Dunmurry Golf Club - Tee time for life

[jimjoachim]

Hey,

Few questions about "tee times for life" on Saturdays and specifically if anyone is or was a member of Dunmurry Golf Club in Belfast..

I have recently moved house and looking at moving clubs. I have an application in to join Dunmurry. Its a lovely course, close to the house and everyone I have spoken to have been really nice.

The one thing that is putting me off is the tee time for life system on Saturdays. I have been told that those without a tee time float about into different spots until a tee time becomes available for them. And that there are always spots available.

How do people feel that works?

I'm coming from a club that was just open booking for Saturdays and although you had to be on the ball to get a time it worked well.

Thanks

J

 

[PCWOX]

Never heard of a "tee time for life" system. How does that work then?

 

[jimjoachim]

Never heard of a "tee time for life" system. How does that work then?

People have a teetime on a Saturday and its theirs forever. So the guy who I met with plays at 8am and always has.

As I would be new I wouldn't have a fixed teetime so would have to slot in where there are gaps.

 

[Coffey]

My club, Carnalea in Bangor is tee time for life as well. I joined with 2 of my friends and we were told after paying that it would be unlikely we could play together or would have to be in the afternoon which one of my mates couldn't do due to personal reasons. Although we were very lucky that a 4 ball switched from a 7 day to a 5 day membership and we got their spot.

I have to say that I dislike the tee time for life scenario, as new members have very little chance of getting a spot and most groups are always the same.

Although, now I have a tee time, I know exactly who is behind, infront, on what hole when I go round. People switch in and out all the time as well, this year we issued fines for players who did not remove themselves from the tee sheet if they could not play. As a result, loads of free slots opened up on a Friday and you could literally pick and choose where you wanted. Last year this was not the case and it was nearly impossible to get a slot.

People at Carnalea are very friendly and there are no issues filling into different slots each week, everyone is very welcoming.

I would say it is fustrating though, if you are a group as it is near impossible to get a slot together.

 

[shortgame]

Never come across it before

From the information available it doesn't sound the most flexibe or sociable system!
(Unless I'm missing something)

 

[jimjoachim]

My club, Carnalea in Bangor is tee time for life as well. I joined with 2 of my friends and we were told after paying that it would be unlikely we could play together or would have to be in the afternoon which one of my mates couldn't do due to personal reasons. Although we were very lucky that a 4 ball switched from a 7 day to a 5 day membership and we got their spot.

I have to say that I dislike the tee time for life scenario, as new members have very little chance of getting a spot and most groups are always the same.

Although, now I have a tee time, I know exactly who is behind, infront, on what hole when I go round. People switch in and out all the time as well, this year we issued fines for players who did not remove themselves from the tee sheet if they could not play. As a result, loads of free slots opened up on a Friday and you could literally pick and choose where you wanted. Last year this was not the case and it was nearly impossible to get a slot.

People at Carnalea are very friendly and there are no issues filling into different slots each week, everyone is very welcoming.

I would say it is fustrating though, if you are a group as it is near impossible to get a slot together.

Thanks, I would be joining Dunmurry by myself so initially floating into free spots might work quite well and give me the opportunity to get to know people.

I suppose long term I feel like the system limits people getting to know others.

Also wondering will there be much opportunity to find and join a group with people of similar sort of age.

 

[Deleted member 23270]

This sounds like one of the most ridiculous systems I have ever heard of. So everyone pays their subs and has equal standing as a member but some longer standing members are more equal than others? I wouldn't even consider joining a club like this, what happens if you have some other engagement on a Saturday, does this mean you can't play and miss your weekly game? And which numbskull thought up this nonsense?

 

[Coffey]

Thanks, I would be joining Dunmurry by myself so initially floating into free spots might work quite well and give me the opportunity to get to know people.

I suppose long term I feel like the system limits people getting to know others.

Also wondering will there be much opportunity to find and join a group with people of similar sort of age.

Yep it works quite well as a floating member, you can pick and choose your time when there is a spot. I assume it will be quite similar to Carnalea where members are made to remove their names when not playing- as it is a massive problem if they dont.

I know with our system, once a spot comes available, you can get put into the master time sheet and it is yours until you die (or leave).

I guess that is where you will need to speak to the pro or the timesheet owner to see where is best for you to slot in. He may give you an idea

 

[Coffey]

This sounds like one of the most ridiculous systems I have ever heard of. So everyone pays their subs and has equal standing as a member but some longer standing members are more equal than others? I wouldn't even consider joining a club like this, what happens if you have some other engagement on a Saturday, does this mean you can't play and miss your weekly game? And which numbskull thought up this nonsense?

Yep 100%! You can take your name out and move it into another slot, there is always slots available now as members are forced to remove their name if not playing.

