The Club at Bond Head

[wigler]

Played Bond Head this morning.
First off a rant. I cannot believe they have been charging people $185 to play a course in such poor condition, at least the fairways. At least the rate was only $80 today.
Personally I am not a country club type person, and I do not need someone opening my trunk to get my clubs as I drive in. My bag is not normally ready and I have to decide on which clubs to carry (I have 16 available) and check the ball supply etc. I could do this before I leave, but I do not.
Proshop staff were fine and courteous.
Range was ready and grass tees were in good shape.
Played from the gold tees, 7000 yards, but it seemed to play much shorter. The length is in the par 5s with 3 over 600 yds.
Design of the course is quite good with some different holes and some good views. Personally, with the fescue growing in the bunkers, I get an unkept feeling about the course.
Greens were in great shape, big and undulating. Made putting fairly difficult. I never did get comfortable with them. Couldn't make a darn thing all day.
But the fairways are in terrible shape. I spoke with an employee after my round and he said they had a disease problem. Fair enough, but how can you charge $185, or the currently weekday rate of $150 with those fairways. Absolutely no way you can play the ball down, which is how golf should be played.
Overall a good experience and fun.

[Big Shooter]

Fair enough, but how can you charge $185, or the currently weekday rate of $150 with those fairways.
Overall a good experience and fun.
Two words: Corporate Golf


...u (an accountant!) should know all about that!!! :D :p :D



...but I do agree with you nonetheless! ;)

[RobertThompson]

Wigler: Interesting note about the fairway conditioning. They were in fine shape when I played it twice earlier this year.

As for the bunkers looking "unkempt," the style Jason Straka used at Bond Head is far more in touch with the origins of the game than what we're used to seeing. That said, a majority of the great courses in the US to open in recent years (Friars Head, Pacific Dunes, Bandon Dunes, Sand Hills) all sport this bunker look. Rather than being unkempt, I like to think of them as more natural. The grass is supposed to grow wild and the bunkers are supposed to look the way they do.

The problem is that we've grown far too accustomed to bunkers with "clean" lines, rather than these natural ones.

I actually think the bunkers are the highlight of Bond Head.

[Big Shooter]

.

As for the bunkers looking "unkempt," the style Jason Straka used at Bond Head is far more in touch with the origins of the game than what we're used to seeing.

I actually think the bunkers are the highlight of Bond Head.

...except of course, most people can't be bothered to RAKE them, since they are awkward at best to get in & out of, and there weren't that many rakes either. :mad: (suggestion: longer rakes, like some courses have! ;) )

I was in no fewer than (3) large footsteps when I landed in several of the bunkers...then you need a ruling...slows down everything! :(

Playability is more important than aesthetics!!!

[RobertThompson]

Mr. Shooter: Playability more important than aesthetics? Really? Tell that to the folks at Pine Valley, where there are no rakes on the entire course. :)

[Big Shooter]

Mr. Shooter: Playability more important than aesthetics? Really? Tell that to the folks at Pine Valley, where there are no rakes on the entire course. :)
Never played there, unlikely to, unless yer hookin' me up?;)

btw, how about the ACTUAL GARDEN RAKES they have at Coral Creek!!?? :rolleyes:

[golferboy]

I also played there yesterday morning. I too would probably shoot myself if I paid the full price, I would even be disappointed if I paid the $80.....fortunately I only had to pay for carts, as my brother is a superintendent and knows Ian, the super at the course.

Once a year I do enjoy having my bag taken to the clubhouse, and put on a cart, the rest of the year I dont take carts, as I hate carts and the ever problematic "cart paths only" rule...I my opinion it adds the time it takes to play the course and the reduces the enjoyment.....However with the condition of the fairways....especially on the front nine...I agree with the policy..the fariways were damp, and hadnt been cut in a while......they were sparse and patchy......there were some gir areas on the fairway that I had to take a drop from..
Played from the golds...at almost 7000 and it really didnt play that long...just the par 5s that were over 600 yds....but its just a strategic three shot hole...

Aside from the poor condition of the course...it didnt give the "wow" factor that I would expect from a course that charges that much.....some of the view from the elevated tees were nice, but other than that, i kinda expected more.....
The bunkers were torture..I had an uphill lie in a fairway bunker that just killed me.....but I liked the unkempt look....fprobably saves on the maintenance....which should be spent on the fairways.

Greens were excellent....but fast and undulating and the pins were in tough spots.

Over all to me...this is a $60 course......

[Big Shooter]

I also played there yesterday morning. I too would probably shoot myself if I paid the full price, I would even be disappointed if I paid the $80.....fortunately I only had to pay for carts, as my brother is a superintendent and knows Ian, the super at the course.

Once a year I do enjoy having my bag taken to the clubhouse, and put on a cart, the rest of the year I dont take carts, as I hate carts and the ever problematic "cart paths only" rule...I my opinion it adds the time it takes to play the course and the reduces the enjoyment.....However with the condition of the fairways....especially on the front nine...I agree with the policy..the fariways were damp, and hadnt been cut in a while......they were sparse and patchy......there were some gir areas on the fairway that I had to take a drop from..
Played from the golds...at almost 7000 and it really didnt play that long...just the par 5s that were over 600 yds....but its just a strategic three shot hole...

Aside from the poor condition of the course...it didnt give the "wow" factor that I would expect from a course that charges that much.....some of the view from the elevated tees were nice, but other than that, i kinda expected more.....
The bunkers were torture..I had an uphill lie in a fairway bunker that just killed me.....but I liked the unkempt look....fprobably saves on the maintenance....which should be spent on the fairways.

Greens were excellent....but fast and undulating and the pins were in tough spots.

Over all to me...this is a $60 course......
agreed to a certain extent, but they INCLUDE Range Balls, Free Tees, the Gift Bag, Towels in the locker area...it adds up!!:rolleyes: