I'm hearing a lot of rumors flying around. It would surprise me but not shock me if it was closed for good, but it certainly wasn't only because of COVID-19, that's for sure.Think they are shutting it down?
It would be a damn shame if it went under. This summary is pretty accurate from my understanding as well.The family is somewhat dysfunctional. They really will have screwed the pooch if they are shutting down for good.
About 10 years ago my brother worked there in the mornings doing some of the greens as a part time job. The amount of folks on the course in maintenance was amazing. Last year there was about 1/5 of the maintenance crew. Not to mention the stripping of the waste bunkers on the Oaks, and the issues with the bunkering on the Pines. The courses are gems that havent received the love theys hould have in years.
Brother number 2 took over for brother number 1 last year, and it looked like things might change for the better. Expending what they did on the carts and staff indicated that they were in better shape economically than what might have been rumored, but that email sure didnt sound promising.
Can’t do that if there’s no grounds crew. They gassed everyone.For courses that have collected dues already, hard to imagine they don't open the course this year and just argue they can't do F/B and run a skeleton operation. Otherwise they are giving a lot of refunds that I doubt they still have the money for.
A group of us might be coming your way.The International is toast? Whoa.
My biggest concern would someone buys it to put in luxury homes. In my opinion it is the most beautiful looking club in the area and it’s a shame that that family couldn’t get their shit together i to keep the property going.Guessing a big golf group will buy it out and make it better in the future.
So the deed there prohibits residential development (on the Oaks at least) so that's what has probably held up a sale to this point. It would be a damn shame for the courses to go away, they are awesome tracks. I'm holding out hope a management company swoops in and grabs it for cheap...but not optimistic in this current environment.My biggest concern would someone buys it to put in luxury homes. In my opinion it is the most beautiful looking club in the area and it’s a shame that that family couldn’t get their shit together i to keep the property going.
Now I’m trying to figure out where to go. Haven? Worcester? Pv? Charter? Wedge wood? Sterling? Anyone belong to any of these who can give me info.
The one thing that was a letdown for me having a five-year-old was no pool at the international so I suppose maybe I can rectify that with a new club
The superintendent at my club came up with a more realistic/better approach. I played yesterday with the raised cups and it wasn't terrible, but def not realistic. He sent an email today saying that he is going to cut the holes, but include some PVC pipe inside the whole so that half the ball sticks out. I haven't seen it yet, but at least we'll be able to hole out.To update on pins at my club. They are raising the cups 2 inches above the ground, so you can see the flag from afar, but you aren't putting putts in cup. If it hits the cup, it's in! They are moving pins around. And fwiw, I'm guessing course will be closed next few days due to weather/conditions.
I just shaved 6 strokes off my handicap.
I thought you were on lockdown? Golf is my one way out of the house and it's snowing like a bastard here. I went from the best of (golf) times to the worst of (golf) times in less than a week.The superintendent at my club came up with a more realistic/better approach. I played yesterday with the raised cups and it wasn't terrible, but def not realistic. He sent an email today saying that he is going to cut the holes, but include some PVC pipe inside the whole so that half the ball sticks out. I haven't seen it yet, but at least we'll be able to hole out.
We're not allowed to touch the pins, though. Which is fine.
Gov. Inslee decided not to mandate shelter in place except for those over 60. Golf courses still open.I thought you were on lockdown? Golf is my one way out of the house and it's snowing like a bastard here. I went from the best of (golf) times to the worst of (golf) times in less than a week.
That sucks. Hope the CC charge be challenged if within the 60 day time period.Not sure what dues were but I'm guessing they billed over seven figures. That's a bad look a week before closing the doors. If they don't refund quickly it's a bleak look for them legally. The International had a fairly well off membership too... screwing over a bunch of wealthy, connected professionals when those folks have free time on their hands seems like a poor gambit. Let's see how it plays out for them!
We were playing winter rules yesterday so we tried to find a reasonable spot in the bunker and smooth things out with our feet after. It was a true hazard!So just curious--with no rakes in the bunkers, are the bunkers treated as ground under repair or do you actually try to play from the middle of a footprint?
Ha - Sterling is where I played yesterday. I discovered my 2nd cousin is the GM there and he hooked a group of us from The International up with a round to see if we liked the track.I’m trying real hard to do two true weeks of isolation here, but I’m going to need to get out there soon.
A friend of mine joined Sterling this year. Do we have any members there? Is it any good?
If we can actually golf again sometime soon, I’ll probably join as well. It’s 35 minutes from my house, which is probably 10 too many, but the price is good and I’ll be joining with a friend. Vesper is closer, but more money.
The Haven is very nice, for sure. I have a couple buddies who are members there and have played it a few times. I’m definitely considering it, but it’ll probably be a next year thing.TFP brought me here from one of the Covid threads. Just FYI - My wife works at the Haven. If you can make it work expense wise, its gorgeous.
I golf maybe 6 times a year and am horrible, but I've been able to get on the course 3 times over the years thanks to her. Its easily the nicest course I've ever played. (I'm used to playing the Thompson Speedway, Pakachaog, and Green Hill type places so it's not like I am playing anything crazy)
Yep - that sounds like the exact internal conversation I'm having with myself. 35 minutes is too long for the multiple times a week I would want to go work on the short game. Not sure what I'm going to do yet.We were playing winter rules yesterday so we tried to find a reasonable spot in the bunker and smooth things out with our feet after. It was a true hazard!
Ha - Sterling is where I played yesterday. I discovered my 2nd cousin is the GM there and he hooked a group of us from The International up with a round to see if we liked the track.
The conditions were really nice for March, especially the greens. I just didn’t love the course enough and it’s 25 mins away which is too far for me. I love to pop over during the week to hit balls and chip and putt and that’s too far a drive to do that I think. I’m also spoiled because IGC was 13 mins from my house.
The USGA has offered some options in bunkers that basically leave how to play them up to the course.So just curious--with no rakes in the bunkers, are the bunkers treated as ground under repair or do you actually try to play from the middle of a footprint?
When I played a few days ago here in Scotland, I hit into a couple of bunkers and played it as it lay. I'd managed to dodge the footprints, but generally speaking they had been pretty well smoothed over.So just curious--with no rakes in the bunkers, are the bunkers treated as ground under repair or do you actually try to play from the middle of a footprint?