It is much better than the old system, before I joined, it used to be ball in the shoot. So everyone would turn up, but their ball in the shoot and go out once their ball was drawn from the shoot. Members used to be there for 2/3 hours before they went out. Everyone turned up at the same time every week and always went out approx the same time. So it was decided that they would now use BRS to manage the timesheet, but use the same premise, so if you went out around 10am using the shoot, your group was put in at around 10am. It basically meant you did not need to be there to put your ball in the shoot and therefore save time. Older members hated this as they thought they would be going out later than normal as most of them had know idea how long they were actually hanging around for.

It has just never changed, so it has always been a running order and sort of still is. It really is off putting for new members and something I think they should change.

 

[jimjoachim]

Yep it works quite well as a floating member, you can pick and choose your time when there is a spot. I assume it will be quite similar to Carnalea where members are made to remove their names when not playing- as it is a massive problem if they dont.

I know with our system, once a spot comes available, you can get put into the master time sheet and it is yours until you die (or leave).

I guess that is where you will need to speak to the pro or the timesheet owner to see where is best for you to slot in. He may give you an idea

The membership convenor told me if people don't show up for a time twice they get a short suspension.

This system seems to be quite popular over here. I think Belvoir do the same.

My current club is just open booking a week before. Most people do usually revert to the same sort of time but you do get a bit of moaning when people diverge from it for the likes of captains day...

 

[Yant]

People have a teetime on a Saturday and its theirs forever. So the guy who I met with plays at 8am and always has.

As I would be new I wouldn't have a fixed teetime so would have to slot in where there are gaps.

what a terrible system! don't like the sound of that at all.

 

[PCWOX]

Agree - this sounds like a ridiculous system. Much prefer the online BRS system which my club has where you can book any slot up to 2 weeks in advance on any day of the week.

 

[jimjoachim]

Agree - this sounds like a ridiculous system. Much prefer the online BRS system which my club has where you can book any slot up to 2 weeks in advance on any day of the week.

The club operate on the BRS system but defaults to the fixed times with the other times free to book.

The idea of it worries me but its a few mins away from my new house compared to 30 mins+ to my current club

 

[jusme]

I actually like it and find it works well. I imagine it would be a major problem if there were very few slots for new members to fit into, but there are few places like this that I know of. I know dozens of clubs in Northern Ireland that work this system. I moved to a new club using it for the first time. I floated for a bit, then a time became vacant that suited my other commitments and now its mine every Saturday. Knowing the time helps me work round other things and helps my family plan ahead.

As long as there are slots available (given that many pull out the odd week it is rare to not have a choice of several at a time that is ideal) floating is easy and if you are happy to fit into a 4 ball it rarely takes too long to find a permanent one for you.

 

[guest100718]

Never heard of that before, although ive played a few places where the members certainly think they are garunteed a tee time...

BRS all the way for me.

 

[Simbo]

Do they pay extra for "their" tee time?
Our club operate a tee time for a season, it's an auction at the start of the year and you can bid and pay for say 8am and that's yours for the rest of the year. Only every second tee time is auctioned though. The rest are open for anybody to book.

 

[Coffey]

Do they pay extra for "their" tee time?
Our club operate a tee time for a season, it's an auction at the start of the year and you can bid and pay for say 8am and that's yours for the rest of the year. Only every second tee time is auctioned though. The rest are open for anybody to book.

Nope there is no fee or anything, I have absolutely no idea how everyone got their current time. For my group, it was plain luck that a group moved to a 5 day membership and we just slotted in.

I have heard of another club pulling names from a hat for the tee times, a friend of mine went from a 2.30pm tee time one year to a 6.45am tee time the next. I have to say I would find this much much worse, I am not sure how they work if you cannot make your time though, I guess you just end up floating as well.

Our tee time for life has worked well this year, but it is only because people have started to remove their names, its absolutely crazy how many more slots there are compared to last year. That is not to say it wouldnt work just as well with a free for all BRS system. But as everyone is really friendly and decent to play with, it works OK at my club. I've always felt welcomed when joining in with a random group.

 

[corrupthalo]

That put me off joining Dunmurryeven thou it’s a 3 wood away from my house. Balmoral do a draw every month and that’s your tee time for that month.
The club I am at now it’s fastest finger first although some tee slots are reserved in advance for the captain etc. That fairer and seems to work well.

 

[jimjoachim]

That put me off joining Dunmurryeven thou it’s a 3 wood away from my house. Balmoral do a draw every month and that’s your tee time for that month.
The club I am at now it’s fastest finger first although some tee slots are reserved in advance for the captain etc. That fairer and seems to work well.

What club is that?

 

[corrupthalo]

Edenmore out in magheralin. About 20 mins away