Medal and competition starting times / ballots.

[AMcC]

After some consideration our club is going to introduce a new method of playing in the Saturday medals and club competitions.

Currently you just turn up, register at the pro shop and play with the guys who booked in at the same time as you. The general complaint is that some people feel they are hanging about "forever" before teeing off.

As of tomorrow the slots will be split in to two colours. Red slots will be booked tomorrow for next Saturday and the black slots will be available to people turning up on the day. The tee off slots will be alternate black and red for the whole day and you will be able to "book" the red slots by phoning in after 3pm on the Saturday the sheet goes up or by calling in at the shop.

Does any other clubs operate a similar system and how do they think it works ??

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

Sounds more like roulette than golf!!

 

[HickoryShaft]

Up till this season ours have been booked in advance with you putting your name on a board for a tee time with your buddies or joining a group if not full.

As of the first medal of the year next weekend it will be time slots which are then drawn. I was chatting to the club manager and he wants to try and encourage people to play with different groups rather than the same people all the time, we have a few newer members in the last couple of years and it will help everyone get to know each other, plus he said he was sure that some guys who pay in the same 4 ball in friendlies and comps don't know the rules fully and it will ensure that side is better regulated.

There was a view that this would discourage people but the medal filled up in double quick time and much faster than normal so for all those who have choosen not to play because of the change (if any) there must be more who have decided to give it a go with the new format.

I am really looking forward to it myself.

 

[SGC001]

Sounds like a reasonable change, they're giving the people like to just turn up slots still and allow advance booking for those who don't want to be hanging around.

I'd prefer the advance booking myself, if you don't know your tee time how can you prepare? I wonder if that'll get phased in over time.

I played at a club that had 1 tee time for the whole year for groups, didn't suit me as I work shifts, doesn't seem overly sociable, lead to pockets of players playing to their own interpretaion of the rules of golf and from a club perspective when they start to lose a couple of players from that one group they may lose the whole group.

I played at another that had advance booking and made an evening of it at the club. Those there drew a number and got to put themselves and a partner down for a slot in order of the number drawn. Anyone not there added their name afterwards. Occasionally you'd get a bad number and get a not so good time or working shifts I couldn't play, but you met everyone else in the club and it led to a decent atmosphere with fewer cliques.

 

[Region3]

As of the first medal of the year next weekend it will be time slots which are then drawn. I was chatting to the club manager and he wants to try and encourage people to play with different groups rather than the same people all the time, we have a few newer members in the last couple of years and it will help everyone get to know each other, plus he said he was sure that some guys who pay in the same 4 ball in friendlies and comps don't know the rules fully and it will ensure that side is better regulated.

Each to their own, but I find it hard to believe that anyone should think there is a better way than this.

 

[bigslice]

After some consideration our club is going to introduce a new method of playing in the Saturday medals and club competitions.

Currently you just turn up, register at the pro shop and play with the guys who booked in at the same time as you. The general complaint is that some people feel they are hanging about "forever" before teeing off.

As of tomorrow the slots will be split in to two colours. Red slots will be booked tomorrow for next Saturday and the black slots will be available to people turning up on the day. The tee off slots will be alternate black and red for the whole day and you will be able to "book" the red slots by phoning in after 3pm on the Saturday the sheet goes up or by calling in at the shop.

Does any other clubs operate a similar system and how do they think it works ??

sounds like a good idea from a forward thinking club, wish i was a member there. lol
our club plays a ballot everyone who want to play puts there name up on sheet. on a monday its drawn. you get to play with different folk. stops it getting clique. imo

 

[papyt]

the comp.sheet for the following weeks comp goes up on thursday nights at 8-30 ( helps get members in the club house ) and is designated in blue ( thurs/fri) and red ( for pro shop/phone) the sheet is up til sat morning then goes into the shop( normally full by then thou.

 

[DCB]

All our competitions are booked in advance. Monthly Medals and other 'lesser' comps the sheet goes up just over two weeks before the event, you have plenty of time to put your name down. Bigger events, our three Meetings and 36 Hole Championship Qualifier are drawn, again, sheet up for two weeks then drawn on the Thursday night before play on the Saturday.

 

[AMcC]

sounds like a good idea from a forward thinking club, wish i was a member there. lol

Be careful what you wish for lol.

