Pace of Play

This issue might be bigger than you think. Two of the driving forces in the game of golf today are price and pace of play. Price is a good indication on why Vail Golf Club has been busy with golfers this year, we have the best price around. Pace of play, in my mind, we are still one of the quicker golf courses to play in the valley, due to the flat terrain, open tee shots and shorter distance. When you consider the amount of play and the caliber of players that visit the course, anything is possible. Vail Golf Club is a public facility and we are open to all golfers of any skill level.
With that said, there are still areas for improvement. It certainly does not help when Tiger Woods complains to PGA officials about how is rushed around the course. Examples such as this does not help the average golfer when they venture out to their public golf course. Also, the golf course struggles when compared to newer public facilities such as an Eagle Ranch or the new Commonground in Denver. Design features in Vail, such as small greens, tight fairways, many water hazards and poor cart path layout all relate to slow play for the new guest or high handicapper. As teachers of the game, we look to continually educate not only ourselves, but our guests as well for a more enjoyable experience.
This week the staff at Vail Golf Club is taking another look at how to make this golf course player-friendly, by focusing on pace of play.
There have been many suggestions and ideas in the past, some great and some not. Many of them have been implemented already, such as rope and signage steering golfers around the course, alternative mowing heights in areas and having a well-rounded staff that educates each golfer prior and during their round.
Can these ways be improved? Of course they can, we continue to look for ways to improve all areas of this golf course, some take a little more research than others.