Tee Times - Staying or Going

[Ser Shankalot]

Sorry for the dumb question, but what is the advantage of not having a bookable tee time? The ability to meet people in roll-up or pick-up games I get and is very important, but for most of the week outside those specific times is there another reason why historically it was done that way?
A few public courses I've been to, if a solo golfer is about to tee off by themselves, I've often seen other groups around him/her offer to join up to make it more social (with no requirement to join up). Is that not the done thing at members' clubs as well?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Sorry for the dumb question, but what is the advantage of not having a bookable tee time? The ability to meet people in roll-up or pick-up games I get and is very important, but for most of the week outside those specific times is there another reason why historically it was done that way?
A few public courses I've been to, if a solo golfer is about to tee off by themselves, I've often seen other groups around him/her offer to join up to make it more social (with no requirement to join up). Is that not the done thing at members' clubs as well?

I've been a member at a hotel course, members club and proprietary club. I've seen offers for single golfers to join up at each one. It is standard practice, good manners. The offer is not always taken up, some want to go out on their own to practice, like their own company etc, but I have always seen the offer made.

I can't answer your first point. Having been a member at a turn up and play club, they have since changed to booking, I could never see an advantage.

 

[Humpy]

You mean the minority get preference over everyone else then!?!?

Sorry, I don't understand what you mean?

Before covid there were no tee times, the committee recently asked for the views of the members and the majority of members wanted them scrapped.

 

[Mandofred]

I'm still wondering if people are confusing participating in an organised roll-up, to the old fashioned "just show up and hope you play eventually" kind of thing that some people refer to as a roll-up. Organised roll-ups I like, just "rolling up" and waiting to play would stop me from playing at all.

 

[DanFST]

Ours was awful.

Ball in chute, stand around for 2 hours. Can't go too far away from the first tee incase you're on faster than anticipated. Waste of everyone's time.

 

[CountLippe]

A problem at our place is people booking slots when they go live, then not turning up. No one registers in the pro shop so there's no way to monitor it.

 

[Matty6]

We’re sticking with tee times, which I’m thrilled about tbh (as are the majority of members).

In years gone by you could be waiting an hour to tee off, whereas now you know what time you’ll be playing and with who. Also, we are now full so going back to roll up would be a logistical nightmare!

 

[Orikoru]

I don't really know what my club is doing. I understand they used to be a 'just turn up' kind of place, but have brought in tee-booking via the app in the last year or two (maybe for Covid or maybe just before). I personally think that's just the modern way - people lead busy lives, plan everything with their phones and want to know what time they're teeing off. I think on a long enough timeline all clubs will end up that way, so they might as well use this opportunity to make the switch now, while the older generations have been forced to get used to it already.

You can still keep small sections blank on the booking form for roll-ups and whatnot. It just needs precise organisation from whoever is running it I guess.

 

[GB72]

Sorry for the dumb question, but what is the advantage of not having a bookable tee time? The ability to meet people in roll-up or pick-up games I get and is very important, but for most of the week outside those specific times is there another reason why historically it was done that way?
A few public courses I've been to, if a solo golfer is about to tee off by themselves, I've often seen other groups around him/her offer to join up to make it more social (with no requirement to join up). Is that not the done thing at members' clubs as well?

The advantage, to me anyway, is that I want to play at at certain time at weekends. Talking to members at my previous club (that has booking in place at the moment) you have to be pretty quick off the mark if you want to play between about 7.30 and 10.00. I like to play at 8.30-9.00 and I would rather be at the club half an hour before that and queue if it meant I got off around the time I wanted. under a tee booking system, unless I was online and ready as soon as the times are released, I would be limited to playing after 10.00 which I would rather not do. So, totally selfish but no tee booking means that I can play when I like if I am prepared to queue.

 

[Orikoru]

The advantage, to me anyway, is that I want to play at at certain time at weekends. Talking to members at my previous club (that has booking in place at the moment) you have to be pretty quick off the mark if you want to play between about 7.30 and 10.00. I like to play at 8.30-9.00 and I would rather be at the club half an hour before that and queue if it meant I got off around the time I wanted. under a tee booking system, unless I was online and ready as soon as the times are released, I would be limited to playing after 10.00 which I would rather not do. So, totally selfish but no tee booking means that I can play when I like if I am prepared to queue.

But surely all you need to do is find out when the tee times are released then you can get in and book the appropriate time?

