2017 Course Survey Results

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Thank you for all the responses to the 2017 Course Survey.  The results were discussed with the Tournament Committee.  This was used as part of the decision process to set our target courses for the 2018 season.

The responses came from 224 members (30% of total) who played almost 4000 rounds (40% of the total – averaging 18 rounds each. These folks have seen all the courses.

I would like to see more responses from members who didn’t play as much. They might help us understand how to get them out for more fun.

The short summary of the Survey follows.  For those who want to see a more detailed analysis, see the link to the full report.

Executive Summary – Member Guidance for 2018 Weekly Tournaments

  • Eliminate or Minimize “reverse” shotgun starts
  • Start Times
    • Shotgun Starts at 7:30 AM with some at 7:00 AM (mid-summer, June, July, August)
    • Tee Starts at 7:00 AM preference (6:30 AM start still OK especially for mid-summer)
  • Target Tee positions Regular (5800 to 6200 yds) and Forward(5200 to 5800 yds)
  • Schedule with 2017 courses as preference for 2018
  • Convenient distance and quality of course are valued higher than cost
  • Consider adding “quality” courses

 

CLICK HERE to see the Full Survey Results

 

 

Member Smartphone Survey

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We are looking a possible methods to improve our scorecard data collections and entry.

Mobile Data Entry (MDE) is a very promising technology.

APPs for MDE are already available is downloaded from the Google Play Store or ITunes onto members’ smartphones.

Simple as point and click on a smart phone, that would make completion of scorecards faster (than pencil), more accurate (click-on selections for Names, ID numbers, courses), hole score totals automatic, easy edit for corrections and immediate electronic transfer (no mailing and waiting for postal service).

Purpose of Survey – what type phones Apple -IOS or Android (everything but IPhone), experience with internet and APPs, knowledge and use of golf apps, and problems/issues with green cards.

Should only take a couple of minutes.

Members w/o smartphones go to scorecard, bypass rest of survey.

https://goo.gl/forms/B5DgXRbcCY2fkrNa2

Provisional Ball Rule Clarification

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Posted for Gary Brown, Rules Committee Chair

Provisional Ball Rule Clarification:

The provisional ball has been quite the topic of conversation lately.   This post is intended to clarify the rule so that everyone plays it the same.  Below is the text copied directly from the USGA rule 27-2 and the Metro Seniors “Tournament Rules Summary”.   The Metro Seniors Rules Exception for eliminating the distance penalty from a Lost or Out of Bounds shot was not intended to eliminate Rule 27-2 regarding playing a Provisional Ball, but only to improve our Pace of Play.  Metro Seniors players must adhere to the USGA Rule, except for the distance penalty.

  1. MS Rules Clarification

A provisional ball may be played according to the USGA rule 27-2a. A provisional ball may be played after any errant shot, not just a tee shot. It must be announced and played from its original position before moving forward to search or the player waives their option to hit a provisional ball. If the player elects to play a provisional ball according to the USGA rule and then goes forward to search for and finds his original ball in-bounds and within our 3-minute search time, the player must abandon the provisional ball and continue playing the original ball without penalty.

  1. The Search

Another clarification is when the 3-minute search limit starts. Since we have shortened the USGA search time from 5 to 3 minutes to improve our pace of play, the “search” begins when the player moves to the point where the ball is thought to lie.

  1. USGA Rule

27-2. Provisional Ball

  1. a. Procedure

If a ball may be lost outside a water hazard or may be out of bounds, to save time the player may play another ball provisionally in accordance with Rule 27-1. The player must:

(i)      announce to his opponent in match play or his marker or a fellow-competitor in stroke play that he intends to play a provisional ball; and

(ii)     play the provisional ball before he or his partner goes forward to search for the original ball.

If a player fails to meet the above requirements prior to playing another ball, that ball is not a provisional ball and becomes the ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance (Rule 27-1); the original ball is lost.

  1. b. When Provisional Ball Becomes Ball in Play

The player may play a provisional ball until he reaches the place where the original ball is likely to be. If he makes a stroke with the provisional ball from the place where the original ball is likely to be or from a point nearer the hole than that place, the original ball is lost and the provisional ball becomes the ball in play under penalty of stroke and distance (Rule 27-1).

If the original ball is lost outside a water hazard or is out of bounds, the provisional ball becomes the ball in play, under penalty of stroke and distance (Rule 27-1).

Exception: If it is known or virtually certain that the original ball, that has not been found, has been moved by an outside agency (Rule 18-1), or is in an obstruction(Rule 24-3) or an abnormal ground condition (Rule 25-1c), the player may proceed under the applicable Rule.

  1. c. When Provisional Ball to be Abandoned

If the original ball is neither lost nor out of bounds, the player must abandon the provisional ball and continue playing the original ball. If it is known or virtually certain that the original ball is in a water hazard, the player may proceed in accordance with Rule 26-1. In either situation, if the player makes any further strokes at the provisional ball, he is playing a wrong ball and the provisions of Rule 15-3 apply.

