10 minute intervals

[GB72]

As much as that sounds ever so tempting......

I was asking as I've heard no further government statement on this matter

Yet I've been told today of a couple of local clubs changing from 2 to 3, and 2 to 4 balls very soon..... ?

Guessing nothing likely until 1st June. After only a week it is probably difficult to see any impact from the current relaxation of measures.

 

[moogie]

Guessing nothing likely until 1st June. After only a week it is probably difficult to see any impact from the current relaxation of measures.

So just another case of some clubs thinking they're bigger than England golf, and more importantly, the statement issued from the government...... ?

 

[PNWokingham]

I understand what you're saying in the context of BL yes, but thats not close to true of every other golf club. You dont seem to see it from any perspective other than that of your golf club.

BL may be able to implement appropriate rules but I can guarantee you plenty of golf clubs wouldnt. Take my last club, if you didnt have the 10 min and 2 ball guidance he would be at 7 min intervals for 4 ball and selling every spare tee time he could on golf now and similar sites, range would be fully open, the car park would be full, there would be bottle necks everywhere and SD would be impossible at times, one of the courses not far from there is already breaking some of the guidance (4 balls, shared buggies, SD not properly implememted etc).

BL may be in a position where it can run well with just the guidance of 2m SD, plenty of other courses would choose not to (partly from financial need, partly because they have their higher share of idiots) and at this point in the relaxation of lockdown those clubs need more rules to ensure the safety of those playing. Sadly for you that means your club get those rules too

Lets look at it the other way. Is golf and a few extra people getting a game really that important currently, moreso than ensuring SD gets followed? Is it really that important that golf should be able to make up its own rules whilst almost every other business is being dictated to what is and isnt allowed? What makes golf that special?

Of course the economy has to open up but there is far far bigger areas to fix first surely to start to get the economy restarted whilst not endangering a massive spike again in the number of cases and leading to an increase in deaths. Yes it should be easy on golf courses to SD but imho that doesnt mean it should havent some rules to follow like every other area of life will too

For the risk of sounding repetetive, i am advocating following social distancing but also that there should not need to be rules on tee-time spacing. Every club should implement policies to ensure it is followed - and if some people break those rules, they should be dealt with. Walking into town and through town is a lot more prone to breaching the 2 metre rule - it happens all the time - than on a golf course. I go for walks every day and will be a lot closer to people a lot more often through parks, in streets, bridelways, town centre etc etc than i would playing 4-ball golf with 7 minute intervals (and this is much worse in any supermarket). It is like Millionaires golf out there under these conditions and it does not have to be. On the rare occassion you match the group up in front on a tee, you just hang back 10 yards, which is normally what happens anyway in my experience outside ogf a congestion shotgun comp. We have the government rule on social distancing and that is all that is needed - all the extra rules on golf are superfluous if this rule is obeyed - and if people want to break rules they will in golf or any other area of life. And the science is posting to outdoor activity being very low risk compared to indoor anyway.

 

[Grant85]

I think 10 minutes for a 2 ball is very comfy. You are rarely going to hit much traffic.
Obvious that weaker players on a tough course might hold things up. And it might only take one or two groups and there might be several groups backing up.

Issue is that it's baby steps back to some kind of working normality. I'd guess by the time other measures are relaxed such as shops opening and barbers,, dentists, beauticians etc. things will move down the radar and clubs will get back to 3 and 4 balls at sensible tee times without having to wait for government guidance.

 

[GB72]

For the risk of sounding repetetive, i am advocating following social distancing but also that there should not need to be rules on tee-time spacing. Every club should implement policies to ensure it is followed - and if some people break those rules, they should be dealt with. Walking into town and through town is a lot more prone to breaching the 2 metre rule - it happens all the time - than on a golf course. I go for walks every day and will be a lot closer to people a lot more often through parks, in streets, bridelways, town centre etc etc than i would playing 4-ball golf with 7 minute intervals (and this is much worse in any supermarket). It is like Millionaires golf out there under these conditions and it does not have to be. On the rare occassion you match the group up in front on a tee, you just hang back 10 yards, which is normally what happens anyway in my experience outside ogf a congestion shotgun comp. We have the government rule on social distancing and that is all that is needed - all the extra rules on golf are superfluous if this rule is obeyed - and if people want to break rules they will in golf or any other area of life. And the science is posting to outdoor activity being very low risk compared to indoor anyway.

