The Range Opening Times of a Golf Course
The number of golf courses has been increasing over the years and with this increase has come the range opening times. As with anything, the more places you can hit your ball the better you will be at it. If you are planning to make your golfing experience a pleasurable one, you need to know when these range opening times apply so that you can avoid them. There is nothing worse than having to wait for your next shot due to the range opening.
The first factor that you should consider when making plans about your golfing holiday is the time of year. During certain times of the year there is less of the green to be walked around hence there is no place to get all of your club’s all ready for the game. This means that the range is generally less populated during the time of year that you are not using it. The same applies to golf courses that are situated near water. It is much easier to play when the weather is good.
Another factor that affects the range opening times is the amount of people who are using the golf course. If you are using it as part of a school outing the staff will be taking sick leave and therefore the playing time will have to be spread out. This is why it pays to plan ahead and book in advance.
In the summer there is often a lot of people using the golf course. The weather is also very hot, which affects golf course traffic. When the range opening times apply, you should consider driving there early in the morning so that you do not have to wait. You could also try to line up with other players so that you can have an early tee off without feeling rushed. This is something that a fellow player can tell you about.
If the school holidays are approaching and you are keen on taking in the local sights and sounds while you are there then try and find out about the golf course folk festivals. These are normally held in the late summer or early autumn. This is the time when many locals come out of town for their annual summer get together. It is also a great time to catch up with friends from out of town.
A huge factor affecting the range opening times of a golf course is the amount of advertising that is run on a regular basis. Some golf courses will not allow advertising on their greens. Other clubs will allow it but will generally charge a hefty fee. For this reason it pays to find out about the policy prior to playing. The last thing you want to be doing is paying a load of money for a round that you are not going to get. This is why you need to compare the range opening times of various clubs before committing yourself to a new golf club.
The other factor affecting the range of the golf course is the type of course it is. If you are looking for a challenging course that has a lot of undulating terrain then you will likely prefer a course with open fairways. However, if you like to play holes that have straight forward slopes, greens or other contours then this is not the case. Again it pays to do your research and compare. You may find that an easier course with straighter fairways on more of an incline and more plentiful green areas would suit your playing more than a longer and rougher one.
As you can see there are a huge number of factors that can affect the range opening times of a golf course. There are many variables that can be changed and new ones created every week of the year. Make sure you compare several different range opening times before committing. You will pay more over the long term for the golf course and its services so do not shortchange yourself.