Seems like our previous system is in the minority of just turning up and playing. It is only for a trial period and was the suggestion of the pro. He apparently used it at a previous club. So it will be his fault, of course.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I can see the merits. We can book an entry into the drawn part of the monthly medal or stableford but have no say on the tee time or partners. You can opt to roll up and go out after the booked times have gone out

 

[SGC001]

A question for those with drawn tee times.

How does this work for the player who has limited time free at weekends?

Those that work shifts and need a really early or late tee off, those who have family commitments or who golf is only part of their weekend or sporting activities. If time and starting time is an issue and you can't be regularly guaranteed a tee time that suits your life surely you'll end up opting for another club or dropping out of golf.

Golf England and the bodies have spent money on Junior golf, but if restrictive competition practices limit access then it's a disincentive to play. It's a lot harder and more expensive to recruit new members than it is to retain them. If someone leaves they may never come back. The demographics of golf show a gap, is this kind of system helping or hindering retention, or recruitment of players in those age groups.

Someone said to me recently that golfers are selfish by nature. It's very easy to take care of something we see as a problem, but if we don't look at it through the eyes of others then we may be missing issues and be harming the game or club long term.

The majority of members at golf clubs may have plenty of spare time at the weekend and may not see this an issue, is it an issue?

 

[AMcC]

A question for those with drawn tee times.

How does this work for the player who has limited time free at weekends?

Those that work shifts and need a really early or late tee off, those who have family commitments or who golf is only part of their weekend or sporting activities. If time and starting time is an issue and you can't be regularly guaranteed a tee time that suits your life surely you'll end up opting for another club or dropping out of golf.

Golf England and the bodies have spent money on Junior golf, but if restrictive competition practices limit access then it's a disincentive to play. It's a lot harder and more expensive to recruit new members than it is to retain them. If someone leaves they may never come back. The demographics of golf show a gap, is this kind of system helping or hindering retention, or recruitment of players in those age groups.

Someone said to me recently that golfers are selfish by nature. It's very easy to take care of something we see as a problem, but if we don't look at it through the eyes of others then we may be missing issues and be harming the game or club long term.

The majority of members at golf clubs may have plenty of spare time at the weekend and may not see this an issue, is it an issue?

At my previous club the ballot was split into slots, each one approx 40 mins long and there was a fixed amount of times available in that slot. So you always knew within 40 mins when you were going to be playing.

 

[SGC001]

Sounds workable, that wouldn't be a deterrent to me.

 

[Region3]

A question for those with drawn tee times.

How does this work for the player who has limited time free at weekends?

Those that work shifts and need a really early or late tee off, those who have family commitments or who golf is only part of their weekend or sporting activities. If time and starting time is an issue and you can't be regularly guaranteed a tee time that suits your life surely you'll end up opting for another club or dropping out of golf.

Our entry sheets have time bands you can enter in (before 8, 8-10 and after 10) but if you need to be more specific than that you can request it, and almost always get within half an hour or so of your requested time.

Twice I've been juggling golf with something else, and was granted first out once and last out once.

 

[TXL]

When we have a drawn comp, we operate time bands similar to those Gary (Region3) mentions above. We will also try to honour any request that comes in providing it is not of the nature "can I swap to play with my mate".

 

[Jaymosafehands]

just joined a new club this year, and it's been a hell of a shock for me and the other lads that have moved.

At the last club, tee sheets were up 3 weeks in advance, and you could get within 30 mins of the time you want generally until a week before. always worked well, no issues.

New place opens the tee sheet the Saturday before at 7am. One of the lads who has a 3 month old 'alarm clock' went down at 7.30am to book our slot for the first medal next week. first available 3 ball was 11.59am. Apparently people are queuing from 6.30 to book!!!

Not quite sure how that fits in with what I want from a golf course. I don't want to have to rock up at idiot o'clock just to get a reasonable tee slot so I don't upset the missus by taking up a full Saturday with every comp. When we joined we are told 'oh you'll have no issues as long as you avoid 7.30 to 9.30...' - think we've been sold a dud!!

Could be a long year of membership or a distinct lack of comps played - or a divorce!!!!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Use to be like that at Wimbledon Common. Not uncommon for members to sleep in their cars from around 5.00am to get the first slots and put their mates down. Some of the fourballs would take it in turns to rock up at sily o'clock to get their preferred slot. Think the club changed the way it was done after I'd left. Certainly hope so

 

[Jaymosafehands]

yeah, seems to be the case. Appears to be VERY clicky for the Saturday morning sessions.

Hope it's just early season enthusiasm.