OK so you play a 4 ball with 7 minute intervals. First couple of groups have some wayward tee shots and you get a bit of a delay. Now you have 8 people waiting around the first tee. That happens again later in the day and now you have 12 or 16 people all waiting and this goes on. 2 balls at 10 minute intervals leaves plenty of space, plenty of margin for error if there are delays, should minimise the need to play through etc and the course should flow smoothly. Shorten the gap and increase the groups and you invite more issues.

You then have the issue of enforcement. Who checks and who enforces. The need for enforcement should be less in the current set up. Are clubs expected to have marshals on the course all day (I actually think they should but many clubs do not have marshals at all normally), are the HSE meant to hire and train (and bear in mind it is normally an 18 month course) additional inspectors to check on golf courses.

Then you have the issue of larger groups. Currently you can only meet with one person from one other household in any circumstance and so golf will remain as 2 balls until that changes. I certainly would be more than a little hacked off if golfers could meet in large groups but I could not meet up with 2 friends in an outdoor situation.

Golf is doing what it has to do, mirror what the rest of society is allowed to do in relation to meeting people and in other regulatory regards and so it should

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

OK so you play a 4 ball with 7 minute intervals. First couple of groups have some wayward tee shots and you get a bit of a delay. Now you have 8 people waiting around the first tee. That happens again later in the day and now you have 12 or 16 people all waiting and this goes on. 2 balls at 10 minute intervals leaves plenty of space, plenty of margin for error if there are delays, should minimise the need to play through etc and the course should flow smoothly. Shorten the gap and increase the groups and you invite more issues.

You then have the issue of enforcement. Who checks and who enforces. The need for enforcement should be less in the current set up. Are clubs expected to have marshals on the course all day (I actually think they should but many clubs do not have marshals at all normally), are the HSE meant to hire and train (and bear in mind it is normally an 18 month course) additional inspectors to check on golf courses.

Then you have the issue of larger groups. Currently you can only meet with one person from one other household in any circumstance and so golf will remain as 2 balls until that changes. I certainly would be more than a little hacked off if golfers could meet in large groups but I could not meet up with 2 friends in an outdoor situation.

Golf is doing what it has to do, mirror what the rest of society is allowed to do in relation to meeting people and in other regulatory regards and so it should

Playing 4balls in 7 minute intervals I think was just given as an example. When we get back to 4ball golf I would imagine 9/10 minute intervals would be a lot more sensible. If people cannot space themselves out and keep a reasonable distance from the group in front then they are probably too stupid to be playing golf in the first place.

 

[Deleted member 3432]

As much as I'm looking forward to my first game since February tomorrow and the expection of it being comfortable sub 3 hours, I can't wait for the joys of the 4 hour plus round to start again

 

[GB72]

Playing 4balls in 7 minute intervals I think was just given as an example. When we get back to 4ball golf I would imagine 9/10 minute intervals would be a lot more sensible. If people cannot space themselves out and keep a reasonable distance from the group in front then they are probably too stupid to be playing golf in the first place.

May just be at my club but during competition rounds (appreciate different to social golf) 8 minute tee times for 3 balls has people grouping up all over the course. I suspect that when the time comes we could be looking at up to 15 minute intervals for 4 balls.

 

[rulefan]

Anything more been said regards playing in bigger groups other than 2 balls??

Other than from same household

No change to their Play Safe notice.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

May just be at my club but during competition rounds (appreciate different to social golf) 8 minute tee times for 3 balls has people grouping up all over the course. I suspect that when the time comes we could be looking at up to 15 minute intervals for 4 balls.

We went to 10 minutes for comp 3 balls last year and there has been little or no congestion on the course. Currently running 8 mins for social 2 balls and it is like millionaires golf ATM.

 

[GB72]

One issue that i am not sure how they may address is having mixed group sizes, an early 4 ball with a load of smaller groups behind could cause a log jam. Maybe limiting the group size by time of day could be an option.

 

[rulefan]

We went to 10 minutes for comp 3 balls last year and there has been little or no congestion on the course. Currently running 8 mins for social 2 balls and it is like millionaires golf ATM.

The standard time for county and national level 3 balls is 10 min. No congestion. Multiple lost ball situations recovered within one or two holes. All done and dusted in just over 4 hours of high standard play and thinking.

