Starters - what's the point of them?

[Orikoru]

If you are arriving at the course 15 mins before your tee slot you are very very closely running the risk of being late. Normally clubs request you to be on the tee 10 minutes before your allotted time. So I am not really that surprised you felt rushed but I would say this is down to your arrival time more than anything else.

As for starters, I don't mind them. Don't have them very often but just try to block them out. The worst one being at the Portstewart scratch cup where the weather was horrendous and its not exactly an easy opening tee shot. Adding to the fact this was my first time at the course and also my first scratch cup. But I probably hit the best drive I hit all day

Why are you assuming what time we arrived? We had already had breakfast by this point, got our bags ready, shoes on etc.

 

[Coffey]

Why are you assuming what time we arrived? We had already had breakfast by this point, got our bags ready, shoes on etc.

It literally says in your post.... you went to the pro shop to pay 15 mins before your tee time. By arrival time i dont mean what time you sat down for breakfast at, i mean the time you arrived to actually prepare for your round. You are hardly preparing sitting having a bacon sarnie.

I never mentioned anything about getting your shoes on. I assume you would have done all that before going to the pro shop...

Sounds to me like you had 5-10 minutes to pay and walk to the first tee. Couple of practice swings and off you go.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Couple of years back playing Norths Hants. Walked to the 1st tee (it was the 10th as two tee start). Starter welcomed us and proceeded to describe the hole and gave advice on how best to play it. As he said - he wanted us to get off to the best start possible. That was nice. At other times the starter knows when the group ahead are clear and we are good to tee off - and then where we need to look if any tee shots go astray.

 

[Orikoru]

It literally says in your post.... you went to the pro shop to pay 15 mins before your tee time. By arrival time i dont mean what time you sat down for breakfast at, i mean the time you arrived to actually prepare for your round. You are hardly preparing sitting having a bacon sarnie.

I never mentioned anything about getting your shoes on. I assume you would have done all that before going to the pro shop...

Sounds to me like you had 5-10 minutes to pay and walk to the first tee. Couple of practice swings and off you go.

Are you for real? The first tee is no more than 70 yards from the pro shop where you pay. We would have had 5 minutes putting 5 minutes stretching and practise swinging and still been 5 minutes early for our tee time. We just paid first out of convenience, on reflection we should have done the putting first I guess.

 

[woody69]

The starter at Arden is pointless, or perhaps just not very good. You have an allocated tee time, but he just says, "go as soon as the players in front are out of range", which usually means people tee off too early and thus you end up waiting on holes later on as the spacing is all out, but he's happy because he's got everyone out and can probably leave for the day!

 

[patricks148]

Played Royal Dornoch last year in a BMW corporate day, the starter was in full Highland dress and introduced you by name before you teed off, very nerve racking ??
Hit my 3 wood about 150 yards, at least it was straight and on the fairway ?

the knob does that when you play a bounce game in the summer, all for the yanks they love it

 

[jim8flog]

We have two guys at weekends and they switch around doubling as course rangers. They are there to mainly ensure nobody jumps in and will also try to get players that do not have tee slots in with groups of less than four players.

 

[patricks148]

i don't see the problem its a guy watching you hit a ball, he's just a guy, do you make your Playing partners or other on the course turn the other way when you are about to play a shot??

 

[clubchamp98]

As I said, perhaps we should have said we weren't ready but we kind of just went with the flow which was a mistake on my part I guess. I should say I have nothing against the guy either - he was a nice feller.


Ok that makes sense to me if the course is quite busy.


That also makes sense if people are teeing off at different start points. I'm not sure that's the case at this particular course though as the 10th isn't really near the clubhouse.


See I would thought the same, it's something I've heard of more at top end courses as you put it. Wexham is not one you'd categorise as that though, it's more in the good value category I'd say.

If my 30 handicapper mate was playing I imagine a stranger watching him would have made him less relaxed as he's not great with that, lol.

Really his first question should have been “are you ready to go”
You had a time and are entitled to warm up .
But as said prob just trying to help.

 

[sunshine]

Playing at Wexham on Saturday, with 15 mins to go til tee time, we went in the pro shop to pay, planning to have a few putts and warm up swings / stretches then tee off on time. After paying though they said "You can go straight away, Jeff* will get you started now" and this bloke walked us out to the first tee, and basically watched us both tee off then said have a good round and buggered off. Naturally I fluffed my drive a bit as I felt rushed into it and wasn't warmed up properly at all. Perhaps we could have said something but we're not used to being marched onto the tee so we just went along with it and said nothing. In fact I made a mess of the first three holes and didn't feel properly warmed up til the 4th.

