Booking system v no booking system

[SammmeBee]

If say 32 are signed up for our sat rollup by cop tues then we have 8 tee times - we are limited to 10. All 32 turn up for 10:15 and a random draw is made for groups of four and order of teeing off from 10:30. In our fours we chuck balls up for pairs to play a 4BBB match. In truth it’s a rollup in name only as we must know how many are playing in advance so the club can release tee times not required, but all other aspects are as pre-booking system.

Turn up at 1015 to maybe play at 1200…sod that!

 

[Boomy]

I will absolutely try and help the club and do my best to help it but I'm not keen on bureaucracy. I'm certainly keen to avoid indoor spaces.
The club has existed for years without a booking system, I comply. I really don't think checking in helps anyone.

It would appear from your responses that because you personally don’t see any benefit of checking in then you aren’t bothered about doing it - but then you try to use covid as the reason why not ? Obviously having a nice lunch does benefit you… (and yes food is essential for life, but if indoor spaces are such a concern surely one would eat at home)

 

[Backache]

It would appear from your responses that because you personally don’t see any benefit of checking in then you aren’t bothered about doing it - but then you try to use covid as the reason why not ? Obviously having a nice lunch does benefit you… (and yes food is essential for life, but if indoor spaces are such a concern surely one would eat at home)

Maybe, bit I still fail to see why I should take on the extra risk.

 

[Orikoru]

This is the best argument I've seen about not having bookings. I can see the benefits of increased social interaction it can bring about by only having roll ups. I can also see how it could help to integrate new members better - and I say this as someone who is a new member of a club who doesn't have a ball chute system.

However, my instinct is that many/most/all of those who turn up will be doing so with regular playing partners anyway and will still end up playing together. Whereas those who would split up to welcome a new member would be so welcoming on and around the course that they'll help the new member to integrate anyway. So for me, the benefits of a booking system outweigh the drawbacks. Good to hear a genuine counter argument though. ?

When we had a booking system we played with more other members than we do now. Because if we booked a 2 or 3 ball on the system, other members would be able to add their name to our group. This happened a few times and we enjoyed it. Now we just turn up as a 2 or 3 ball and nobody knows we're coming obviously so nobody knows to come and join, so we play in our group.

 

[clubchamp98]

I can see good and bad in both systems .
Maybe a hybrid is needed.
Tee times in very busy times ,the rest not!

 

[sunshine]

Not really no, because you don't ever have 50 people turn up for a 9am start Saturday or Sunday. The tee opens for play at currently 7am (or when it's daylight), so it allows people plenty of options for when they want to play.
Yes we socialise post round with a drink and sometimes food, but pre round socialising can be more personal and private and also be more general as well.
In case you hadn't grasped it, the socialising aspect is very important to me. All my working life I have worked alone (apart form being in someones house), and therefore you put greater value on social interaction when with like minded friends because that is the only time you can natter and have a joke in a group.

This is a good answer

 

[Imurg]

The "rock up and play" system starts to break down when you have quite a large membership coupled with a large %age of that membership wanting to play more often than the system can cope with.
I think it was January 3rd, the Bank Holkday for New Year's day.
We got to the club for 1st light ( about 8) and there were already groups queuing
We got in line and started about 8.30 or so..by then there were 10 or more groups on the 1st and the 10th....
By the time we got to the 10th it was mayhem. We have a system whereby those waiting to tee off the 10th as their 1st hole have to give way to a group coming off the 9th, they then take position behind that group - a kind of merge in turn.
We could see the 10th tee from the 16th green..bearing in mind it was quite slow anyway and we'd been out there over 3 1/2 hours..there were still 20 or so people at the tee.
By the time we finished and went into the bar it was pushing 1pm...there were still queues with about 2 hours light left.
Probably a one-off but there were too many people there for the system to manage.
Tee booking would have solved it and made the day more enjoyable for those who got times, less so for those who didn't.
It can happen...

 

[Blue in Munich]

That’s the biggest problem at ours.
People book and just don’t turn up.
Sheet is full but course is empty.
Our members have voted to end the booking system and this was given as the main reason.

Poor management then. Hope it doesn't affect you getting out to play.

