Roll ups

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

We’ve got our roll ups sorted for tee reservation and online booking using IG. Noting that in normal times ANYONE can be part of our roll ups at anytime - there is no such thing as being a ‘member’ of our main roll ups. You just turn up.

However as at the moment as we only have 10 tee times we have capped those who wish to be included in our draw - and it is only the first 40 who get their names down who will be allocated to one of the ten tee times. You can still play in the roll up if you play at any other tee time. You just have to tell the organiser before you play and you pay your entry.

i know the some ‘high head yins’ in the club are keen that tee booking is continued when things are back to normal - but suspect that most members will reject that idea.

 

[jim8flog]

I'm sure they would at our place if it wasn't as busy. There's no reason why a 0900 group can't get on the fastest finger and book 2 or 3 times... other than the fact it's a bun fight and loads of people want to play at that time.

When our tee times are 7/8 minutes it generally works very well. There are about 5 different swindles on Saturday morning/early afternoon which have been going for as long as I can remember and it is a sort of unwritten gentleman's agreement which groups are targeting which tee times this also leaves gaps between each group.

Now we are 10 minutes it has become very much fast fingers and high speed internet that is needed.

One of the biggest 'problems' we had was one fairly large number of players all left another nearby club and joined ours and they all wanted to play around 8 am Saturday mornings (this was when we still had a ball chute for Saturdays).

It was discussed at length by committee and the consensus was that all members have an equal right to book a tee time of their choice and was a major factor in us deciding to go to an all booked slots system.

 

[GB72]

This was the problem at my old club. 2 main roll ups, both of which were closed to most members (which makes a mockery of calling it a roll up). Basically the great and the good of the club having their own private roll ups on a Wednesday and Sunday. If the club were to continue with tee booking, i would hope that it became a requirement of any block booking for such event that every member of the club (and emphasise every so as to ensure that all ladies and juniors are included) must be allowed to take part in such events should they wish to.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

That's another issue as I think we aren't far off 500 members with full playing rights, and a few dozen midweek members.

Back in the day when clubs had waiting lists, there were a lot of members who didn't play much but kept their membership and another group with multiple memberships. So the 1st tee wasn't all that busy and the culture was established to just walk on to the 1st tee.

Now I'd imagine the majority of the 500 all live locally and plan on playing at least once a week.

I think the club have been so used to being concerned about member numbers that they are always doing marketing and trying to ensure we at least recruit the members who are lost each year. However I'm certain the lockdown has led to a lot of new members as people can't play as guests or visitors anywhere and as everyone is working from home, they have a bit more time to get a round of golf in.

Given our tee sheet I can't see them even allowing guests during the day any time soon and visitors might not happen this year.

So do you not think it’s unfair for 12-16 members to expect special treatment?

 

[Siolag]

I’ve never known anything different to all booked via BRS and fastest finger first for medals and Saturday tee times.

For the comps I tend to play late morning or early afternoon. There are people who play early every week. They clearly get on the booking right away.

 

[Grant85]

So do you not think it’s unfair for 12-16 members to expect special treatment?

Of course it's unfair.

 

[Grant85]

When our tee times are 7/8 minutes it generally works very well. There are about 5 different swindles on Saturday morning/early afternoon which have been going for as long as I can remember and it is a sort of unwritten gentleman's agreement which groups are targeting which tee times this also leaves gaps between each group.

Now we are 10 minutes it has become very much fast fingers and high speed internet that is needed.

One of the biggest 'problems' we had was one fairly large number of players all left another nearby club and joined ours and they all wanted to play around 8 am Saturday mornings (this was when we still had a ball chute for Saturdays).

It was discussed at length by committee and the consensus was that all members have an equal right to book a tee time of their choice and was a major factor in us deciding to go to an all booked slots system.

Absolutely, the issue isn't the process for booking. It's supply and demand.

 

[Mandofred]

Maybe other members are grateful that they can now also get out at peak times and not only the groups who have been hogging these slots for years. Is it unreasonable that all members get a go at booking those peak times? Maybe the other members feel squeezed out normally and are loving this new, more equal set up?

What was stopping those members from "getting out at peak times"? They CAN play at those times.....in the roll up groups. Obviously they don't "feel" like it. I've jumped in with several different roll up groups....at different times. It's easy.

 

[Mandofred]

And another point.....I wouldn't mind the roll up groups put in at different times. Both the ones I usually play with are in that "Prime" 8:30-9 range.....but make it 10 or 11 and I'm fine with that as well. But as I mentioned at the beginning.....if killing off the roll-ups is what clubs are going to (I've no idea), that will likely kill off golf for me, and will make it harder for beginners to join.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

What was stopping those members from "getting out at peak times"? They CAN play at those times.....in the roll up groups. Obviously they don't don't "feel" like it. I've jumped in with several different roll up groups....at different times. It's easy.

