dlwicks@sbcglobal.net

First Tee Collection / Donations at 2018 General Meeting

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Looking for a way to make more space in your garage or basement?
Get those extra golf clubs and old but usable bags and even used (or new shoes) to the Metro Seniors Member meeting on March 13 and make a donation to First Tee.  Maybe you can even get a tax deduction for 2018 for your donation.
Past President Bob Zaruba is organizing Metro St. Louis  Seniors Golf Association collections at the General Meeting for the First Tee Charity.  Donate your excess golf gear for great use with their charity program for kids.
First Tee will be at the Kirkwood Community Center about 12:15 – 1:00 on Tuesday March 13 – right before the annual spring meeting.  Get there early, make your donation, and meet friends at your Division Table before the meeting.  Parking gets full early.
First Tee gladly accepts golf clubs that are no older than 15 years old, golf bags that are in good usable condition and golf balls.  Sorry, we cannot accept anything with alcohol advertising.
Want more information about First Tee – CLICK HERE

With the 2nd Swing Club Donation Program you can put any of your old equipment to great use and make a huge impact. The value of your used clubs and equipment is sent to generate cash donations.

Can’t make the General Meeting????  You can still make a donation that will benefit First Tee of Greater St. Louis.  The following directions will help.

HERE ARE A FEW TIPS FOR MAKING YOUR EQUIPMENT DONATION:

First Tee has an online donation form that includes a detailed valuation for lots of equipment.  If you use their form, you can get a detailed tax valuation summary for your donation.

Click here to get started.

  • When completing the donation form, fill in our chapter name to ensure the donation is directed to us (there are 165+ chapters so this is important!).
  • If you have equipment to donate that you cannot find in the system, add it to your shipping box and make a note in the “notes” section of the donation form.
  • You can also donate golf balls, apparel, golf bags, range finders, etc. 2nd Swing’s staff will process the items and contact you about their donation value.
  • When shipping your equipment to 2nd Swing, please print your FREE shipping labels and include a copy of your donation summary in each box. The donation summary can be printed directly from the website or from your email confirmation.
  • A donation receipt will be sent to you within 3-4 weeks of receiving the donation. Our chapter will receive your donation within a month.

Electronic Score Card Testing – 2018

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Electronic Score Cards are moving into pilot testing for weekly tournaments at the start of 2018 season.

Want to be part of the testing?  Want to get the tournament results out faster?  Volunteer to be part of the testing team.

We need 8 to 10 (or more) volunteers who:

  • Have an internet connected smartphone (Iphone or Andriod) – most are
  • Know how to access website on their phone
  • Are willing to help others
  • Are interested in helping make our scoring process better, faster, less expensive

How to volunteer?   Email to David Wicks – David.L.Wicks@gmail.com  (or tell Rick Hines or Tom Stiern)

A couple of meetings are being planned for February (probably about 2 hours).

We initially will be organizing tests for Division 2 and Division 5.  Volunteers will be trained on the “electronic score card” (really easy).  Volunteers will also help plan the full scale data entry for specific weekly tournaments.

Volunteers may also demonstrate the score card at the General Membership meeting in March.

When the season starts, we expect that a team of volunteers (4 to 6) will run the tests.  They will also show playing members how to enter their own score cards.

Want to see a working test score card?  CLICK HERE

Only Division 1 (2017) members’ numbers and 2017 dates are set up for the test.  You can click to chose the courses, the members, and the tees.  You input numbers (1 to 9) for the hole by hole scores.  Scores are totaled automatically.

Then SUBMIT the final data.  It is easy, accurate, and once you do a few, it will be fast.

 

 

Close to Pin Holes – Weekly Schedule

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Revised 3-20-2018 – Yardages adjusted for a few holes per Handicap Committee review.

The Division VPs have the primary responsibility for selection of the CTP holes and positioning (Forward and Back) for each weekly tournament.  in 2017, Rick Hines, VP Division 5, pulled together a consolidated list of suggested CTP location for each weekly tournament that is included here.

We expect that most Divisions will be using these positions.  However, the VPs may make changes as they feel appropriate and will confirm via email to the Starters before a tournament.   Since most of our courses continue from year to year, we will make CTP changes as needed for new courses added to the weekly tournaments,

This will give you a peek before you get to the course.  This will be included online as an additional resource.

