Chute versus booking system

[3 jabber]

As you state, the pros of a booking system are clarity and flexibility.

What are the pros of chute system?

You can get a game anytime. I could turn up at my club now and get a game, many clubs with a booking system will be full all day.

 

[Deleted member 35927]

You can get a game anytime. I could turn up at my club now and get a game, many clubs with a booking system will be full all day.

That doesn't really make any sense. We are fully booked till 11 ISH today, plenty of spots after that. I've no desire to have to go the club and queue up for a tee time. Just open the app and book a slot.

 

[3 jabber]

That doesn't really make any sense. We are fully booked till 11 ISH today, plenty of spots after that. I've no desire to have to go the club and queue up for a tee time. Just open the app and book a slot.

What if you had to be home by 1pm. Means you wouldn't get a game today.

 

[Deleted member 35927]

What if you had to be home by 1pm. Means you wouldn't get a game today.

I wouldve booked already. Thats the point. If I have to be somewhere I can book accordingly ln good time knowing I'll be back when needed .
No one's heading out now for a round if they need to be back by 1 are they.

 

[3 jabber]

I wouldve booked already. Thats the point. If I have to be somewhere I can book accordingly ln good time knowing I'll be back when needed .

You're missing the point. Your plans change, suddenly you are free on a Saturday morning and decide you want to play golf.

Booking system = no golf

Ball chute = play golf

 

[chellie]

You're missing the point. Your plans change, suddenly you are free on a Saturday morning and decide you want to play golf.

Booking system = no golf

Ball chute = play golf

Ball chute- you could be in a queue for hours

 

[Deleted member 35927]

You're missing the point. Your plans change, suddenly you are free on a Saturday morning and decide you want to play golf.

Booking system = no golf

Ball chute = play golf

Just checked, slot at 10 04 i could jump on. Sadly I'm busy with home stuff.

 

[3 jabber]

Ball chute- you could be in a queue for hours

Yep but at least you get to play.
I've been at clubs with both systems, pros and cons to both. The longest I've had to wait is about 40 mins, usually less than 30. Just sit and have a coffee.

 

[Deleted member 35927]

Yep but at least you get to play.
I've been at clubs with both systems, pros and cons to both. The longest I've had to wait is about 40 mins, usually less than 30. Just sit and have a coffee.

I dont see any pros to a roll up system I'm afraid.

 

[clubchamp98]

Online bookings only.

I've been at a chute club previously, although they've since moved to advance booking as well, but I wouldn't go back to that system. I like the certainty of knowing what time I'm going out, not approximately when I'm going out.

@Orikoru I've seen genuine chutes at clubs, as well as simply turn up and just go. They do exist.

Ours is just turn up works very well.
Only bookings we have is for a comp.

We had a booking system after covid ,the sheet was full every day but people just never turned up.
The course was empty but the sheet was full.
We had a vote and it was abolished.

 

[pendodave]

I dont see any pros to a roll up system I'm afraid.

We have a roll up, except for comps. It works really well. It course is set up so that there are a number of different starting holes, so if the first is busy it's normally easy enough to wander onto one of the others.
I think people just get used to what they've got.

 

[3 jabber]

Ours is just turn up works very well.
Only bookings we have is for a comp.

We had a booking system after covid ,the sheet was full every day but people just never turned up.
The course was empty but the sheet was full.
We had a vote and it was abolished.

No issues at my previous club with turn up and play. People knew the busy times, when rollups went out, quiet times etc and everyone played at times accordingly.

 

[Deleted member 35927]

Ours is just turn up works very well.
Only bookings we have is for a comp.

We had a booking system after covid ,the sheet was full every day but people just never turned up.
The course was empty but the sheet was full.
We had a vote and it was abolished.

That's just poor management.

