dlwicks@sbcglobal.net

All the checks are issued and as of 10/31 about 40% of checks have cleared our bank. All the checks were issued with projected delivery about 10/27.

Thank you for getting these deposited.

If you have NOT yet received your check, please wait for a couple of weeks. We have found that the Postal Service has been slower in getting mail delivered to some locations. In most cases we expect you will still receive your check.

We monitor the check clearing. If your check has not cleared by December 1, we will send a reminder to make your deposit. If you have not received your check by then, we will begin processing a replacement check. Last year we had only about 10 to 15 checks needing replacement.

If you want to see what you and other won over the year, go to Metro Seniors website home page and click on the link

2025 End of Year – Consolidated Prize Payment List

This is a complete summary of all checks issued. (Big report – 17 pages)

We are only 3/4 way  through the season, but preparations are underway to get the End of Year Prize payments generated. We pay all member prizes (except Division 9) out by paper check mailed to the members’ address of record at the end of each season (October 1). The target to issue checks is November 1.

One critical step is getting members’ mailing addresses updated in our GLUS member profiles. Members should be updating their contact information in GLUS – phone numbers, email addresses and mailing addresses when they happen.  But we know sometimes these don’t happen.

Accurate mailing addresses in GLUS are critical to getting the End of Year Prize checks mailed out.  We use the GLUS mailing address at the end of each season (October 1) to update the bank bill pay address.  We issue over 600 checks and want all sent out accurately.

If the member address is wrong, the member won’t get their prize check.

NOTE: if you belong to more than one Division including Metro Plus – please review and check addresses for all your divisions. Murphy’s Law says the one that you DON’T fix will for sure be the one that we use.

PLEASE DO THIS NOW – ASAP – WELL BEFORE OCTOBER 1 to:

1. To log in to all your Golf League US (GLUS) account and review all your contact information in your profile(s).  Make sure it is current and accurate (no typos, transpositions).

2. If corrections are required, make the corrections in GLUS AND sent an email to your (DVP) identifying the changes.  Forward this to Treasurer (david.l.wicks@gmail.com).

3. If you cannot login, please contact your DVP for help.

4. New 2025 MEMBERS – Important that you check your information. We do find that errors can be generated when someone other than the member enters the data.  

Attached is a new opportunity for golfers who are dealing with Parkinson Disease.  This clinic is free but space is limited to folks with PD.

This is not a charity golf program. It is a free service program for golfers with PD.  

REGISTER HERE and get mor information about APDA services and support here in St. Louis.

PD estimates are 1 to 2% of people in ages over 65.  Metro Seniors could easily have 10 to 20 members who are dealing with it directly.  This clinic could help them with their golf game and more.  

The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) here in St. Louis provides FREE direct support and services to People With Parkinson (PWP) and their care givers and families.

APDA-Golf-Clinic

If you or your family or a friend is dealing with Parkinson Disease, please suggest that they contact the American Parkinson Disease Association here in St. Louis. CLICK HERE

Please contact David Wicks, (david.l.wicks@gmail.com) for questions about this clinic, or any of the services provided by APDA.

Thanks to eagle-eyed Ken Hammond, an error to the summary (simplified) bunker rules was identified. Thank You Ken!

The original full rules in the Policies and Procedures were correct and have not changed.

The summary list is corrected on the rules summary page CLICK HERE

The complete set or rules is in the Policies and Procedures Addendum 4 CLICK HERE

The terms used here are very specific and affect the relief

UNPLAYABLE BALL – always requires a 1 stroke penalty, but your personal declaration.

An ABNORMAL CONDITION your ball could land in would be puddle in a bunker, a mud flat in a bunker, gully or no sand area. Your get a free drop (no penalty) in the bunker if there is a playable area in the bunker. If there is absolutely no playable spot in the bunker, you get a free drop outside the bunker (Back On The Line).

UNPLAYABLE BUNKERS – if the bunker is completely unplayable or if Course or DVP declare bunkers to be unplayable, you get a free drop outside the bunker (Back On The Line) – you still have to play across the bunker.

Note – for the most part we follow USGA rules. We define our exceptions in Addendum 4. Our exceptions are recognitions of our members seniors status, our needs for pace of play, and that we want fair, competitive and fun play.

Revisions to Policies and Procedures – Addendum 7

Addendum 7 – Metro Plus has been updated to reflect our current procedures for 2025.

The only major revision during 2024 was increasing the flight prizes by increasing the flights from 3 to 4. The position prizes remained the same for all flights.

Other changes were minor – primarily language edits.

You can and should read the procedural details for Metro Plus.

CLICK HERE for a PDF version of the Metro Plus procedure.

We revised and clarified some rules of play for 2025. This is a brief summary. For more details CLICK HERE. For the full details on our rules – CLICK HERE There are links to examples.

WRONG BALL

Any player hitting a WRONG BALL is now required to take a 1 stroke penalty. In addition, if your ball was hit (WB) by another player, you may be allowed relief from declaring a Lost Ball.

All this can be TOTALLY ELIMINATED if everyone marks their balls AND pays attention to identify their ball BEFORE hitting.

BUNKER Relief

We clarified all the options available for relief (free drops and penalty relief) in bunkers for unplayable balls, abnormal conditions in the bunker, completely unplayable bunkers, or if you simply don’t want to play out of a bunker (2 penalty strokes).