Selection of the holes requires some thought to make this competition fair and challenging without picking holes that are excessively long or short.  We try to have both a Forward and a Back CTP on each of the front and back nine.  However, some courses don’t have a good layout.

Forward CTP Holes

  • 110 to 115 Yards Average
  • 145 Yards Max
  • 83 Yards Min

Back CTP Holes

  • 140 to 145 Yards Average
  • 165 to 170 Yards Max
  • 100 to 105 Yards Min

Several courses will have both the Forward (Red) CTP and the Back (Yellow) CTP on the same hole.  This is to prevent having exceptionally long or short holes.  For example, the 190 yard par 3s at The Prairies or Florissant or the 225 yard 18th at Normandie would not be included.

The STARTERS can use this list instead of selecting CTP holes by themselves.  They will use the VP email instructions or pick used the suggested CTP holes and position in the spreadsheet.    However, STARTERS will still prepare the CTP Cards for the selected holes and get these to the first group or the hole assigned group.

We will simplify the Starter’s Instructions and delete the detailed description on selecting Closest To Pin locations for each weekly tournament.

Suggested CTP for 2018 Weekly Tournaments 

Download (PDF, 67KB)

Division 9 – Try It, You May Like It!

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Pop Quiz!

  1. What is Division 9?
  2. Where and when is Division 9?
  3. Who can play in Division 9?
  4. How does Division 9 play affect you handicap in Divisions 1 – 5?
  5. What does it cost to join Division 9?
  6. What does it cost to play with Division 9?
  7. Why should you be playing in Division 9?

 

  1. Division 9 is our little secret for even more fun and fellowship.  Nine holes of competitive golf like Division 1 – 5, with many continuing to play a full 18 (final nine for fun, practice, grins, whatever)!
  2. Division 9 plays every Wednesday morning from about March 15 to about November 15 at Riverside Golf Course in Fenton, Mo.  Start time is about sunrise with about 1 1/2 hour registration.  It is a great way to extend your golf season.
  3. Any registered member of Metro St. Louis Seniors Golf can join and play in Division 9.
  4. Trick Question – It does NOT affect your handicap, qualification for championship, or eligibility for Special Events.
  5. Division 9 only members pay an annual registration fee of $28.  Division 1 – 5 members can join Division 9 for $2 the first time playing plus $1 for each round for prize payout.
  6. Fees to play in Division 9 (green and cart) are $21 for a full 18 holes to as little as $12 for 9 hole walkers.
  7. Why add Division 9 to your schedule? Easy!
    1. Fun, inexpensive, competitive golf on Wednesday morning.
    2. No commitment required, just show up and make up a foursome.
    3. Relatively close location for almost all of our Missouri members.
    4. Great way to get in some practice before Thursday or Friday events.
    5. Extend your season with a great group of golfers.
    6. Great way for new golfers to get into Metro Seniors, learn rules, forming foursomes, meeting other golfers, making new friends.
    7. Will not affect you handicap or anything else in Divisions 1 – 5.
    8. More opportunities for Hole In One (Metro Seniors pays $100 for Division 9, too)
    9. Great way for golfer with health issues or simply cutting back on golf to stay in the game.

Now that you are interested, CLICK HERE for even more information.

 

Special Events Schedule for 2018

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The Special Events Committee lead by Frank Mantia has put together a great mix of events for 2018. We have new courses and some really good venues.

Here is the schedule short form.

  • 24 April 1st 100 – Indian Mounds – $21 no lunch 0730 SG start
  • 15 May Ryder Cup – Gateway National – $51 includes lunch limit to 120 players 0730 SG start
  • 26 June Pick your partner 2 man scramble – The MO Bluffs – $52 includes lunch limit 120 players 0730 SG start
  • 16 July Super Seniors – Sunset Hills CC Edwardsville, IL – $63 includes lunch limit 120 players 0730 SG start
  • 14 August Founders Day – Whitmoor CC – $59 includes lunch 0730 SG start
  • 11 September Same Flight Individual tournament – Annbriar GC – $42 no lunch 0800 SG start

For the complete schedule information and a link to registration information see the Special Events Schedule Page.

 

Holes In One for 2017

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Back in 2016, we reviewed the Holes In One for the regular weekly seasons for 2013, 2014, 2015. We had 14 Aces recorded over 28,000 rounds of golf – 1 for every 1999 rounds.  CLICK HERE to see the details.

Click Here for a Golf Digest information on Holes In One.

