Chute versus booking system

[3 jabber]

Ball chutes can work very well if used correctly. Better for rollups as you can get your groups all together. At my current club I've seen rollups with 3 or 4 times spread across long time periods because those booking aren't quick enough when the tee sheet opens. It's been a big factor in killing off our rollups unfortunately.

 

[stymied]

The other things that happened when we had a ball chute was the hassle with Saturday mornings. We had players turn up at 5 am to put their ball in the chute. Some turned up very early put their ball in the chute worked out roughly what time they would get to play and go home again and come back closer to the time they would get to play.

One person would get there early and put 4 or 5 balls in the chute for their swindle and the actual players would not turn up until it was roughly their turn to play.

Even the old course has moved away from the show up and get in line model. I have to admit for the old course I appreciated that I could get up at 2am and get a round. Now every tourist who's heard of golf can enter without any sort of skin in the game.

 

[clubchamp98]

Someone nicking your ProV1x when you’re not looking?

Experienced chute players had an orange mollitor with initials on.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I don't really understand why some get so deep on this.
If a private members club chooses to have booking, that's their choice. If a private members club chooses to have no tee booking and open roll up that their choice.
If you like tee times, then you join a club that has them.
If you like an open tee then you join a club that has it.

 

[fenwayrich]

We've been booking only since Covid. Preferred the old way, but it is what it is. I still pop on the 5th, 7th or 10th for a few if there's nobody on the previous hole.

 

[The Squirrel]

Ring ring....'Hello golf club'

'Hi, can you look out the window please and tell me if the 1st tee is busy?'

10 seconds job done

And if it’s busy you ring back again and again every 30 minutes throughout the day until it’s not? Presumably meaning you’ve set the whole day aside for just the chance of golf if that’s your approach (back to no value on own time). All to gather information that a booking app would have told you days in advance (lets you plan), in seconds. It’s A solution, just clearly not the most sensible one in 2025 . Even then you still might then set off to the club and end up behind a big group that turned up just before you.

Like I said, it’s for the time rich who are happy to burn lots of their own time in exchange for flexibility. Fair enough I suppose. Not surprised that many clubs don’t change on a vote, mind; golf and golf clubs have a long (and pretty inglorious) history of being resistant and slow to obvious change. Who’s going to turn up to those AGM and committee meetings disproportionately? The time rich of course .

 

[hambugerpete]

I don't really understand why some get so deep on this.
If a private members club chooses to have booking, that's their choice. If a private members club chooses to have no tee booking and open roll up that their choice.
If you like tee times, then you join a club that has them.
If you like an open tee then you join a club that has it.

Heaven forbid we talk about golf stuff on a golf forum

 

[clubchamp98]

WE use IG

When you have booked you also have to sign to say you are there and playing on the day.
The office monitor it and send out 'ticking off' letters/ emails to those that abuse the system.

We use IG.
But the ones not turning up were not ticked off.
Many a time I just went for a practice because there were no tee times but when I arrived there was nobody there.

That’s why the members voted to get rid of booking.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Experienced chute players had an orange mollitor with initials on.

That does not stop Mr Bean lifting it out and throwing it in the bushes.

 

[clubchamp98]

That does not stop Mr Bean lifting it out and throwing it in the bushes.

No but it’s easier to find !

 

[Crow]

If you're fortunate and belong to a club with a small membership then a chute can work, most golf clubs have too many members for it to work satisfactorily.

 

[sunshine]

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’s not really comparing apples with apples.

If you can turn up any time and get a game, then it’s not a busy course. A comparable course with a booking system would have enough gaps in the tee sheet to get you out.

I’m a fan of the booking system because I’m time poor. But I can understand why it’s not needed at some clubs.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

We use IG.
But the ones not turning up were not ticked off.
Many a time I just went for a practice because there were no tee times but when I arrived there was nobody there.

That’s why the members voted to get rid of booking.

What should have happened is those who booked and were no shows should be given a warning as it’s stopping other players from playing.

If a repeat without good cause, then take away their booking rights for a month

Bad form Sir

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Must admit to not being a fan of sitting on my iPad last night waiting for the clock to tick over to 7:10pm so that I can book a tee time for the Sat 22nd March Medal. I got a time..I am fortunate.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

I fail to see how that compares to an 18 hole with 2 start holes

It would mean only be 22.5 golfers queuing on each of the tees then.

 

[3 jabber]

That’s not really comparing apples with apples.

If you can turn up any time and get a game, then it’s not a busy course. A comparable course with a booking system would have enough gaps in the tee sheet to get you out.

I’m a fan of the booking system because I’m time poor. But I can understand why it’s not needed at some clubs.

It is apples for apples. Two rammed courses, one you book in advance the other you turn up and queue.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

It is apples for apples. Two rammed courses, one you book in advance the other you turn up and queue.

Yes but on the booking course, you know that the course is running to capacity , it is not running to way over capacity, it is impossible to have more people on the course than the course can deal with.

Problems only occur when the course capacity is exceeded

 

[sunshine]

It is apples for apples. Two rammed courses, one you book in advance the other you turn up and queue.

Turn up and queue for an hour+? What if you need to be somewhere else later in the day?

 

[D-S]

Turn up and queue for an hour+? What if you need to be somewhere else later in the day?

If that was the case then the club would institute online booking as no one would stand for it. Clubs with no tee times do not have this problem.

 

[Slab]

Just googled to see an image of the long forgotten ball chute and one of the results was a club that appear to still use that system, here's their comprehensive chute procedure which i found a good read

Ball Chute Procedure

The 1st and the 11th tees are the only tees that can be used to start from.
All players must be ready to play and at the ball chute when ball is placed in chute,
Players are not obliged to stay around the chute. They may avail themselves of any facility at the club. However, if all the players are not there when their ball is next in line in the chute, the ball will be placed at the back of the ball queue by the marshal. If not being marshalled the ball may be moved to the back of the queue by players who already have a ball in the chute.
No other interference of balls in the chute will be permitted except with the approval of groups who already have balls in the chute.
If a player wishes to join a group who already have a ball in the chute, that player should show courtesy to the groups behind that ball by seeking their approval to join the group in question. Such approval is not required from players not at the chute at that time.
4-balls are to be encouraged wherever possible; particularly at weekends.
Any member refusing to take guidance and instruction from the marshal will be reported to the Captain’s Committee and appropriate action will be taken.
Weekend rules also apply on all Bank Holidays.
Games may start only after 09:00 from the 11th hole.
If a game is on or playing to the 10th green, that game has priority. Thereafter games must alternate.
If any published booking from the 1st, is on or playing to the 10th green, that competition/group/match has priority.
On reaching the 1st tee, players must place their ball at the back of the ball chute and wait for their turn, providing there is no official closure in operation.
No members or visitors are allowed to join other groups who have already started.

And while not switched on atm they even have a webcam pointed at the chute so you can see how many balls are in it! I guess logging on to see the webcam stream is less hassle than logging on to see a booking sheet

I suppose if that's what the club/members want then its all cool but not a system I could use