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.

 

2017 Pace of Play Results – Full Season

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The 2017 season is finished.  The Pace of Play data is analyzed.

2017 RESULTS
Overall Pace of Play (POP) for 2017 was GREAT! And a huge IMPROVEMENT. Our gross averages for all tee groups across all Divisions and courses was under 4:30, a 15 to 20 minute improvement as compared to 2016.

Although there were several complaints when we started, during the year we have received many positive comments about members appreciating the faster play. In discussions with courses for 2018 schedules, many acknowledged that they saw improvements.

The detailed data now shows that an overwhelming majority of our members can and do play at pace between 4 and 4:30. All ages and physical and golf abilities have been playing quickly. This reinforces that being ready to play and staying aware are far more important than skill, age or physical capabilities in pace of play.

 

2018 and Beyond

Focus on pace will continue.  We can still improve.  Every year new members will need to understand and practice.

Reverse Shotgun starts were clearly identified as a problem for pace.  No Reverse Shotgun starts are on the 2018 schedule (and probably not into the future).

Split Tee starts are the fastest.  We have more Split Tee starts for 2018.

Improved pace can also be a source of new membership as our reputation for fair, competitive, and speedy play grows.

We are not seniors who play golf.

We are good golfers who happen to be seniors. 

For 2017 details – see below.

Download (PDF, 145KB)

2017 Year End General Membership Meeting – Tuesday Nov 14

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Members are encouraged to attend the General Membership Meeting on Tuesday, November 14, 2017.  The meeting will start at 1:00 PM at the Kirkwood Community Center on Geyer Road.

Come to meet, thank and confirm your leadership (officers and committee members).  In addition:

  • Visit with Golf Buddies
  • Renew your membership (in person or use online registration)
  • Bring a new member for sign up
  • Find out about the 2018 Schedule
    • Weekly Tournaments
    • Special Events.
  • Rule Changes – All Flights can Chose Forward or Back Tees
  • Sign up for Starter / Scorers for 2018
  • Volunteer for Committee or possible Board / Officer Positions

 

2018 Membership Renewal Now Open

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Metro Senior Members,

It is time for you to began the your membership renewal process. You have until December 31, 2017 to renewal your membership and maintain your position in your current division, or transfer to a different division.

If you wait until after January 1, 2018, you will be grouped with new members on a first come first serve basis and when the 160 member limit is reached you will be frozen out of your desired division.

Division 5 was at 160 members last year, while Divisions 3 and 4 were almost at 160. To guarantee your position in Divisions 3, 4, or 5, then you should get your renewals in.

Please use the following link: On-Line Renewal Form

If you elect to mail in your renewal application (see attached file) the check should be made payable to – Metro Seniors.

The completed renewal form and check should be mailed to:

Dan Glenzy

14 London Ct.

O’Fallon, MO 63366

Thank you,

The Membership Committee

Metro Seniors Renewal Form

2017 Smartphone Survey Results

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Thank you for your responses.

The evolution of smartphones has generated the opportunity and need to make communications “mobile friendly”.  As an example, our Metro Sr website automatically resizes for the smaller smartphone screen.  We also need to look for improved ways to communicate Metro Seniors news and perhaps weekly VP tournament announcements (emails?).

Over the last several years, ideas for improving our weekly tournament scoring process have bubbled up. Ideas have outrun the technology.  Our current “paper based” Universal Scorecard process is:

  • Time consuming – members and data entry
  • Time delayed – mailing, bulk data entry
  • Relatively expensive – mailing, printing, data entry
  • Error prone – input and data entry
  • Affects every member

Technology now exists. Smartphones are now in wide use. Essentially hand held wireless computers connected to the internet and central servers/systems.

Applications (APPs) that use smartphones for “Mobile Data Entry” are widespread and some are virtually free.  These allow easy point – click data entry, automatic completion, error checking and math.  They also allow immediate data transfer for use in central databases (like OurGolfStats).

We are exploring the opportunity to utilize Mobile Data Entry as a replacement for our current paper scorecard system.  Within a few years, we expect that this will be the standard everywhere.

The decision for us is should we start now or wait.  The Smartphone Survey will help in deciding when we start.

Do we have a “critical mass” of smartphones?

Do members have enough experience to use website or Mobile Data Entry APPs?

Do members understand the issues, problems, delays, costs, and time for paper scorecards?

Can we develop Mobile Data Entry that is faster, cheaper, higher quality and that members will use?

Do we see more opportunities?

  • Fast, accurate, real time course surveys or course conditions reports
  • Improved pace of play measures, real time
  • Reduced efforts and time for volunteers (Starters / Scorers and administration)
  • ???? More Ideas?????

Download (PDF, 260KB)

 

 

 

 

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