10 minute gaps...

[Foxholer]

To keep a 10 min. gap right through the round depends
on everyone playing well.

If a player in the group in front loses a ball on his drive
that's 5mins.gone.If his partner then loses his ball on
his second shot that's 10 mins. gone.

Yes I know they should wave you through,
but that's another story

Actually the intention isn't to keep a 10 minute gap, but keep a gap sufficient that the round flows properly. So a minor hold-up (less than 3 mins) doesn't affect the group behind immediately.

7 min gaps absolutely depends on everyone playing well! Which is why it tends to lead to long rounds.

By having 10 min gaps, There's a buffer in (of 3 mins, the difference between 10 and 7). So the 10 pin lost ball really only affects the current group and the 2 behind it by 3 mins and the one behind that by 1. It's quite possible for the group who has lost a ball, or even 2, to make up the time by playing quickly for 2 or 3 holes. and the groups behind can easily do that too. With 7 min gaps, every group is right up the one in front's backside, so if there is any holdup, it immediately affects EVERY group behind.

So with 10 min tee times, occasional holdups can happen anywhere on the course and a couple of groups may be affected. With 7 minute times, any holdup anywhere in front immediately stops every group behind - that isn't making up ground from their own earlier hold-up.

 

[Slab]

You'd think there would be some kind of governing body for golf that could dictate a tee spacing formula (ideally they'd already be dictating a great many things including rules etc to clubs around the world such that providing a mandate for tee spacing wouldn't really add to workload and everyone could enjoy the benefits without money grabbing clubs forcing players to accept 6-7 minute spacings)

 

[Doon frae Troon]

That's impressive. I've just done the arithmetic with 200 players. 24 players per hour is 8 hours 10mins of solid 4-balls. So starting at 07:00 last group goes off at 15:10 and finishes at 19:10 - on each courses!

At it's peak [1990's] we were doing over 60,00 rounds a year on the 18 hole course and 45,000 a year on the 9.
Some days we were selling tickets midsummer from 06.30 to 20.00 without a vacant tee time.

I remember going to a conference during that time and some pompous Pro stood up and said his course was doing over 80,000 rounds a year.
I asked him to explain to the room how that was possible.
Eventually it came out that one day [midsummer probably] they did 300 green fees and he multiplied it by 365. Pratt.

 

[ventura]

We play 7/8 minute tee times for 3 ball competitions. I normally play around 9-10am and it can be slow with a full course, can often be waiting on the 1st waiting to drive off. Played today at 7.30 and it made a massive difference, didn't wait on one shot and never holding those behind us up.

Maybe an idea to spread out the tee times a little later in the day so could still get plenty on the course but try and improve the pace as a backlog starts.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

The early starters are crucial to the speed of the course on any day.
We had guys queuing up from 4 am to book a tee time for the following week just so they could get a quick early tee time.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

We are thinking of moving to ten min gaps for three balls as a test

Today was a midweek medal - there wasn't many early starters with a group at 7 , one at around 7:20 and one at 7:32

We went at 8:14 and went round the front 9 in 1:40 - nice rhythm and pace was good

Got to 12 and we caught up with a 3 ball which we assumed were the 7:32 group - they then proceeded to hold us up for the rest of the round with no sign of being let through ( or the groups queuing up behind us )

When we finished at 12:30 We then found out they were the 7:20 group and one of the players has already been warned about his slow play and he either plays at the back of the field or goes in a buggy ( he can not physically move any quicker in between shots because he is a very large man )

His actions again caused the whole field to slow up - and we have a comp meeting tomorrow now to discuss the ten min tee time and also now to discuss the slow play from this person.

Is there any other ideas clubs have tried or found success ?

 

[drdel]

Liverpoolphil - The slow guy has my sympathy and has a right to play his golf but his playing partners should realise the hassle it causes fellow players. They (his group) should allow other groups to play thro. and, if possible, the club/organisers should book them out as the last group off the first Tee.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Liverpoolphil - The slow guy has my sympathy and has a right to play his golf but his playing partners should realise the hassle it causes fellow players. They (his group) should allow other groups to play thro. and, if possible, the club/organisers should book them out as the last group off the first Tee.

Certainly has the right to play and his playing partners do understand and do try and get him to speed up

They have even booked him to play later but he changes it. When he gets to the ball he is quick playing his shot so if he went in a buggy it would be fine.

Think he will be told either buggy or last tee time

 

[Foxholer]

Liverpoolphil - The slow guy has my sympathy and has a right to play his golf but his playing partners should realise the hassle it causes fellow players. They (his group) should allow other groups to play thro. and, if possible, the club/organisers should book them out as the last group off the first Tee.

Or allow him (only) to use a Buggy/Ride-on. I've played with someone like that and the 3-wheel Ride-on was the perfect solution. It's the same Ride-on that he uses occasionally to get about off the course.

@Phil What are the current Tee time gaps? It's not clear from the times you stated in your post. As I've mentioned elsewhere, if you want quicker rounds, then extend the tee time gaps; if you want the max possible playing, then decrease them. But be aware of the effects on number of players and round times respectively.

Think he will be told either buggy or last tee time

I can understand why he changes it - because if he takes 5 hours to get around AND is in the last group.

A third alternative is to direct him to let other groups through - otherwise last group. And have a Marshall to police it.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Or allow him (only) to use a Buggy/Ride-on. I've played with someone like that and the 3-wheel Ride-on was the perfect solution. It's the same Ride-on that he uses occasionally to get about off the course.

@Phil What are the current Tee time gaps? It's not clear from the times you stated in your post. As I've mentioned elsewhere, if you want quicker rounds, then extend the tee time gaps; if you want the max possible playing, then decrease them. But be aware of the effects on number of players and round times respectively.

8 min gaps

We can certainly increase it to ten mins during the midweek one

I have also changed the medal to a stableford as a trial from May

The tee gaps wouldn't have changed much today as they had nearly 60 mins head start

 

[Foxholer]

I have also changed the medal to a stableford as a trial from May

From May? or For May.

Stableford doesn't really speed things up significantly imo, though it's normally a bit quicker and can relieve bottlenecks faster. Folk are still going to look for balls, which is the greatest (visible) cause of bottlenecks. It's the last putt that is normally the one that can be 'picked up' and it's not often that the entire group are in the 'pick up' mode on any hole.

But worth comparing a few to measure the effect of each change.

 

[3565]

A more positive thread to alleviate slow play and actual proof as well.......... How refreshing.