Back-On-The-Line Relief – Penalty Areas, OB, and Abnormal Conditions

In many cases dropping the ball withing 2 club lengths from where the ball crossed the boundary of Out of Bounds or Penalty area will work well for penalty, OB and abnormal conditions

However, Back-On-The-Line Relief (from the hole through the ball -going forward to the hole) is an important optional relief method for out of bounds, relief from penalty areas or abnormal course conditions.

THIS IS NOT LINE OF FLIGHT from the last stroke. LINE OF FLIGHT IS NOT/NEVER ALLOWED AS A RELIEF OPTION. This is a big source of confusion for many golfers.

Questions or comments and volunteers are always welcome.

If you are committed to getting the Rules just right, you can join us on the Rules Committee. Tell you Division VP. He will forward your name and interests.

The schedule for 2025 is now available.

CLICK HERE then open the schedule link.

Membership Renewals and Year End Prize checks

Total membership renewals are moving along well. Almost 400 members have renewed. We are expecting membership to grow a little.

Division 3, 4 and 5 – Renew before Jan 1.

Our Thursday divisions fill up fast. 3 and 4 are already over 110 renewed with a wait list of several members. Renewing members have priority for 2025 until January 1, 2025.

After Jan 1 we fill positions with new members. Renewals no longer have priority. If your division is full, we can transfer you to another.

New Members

We already have over 20 new members on the wait list.

Almost all joined to play with a friend or relative. Recommending Metro Seniors to a friend is BY FAR the source of our new members.

Share your fun with a friend – invite someone to join Metro Seniors. A newly retired co-worker or neighbor. Someone from one of your groups or clubs.

Metro Seniors makes it EASY to have a regular golf schedule at a variety of courses, with friendly and fair competition.

2024 Year End Prize Checks

Good news – almost 90% of the prize checks have cleared the bank.

The checks were mailed to arrive by Nov 1, but some were still being received and deposited last week. DEPOSIT YOUR CHECK PLEASE.

Only 2024 winners will receive checks – to see if you get a payout – CLICK HERE

If you have not received your check by early December, let me know – email – david.l.wicks@gmail.com. Please don’t email me if you are NOT on the payout list.

The End of Year Prize Award checks have been issued. Check you mail between now and November 1. Deposit you check quickly, then renew your membership for 2025.

Our regular competition season for Metro Seniors divisions is now complete. The data for Divisions 1 – 5 and Metro Plus, Special events and the Championship has been reported.

The last events were played on October 17 and now only 1 week later 653 total checks have been issued for amounts from $3 up to $268. 94% of our membership will receive some prize award.

The Prize awards are based on
100 “Points” = $1
Points Awarded for each tournament
◦ Close to Pin – 500 points
◦ Hole In One – 10,000 points
◦ Flight Prizes – various amounts for each winning flight / position

A very few special adjustments
◦ Most Division 5 players at Columbia receive a 600 point refund (overcharge of greens fees)
◦ MP Skins awarded at the last event (Glen Echo) are included for participating members

The Prize Award Check consolidates all Points from Division play, Metro Plus, Special Events, and the Championship into one check The check is issued to members based on their current mailing address in their membership profile in their division(s) in Golf League US

A summary posting (PDF) for the Prize Awards is posted on the Metro Seniors website. This is total points from each Division. The file is large (650+ lines, 13 pages) and includes all total prizes paid. Click Here for the PDF

How can you get more details?

Golf League divisions will have more details (by play date) for points awards.

Login to your Golf League Division.

• Click on “Scores Points” in the left hand sidebar
  Click on “Points” in the dropdown
  Select your name to view your data for the season
  
• You get a table of all points awarded to you by date for the 2024 season
  For even more data, use the “Net Score Leaderboard” You can see all the net scores and points for all players, events and flights

The awards for Special Events and for the Championship have been posted on the Metro Seniors website.

Who wants to play a 5 hour round of golf? Who likes to wait for 5 minutes on every tee box for the group ahead to clear the fairway?

NOT METRO SENIORS PLAYERS!!! And our golf course partners don’t like it either.

DON’T KNOW OUR RULES ON PACE OF PLAY AND READY GOLF – CLICK HERE

WE DO MEASURE PACE – SLOW PLAY IS MONITORED – CLICK HERE

Want to see more about how we monitor pace – CLICK HERE

Over many years the most frequent complaint from members and courses is Pace of Play.

Your Officer and Board of Governors have made many changes in rules and operations over the last several years. You – our members – have also accepted the challenge to “Pick up the Pace” with Ready Golf and a great attitude to help everyone.

Now our starting tee foursomes frequently finish in 3 3/4 to 4 hours. Almost all tee groups have shown that they can finish in less than 4 1/2 hours. Our partner courses have noticed and are happy to have us on their schedule.

So why all the CONTINUING interest?

Every year, we have new members. Some members are getting more “senior”. We can be “forgetful”. Little reminders, nudges can help.

More important, it only takes one SLOW tee group to cause HUGE delays!

One group falling behind by only 1 minute per hole would come in about 25 minutes behind the group ahead. A gap of two empty holes!

Worse still – this slowdown would delay EVERYONE behind by at least 20 to 30 minutes. From 40 to 100 following players could have a miserable round approaching 5 hours or more.

WORTHY OF REPEATING – If your group is slow by 20 minutes, you just wasted somewhere between 200 to 400 MANHOURS of your fellow members time in delays.

Want to see more about how we monitor pace – CLICK HERE