rudebhoy
Q-School Graduate
My course had an open on this morning. Last lot out (a 3 ball) were booked for 11.56. Me and my regular PP booked the 12.04 slot, hoping to get a full 18 in before it got dark.
When we got to the 1st tee, the 3 ball were waiting to tee off as the 4 ball in front of them had just went off. Right from the start, the pace was atrocious. It was obvious that the 4 ball was holding up the 3 ball in front of us, and that in turn was holding us up. By the time we reached the 5th green, both the 4 ball and the 3 ball were waiting to tee off on the 6th.
It had taken us 1 hour and 25 minutes to play 5 holes, and the pace was getting slower and slower on every hole. By then we'd had enough, and walked back in.
I reckon if we had stayed out, it would have been near enough a 6 hour round - although it wouldn't have of course, as it would have been dark by about the 12th.
We were pretty hacked off, but also felt sorry for the last couple of groups in the open as there was no way they would get their 18 in. Not great as they would be visitors to the course, would have paid their entry fee and would rightly have expected to get a full round in.
Anyway, lesson learned for us is do not book to play immediately after an open!
More to the point, there is also a couple of lessons to be learned for the club,
1. you need more than 8 minutes between tee times for comps made up overwhelmingly of 4 balls, particularly when the majority are visitors
2. you need to be 100% confident that everyone who has booked to play in a comp will get the full 18 in - don't be greedy with the scheduling
I'll be mentioning this to the powers that be when I'm next up at the club.
When we got to the 1st tee, the 3 ball were waiting to tee off as the 4 ball in front of them had just went off. Right from the start, the pace was atrocious. It was obvious that the 4 ball was holding up the 3 ball in front of us, and that in turn was holding us up. By the time we reached the 5th green, both the 4 ball and the 3 ball were waiting to tee off on the 6th.
It had taken us 1 hour and 25 minutes to play 5 holes, and the pace was getting slower and slower on every hole. By then we'd had enough, and walked back in.
I reckon if we had stayed out, it would have been near enough a 6 hour round - although it wouldn't have of course, as it would have been dark by about the 12th.
We were pretty hacked off, but also felt sorry for the last couple of groups in the open as there was no way they would get their 18 in. Not great as they would be visitors to the course, would have paid their entry fee and would rightly have expected to get a full round in.
Anyway, lesson learned for us is do not book to play immediately after an open!
More to the point, there is also a couple of lessons to be learned for the club,
1. you need more than 8 minutes between tee times for comps made up overwhelmingly of 4 balls, particularly when the majority are visitors
2. you need to be 100% confident that everyone who has booked to play in a comp will get the full 18 in - don't be greedy with the scheduling
I'll be mentioning this to the powers that be when I'm next up at the club.