Pace of Play Update – January 2017

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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

PGA Championship Coming in 2018

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We don’t have any official information yet.  So we can’t sign up anyone for a while.  This is to get you thinking for 2018.   Here is starting information link from PGA CLICK HERE.

The 2018 PGA Championship will be held at Bellerive.  Schedule is August 6 through August 12, 2018

Metro Seniors organized a group of volunteers for the 2013 Senior PGA Championship.  We essentially handled marshal duties for one hole.  It was fun and we got to ramble around Bellerive.

There is a cost to volunteer, and some training time required. Volunteers do get tickets for access to the course during most or all the event.  Volunteers also receive some clothing items (shirt, jacket, hat) that help offset some of the costs.  Volunteers also have separate parking and shuttles.

Board of Governors will discuss organizing a group for 2018.

Would you be interested?  Add your comments.

Links to Course Scorecards – 2017

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Following is a summary of links to course scorecards.  These are “informational” to help prepare for the season.  You can refresh your memory of the courses.

The document has hot links to take you directly to that page.  The scorecard page also has links for more information about each course.  If you are interested in other courses, you can search courses by state and city (click here).

These are from the OOBGOLF.COM site.  They feature a full scorecard with a plan of each hole.  These are also offered in a standardized view that is easy on the eyes.

Although they appear complete they are not “official” course scorecards.  A few of the forward tee colors, and some of the forward tee stats for Men are not included in these scorecards.  However, for MSLSGA “Regular (or Back”) tees, most of the yardages, ratings and slopes match or are a very close match for the MSLSGA official stats.

Many of our scheduled courses will have website, run and internet search on the course name and location.  An image of the course scorecard is sometimes available.  However, in several cases, the course websites show scorecards that are outdated or simply in error.  Example – Crystal Springs is showing a scorecard from a Houston TX course.

Metro St. Louis Seniors Golf Association statistics assembled by the Handicap Committee will be our official source for Tees and Colors, Yardages, Ratings, and Slope for scoring and handicap calculations.  These will be available on the website before the 2017 Season begin.

Download (PDF, 6KB)

 

Course Directions Updated for 2017 Season

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The course directions are not reset for the 2018 season for Weekly Tournaments and the Special Events Tournaments.

Something good to do on an cold winter day.  Look them over, print them out and stuff a copy into your golf bag.

Only 13 weeks before the season begins.

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Scorecards – Scoring Problems and Solutions?

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Just how important is our Universal Scorecard?  It is almost everything.

It is the only way that your score is recorded.  It is the basis for your handicap.  It is the proof that you actually won your flight (or not).

It is also the basis for measuring our Pace of Play, but more on that later.

So why is it that we have so many errors, omissions, and simply unreadable scorecards????

For 2016 (Division 1 Data)

  • 40% of our Members (50 members) had score errors on Scorecards
  • 12 Members had errors on multiple outings
  • 2 Members had errors on 4 separate outings
  • Only 1 play date was free of score errors – Far Oaks
  • Many of the scorecards were almost unreadable

Why is it IMPORTANT?

  • Your score, handicap, flight, flight prizes, and invitation to championship.
  • It takes extra time ($) for outside service to find, fix errors.

 

Why do we have the problems? It is really simple! We are sloppy!

  • Poor Handwriting – really hard to read
  • Bad Pencil – too light to read
  • Bad Math
    • Totals Incorrect
    • Could Not Read Hole Scores

How to Fix?

  • Get a GOOD Pencil or Pen – we have lots at the course
  • Get the best scribe in group to write
  • Have each in group add up scores, especially their own
  • Check scores and math on course card FIRST, then transpose to Universal Scorecard
  • Take a minute or so to make it Right First Time!

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)