nodoubles11

First off, let me just say that I love this golf course. Easily in my top 10 in Southern California, including the many private courses I've played. I think the design is great and it's challenging enough for good players, but not crazy hard for average players or beginners. And I think the maintenance crew always does a great job considering it gets a good amount of play and is in a really hot area weather wise. I've always lived 60-90 minutes away, but have considered it worth the drive several times a year.

That said, I won't be returning to this course nearly as frequently given the experience I've had in the last month. I played there in foursomes with friends on 8/8 and 8/29. I am thankful that they are making a big effort to keep pace of play fast, but they are not doing it the right way.

On 8/8 we turned in about 1:45, but were harassed by the marshal on #5 tee because the green was clear slightly before we reached that tee. We were never out of position, and the group behind us didn't have to wait on us a single time. When we arrived to #10, the starter said something like "Okay so you guys turned in... (checked his clipboard)... never mind, you guys are fine, have a good time out there." Nevertheless, the marshal was on us nearly every hole. He scolded us for parking a cart a couple of feet off a path to get some shade in the 95 degree weather, and again harassed us about pace just short of the 15th green because we were still chipping and the group ahead was on the 17th tee. The group behind us was in the 14th fairway at the time. On our approaches to 18 we had to wait for the group ahead to clear the green (which we didn't mind given the great pace all day), and we finished in 3:50.

We chalked this experience up to one grumpy marshal and booked again on 8/29. We were told by the starter that the time goal for the day was 2 hours for each 9, and 4 hours total. Perfect. I will admit that we got behind almost immediately in terms of position. By the 4th tee, we were a full hole behind, but doing fine on time, and not holding the group behind us up. The same marshal from 8/8 spoke to us on #6, and we told him we realized there was a gap, but it had been there from the start and we were paying attention to our time and the group behind. He said that was unacceptable and irrelevant and that we must catch the group ahead. We let him know we remembered him from a few weeks prior and told him we didn't care to speak to him anymore and that we'd try to speed up. We teed off on 10 and then the starter pulled up in a cart. He said our turn time was 2:05 and we must pick up the pace. We noted that we'd already teed off on 10, so the turn time was quicker than 2:05, and pointed down #9 showing him that the group behind was not on the hole at all, and not even on the 8th green. He just repeated that we must speed up. Near the 12th green the marshal harassed us yet again, because the group ahead was now almost 2 holes ahead. We reiterated that we were on pace for a 4 hour round and that the group behind us was also almost 2 holes behind us, so we were not causing any delay to anyone. Again he said that was irrelevant, but this time added that we may not want to continue to play at Goose Creek. On the 14th tee another marshal approached us with more of the same harassment. We noted that we were on pace for a 4 hour round and we might be a hole further ahead of our current position but not for the many conversations initiated by course staff. We finished the round in 3:59 and spoke to the pro shop about our treatment over the last two rounds (in which we played in a total of 7:49), but they just parroted the lines from the marshals. We waited to see when the group behind us finished, which was 27 minutes after we left the 18th green. (They played in a respectable 4:15 or so.)

We plan to take the marshal up on his offer to play elsewhere. I'd rather play in 4:15 or 4:30 without the harassment than 3:50 or 3:59 at Goose Creek with their aggressive and irrational staff.

First off, let me just say that I love this golf course. Easily in my top 10 in Southern California, including the many private courses I've played. I think the design is great and it's challenging enough for good players, but not crazy hard for average players or beginners. And I think the maintenance crew always does a great job considering it gets a good amount of play and is in a really hot area weather wise. I've always lived 60-90 minutes away, but have considered it worth the drive several times a year.

That said, I won't be returning to this course nearly as frequently given the experience I've had in the last month. I played there in foursomes with friends on 8/8 and 8/29. I am thankful that they are making a big effort to keep pace of play fast, but they are not doing it the right way.

On 8/8 we turned in about 1:45, but were harassed by the marshal on #5 tee because the green was clear slightly before we reached that tee. We were never out of position, and the group behind us didn't have to wait on us a single time. When we arrived to #10, the starter said something like "Okay so you guys turned in... (checked his clipboard)... never mind, you guys are fine, have a good time out there." Nevertheless, the marshal was on us nearly every hole. He scolded us for parking a cart a couple of feet off a path to get some shade in the 95 degree weather, and again harassed us about pace just short of the 15th green because we were still chipping and the group ahead was on the 17th tee. The group behind us was in the 14th fairway at the time. On our approaches to 18 we had to wait for the group ahead to clear the green (which we didn't mind given the great pace all day), and we finished in 3:50.

We chalked this experience up to one grumpy marshal and booked again on 8/29. We were told by the starter that the time goal for the day was 2 hours for each 9, and 4 hours total. Perfect. I will admit that we got behind almost immediately in terms of position. By the 4th tee, we were a full hole behind, but doing fine on time, and not holding the group behind us up. The same marshal from 8/8 spoke to us on #6, and we told him we realized there was a gap, but it had been there from the start and we were paying attention to our time and the group behind. He said that was unacceptable and irrelevant and that we must catch the group ahead. We let him know we remembered him from a few weeks prior and told him we didn't care to speak to him anymore and that we'd try to speed up. We teed off on 10 and then the starter pulled up in a cart. He said our turn time was 2:05 and we must pick up the pace. We noted that we'd already teed off on 10, so the turn time was quicker than 2:05, and pointed down #9 showing him that the group behind was not on the hole at all, and not even on the 8th green. He just repeated that we must speed up. Near the 12th green the marshal harassed us yet again, because the group ahead was now almost 2 holes ahead. We reiterated that we were on pace for a 4 hour round and that the group behind us was also almost 2 holes behind us, so we were not causing any delay to anyone. Again he said that was irrelevant, but this time added that we may not want to continue to play at Goose Creek. On the 14th tee another marshal approached us with more of the same harassment. We noted that we were on pace for a 4 hour round and we might be a hole further ahead of our current position but not for the many conversations initiated by course staff. We finished the round in 3:59 and spoke to the pro shop about our treatment over the last two rounds (in which we played in a total of 7:49), but they just parroted the lines from the marshals. We waited to see when the group behind us finished, which was 27 minutes after we left the 18th green. (They played in a respectable 4:15 or so.)

We plan to take the marshal up on his offer to play elsewhere. I'd rather play in 4:15 or 4:30 without the harassment than 3:50 or 3:59 at Goose Creek with their aggressive and irrational staff.