Reduced Hole events

To play 18 holes of golf you have to give up at least 4 and a bit hours of your day, which really is a rather large proportion of your time. I love the game but giving up 4/5 hours on a Saturday or Sunday to play in a competition is just not something that appeals to me. I will be interested to hear if I am alone in this thought but assuming I am not for a moment why is there not any limited hole competitions run by clubs?

It would surely be a great idea to hold 9/12 hole competitions to encourage more people to partake and potentially boost takings in the clubhouse as people have more time to spare after the round.

Why are clubs so set on playing competitions over 18 holes and are their any barriers to playing limited hole competitions a lot more often? Maybe even replacing 18 hole competitions for all but the biggest club events.

Our club ran 3 midweek nine hole comps last season. Feedback from the majority of players was that they went on to play all 18 anyway so a bit pointless. This season there are a couple of extra midweek medals but no nine holers.

Maybe have one or two competitions each year over 9 holes for beginners, but if you even suggested playing for trophies over less than 18 holes you'd end up swinging from the flagpole.

We have a 15 hole comp at times during the winter months, but must admit our normal 18 hole medal rounds that we must play in 3/2 balls takes less than 4 hours.

I guess some people have a lot more time for golf, and at the moment they will be the only ones playing the 18 hole comps. Why not open up comps to a lot more people?

George

keep the club champ and maybe a medal a month at 18, but have the rest over 9/12 hole? I assume even that suggestion would have me laughed out of a committee meeting?


What is for sure, is that the longer the rounds get - and they are getting longer - the less people will give up vast chunks of their own time. So either people play quicker or we play less holes. And we now making people play faster does not work.

McLaren wrote:To play 18 holes of golf you have to give up at least 4 and a bit hours of your day, which really is a rather large proportion of your time. I love the game but giving up 4/5 hours on a Saturday or Sunday to play in a competition is just not something that appeals to me. I will be interested to hear if I am alone in this thought but assuming I am not for a moment why is there not any limited hole competitions run by clubs?

It would surely be a great idea to hold 9/12 hole competitions to encourage more people to partake and potentially boost takings in the clubhouse as people have more time to spare after the round.

Why are clubs so set on playing competitions over 18 holes and are their any barriers to playing limited hole competitions a lot more often? Maybe even replacing 18 hole competitions for all but the biggest club events.

Thousands of people play cricket every weekend all summer, which starts around lunchtime and can go on til 8 or 9 o'clock at night. And people spend a whole weekend going fishing, or walking, or climbing or whatever else they enjoy... if you're doing it at all it's your hobby after all.
Sure, the odd shorter event may be a good idea to get a few people in, but most people with the slightest interest in golf know exactly what to expect in time terms, and they like it regardless or even because of that commitment. Rather strange argument that people would have a hobby, but then not do it much because they didn't like how long an average session of it took.

from may to october on a wednesday we have a 9 hole singles competition with first tee time 430pm. its very well attended.
in the winter months there is 2 12 hole competions played. we have 27 holes so it works out pretty well. ive played the 2 competitions on a few occasions!

“Rather strange argument that people would have a hobby, but then not do it much because they didn't like how long an average session of it took.”

Not really, I am sure in an ideal world we would all like more time to spend on our hobbies but it is just not possible. I would much rather play a limited event to none at all, which is the case given the current length of time it takes to complete a comp round. I don’t particularly enjoy the company of the typical Scottish golf club golfer which contributes to my reluctance in giving up so much time to medals over other commitments.


Hend

That sounds like a wonderful idea and exactly the sort of event I would like to play in.

yeah its a nice idea and the club bar/restaurant definitley does well out of it too. theres a BBQ too so proves v popular.