Finding a golf course to play - what do you look for ?

When you search for a golf course to play, hopefully here on the extensive Golfshake course directory

what do you look out for immediately ?

• price
• review rating
• location
• facilities
• ???

Pretty much the order that you have put them in Darren.

Price is the main consideration at the moment but the review is also sometimes the swinger. Reviews can be off putting but this down to personal preference. What one person may find a bad course may to others be a good course. Alot of people don't like my home course cos it's up and down and you never have a flat lie with all the sloping fairways while other people love it. Location  is for me another way of looking at the price cos of travel costs etc. Facilities: I make other arrangements to eat etc if none available at the club which is pretty rare nowadays. Tend not to use ranges etc before a game but warm up with stretches etc on carpark or in queue for 1st tee. Don't like having a good range session before a round as the round itself tends to be pants!!!!

I would have already decided what course I'm wanting to play, then I would look it up on here and read the reviews.

If the reviews are really bad and the price is too high then I'll give it a miss.

Russ

For me price and reviews go hand in hand.......if its a little bit more than I'd usually pay but getting rave reviews then id give it a go!!

Cool, keep them coming.  I'll show you why I am asking shortly, once I've cleaned sorted my bag ready for my first golf outing in 2011

Darren

Money is not so important for me. I will pay decent money if the reward is there in relative local terms. I would have to be convinced to pay a high joining fee though. Joint first place is location and reviews.  Andy.  

Thanks.  The reviews part goes back to something Tim said a while back with showing the rating but like others have said reviews are important but can be subjective.  Watch this space

Ii'm doing a four day/three night jolly in lincolnshire next month, googled golf clubs and checked their websites, looking at the course mapping and green fees.

The four clubs that will be getting my money are: Spalding, Seacroft, Kenwick Park and Market Rasen.

The chap I'm going with has been recommended these courses by a PGA pro.

I've heard good things about Kenwick and Market Rasen.  Never played but have known some past members.

Word of mouth from people you know and trust can outway any form of information found on Websites.

Far too many novice Golfers want to play top known venues and then when they do, don't really enjoy it. Certain courses favour different abilities, but can't do it for everyone.

I love Ganton of old, before half the Gorse got removed (for 2003 Walker Cup) yet anyone over 15hcp would struggle to get round. The Club knew this and openly informed potential visiors of it and got called "snobbish" for there trouble.

Find a course you will enjoy and then the money will not be a factor.

TheLyth

So true David.  

Sure someone will pop up with a Ganton story, I agree to some degree but only if done in the right way.

This isn't part of the day job

First test release, not tested in Internet Explorer

http://www.golfshake.com/course/search/map/

Darren

Just checked it out, looks great and easy to use, a lot quicker too.[ oh, and i used Internet Explorer, no probs]

Thanks, IE8+ seems fine.  Minor bug with text formatting on IE7