Half-Way Hut

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

My place had a nice new timber building/shack erected a couple of years back - new toilets and set up with a mind to at some point in time opening up a halfway hut.

And so a month ago we had a members vote on it, and Yes or Ambivalent polled 76%. And so we are going ahead with one for a trial period of six months from as soon as we can get things set up.

We have never had a halfway hut and so in the club and the membership there is no culture of stopping to use one (obviously) - and those who voted agin it largely did so on 'delaying play' and 'longer rounds' grounds. Indeed I and many others who voted For have similar concerns.

And so - any suggestions on how we might make it attractive to use - or if there are any rules about time spent at it; protocol for letting other groups not wanting to stop play through etc.

We use it or we lose it after the pilot period this year.

btw - one reason I voted (marginally) Yes was that I think it adds to the visitor experience - located as it is in a lovely place in the heathland part of the course surrounded by heather ad mature pine trees - and with lovely views and panoramas. I'm not that bothered about it for myself.

 

[londonlewis]

I hardly ever visit the half way hut, predominantly because I eat a massive breakfast before I go to golf so it would be rare for me to be hungry. I also tend to take a 1.5 litre bottle of water with me.
Occasionally I buy a chocolate bar in the club house before going out, in case I do get hungry.

However, on the occasions I have visited a halfway house I have thought the best selection of things available would be a decent bacon / sausage sarnie, sausage rolls, home made flapjacks / short breads, a good cup of coffee / tea, and the usual chocolate bars / soft drinks.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I hardly ever visit the half way hut, predominantly because I eat a massive breakfast before I go to golf so it would be rare for me to be hungry. I also tend to take a 1.5 litre bottle of water with me.
Occasionally I buy a chocolate bar in the club house before going out, in case I do get hungry.

However, on the occasions I have visited a halfway house I have thought the best selection of things available would be a decent bacon / sausage sarnie, sausage rolls, home made flapjacks / short breads, a good cup of coffee / tea, and the usual chocolate bars / soft drinks.

Thanks @LL - and if your group want to stop - do you lobby against them doing so or chivvy them to get going again

But obs my clubs membership do as you do - as we currently don't have the option. If we all pretty much keep doing as we do, then the hut won't last beyond the pilot.

 

[Mark_Aged_42]

I hardly ever visit the half way hut, predominantly because I eat a massive breakfast before I go to golf so it would be rare for me to be hungry. I also tend to take a 1.5 litre bottle of water with me.
Occasionally I buy a chocolate bar in the club house before going out, in case I do get hungry.

However, on the occasions I have visited a halfway house I have thought the best selection of things available would be a decent bacon / sausage sarnie, sausage rolls, home made flapjacks / short breads, a good cup of coffee / tea, and the usual chocolate bars / soft drinks.

Plus a 20 year malt for those whose round is not going so well...

 

[patricks148]

We have one in the old Bothy by the 10th Tee.

TBH very few of the members use it, non of my group do , esp as when we play its not open most of the time. It has no power for cooking so they are only selling tea/ Coffee, pre made sandwiches and Choc bars.

Target are the visitors that play later in the day.

 

[londonlewis]

Thanks @LL - and if your group want to stop - do you lobby against them doing so or chivvy them to get going again

But obs my clubs membership do as you do - as we currently don't have the option. If we all pretty much keep doing as we do, then the hut won't last beyond the pilot.

I've never had reason to lobby against it, so always welcome them making a pit stop.

The Addington has a decent halfway house (when it's open). Played there a few summers ago on a lovely sunny afternoon. I think we ended up letting 2 groups play through because my group wanted a sandwich and a hot drink. No problems on my side with that. Golf is supposed to be fun!

 

[Roops]

Our half way hut was run by the club for a while, it was never great, but on the occasions when it was manned a bacon roll was a welcome bit of sustenance on a winters morning. However, most members saw it as a missed opportunity by the club and so the decision was made to outsource it's running to a 3rd party.

Since this has happened, it's a lovely place to stop, clean and lots of stuff on offer. You can txt/phone orders through from the previous hole so if you are looking to keep moving it only needs a quick diversion to pick up your snack and move to the next tee.

We will often stop and have a chat with the lady who runs it while collecting a coffee and snack, and if we are being pressed let the next group go through if they are not stopping. It doesn't seem to be an issue with delays and has added a nice social feature to our course.

Hope yours goes well, good ones are very nice to have.

 

[Doh]

We have ours open for winter league Sunday's and other occasions throughout the year. Its positioned so when you come off the eighth you can place your order then play the ninth so when you come back your order is ready. I have always found that it appears to spread the field better so no waiting on the back nine.
Problem is everyone has to stop otherwise you will have issues.

 

[Slab]

Despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of golf here is played by visitors/tourists rather than members, few have a half-way-house, preferring to do the food/drinks cart option instead

Anyway if it’s just a trial period wouldn’t it be more cost effective just to get the food/drinks cart version of a golf buggy rather than set up a structure (if trial fails sell the thing)

Sorry I know its not an answer to your original question

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I love a half way hut but don't have one on my course. My observations from visiting courses that have them would be to back up the comments made above by those who have them on the food and drink observations. Keep it simple. Ideally, place your order on the 8th so that it is ready as you arrive from the 9th green. That prevents major hold ups. Some courses pass the hut, back and forth, on the 8th / 9th so that is simple. Close House didn't have that course design so bought an old fashioned phone box, placed it behind the 8th green, and you ring your order through from there. Nice move.

