For the purpose of Good Fellowship and Golf
The Entry and Waiting List have been updated for all of the Special Event tournaments as of 2/13/2019.
The 4-Person Find Your Swing Tournament is 97% full.
The 2-Person Ryder Cup Tournament is 100% full w/waiting list.
The 4-Person Best Ball Tournament is 86% full.
The 2-Person Pick Your Partner Tournament is 100% w/waiting list.
The 4-Person Founder’s Day Tournament is 100% full w/waiting list.
The Individual Samr Flight Tournament is 67% full.
For the 2021 season the Board of Governors approved the following changes in rules and operations.
The most important changes are in the changes in the Rules of Golf as implemented by USGA starting January 1, 2019. The rule book was completely rewritten for better clarity and easier play. Metro Seniors (MSLAGA) started adopting some of these rules in 2018.
The most important changes are in defining the Penalty areas – previously know as either “lateral hazards – Red Stakes” or “water hazards” as defined by Yellow Stakes. These are now either Red or Yellow Penalty areas.
Most important MSLSGA has more clearly defined our rules for improving lies, Lost Balls, Out of Bounds, and Penalty areas. The MSLSGA rules are targeted to provide a little extra relief beyond USGA for OB, Lost Balls, and Yellow Penalty areas. These will help keep pace of play moving along.
The Rules Committee will be posting information regularly to help all members understand and follow these rules. CLICK HERE for the Rules Roundtable
MSLSGA does NOT ALLOW the Stroke and Distance penalty anywhere on the courses (returning to the location of your last shot). This would be a major disruption to pace.
LAST REGISTRATION – 1 1/2 Hour After Start Tee Times
In 2018 we looked at reducing registration end time. Larger divisions had concerns. Now the official registration ending time for Division 1-5 weekly tournaments is again 1 1/2 hours. However, Division VPs may announce adjust the time if attendance is low.
Click on this Link to see all revisions for 2023:
Summary of Major USGA Changes with Videos
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
Where do I drop the ball?
I have seen many variations of the correct place to drop your ball if it’s out of bounds, lost in the weeds or in a Penalty Area. My hope is to show everyone the correct place to drop with this communication. I have included a couple of illustrations created by Rick Hines (Thank you Rick). You must scroll down and put your glasses on to see them.
There is some confusion about the term “Back on the Line Relief” as well. Most golfers I have talked to, thought that meant the line from their previous shot to where the ball came to rest, but that is not correct. The best way I can describe “Back on the Line” is to, stand behind the ball while looking at the pin and then taking your relief back on that line 1 club to either side of it. Then drop the ball from your knee height. Metro seniors allows us to roll the ball with our club up to a foot, left, right or back to try and improve our lie.
Lift, Clean and Place of the ball within one (1) foot, not nearer the hole, allowed on the whole of the course except:
Enjoy this video of the proper way to use “Back on the Line” relief: http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules-hub/rules-modernization/major-changes/procedure-for-taking-back-on-a-line-relief.html
Lateral Relief: Is another option for determining your drop options in some cases. This option may be used to your advantage, depending on where your ball entered the Red Staked Penalty area (Sand traps are not Red staked). I have also included a video on the proper Drop Procedures.
Lateral Relief: http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules-hub/rules-modernization/major-changes/procedure-for-taking-lateral-relief.html
Looking over the rules changes for 2019 brings all kinds of interesting information to the fore.
Interested in the history of the “Rules”? USGA has prepared a very interesting summary of the rules over a 270 year period.
Some of these are quite interesting, especially the relief drops. Some give shine a light on why some rules were established.
Makes for interesting reading when taking a rest from putting new grips on, cleaning up the grooves, or otherwise tuning up for the new season.
CLICK HERE for a little fun reading.
I also recommend that you visit the USGA site to look at the new rules. The videos are really good. Metro Seniors is founded on USGA rules. We make a very few “local” variations to keep pace moving and allow for “seniors” abilities. However, if you know and follow all USGA rules, it will help you with the few variations from Metro Senior.
CLICK HERE for USGA Major Rule Changes with videos
The Entry List for all of the 2019 Special Events have been Updated. The Waiting List for the Founder’s Day, Ryder Cup, and Pick Your Partner Tournaments have also been updated.
Click on the sidebar link “Confirm/Wait/Pairing Lists”.
The registration levels for each of the tournaments are as follows:
Find Your Swing 96% full
Ryder Cup 100% full (Waiting List has been started)
4-Person Best Ball 85% full
Pick Your Partner 100% full (Waiting List has been started)
Founder’s Day 100% full (Waiting List has been started)
Same Flight 66% full
USGA has new rules specifically focused on improving pace of play. MSLSGA as the “Committee” has over several years adopted local rules for pace. These are now virtually identical to the several of the new USGA rules.
USGA encourages setting expectations for both beginners and experienced players on what types of behavior are considered prompt play, including the maximum amount of time it should normally take to make a stroke.
New USGA Rules encourage prompt pace of play by recommending that:
All players are required to take no more than a Quad Bogey 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 Quad Bogey 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 is required to take advantage of the Quad Bogey rule.
Metro Seniors is 46 years old in 2019?
That we have had 30 Presidents over the years? And, six of those are still playing in 2019!
That one man with an idea started Metro Seniors with an ad in the newspaper?
Larry Roth with Bob Roderigue, Metro Seniors’ Historian, are finishing a project to collect, organize and publish much of our rich history. Over the next year or so we will be posting some of our history as an honor and recognition to the many volunteers who have contributed to building Metro Seniors.
You, too, can make history. We have many opportunities for volunteers on committees, at the Division level, and as a Board member or officer. This is a great way to help a great St. Louis institution while using your skills, knowledge, interests or talents with a great group of friends.
A simple start – a look back at our Presidents over the years. CLICK HERE
Metro Plus “Sold Out”
140 Metro Senior members have signed up for the Metro Plus. The new Premium Division will start play this April playing premium public courses and 4 private Country Clubs. I’d like to thank all of the Metro Senior members who signed up to the initial season.
Metro Plus has started a wait list for those who cancel prior to the start of the season. If you wish to be put on the wait list, please contact Larry Roth @ larry@lgr-sri.com for the appropriate links.
Additional information will be sent to all the members directly. Starting in March/April a separate section on Metro Seniors website will be dedicated for all Metro Plus info.
Larry Roth
Metro Seniors VP
The Entry List for all of the 2019 Special Events have been Updated. The Waiting List for the Founder’s Day Tournament has also been updated.
Click on the sidebar link “Confirm/Wait/Pairing Lists”.
The registration levels for each of the tournaments are as follows:
Find Your Swing 90% full
Ryder Cup 99% full
4-Person Best Ball 78% full
Pick Your Partner 97% full
Founder’s Day 100% full (Waiting List has been started)
Same Flight 63% full
The Instructions for each 2019 Special Event have been loaded to the Metro Seniors web site. Click on the sidebar link “Confirm/Wait/Pairing Lists”. Each Special Event will have a link “Instructions”.