Rack my local munis

[Dinsdale]

The city has had a deal for the last few weeks (actually, I'm not sure how long...I just discovered it), where on fri-sun evenings after 5, it's $10 for as far as you can make it. If there isn't too many slow groups ahead (fat chance), and you get there right after 5, you have a shot at getting all 18 in. It's light enough to play until about 9:15 these days. And for cheapass city courses, the out-of-towners seem to universally tell us how blessed we are to have such nice munis. I've never played munis in any other city, so I don't really have much to go on. But, our city courses have some of the nicest greens around, nearly immaculate, and often much nicer than public courses that charge a lot more dough.

Just thought I'd share my tales of $10 rounds.

[BSmack]

Can't beat the deal hee in Monroe County. The county operates 3 munis with a total of 81 holes. For a mere 425 dollars, you get unlimited play from March 1 through Dec 1.

I got my 425 worth sometime in mid June. ;)

[Dinsdale]

Unlimited golf for $425 is a schwiggedy deal, for sure.

[indyfrisco]

Yes, but I'd bet my left nut that don't include a cart fee.

I like to walk every now and then, but the courses I play at in southern Indiana are nothing but hills and hills and steep hills. I walk 9 holes at my club every week or two but that's it.

[Dinsdale]

I like to walk every now and then, but the courses I play at in southern Indiana are nothing but hills and hills and steep hills. I walk 9 holes at my club every week or two but that's it.

Yeah bro, Indiana is noted for its steep terrain.



Steep, like this 33% grade? Is that what you mean? 180 yards long, 180 feet down. Got these things called "mountain ranges" out west here. When they put courses in the foothills (which are still higher than any point in the state of Indiana), they tend to have some hills.

I prefer to walk. It's called "excercise." Contributes to my svelte manliness. Then again, the course pictured above generally throws in the cart, which at that goat track, I'll actually use. If you're able bodied and under 65 and use a cart, you're a sissy.

[BSmack]

Yes, but I'd bet my left nut that don't include a cart fee.

I like to walk every now and then, but the courses I play at in southern Indiana are nothing but hills and hills and steep hills. I walk 9 holes at my club every week or two but that's it.

Nope. Cart fees are 5 bucks for 9 and 10 for 18 holes. The course I usualy play at is quite flat. So I walk almost all the time. And for me, that means 5 to 6 times a week.

[Dinsdale]

BTW, IF -- Just funnin' ya'. The muni I played last weekend is as flat as a freaking pancake.

[Ken]

Eastmoreland, for a muni, impressed me when I played it there last year. Will prolly play it again later this month.

There's a gov't run course near me here in the 'burgh. The only reason it was in any kind of acceptable shape this year was because it hosted the senior olympics this srping/summer. Otherwise it's quite underwhelming.

[Dinsdale]

Eastmoreland is one of the 3 munis with the twighlight deal. For how heavily it's played, they keep it in really nice shape. The scenery is pretty darn nice, especially on the backside. It's been there since 1918, and the sequoias they planted have gottn pretty darn big. They're talking about removing about half of the trees from the course, since it's getting to be like playing in a freeway tunnel, and the trees are starting to stunt each others growth. Fun course, even though I have never, ever once played well there. The beautiful grounds must distract me from my game or something.

They've held the Ameteur Championship at Eastmoreland in the past, and the City Championship is held there every year, and occasionally the State Championship. If they're having that stuff at the cheapest muni around, it's a good thing. Regular rate is like $25 on weekends, I think.

I've been paired with out-of-towners at Eastmoreland a couplefew times, and they all seem shocked that such a muni exists, and some have said the greens are nicer than their private club at home.

One of the other twighlight deal munis is Heron Lakes. There's two courses there in the swamplands, and the easy side, Greenback, has the deal. It's probably a nicer course than Eastmoreland (aka Easymoreland, but not for me), but isn't nearly as pretty.

[Ken]

One of the other twighlight deal munis is Heron Lakes. There's two courses there in the swamplands, and the easy side, Greenback, has the deal. It's probably a nicer course than Eastmoreland (aka Easymoreland, but not for me), but isn't nearly as pretty.

Yes, I've played Heron Lakes before too. Twice actually... once in the morning w/a customer then another round the next day or so before I had to catch a plane. Did not know it was a muni. Very nice for a muni. I did not play the Greenback. Blue Monster or something like that. I preferred Eastmoreland to Heron Lakes simply because I think it is more aesthetically pleasing.

Too many courses these days are taking what I call the 'easy way out'... that is, a linkish style where they don't have to find terrain through which they have to clear-cut trees and really work at making a nice closed-fairway course. Instead, they locate an open span of land, drop some fairways in, seed with tall fescue between the fairways, undulate the edges of the length of the fairways to make it seem like a premier course, and say 'come 'n get it'. Most muni players eat that shit up and go home thinking they played one of the premier courses in the area.

Give me a tight course (which favors my fade off the tee :wink: ), and I'm happy.

[Dinsdale]

Blue Monster or something like that. I preferred Eastmoreland to Heron Lakes simply because I think it is more aesthetically pleasing.

Great Blue. I've never played that side, I hear it's fairly tough.

Eastmoreland is definitely prettier than poo. Having to actually walk around the Rhododendron Gardens is kinda cool. That hole before you have to go out to the street (14?) with the big swale is kind of a bitch. Once was playing there (bout #17, I think) and hit a ball over by the little spring-fed creek through there. Right next to me was a blue heron. Right as I was hitting the ball, the heron whacked the shit out of a little fish. Distracted me. I could have killed the fucker, but it was still pretty cool. Problem with Eastmoreland is the crowds. It's just about the only course in that corner of town, and the traffic reflects that. Fun course, though. Might have to check it out this evening.