I've heard of 'starters' before so I'm guessing this must be common at other courses. What's the point though? The first tee was about 70 yards from the pro shop, we were quite capable of getting there and teeing off without someone walking us there. And if there was a timing issue we could have easily been told by the pro shop when we paid whether we can tee off early/late or on time.

*his name wasn't Jeff, I forgot what it really was.

When the starter marched you to the first tee, did you feel intimidated by his gun? It's just his starters pistol

I'll get my coat...

 

[Backache]

When the starter marched you to the first tee, did you feel intimidated by his gun? It's just his starters pistol

I'll get my coat...

That's a bit of an assumption, at our club we have started taking a more robust response to slow play.
Lost a few members but no more four hour plus rounds.

 

[CliveW]

I have watched our starters teeing off, and to be honest I wouldn't worry about my tee shots!

 

[Mark1751]

Im a member at wexham and the starter is a top bloke really helpful and wouldn’t rush someone if they were not ready. With him watching your tee shot we’ve had problems where players teeing off end up on the adjoining fairway (2nd) and very few shout fore so he keeps an eye out and if the players don’t shout he does.

I would just say I wasn’t ready and he would of been ok with that and waited for you to arrive in time for your tee time.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

A lot of P&P's seem to have starters. Usually they are there to check your card/receipt to ensure you've paid. Most are pretty lenient depending on pace of play on the course but some I know will insist on holding you until your time. There are others at places that can really make you feel important and welcome. I think any of those that have been at Sunningdale in the last two years that have met Pat, the rotund Irish guy that has seen us off both time will agree he is the epitome of a good starter. Friendly, coming into the bar for a few words before hands and explaining the lie of the land and then a word or two for each group on the first tee about the history of the place, the hole itself and what to expect on each course

 

[richart]

Best starters. North Hants, Sunningdale and Castle course St Andrews. All added to the day, with humour and helpful advice.

 

[mikejohnchapman]

Courtesy really - especially to visitors. The good ones enhance the experience by passing on local information and the odd tips or two. The bad ones just annoy.

Hayling, North Hants and Sunningdale were all good experiences - Brabazon and Le Golf Nationale were not!

 

[full_throttle]

normally come across starters during open comps and for me they give course information that can help your enjoyment,

I've booked golf days at various courses, some allow you to just 'get on with it', others have starters (normally senior members), to welcome you and advise on course signage, emergency procedures etc etc..

 

[ScienceBoy]

The point really depends on the course, a course mostly serving visitors it can be indispensable.

A starter can manage the flow of people out onto the course, group people into 4 balls and generally ensure a smooth start to the round. The result, happy customers.

At a private members club they can be a cheery friendly face to generally wish you well on your round and ensure correct gaps are kept (which are probably large to make everyone feel like millionaires golf).

At most "normal" club you probably only see them on event days as otherwise they would not be adding much value as people can see themselves off at the correct tee time.

So in summary to "What is the point of a starter", well it depends...

 

[Deleted member 23344]

A golf mate of mine once played at a signature course ... can’t remember where ... where there was a starter actually standing on the first tee. Apparently, one of the guys in the group in front hit a wayward drive and, playing three of the tee, proceeded to hit another bad shot. The starter walked up to him and said “I don’t think our course is for you sir. If you would like go back to the pro shop they will return your green fee” and off went the guy with his tail between his legs! When it was my mate’s turn, he was shitting bricks and hit his first drive out of bounds. He teed up another another ball and, fortunately, creamed it right down the middle. He looked at the starter, who said “Enjoy your round sir.”

I have played with a starter at several courses (Chart Hills, Vilamoura Millennium and Costa Adeje come to mind), but they always had a hut about thirty yards from the tee ... that’s fine. One actually standing on the tee is overly oppressive to my mind.

 

[clubchamp98]

That's a bit of an assumption, at our club we have started taking a more robust response to slow play.
Lost a few members but no more four hour plus rounds.

I am sure you can’t accuse someone of slow play before he tees off.
Especially if he tees off early due to the starter.?