Note: If a player plays a provisional ball under Rule 27-2a, the strokes made after this Rule has been invoked with a provisional ball subsequently abandoned under Rule 27-2c and penalties incurred solely by playing that ball are disregarded.

  1. Metro Seniors Tournament Rules Summary

LOST BALLS or OUT OF BOUNDS BALLS

USGA Rules of Golf require replay (or provisional ball) plus penalty stroke for and Out of Bounds or Lost Ball.  Metro Seniors allows for playing within 2 club lengths from the crossing of OB or probable Lost position plus a penalty stroke.  Limit ball searches to 3 minutes maximum.

Thanks for reading our blog post.  Let’s all get out and enjoy this wonderful game we play.

Gary Brown

Rules Committee

 

Pace of Play Update – 23 Week of 2017

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Thank You!

You have made some significant improvements to Pace of Play during 2017.

So far with 113 rounds in the books, (only 2 weeks and 10 more rounds remaining).

  • 4 hour 30 minutes average tee group play time, about 19 minutes faster than 2016
  • Only 19 of 113 rounds averaged more than 4 hour 45 minutes
  • NO ROUNDS AVERAGED MORE THAN 5 hours.

We have a lot of quick players.

  • Fastest groups average just over 4 hours almost thirty minutes faster than the field.
  • These are usually the first starters in Tee Starts or with holes open in ahead on Shotgun starts.

We still have a very few players and tee groups that frequently slower than average or are the slowest group on the course.  Several of these have improved after seeing the data or with some encouragement.  When these groups start early in tee starts, they slow 4 to 6 groups behind by 20 to 30 minutes.

Start types are significant for pace.

  • Tee Starts – 4 hours 26 minutes (84 players – 64 rounds)
  • Regular Shotgun Starts – 4 hours 35 minutes (87 players – 33 rounds)
    • Average 3 to 4 tee groups – slow average by 10 to 15 minutes vs Tee Start
  • Reverse Shotgun Starts – 4 hours 47 minutes (84 players – 15 rounds)
    • 4 to 6 more B Tee Groups – slow field by 15 to 30 minutes vs Tee Start

Courses are significant (difficulty and start type).

  • 19 Rounds on 9 courses with average times over 4:45
  • 3 Courses represent are 11 of the 19 high average rounds
    • Bear Creek – Reverse Shotgun
    • Far Oaks – 2 Tee / 2 Reverse Shotgun
    • Stonewolf – 1 Tee / 2 Reverse Shotgun

We know that weather and course conditions are significant.  However, with rain, few members play and times are fast.  Also with Path Only conditions, we had relatively few rounds played so data is not definitive

We can still improve.  Encouraging our slower players to simply keep up.  Our slowest groups finished with at least one hole open ahead.  They start 10 minutes later and lose an added 10 to 20 minutes.  Staying aware of groups ahead and behind is the most important part.

The Pace of Play Logs have given us a wealth of data.  As Tournament Committee schedules courses for 2018, we will use this along with your Survey input to help in course selection for 2018.

Averages
DIV Rounds Avg Min Max Avg
Played Players Time Time Time
1 Friday 22 73 04:10 05:01 04:37
2 Friday 22 79 04:02 04:52 04:30
3 Thursday 23 96 04:04 04:49 04:28
4 Thursday 23 89 03:54 04:55 04:25
5 Thursday 23 87 04:03 04:54 04:31
       
All Divisions 113 85 04:02 04:54 04:30

 

Course Survey Update – Submit Problems – Fixed

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Steve Bugg reported a problem with the Survey that I think is now fixed. (Could not Submit at the “I am not a Robot”).

If you completed the form and could not SUBMIT or did not get the Form Submitted confirmation, please go back and retry the form now.

CLICK HERE to retry the form

THE PROBLEM (for those who want to know)

I am sorry for the problem.  It was not visible or obvious in form design or testing.

At the end of the Survey there was an “I am not a Robot” check button.  This was not in the original form and did not show up in testing or with the initial responses.

Apparently Google adds this at some time AFTER the form is released.  It is not visible or an option to delete in the form design.  There is a large complaint area in the Google Forms Forum.  Many people with the same problem.

Fortunately there was also a work-around that seems to work.

 

Special Events Committee Organizing for 2018 Season

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Frank Mantia, Chairman for Special Events, is organizing the Special Events Committee for 2018.

We will be discussing the Special events and courses for the 2018 season.  Discussion can include the structure and some of the details for each tournament.  If you have an interest in making these better and more fun, this is a great way to participate.

The first meeting will be on 31 October, 10:00 AM, Frank’s home.

Please contact Frank Mantia by email

 mantiafb@hotmail.com

To let him know you are interested.  He confirm the address and time.

Course Survey 2017 – Closing Soon

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The Survey has received almost 200 responses so far.  There is a pretty good balance of responses by Division and Flights (handicap range) except for Division 4 and our D Flight players.

The Survey will remain open for a few more days.  If you are in Division 4 or are a D Flight players, there is still an opportunity to express your opinions.

For more information on the Survey and links to the Survey – CLICK HERE.