Some places have a 10 minute automatic stop but I prefer the voluntary approach. If you stop then you simply slot back in when you are ready. If you don't stop then you have to accept that you may be letting in a group and you will have to wait.

I hope it goes well for your club, as I say, I like a half way hut so the more that are out there, the merrier.

Incidentally, will it just be operating at weekends or will it be open 7 days a week?

 

[Captainron]

As mentioned on several previous threads, I am a massive fan of a halfway hut. Standard practice in South Africa and time is built into the round and monitored by the staff present in the hut. Time in SA is set at around 20 minutes because we normally sit down to eat something and have a few cold drinks/beers before heading onto the back nine.

I appreciate that loads of folk feel differently about this. All I would advocate is that if it is open then time should be allocated and enforced so that there isn't any concertina effect on the playing field. So those who want to skip the break and just go cannot jump ahead. It will take some getting used to.

 

[Sports_Fanatic]

No halfway house where I've been a member but like them on a course. Works well if you tee off between 11-1 where lunch may not practical.

I've always fitted it round flow of play, so course moving then quick stop and take sausage roll with me. Slower play then a bit more time and then just catch up group in front, whereas empty course probably chill there for 15mins.

If group are behind then they can go through or wait if using, with the onus on that group to catch the one in front. No need to sprint, just an awareness to maybe chat slightly less and focus on playing with a faster tempo between shots.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

As mentioned on several previous threads, I am a massive fan of a halfway hut. Standard practice in South Africa and time is built into the round and monitored by the staff present in the hut. Time in SA is set at around 20 minutes because we normally sit down to eat something and have a few cold drinks/beers before heading onto the back nine.

I appreciate that loads of folk feel differently about this. All I would advocate is that if it is open then time should be allocated and enforced so that there isn't any concertina effect on the playing field. So those who want to skip the break and just go cannot jump ahead. It will take some getting used to.

I've played a few times in SA and also numerous courses over here that have huts. The 'car park shoe changers' that hate to spend money in the clubhouse before or after their rounds would have a heart attack!

 

[richart]

Love halfway huts. we have a good one by the 10th tee. It is handy that it is after a par three, so plenty of time to order, and either eat by the hut, or on the hoof. Tee shot on our tenth is probably the hardest on the course, so normally a natural delay before teeing off. Works perfectly for the male members, though the ladies hardly use it, as their tee is at the bottom of a hill, and not by the hut.

Think it is a good service for societies, and makes a few quid for the club. In the winter it is great being able to get out of the cold and have a warm up.

Only downside is that the lovely Katie has left.

 

[GB72]

Best one I had access to was at Stoke Rochford. Only served basic stuff, baps, tea and coffee, cup an soup and bacon and sausage baps. The bacon and sausages were all par cooked so just needed heating. Couple of minutes and your order was up and ready. It was at the 10th green and the rule was that you had to be on the tee ready when the group ahead reached the 11th green. If you wanted to hang about longer you let groups through.

Strangely I felt it helped the flow of the round. As there were no tee times, groups were always fairly tight together but the half way hut spread them out a bit and the last few holes always seemed to flow smoother.

I think the key was that they did not sell anything that could not be served in a few minutes and everything could be consumed on the move.

 

[patricks148]

As mentioned on several previous threads, I am a massive fan of a halfway hut. Standard practice in South Africa and time is built into the round and monitored by the staff present in the hut. Time in SA is set at around 20 minutes because we normally sit down to eat something and have a few cold drinks/beers before heading onto the back nine.

I appreciate that loads of folk feel differently about this. All I would advocate is that if it is open then time should be allocated and enforced so that there isn't any concertina effect on the playing field. So those who want to skip the break and just go cannot jump ahead. It will take some getting used to.

sounds a great idea, enforce a stop and a longer round on people who already think golf takes too long.

 

[merv79]

My club are currently rebuilding the halfway hut and are planning to serve food for society days only, but I am hoping in the future they will serve food on members days too.

Even when not serving food, the hut will be open and will have a vending machine to get hot drinks. Regarding timings, if I was to get some food at halfway hut, I would just cut short the time in the clubhouse after the game, perhaps just get a quick drink and not hang around and get more food! So overall the time spent at the club would probably be around the same.

 

[Dan2501]

Ours is popular, quite a number of groups stop there and pick up a soup or a hot pie, bap or sausage roll. Good for the club revenue and is a nice thing to have.

 

[Capella]

We have a halfway hut that is basically just a sheltered picknick area and normally there is no food and drink available there. For some comps and special events the club sets up catering there, though (usually coffee and cake or some finger food snacks, very rarely even hot food, like a soup). On those occasions a stop is pretty much mandatory (and since you already paid for the food and drink with your entrance fee, pretty much everyone does eat or drink something), normally the first group leaves when the second group arrives and so on. It works quite well.

Another club I played at had the halfway hut not at the halfway point, but at a spot where four different teeing areas lay very close to each other, so you passed by four times during your round, giving you a chance for a little rest in case the course was clogged up in front of you (or wave groups through that came up behind you). No catering, but there were vending machines for coffee, cold soft drinks and candy bars/snack and a nice picknick area. It was a pretty good system, because it allowed everyone to stop if they wanted without holding up play, and always a nice place to sit and watch what was going on on the course even if you weren't playing yourself.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Used to enjoy the sausage roll at Hainault forest half way hut in the mornings. Used to be a stop, as the rounds were like that, so never bothered me to stop and have a nice roll.

No half way huts at my current clubs and wouldn't bother me if they did open one. Certainly wouldn't allow it to annoy me if one opened and you had to stop during the course of a comp.