Pace of Play – How to Improve for Metro Seniors

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Pace of Play on the golf course is almost always a hot topic.  Everyone wants a speedy rounds.

And we can easily see the problem as “the other guys” in the group right in front of us.  Remember the group immediately behind you can only see you.  So maybe we are all part of the problem.

SLOW PLAY is the real sore point.  What causes SLOW PLAY?  There are many contributing factors.  Metro St. Louis Seniors Golf has to work with all the factors to give members the best possible experience.

  1. Course Conditions, Rules, and Equipment
    1. Course Design and Difficulty
    2. Course Maintenance
      1. Long Rough
      2. Leaves on Fairway and Rough
    3. Slow Carts or Bad Cart Paths
    4. Rain Delays or Wet Conditions – Path Only
  2. Tournament Conditions and Rules
    1. Individual or Team Competition (Scrambles)
    2. Tees Selected by Metro Sr and by Individuals
    3. Shotgun or Tee Order Starts
    4. Out of Bounds and Lost Ball Rules
    5. Number of Golfers
  3. Player Ability
    1. Short Hitters = More Strokes, More Time
    2. High Handicaps = Higher potential for lost balls, searches, penalties
  4. Player Behavior
    1. On Course Time Management
    2. Ready Golf
    3. Time Wasters
    4. Player Etiquette

What does Metro Seniors do to improve tournament pace of play?

  • Select Courses With
    • Design, Distance, Difficulty that mesh with Members’ Capability
    • Reasonable and Consistent Maintenance
    • Good Management
  • Set Rules that help maintain Speedy Play while offering Fair Member Competition
    • Tees Selection (Distance, Rating, Slope)
    • Division Number and Size – Smaller number of golfers for each tournament
    • Tournament Rules for Lost or OB Balls or special situations
    • Start Type – Shotgun or Split Tee Starts (#1 and #10)
    • Monitor Tee Group Times and Separation Gaps on Scorecards
  • Set and Communicate Metro Seniors Pace of Play Targets and Standards
    • Weekly Tournament and Special Events Targets
    • Course Pace of Play Targets
    • Measure and Communicate Member, Division
  • Encourage Pace of Play Improvements 
    • Record Scores, Calculate Handicaps, Flights
    • Encourage Short Hitters and High Handicaps to “Move Up”
    • Educate and Promote READY GOLF
    • Recognize “Model” Players and Groups
    • Mentor New Members and SLOW MEMBERS
  • Enforce Pace of Play Rules and On Course Corrections 
    • Slow Group Notification, Penalties on Course
    • Slow Group Weekly Warnings
    • Apply Board Sanctions
  • Monitor Tournament Play for the Season
    • Member Survey for Good/Bad Courses
    • Member Attendance, Times, Scores
    • Course Feedback

Member Ability/Behavior is the “last” and probably the most visible element of Pace of Play.  It is very important.  We are all involved.  AND we can all contribute by helping, encouraging, and modeling good behaviors for slower players.  With everyone’s cooperation we will improve everywhere.

Metro Seniors will act fairly and consistently to enforce our rules for Slow Play when significant and consistent problems are identified.

 

 

Pace of Play Update Dec 2017

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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)

What Tee To Play From??????

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To play “Forward”, or not to play “Forward”, that is the question: Whether ’tis Nobler in the mind to suffer. The Slings and Arrows of outrageous Fortune of lost balls, OB, and more strokes for the Back Tees, Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles, while playing Forward for fewer strokes, more fun, and shorter rounds.

Forward Tees or Back Tees really is The Question that Metro Senior Golfers must resolve. We have now opened up tee selection for all Flights A- D.

We are seniors and don’t get the distance (or accuracy) that we remember? So playing Forward is a real strategy to play better golf, focusing more time and energy on what we still can do well.

Why Play Forward?

More Fun

  • Do you really LIKE looking for balls?