Roll up groups are a great idea for those who wish to play in them, integrating new members etc, the idea of roll up groups isn’t the issue, the issue is one of times/timings imo.

Let’s say a Club has a roll up, 10-11am, another group of members who don’t wish to play in the roll up play at 11:10-11:30 and another roll up play at 11:40-whatevet

Those in the 11:10 slot are “just expected” to start late if the roll up need more slots? Does one roll up have priority over another. Is the first roll up expected to turn members away?

A Club is there for all and one informal group should have no more rights than any other informal group.

 

[Mandofred]

Roll up groups are a great idea for those who wish to play in them, integrating new members etc, the idea of roll up groups isn’t the issue, the issue is one of times/timings imo.

A Club is there for all and one informal group should have no more rights than any other informal group.

Those "informal" groups are THERE for just this reason......so that anybody can play. Anybody. Male, female, young, old......what special rights are you talking about exactly? Who is being excluded?

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Those "informal" groups are THERE for just this reason......so that anybody can play. Anybody. Male, female, young, old......what special rights are you talking about exactly? Who is being excluded?

The ones in the timings that you’ve deleted in answering my post!

ie, let’s say a roll up is allocated an hour 9-10am, then one saturday more people turn and want to be part of the roll up, to accommodate them the roll up needs one and a half hours of tee time.

So, does the roll up take priority over the guys that had turned up to play at 10:10 or do you turn people away from the roll up?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

What was stopping those members from "getting out at peak times"? They CAN play at those times.....in the roll up groups. Obviously they don't "feel" like it. I've jumped in with several different roll up groups....at different times. It's easy.

What if they don't want to play in the roll up group? What if they just want to go out in their 2 ball, 3 ball etc without playing with the others? Plenty of people just want to play their game without being involved in groups. That is their right, they pay the same fees.

 

[Mandofred]

I think this all comes down to something I don't like to say out loud (and I don't think others do either)....this all comes down to me me me (we all seem to be greedy boogers). What is best for me? I care more about ME than I do about other players.....so I like the roll-ups. Others hate the roll-ups and getting rid of them is better for them (me theory again). Kind of reminds me of politics....and how people can look at the same info and yet come up with completely different views but the only thing that really matters is how they see it effecting them (me again). I don't care if they move the roll ups to a later non-prime time....fine. I'll adjust. Getting rid of roll ups will likely save me a lot of money since I'll probably sell the clubs and get going on some other hobbies. Poop, actually that might cost me just as much......

 

[Billysboots]

I like the notion but what happens if there are more people wanting to play (including the newbies) than tee times and the slots immediately after the allocated times are taken by other members. It kind of scuppers the whole roll up as not all the results are in, money can't be paid out and there wont be the usual banter (an integral part of the whole roll up scenario)

It doesn’t happen often, and when it does there are other roll-ups the club can direct members towards.

Ours is quite a tight group. About two dozen in total, plus any newcomers, and the tee times given over to us are generally adequate to accommodate everyone who wants to play. We have a WhatsApp group set up so know by Thursday what numbers to expect and return any unused slots to the club.

At the moment we pay our money in advance online, then afterwards send cards to the organiser via WhatsApp - he then pays out online. It’s a stop gap until we can return to doing it all with beer and banter.

 

[chellie]

At ours - ladies roll up open to all. Mens roll ups are not open to all.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

At ours - ladies roll up open to all. Mens roll ups are not open to all.

At a past club of mine there was a roll up on a Friday evening during the season. It effectively closed the course from 4.30 onwards. When I was on the committee I suggested it should be opened up to all, we had virtually no juniors so this meant ladies as well as men. If I put my head out of the door I swear I can still hear people laughing at the suggestion, and it was about 7-8 years ago .

 

[chellie]

At a past club of mine there was a roll up on a Friday evening during the season. It effectively closed the course from 4.30 onwards. When I was on the committee I suggested it should be opened up to all, we had virtually no juniors so this meant ladies as well as men. If I put my head out of the door I swear I can still hear people laughing at the suggestion, and it was about 7-8 years ago .

Sadly, I can just imagine.

 

[Mandofred]

Sadly, I can just imagine.

Another reason I won't die if I don't play golf again. The "tradition". You can't play if your socks aren't the right colour. Hat on backwards?.....heaven help us. Talking while someone is playing 200 feet away on another hole....scandalous!!

 

[USER1999]

Our roll ups are open to all. Certain tee times on certain days are allocated for roll ups. Once they are full, that is it. Roll ups have to be inclusive, or the tee times are removed.
Roll ups have to have more than 12 players. Less than that will not get guaranteed times.
The Saturday roll up I am involved in has space for 36. In an average year we have 90 different golfers on our book. It is a club facility, enabling people who do not want to plan ahead, or who would actually like to indulge in club membership, and play with different people.
The roll ups are also money machines for the club. Without them, everyone's golf would cost more.