is they don't like or don't feel comfortable enforcing the rules and would prefer chatting it with golfers and looking for lost golf balls. That's been my experience.

puffnstuff · 09-12-2025, 10:29 PM

Marshals should have cattle prods.
Speed up...pzzzzt
Skip a hole...pzzzzt pzzzzt

jayswin · 09-12-2025, 10:45 PM

Yeah, marshals at 90% of courses in the Calgary area have no ability or authority to actually speed up play. If anything they tend to go after the approachable groups that are getting ****ed by the actual slow, "don't talk to us" group that is a full hole behind.

We've had that happen a few times. Casual, nice conversation with the marshal all round while we're mildly frustrated with the group ahead where we can see a full hole gap. Suddenly the marshal comes up at the worst, almost calculated moment where the other group has just left their last approach on a reachable in two par 5 and our last guy is teeing off and sheepishly goes "haha, hey guys, sorry to bring it up, but need ya to close the gap a bit and keep up with the group ahead".

Something the powerless marshal can take back to the clubhouse. "I told group 17 to speed'er up, they got my drift and things should improve from here".

Slava · 09-13-2025, 09:28 AM

I think the solution for faster rounds is more time between tee times (which also means less tee times). Courses aren’t likely to take that approach because it means less revenue, but it gives everyone time to play.

PepsiFree · 09-13-2025, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slava

I think the solution for faster rounds is more time between tee times (which also means less tee times). Courses aren’t likely to take that approach because it means less revenue, but it gives everyone time to play.

Yeah let’s not pretend this is all the fault of golfers or marshals or whatever.

Tee times being so condensed is probably the biggest contributor. When you’re on someone’s ass and someone is on your from the first tee box I’m not sure how pace of play is supposed to solve that for the next 17 holes.