Sorry, that's not poor management; it's a basic lack of common courtesy for your fellow members. How much effort does it take to cancel a tee time?

 

[IanM]

Sorry, that's not poor management; it's a basic lack of common courtesy for your fellow members. How much effort does it take to cancel a tee time?

Very little, but it happens

 

[chellie]

Sorry, that's not poor management; it's a basic lack of common courtesy for your fellow members. How much effort does it take to cancel a tee time?

You missed out my relevant post.

If members are not cancelling bookings:

The club should have stopped them being allowed to use it then.

That's poor management.

 

[Jimaroid]

That's poor management.

It’s not an either or, it’s both.

People should cancel bookings if they can’t attend. And no-shows should be sanctioned under booking rules to encourage better behaviour.

Like many rules, if they’re not enforced and penal they are worthless.

 

[Blue in Munich]

You missed out my relevant post.

If members are not cancelling bookings:



That's poor management.

Did I; or do I consider that the issue with members not cancelling bookings that they won't use lies primarily with the members & not management?

 

[clubchamp98]

Did I; or do I consider that the issue with members not cancelling bookings that they won't use lies primarily with the members & not management?

Yes your right it is the members fault.
But Saying that it’s up to the club to do something about abuse of the booking system.
That will stop others doing it,
Nobody else can sanction the ones abusing it.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

The "rock up and play" system starts to break down when you have quite a large membership coupled with a large %age of that membership wanting to play more often than the system can cope with.
I think it was January 3rd, the Bank Holkday for New Year's day.
We got to the club for 1st light ( about 8) and there were already groups queuing
We got in line and started about 8.30 or so..by then there were 10 or more groups on the 1st and the 10th....
By the time we got to the 10th it was mayhem. We have a system whereby those waiting to tee off the 10th as their 1st hole have to give way to a group coming off the 9th, they then take position behind that group - a kind of merge in turn.
We could see the 10th tee from the 16th green..bearing in mind it was quite slow anyway and we'd been out there over 3 1/2 hours..there were still 20 or so people at the tee.
By the time we finished and went into the bar it was pushing 1pm...there were still queues with about 2 hours light left.
Probably a one-off but there were too many people there for the system to manage.
Tee booking would have solved it and made the day more enjoyable for those who got times, less so for those who didn't.
It can happen...

I think thats more of a problem with winter golf and the reduced daylight hours available for play. I concede that time of year is the only time I can see tee times being acceptable (for me anyway)

 

[Backsticks]

Surely there is no case to be made for no booking system ? Clubs can get by without it, is about as good as it gets. Generally I guess if they have lowish membership and there is not a demand to fill the course. But it has no advantage as such. It is just barely tolerable disorder.

 

[Deleted member 23270]

Surely there is no case to be made for no booking system ? Clubs can get by without it, is about as good as it gets. Generally I guess if they have lowish membership and there is not a demand to fill the course. But it has no advantage as such. It is just barely tolerable disorder.

That's your opinion but others think differently.

 

[Imurg]

I think thats more of a problem with winter golf and the reduced daylight hours available for play. I concede that time of year is the only time I can see tee times being acceptable (for me anyway)

We'll find out this year...I haven't played a normal summer Bank Holiday there yet..

 

[jim8flog]

I will absolutely try and help the club and do my best to help it but I'm not keen on bureaucracy. I'm certainly keen to avoid indoor spaces.
The club has existed for years without a booking system, I comply. I really don't think checking in helps anyone.

Our club existed for years without there being a booking system. When I joined there were less than 400 members and now we have over 800 members, sometimes things change out of necessity.

 

[DanFST]

Is there any other similar thing where a non booking system is better? Or even debated?

Would love to turn up to the doctors, put my ball in the chute. Maybe a nice restaurant.

 

[clubchamp98]

Is there any other similar thing where a non booking system is better? Or even debated?

Would love to turn up to the doctors, put my ball in the chute. Maybe a nice restaurant.

My first doctors was like that.
You turned up and got in the line to see him.
At least you knew you would eventually see the dr.
But no appointment no doctor so I would say it’s not always better.
That’s why A&E is always bursting at the seams.