[Mikey]

Torrey Pines is a muni course in San Diego.



Even though it has always been a popular spot, they used to really cater to city residents. Years ago, when I was working nights in a bar, if you lived in the city of San Diego you could buy a monthly card for $22.50. This allowed you to play up to 18 rounds on weekdays, which was perfect for me. Tee times were always first come first served, with no reservations accepted. A couple of summers consisted of showing up there at sunrise 3 or 4 times a week, getting in a round before 10:00 am, and then going to the beach for boogie boarding and napping before going to work at 6:00.

Haven't played there for a long time, though. Ever since they built a hotel next door (which got a number of guarantted tee times), and the area around has gotten a lot more built up it got a lot harder to get on. I don't know what the green fees are now, but I can't get the resident rate anymore anyway.

[Dinsdale]

I've heard nothing but good things about Torrey Pines. Except the crowds.

[Mikey]

Great course. It's long, at least the South is, but walkable, which makes it RACKable.

[King Crimson]

i got utterly wasted in greece with a dude from SD that i semi-knew from junior golf and he played Torrey all the time--said it was fantastic.

anyway, if you are a resident of St. Andrews you can buy a year round unlimited play membership to any and all of the 5 courses for.........175$.

Carnoustie is like 500$. and they've got 2 maybe 3 courses. My old man has some friends who buy a Carnoustie membership every year and go over maybe twice/three times a year and play 36 a day for a week. Carnoustie is in the sticks, so it's not too pricey to stay at a B&B--and it averages out with airfare only marginally more expensive than than playing a 40$ a shot quality public. Plus, Carnoustie has kind of chip on it's shoulder since it thinks it's been getting shoved off the B Open rota...so the members and locals want you to play there...because they are rightfully proud af a tough as nails golf course.

and it's Carnoustie and there are a numerous other courses up and down the Fife coast--Crail, North Berwick, Aberdeen, Cruden Bay--.

[Dinsdale]

Eastmoreland, for a muni, impressed me when I played it there last year.

Interesting thing, Ken --

While waiting for the tee at Heron Lakes last week, I was reading some northwest golf magazine, and they had an article about the Portland munis, particularly Eastmoreland. Apparently last year, they switched to a newfangled maintainence system (I think it was Greenway System, or something). The dude in charge said that last year, they didn't really know what they were doing, and didn't use the right chemical mixture, or some such thing, and that's why the course was so freaking atrocious last year. I don't recall playing Eastmoreland last summer, but everyone tells me it absolutely sucked.

I guess my point (not that I ever have one) is that if you were impressed by Easymoreland (anything but easy if you didn't bring the A game) last year, if you go now, you'll be doubly impressed. For how heavily played that course is (sunup to sundown, every day all day), and how much they charge ($20 on mondays and tuesdays now), it is amazing. The greens are near flawless. Very fast, and the grass is shaved TIGHT, but given what it is (a muni), it's in amazing condition right now. And the parks dude said that's now to be the norm, and it will be for the other city courses as well.

I guess they still plan to take 1000 trees out of Eastmoreland soon. Parks dude says he seriously doubts that anyone will notice. I'll notice, if I can get errant shots back in play with one swing. Well, you've played there -- DO NOT leave the fairway at Eastmoreland. Good rule of thumb for any course on the planet, but goes doubly for Eastmoreland. Paul Bunyan ain't getting his ball out of that stuff.

Enjoy, Ken.

[longtimelistener2]

I WILL raack your local muni's because they are MY loacal muni's as well!

Just played Great Blue last weekend for the first time. I rather enjoyed it and it does rate a little harder than the other side. There are two par 3s that are anywhere from 160 to 190 yard carrys over water. Hit it too far and the pond from the previous holes will get you. There is a reason why its called Heron LAKES!

[Ken]

Interesting thing, Ken --

While waiting for the tee at Heron Lakes last week, I was reading some northwest golf magazine, and they had an article about the Portland munis, particularly Eastmoreland. Apparently last year, they switched to a newfangled maintainence system (I think it was Greenway System, or something). The dude in charge said that last year, they didn't really know what they were doing, and didn't use the right chemical mixture, or some such thing, and that's why the course was so freaking atrocious last year. I don't recall playing Eastmoreland last summer, but everyone tells me it absolutely sucked.

I guess my point (not that I ever have one) is that if you were impressed by Easymoreland (anything but easy if you didn't bring the A game) last year, if you go now, you'll be doubly impressed. For how heavily played that course is (sunup to sundown, every day all day), and how much they charge ($20 on mondays and tuesdays now), it is amazing. The greens are near flawless. Very fast, and the grass is shaved TIGHT, but given what it is (a muni), it's in amazing condition right now. And the parks dude said that's now to be the norm, and it will be for the other city courses as well.

I guess they still plan to take 1000 trees out of Eastmoreland soon. Parks dude says he seriously doubts that anyone will notice. I'll notice, if I can get errant shots back in play with one swing. Well, you've played there -- DO NOT leave the fairway at Eastmoreland. Good rule of thumb for any course on the planet, but goes doubly for Eastmoreland. Paul Bunyan ain't getting his ball out of that stuff.

Enjoy, Ken.

Really, I didn't forget about this post to me. Honestly. Really. The wallpaper in my bedroom is 306 printouts of this post.

[Ken]

Speaking of munis... here's the shit I have to deal w/here in the 'burgh. Played 9 here yesterday morning.

http://www.golfcourse.com/search/cc_dis ... rseid=6623

08/22/2005
hooley5@yahoo.com
At North Park you get what you pay for...and

That was being kind.

[The Seer]

If you're able bodied and under 65 and use a cart, you're a sissy.

The Seer = sissy