Newsletter

To help improve our Pace of Play, Metro Seniors is adopting a maximum  stroke rule starting with the 2017 season.

Players are to take and score no more than 9 strokes (strokes plus penalties) on any hole for any Metro Seniors tournament.  Players are not required to putt out holes where stroke count is already 8.

Why Max 9?

Intent 

• Prevent out of control hole from holding up your group and groups behind
• Minimal impact on scores most scores
• No impact on handicaps
• Virtually no impact on flight prizes

Play and record no more than a maximum Nine (9) strokes (actual + penalties) on any hole.  As soon as it is reasonably expected that score will be at least 9 (or more), pickup, move out of play area, and score 9.  Help others in your foursome to speed their play.

Examples

• 3 into water off tee on a par 5. Hitting 7th on Tee. Player should pickup there, score 9 and move out of play to speed others and help others where possible.
• Lying 6, 150 or more yds from hole, maybe pickup and score 9 and help others.  Do you really think you can hole out in 1 or 2 more strokes?
• Lying 8 on green – don’t finish, pickup and score 9
• Lying 7 on green – Must Putt one to try for 8, then pickup and score 9

Using Max 9 wisely will help you, your group, and the groups behind you.

 

In Policies and Procedures and for the Tournament Rules and Regulations

The official wording will be:

Section 6 – Putt Out Holes

Members are required to putt out on each hole at all tournaments except if the hole score is known or reasonably expected to be MORE THAN EIGHT (8) STROKES for that hole. Failure to Putt Out for any hole with a total score of 8 or under will result in disqualification for that round.

Section 7 – Maximum Hole Score of Nine (9) to speed Pace of Play

To speed Pace of Play, Members are to play and score no more than nine (9) strokes on any hole including all actual strokes and penalties. When it is known or reasonably expected that the Member’s hole score will be MORE THAN EIGHT (8) STROKES on any hole, Member is to:

• Immediately STOP play on that hole
• Pickup ball
• Move toward the next hole
• Assist other Members in speeding play for that hole
• Record nine (9) strokes for that hole.

Member must NOT PUTT OUT for this hole.

 

The Board of Governors reviewed and approved the Pace of Play Action Plan for 2017 as recommended by the Pace of Play Committee.

The summary of findings for the 2016 season were posted here in December (CLICK HERE).

Action Plan Elements

• Expectations – What is Expected or Target Pace?
• Education – What makes up Pace? Rules! Ready Golf!
• Measures and Data – Improved data collection and measurements
• Rules – Rules can improve Pace!
• Enforcement – Slow Groups/Members

This website, newsletters, emails and meetings will be used to Educate and Inform our members.  More on the many moving parts as time goes on.

We will be measuring, analyzing, and reporting Pace of Play throughout 2017.  Starting June 1, we will begin enforcement for “slow play”.  This will include warnings, and remediation efforts, and if necessary expulsion of members.

EXPECTATIONS FOR 2017

• Members
  • Play to best competitive effort, with courtesy and respect for others
  • Follow all rules
  • Manage their group to “Meet Pace” and “Keep Up” with group ahead
• Pace of Play Targets for 2017
  • 4 to 4 1/2 hours Tee Starts
  • 4 1/2 to 5 hours Shotgun Starts
  • Course, conditions, organization, member capability
• VP/Board/POP Committee
  • Manage Pace fairly and consistently
  • Set and communicate clear Standards / Rules
  • Measure and communicate status and results
  • Enforce
    • Identify “Slow Play” groups/members
    • Gain Improvements

RULE CHANGE – Maximum of 9 Strokes on any hole

All players will be required to take no more than 9 strokes on any hole.  This will prevent a “blow-up” hole from slowing a group and all behind them.  It will reduce only about 15 to 30 strokes per round but these are concentrated in our slowest players and groups. Pace for our slowest players (and those following) should improve by several minutes per round.

The Max 9 rule will not make any differences in handicaps, in flight prize money, in flight standings, or in qualifications for the league championship.

Everyone who has a bad hole may and should take advantage of the Max 9 rule.

DATA and MEASUREMENT – New Pace Log Sheet

We will continue using our Scorecards.  However, we will add a simple Log Sheet for times.  This will allow faster and simpler data collection and analysis.

Starters/Scorers instructions will be simplified to help.  The Logs will be completes as part of registration and Scorecard completion.

DIVISION MENTORS

We will work to expand the Mentors program used in Division 3.  Mentors will help new players get started, understand rules, requirements for Pace of Play, and regular play.  Mentors may also help with “Slow” players or groups.

ENFORCEMENT SLOW PLAYERS / GROUPS

Groups that are consistently slow will be identified, asked to improve, and as needed disciplined or asked to leave the league.

Slow Groups are:

• Significantly over the target pace and/or average pace for the outing (>20 minutes)
• Not Keeping Up with the group ahead (<15 minutes behind)
• Warnings will be issued
• At 3rd warning in the season, membership may be revoked

Pace of Play Committee has been working hard.

• Two meetings in Dec 2016
• Significant Analysis and Review of 2016 Actual Play Times Data
• Lengthy Discussion of Ideas for Improved Pace of Play
  • Significant, Measurable, and Enforceable
  • That will be Supported by Members
  • Reflect Actual Data
  • Focused Implementation – Significant Few
• Follow-up Meeting in January and Recommendations to Board
  • Rule Changes (Tournament and Enforcement)
  • Education and Promotion Program
  • Improved Measurements and Enforcement with 2017 Season

FAQ on Pace of Play 2017 – Click Here

 

MOST IMPORTANT

Our Review SHOWS:

• Most Members can and are playing quickly
  • Our fastest players are regularly in the 4 hours to 4 1/2 hours.
  • Most groups are Staying Up with the group ahead with short separation times.
• Split Tee Starts have faster finish times than Shotgun Starts
  • Full Season Average Split Tee Finish was 4 hr 49 min.
    • First Groups Off = 4 hr to 4 hr 30 min (20 to 30 min faster than “average”)
    • Late Groups Off = 5 hr to 5 hr 20 min  (20 to 30 min slower than “average”)
  • Full Season Average Shotgun Finish was about 5 hr 14 min.
    • Fast Groups = about 4 hr 40 min
    • Slow Groups = over 5 hr 30 min
  • Shotgun have doubled tee starts (A/B), closer groupings, more players (slower play)
• Longer Pace of Play Focused in 10% to 15% of Members/Groups
  • Usually 1 to 3 Groups Per Outing
  • Affect (slow down) 3 to 5 groups immediately following
  • Includes B, C, and D Flight Players/Group
  • Methods to Improve Slowest Groups (Education, Encouragement, Enforcement)
• Scorecard Time Data Collection must be improved
  • Sloppy Handwriting
  • Bad Times between Scorers and Tee Group (Education, Training, Enforcement)
  • Faster Reporting to VPs
• On Course Corrections Are Needed for Enforcement
  • Identify, Encourage, Enforce on Slow Groups on Course
  • Get Groups to Self-Enforce on a Slow Player
  • Fix Problems BEFORE Everyone is Affected
• Encourage Members with Clear Targets, Goals and Motivation for Pace of Play
  • Everyone Can Improve
  • Education and Information for All Players
    • Target Pace of Play by Course
    • Target Current Slower Players and New Members
    • Ready Golf
    • Rules Use for faster Play
  • Communicate Status of Pace of Play

FAQ on Pace of Play 2017

Download (PDF, 136KB)