Slow Play

We played a little Resort Golf on Cape Cod yesterday. We've played at some other resorts in the past and enjoyed them all, but there's something about this place that we've never run into before, and I just don't understand it.

Mandatory golf carts that must remain on the cart path.

This course was recently redesigned by Jack Nicklaus, and as we sat in the bar after our round trying to figure out why it took over 5 hours to play 18 holes, the only reason I could come with for the cart rules was that they're afraid the course hasn't grown in enough.

If they were afraid that the carts would damage the new turf they should let us walk.

I know that living in the Berkshires we get a little spoiled. We don't have the crowds that slow down play here on the east coast, but the bottom line is that we can walk the course in 4 hours or less and not damage their golf course. I don't even care if they charge me the same price! As much as I love golf, I don't want to spend the entire day driving a cart from shot to shot, taking 3 clubs out of my bag before I walk 40 yards or so to get to my ball, and even then find that I don't have the club I want 7-8 times in the course of the round. During this almost 5 1/2 hour round there was no one in front of us and no one behind us. It's just a complete waste of time.

They charge in excess of $100 to play this course...mandatory carts...5 plus hours to play. If they let you drive the carts on the course it would take 4 hours to play, roughly the same time (probably less) if you could walk. This would probably translate into an extra tee time per hour - $400 per group - somewhere around $3000-$4000 per day. Wouldn't this pay for any damage done by the carts?

I don't really think that's the reason, though. Resort golf is about people on vacation that don't play a lot of golf, and they want to ride. It just really ruins the experience when you're on a great course, but it's taking so long to play that you never get into any kind of rhythm, and the day just drag's on too long.

I enjoyed the course...but I don't think I'll go back.

Well...maybe next year