 

[GB72]

But surely all you need to do is find out when the tee times are released then you can get in and book the appropriate time?

Sounds simple but often is not. Depends when the tee times are released and, often even quick your internet connection is. You will have people with the details of 4 or 5 different people going on to book tee times etc. I am not joking when I say that times between 7.30 and 10 are booked in the first 5-10 minutes.

 

[Orikoru]

Sounds simple but often is not. Depends when the tee times are released and, often even quick your internet connection is. You will have people with the details of 4 or 5 different people going on to book tee times etc. I am not joking when I say that times between 7.30 and 10 are booked in the first 5-10 minutes.

If that's the case then on a turn-up-and-play basis just creates a similar issue, far too many people standing around expecting to get on the course at 9 o'clock?? I don't understand how not having a booking system makes it any easier. If my options were (a)having to play an hour later than I preferred, or (b)turning up at the course and waiting around for one hour in order to play an hour later than I preferred, then I choose (a) every time.

 

[GB72]

If that's the case then on a turn-up-and-play basis just creates a similar issue, far too many people standing around expecting to get on the course at 9 o'clock?? I don't understand how not having a booking system makes it any easier. If my options were (a)having to play an hour later than I preferred, or (b)turning up at the course and waiting around for one hour in order to play an hour later than I preferred, then I choose (a) every time.

That is why it is a matter of individual opinion. If I want to play at a certain time, I am happy to queue up and have the chance of doing that rather than know a week ahead that I will not able to play when I want. As I said in my post, my preference not everybody's.

 

[IanMcC]

Definitely quicker to get around on busy days. Would guess 15/20mins, maybe even more.

We were 7/8 mins, which is basically tee off as soon as the group hit their 2nds. Course on busy days completely choked up right from the start

At 10 mins you're teeing off with the group on the green. Much more space between groups

We were 7/8 minutes pre COVID as well. Unless the membership rises significantly and tee times get harder to book, we will be keeping 10 minute intervals also. Much more civilised.

 

[Orikoru]

That is why it is a matter of individual opinion. If I want to play at a certain time, I am happy to queue up and have the chance of doing that rather than know a week ahead that I will not able to play when I want. As I said in my post, my preference not everybody's.

That's fair enough. I'm not really arguing with you, as you say it's preference, but I can't stand waiting around without any guarantees I guess. That would proper wind me up.

 

[GB72]

That's fair enough. I'm not really arguing with you, as you say it's preference, but I can't stand waiting around without any guarantees I guess. That would proper wind me up.

You get to know the club and, in general, what time you have to be there to ensure that you are off by a certain time. Playing after 10 wrecks the day a bit as there is not really time to do anything before and a chunk of the afternoon is gone by the time you finish.

 

[Orikoru]

You get to know the club and, in general, what time you have to be there to ensure that you are off by a certain time. Playing after 10 wrecks the day a bit as there is not really time to do anything before and a chunk of the afternoon is gone by the time you finish.

And that is why I play at 11. Takes up most of the day so there's no time for any nonsense activities with the wife.

 

[Orikoru]

We were 7/8 minutes pre COVID as well. Unless the membership rises significantly and tee times get harder to book, we will be keeping 10 minute intervals also. Much more civilised.

Yeah 10 minutes is perfect in my opinion. Obviously the club can't get as many bookings in, but the pace of play is a lot better.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Surely the clubs should/would like a vote now they’ve seen the other side?

Indeed - and mine will have one.

My view is that we should return to as things were before the pandemic (no tee booking other than for comps) and see how things go for maybe a month. I then have a good feel for whether I like that ‘as was’ or whether in fact I realise I actually prefer what we’ve been doing during the pandemic with tee booking.

I was very firmly against tee booking outside of comps. Now I can certainly see the benefits booking can bring. I do not know how I will vote - will decide once I see the options we are presented with.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I heard you guys are up to 90(!!) on your waiting list. Potentially looking at introducing a 5 day membership for some of them.

At West Byfleet I'd be surprised if we didn't go back to the old school. Booked tee times on Sat until 11.30am. Other than that rock up and play with some set times for roll ups each day.

I can see the benefits of both. Would personally sway to the tee booking remaining if they keep gaps at 10 mins which I wouldn't have thought last year.

i believe so on the waiting list...though hadn’t heard a figure put on it for a few months when it was about 70.

I have not heard anything on 5-day memberships. We are at our required/optimum playing membership of 650 and so are fortunate in that we do not need more members.