 

[D-S]

Pros and cons for both, today will be very busy as it’s Saturday and the booking system (10 minute te times off 1st) works well.
Tomorrow, it’s a 2 tee start no booking. If I want I could play on the 2 ball side of the course, only being amongst 2 balls, round won’t be longer than 3 -3.15 hours - not like that today it’ll be a 4-4.15 round guaranteed.
We play a roll up on Sundays with mates anywhere between 2 and 10 max will turn up. No need for prior organisation, people can decide or not to play anytime until we tee off. We’ve never waited more than 15 minutes. However we are not a busy course and this wouldn’t work as wellwith huge number of regular playing members.

 

[Backache]

We had a booking system after covid ,the sheet was full every day but people just never turned up.
The course was empty but the sheet was full.

Think this is one of the definite advantages of a roll up system people can't book and then not use a slot which can be irritating if you have wanted to play earlier for light or something book, later, go up and hear that the tee was empty for 40minutes.

 

[clubchamp98]

As you state, the pros of a booking system are clarity and flexibility.

What are the pros of chute system?

I would say like the old waiting room at the doctors you might have to wait but at least you got seen to.

Our booking system filled the sheet almost instantly.
But seven days later a lot of them just didn’t turn up
So looking at the sheet it was full but the course was empty.
There were lots of complaints so we had a vote roll up/ hybrid/ booking and just roll up won except for comps.

Suits our membership but clubs vary.

Tbh the comittiee should have sorted the no shows out but didn’t and took the easy option of a vote!

 

[clubchamp98]

That's just poor management.

Yes totally agree.

 

[stymied]

I've called about 12 different courses/clubs home and a couple more away clubs. Every club has been busy Saturday mornings and to a lesser extent Sunday. It'd be a real luxury to have a course with a small enough membership not to require weekend tee times but still able to pay the bills. I've never been at a club where tee times weren't accepted. All have now gone to online tee sheets. Similarly I've never been at a course that didn't maintain a waiting list and fill in singles, pairs or groups when openings on the tee sheet occur. Have been at clubs where groups could decline a single joining their time and I'm ok with that as policy.

Unfortunately I've been at a number of clubs where it's an absolute mad dash when the tee times open for booking Saturday and within 30 seconds the tee sheet is booked from opening to 10am. Individuals have started to pay to have a computer program book their times as soon as the tee sheets open. One club I've been a member at has 8am shotgun start for most Saturdays during June and July. Not the most enjoyable thing walking out to the 8th hole to start your round, and the rounds end up being on the slower side, but I'd take that to not playing.

Something I'd like to see enacted is a lottery system for weekend times say until 10am. Something where every group who wants to play on Saturday needs to submit their group by say 8am Friday. The club randomly draws group names filling in the tee sheet. If a group of 2 is drawn the next group of 2 is paired with them. Once the tee sheet is established groups can try and trade times to meet personal preferences. Maybe even do the lottery by hour slots so say you put your name in for an 8-9am time. If a group needs to cancel they can't enter the following week and the time is opened for first available book.

The other problem I've encountered on courses that are extremely busy on the weekend is groups booking for 4 and showing up with only 2 or 3. One club I was a member the same group would somehow manage one of the first tee times every week (multiple courses) and show up with 2-3 people. I would regularly show up as a single and play with them (club policy to fill times with 4 if a single was available). They were good enough people who really wanted to play quickly often finishing an hour or more in front of the second group. Another club similar thing where one guy would just go out in front of the first group on the weekday. He played in under 2 hours. I guess it kind of works out but do feel like in a club, individual desires of a few shouldn't be catered to, at the cost of everyone else.

One additional thing I very much appreciate is the ability to book a limited number of tee times well in advance of normal booking when bringing guests. It's tough to have a friend travel for a golf visit without the certainty that golf will be possible. Each club I'm a member at requires full payment at time of booking in these instances.

 

[Yorkhacker]

We can book 6 days in advance for casual play and 3 weeks for competitions.
It can be a bit of a bun fight for weekend times during the winter, but other than that I like it.

I usually know what I'm doing in 6 days time and I've got some idea what the weather's going to be like.

 

[Slab]

I remember a ball chute in the 80's and that's exactly where the memory should remain

Archaic way of getting a tee