  • Shorter Approach Shots

  • More action where the putts and short money shots reside

Better Scoring

  • Reducing the Yardage by 500 to 600 Yards can easily reduce 2 to 4 strokes from your game.

Faster Play

  • Fewer strokes, less time and delays

  • Fewer lost and OB balls, and less searching

  • Yes, we do enjoy our time on the course, but not waiting for you or anyone else?

Want to find out what tees you should be using?

  • How does your AVERAGE driver yardage guide tee selection?
  • How does handicap guide Tee Selection?
  • How does your average 5 Iron yardage help you pick tees?
  • Tee selection based on how you play Par 3 and 4 holes?

Want to find how many played from forward tees by flight?

  • Or why your buddies are beating you (could it be that they are playing forward?)?
  • How many strokes are lost by playing Back?
  • Maybe you could break 100 by playing Forward?

Read the following for this and perhaps more.

Download (PDF, 85KB)

 

 

 

More Pace of Play Information Available

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More information and resources have been added to the website on Pace of Play.

Understanding Pace of Play is the first step in making improvements.  Although issues like Course Design and Maintenance are not in our control, each of  us can make changes that can lead to faster play for us, our group and for everyone on the course.

Unfortunately, one individual or foursome can slow everyone down.  So, we need everyone to think how we each can improve.  Then we can help others.

CLICK HERE for the resources and references.

Want to Play Rounds in Less than 4 Hours?

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Here are some resources that will help you speed up your golf.  All are easy, and common sense (that is never really so common). Pace of Play is a continuous improvement program.  Everyone can get better. Practice make perfect.

CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW TO PLAY IN 4

As much as 75% of time on the golf course is not golf at all, it is moving to the shot!  If you reduce the “moving” time you will play faster.

Think about you game and how you can improve!  Think about your groups’ game and how you can help them improve!  Recommend these to a “slower” friend and show them how it is done.

If we all individually strive to improve our own game, we will improve AND we will help others improve,

Here are more ideas on Pace of Play.  Read them. Print them out. Share them with your foursome or perhaps other slow players.  It will help them focus on the major time wasters. They can’t get better if they don’t know how!

Download (PDF, 88KB)

Download (DOC, 479KB)

Pace of Play Committee – Volunteer Now!

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The Board has charged a new Pace of Play Committee to define how we can improve member experience.

I am looking for volunteers to work on the committee over the next several weeks.  We want to have improvements approved by the Board and ready to start for the new 2017 season.  We will introduce these at the March General Meeting.

Contact me ASAP to join us.  Dave Wicks, dlwicks@sbcglobal.net, 314-616-5813

Download (PDF, 88KB)

 

Every course we play expects a typical round of about 4 1/4 hours.  In reality, rounds of less than 4 hours are really possible.  With exceptions of rain delays and Path Only, most tee groups finish in 4  1/2 hours or less.

The experience of a 5 or 6 hour round of golf is frustrating for everyone.  Our game goes cold while waiting.  Tempers flare.  The course loses revenue – an extra hour could reduce revenue by 4 to 5 foursomes – $700. Lunches are missed.  and more.

Improving Pace of Play will require ALL members cooperation.  One player, or one foursome can delay everyone.  One slow group can cause other groups to fall behind even further.

Getting better requires everyone:

  1. Education for existing and new members
    1. Ready Golf
    2. Tournament Rules that speed play
  2. Cooperation from ALL members
    1. Play quickly
    2. Encourage others to improve
    3. Enforce rules
  3. Develop better Education, Rules, Monitoring, and Enforcement

 

Membership General Meeting Reminder – Tues, Nov 15, 2016 1 PM

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Members are encouraged to attend the General Membership Meeting this Tuesday, November 15, 2016.  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 2017 Schedule
    • Weekly Tournaments
    • Special Events.
  • Rule Changes – All Flights can Chose Forward or Back Tees
  • Sign up for Starter / Scorers for 2017
  • Volunteer for Committee or possible Board / Officer Positions