 

[Deleted member 3432]

The standard time for county and national level 3 balls is 10 min. No congestion. Multiple lost ball situations recovered within one or two holes. All done and dusted in just over 4 hours of high standard play and thinking.

Whats the time for low standard play and dumb thinking for us mere mortals?

 

[rulefan]

Whats the time for low standard play and dumb thinking for us mere mortals?

Perhaps you will know better than I

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Perhaps you will know better than I

Unfortunately we play our comps in 4 balls and it takes forever. Missed fairway is usually a provisional and a lot of mid and high handicappers in the comps.

 

[patricks148]

i think we do 10 min anyway

 

[Swinglowandslow]

I read somewhere on this forum that HSE are , or are likely to, attend golf clubs to see that the "rules" " guidance" whatever agreed by the government and EGU are being adhered to.
And if they are not, then there could be sanctions against the club!

If that is so, then it's a no brainier for the club?

 

[PNWokingham]

OK so you play a 4 ball with 7 minute intervals. First couple of groups have some wayward tee shots and you get a bit of a delay. Now you have 8 people waiting around the first tee. That happens again later in the day and now you have 12 or 16 people all waiting and this goes on. 2 balls at 10 minute intervals leaves plenty of space, plenty of margin for error if there are delays, should minimise the need to play through etc and the course should flow smoothly. Shorten the gap and increase the groups and you invite more issues.

You then have the issue of enforcement. Who checks and who enforces. The need for enforcement should be less in the current set up. Are clubs expected to have marshals on the course all day (I actually think they should but many clubs do not have marshals at all normally), are the HSE meant to hire and train (and bear in mind it is normally an 18 month course) additional inspectors to check on golf courses.

Then you have the issue of larger groups. Currently you can only meet with one person from one other household in any circumstance and so golf will remain as 2 balls until that changes. I certainly would be more than a little hacked off if golfers could meet in large groups but I could not meet up with 2 friends in an outdoor situation.

Golf is doing what it has to do, mirror what the rest of society is allowed to do in relation to meeting people and in other regulatory regards and so it should

Any scenario can happen whatever the group (2 or 4) and whatever the intervals. Clubs need to adapt to what suits them and works

But at the moment it is 2 balls. If there is any sort of congestion - god forbid 3 or 4 2-balls waiting to tee off in a very confined space that is a golf course!! As in supermarket queing, one is on the tee, the other is 10 yards back on the X spot, the other a 10 yard gap on the second X spot. If you need a fourth.....although that would seem very unilkely given the sensible advice (or rule if it is that) of arriving no more than 20 minutes before play. You only need one club official outside near the first tee to ensure that this mass social gathering does not descend into an anarchy of touchy-feely bad behaviour. If aything bunches ion the course and groups are waiting to play their next shots, they are hundreds of metres from the group in front, so there is no issue of soial distancing. The only other advice that needs to be given for during play is that if play bunches after a hole on the tee, you leave a 10 yard gap from the group in front. That is a million times better than other normal activities we are doing eevery day such as walking, shopping, commuting on public transport.

I do not understand the feeling that golfers would not understand the social distancing requirement on a golf course any worse than in the myriad of other different public spaces that they encounter regularly and that do not have specific guidance from on top as to how one should walk past someone on the street, down a lane etc - or maybe we need the Ministry of Silly Walks to have a mass public campaign to educate us on this?

We know we cannot have 4-balls at the moment as that edict is from the government, but tee times should be down to the club to police depending on the set up, membership, public access etc etc

 

[rulefan]

I do not understand the feeling that golfers would not understand the social distancing requirement on a golf course any worse than in the myriad of other different public spaces that they encounter regularly and that do not have specific guidance from on top as to how one should walk past someone on the street, down a lane etc

We are playing in 2s, front nine or back nine, 10 min interval. The H'way house (not open) is between the 9th green and 10th tee. My wife just told me that when she finished the 9th, the four players from the two pairs ahead were sitting on the long bench seat outside the HwH with flasks of coffee and sandwiches. They are not related. But may have the same genetic disability.

 

[Old Skier]

Just spoken to our county Sec about changes in the current tee times after sending him an email this morning about clubs claiming that E.G. has sanctioned 8 min starts. No change from E.G., clubs haven't approached them and they stress that these were in the guidelines approved by the government and issued by them and shouldn't be ignored.