So – how did we do in 2017.

6 Holes In One for regular weekly tournaments covering 10,109 total rounds.

1 Hole In One for every 1685 rounds played.  Plus we had another Hole In One at an extra outing.

We are still about halfway between the typical “amateur” and the “low handicap” golfer referenced by USGA.

Pretty good for a group with average age of 70 and average handicap of 20.

The 2017 Hole In One class:

Weekly Tournaments Division
Eldon Hulbert 3
Peter Knese 4
Roy Migneco 5
Rick Hines 5
Ron Deines 5
Brad Bradley 2
Ham and Beer Special  
Ron Pierson 3

Special note – these guys have handicap guides ranging from 17 to 26.  Three are in C Flights.

 

New Officers for 2018

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With the new year, we have changes in officers.  The following changes were approved by the Board of Directors for the 2018 Season.

Rick Hines has completed his term as Past President and on the Executive Committee.  He is continuing as VP for Division 5.

Bob Zaruba has completed his term as President and moves to Past President and continues on the Executive Committee.

Dave Wicks, as of January 1 will be the President and will continue on the Executive Committee.

Larry Roth, currently a Director for Division 1, has been confirmed as First Vice-President and will begin serving on the Executive Committee.

Don Skitt is stepping down from the Secretary position.  Craig Carothers has been confirmed by the Board as our new Secretary.

As previously announced, Denis Carter is now our Treasurer, replacing Ed Gautier.

Finally as a special recognition, Herb Walker has stepped down from responsibilities on the Board after 18 consecutive years of service.

Please be sure to express your thanks to these folks.  They have kept this organization healthy, fun and vital for many years.

2018 Rule and Operation Changes

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2018 Rule and Operations Changes

As of November 2017 Board Meeting we  will be implementing the following changes for 2018 Rules and Regulations and Policies and Procedures.

LAST REGISTRATION – 1 Hour After Start Tee Times

The biggest change is reducing the registration cut-off time to one (1) hour after the official Start Time.  Example – the last group registration will be 7:30 AM (for a 6:30 AM first tee start).

For many outings starters are waiting 20 to 30 minutes for no registrations.  We occasionally had a 20 to 30 minute starting gap for the late groups.   A very few groups will have to show up a few minutes earlier for registration.

See all the current revisions below:

Download (PDF, 69KB)

Pace of Play Ideas

Here is a link to a video from USGA about ideas on Pace of Play.  CLICK HERE

Ideas on faster play at the Greens – CLICK HERE

How to Use Rules for Faster Play and Better Scores = CLICK HERE

 

 

New Scorecard Developments – 2018 and Beyond

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CLICK HERE  to try out test scorecard (web page based)

Our Smartphone Survey showed that most members have smartphones and know how to use them with APP and websites.

We will be exploring Mobile Data Entry to get our weekly tournament scores in faster, more accurately, with less time, and less cost.  This would eventually replace the green Universal Scorecard.  Each tee group would complete the electronic scorecard AFTER their round just like we do with the green card on an available smartphone.  Once completed, the form would be sent electronically to OurGolfStats.

Completing the electronic scorecard will take 3 to 5 minutes if you have all your player hole scores from you course scorecard.  (THE ELECTRONIC SCORECARD 0IS NOT TO BE USED FOR SCORES ON THE COURSE!)

While on the course, use course scorecards, announce all players hole score at the end of a hole and write these down.  Use these agreed hole scores for the electronic scorecard.

We will still use “course” scorecards as a backup until we have a better backup alternative.

Web Page Test Scorecard

We have a sample scorecard form for all to try out.  This version is web page based.  Anyone can open the scorecard, input data and submit to a storage on our server.

Simply click on the link, enter the information and “submit”.  No IDs, no Passwords, no sign-ups required.

Most of the form is point and click.  Easy, fast and accurate.  Nine and eighteen scores are totaled automatically.  Form in test includes only Division 1 names and numbers, but all 2018 courses and tee locations are installed.

This is a work in progress so you comments and feedback are needed.

CLICK HERE  to try out test scorecard.

APP Version for Android Smartphones

This same scorecard is also available as a APP for Android smartphones.  You must install the ODK (Open Data Kit) app from the Google Play Store.   Then I can provide the needed links to get the Scorecard Form loaded.  The form has the required information to submit the data.

If you want to try this out, please contact me – Dave Wicks, david.l.wicks@gmail.com.