We are not seniors who play golf.
We are good golfers who happen to be seniors.
PACE OF PLAY FOR 2018
This will be a continuing process for many years. There will always be a “slowest” group and a “slowest” round. Our goals are to keep those slowest groups below 4 hours 45 minutes and to have an average pace of play of about 4:30 across all courses, starts, and players.
- Tee groups and players playing at 4:30 or less are WONDERFUL!
- Tee groups that stay up with the group ahead (10 minutes or less separation) are GREAT!
- Tee groups that average 2:15 on each of front and back are ON TRACK!
- Tee groups that are running 15 minutes per hole or less are GETTING IT DONE!
- Slow groups are over 4:45 Pace AND are 15 minutes or more behind the group ahead (a hole empty ahead).
- If every slow group simply played 1 minute faster per hole, everyone would have a faster round, more fun and perhaps better scores!
Ready Golf is mostly eliminating time wasters between your golf shots. Faster travel to the balls, Better cart management. Watching (and remembering) shots to eliminate ball searches. Making your shots as soon as possible and safe – no “honors”, no “order”.
2018 RESULTS
Overall Pace of Play (POP) for 2018 was quite good and still a huge IMPROVEMENT over 2016 and earlier. Our gross averages for all tee groups across all Divisions and courses to date is 4:34, slightly longer than last year (4:30) but still a 15 minute improvement as compared to 2016.
Divisions 2, 3, and 4 were at or very nearly the same POP as 2017. Divisions 1 and 5 slowed down about 5 to 10 minutes on average.
Why are we “slower” than 2017?
- Wet and cold weather early in the season hurt times. Path Only conditions slow pace by about 30 minutes. Rain delays also hurt the data, but only a few outings had significant rain delays.
- 1 or 2 slow groups playing early in a Tee Start
- Shotgun starts especially with more than 24 tee groups (lots of B tee groups).
- Challenging courses (long, blind shots, deep rough, hilly) especially when coupled with shotgun starts.
2018 detailed data continues to show that an overwhelming majority of our members can and do play at pace between 4 and 4:30. All ages and physical and golf abilities have been playing quickly.
Being ready to play and staying aware are far more important than skill, age or physical capabilities in pace of play.
Only 18% of our events had average play of 4:45 of more and over 1/2 of them were Shotgun starts and difficult courses.
Unfortunately there is still a very small minority of players and groups who are playing slower than our targets. For example, only 8 players in Division 1 made up 50% of the slowest tee groups in 2018. Even they played at acceptable pace for about half of the season.
Continued effort for these members and new members added for 2019 and beyond is planned and will will be needed. Staying at pace requires continuous effort.
Each Division VP is the primary contact for his division’s Pace of Play. If you have issues or complaints especially about a slow group or player, please talk with your VP. In most cases the problems are known and action is already underway.
2019 Pace of Play Efforts
This will be a continuing process for many years. There are several improvements for handling data and reporting.
For more details by course, division, start type and more see below.
Thanks for the suggestion. We added Forward Tees for C and D flights only a few years ago, more for simple enjoyment and less for pace. Opening Forward and Back tees to all members was targeted to giving more freedom to all players.
Virtually all of our C and D flight players have been playing from the Forward tees. About 50% of our B Flight has moved to Forward tees. But most of our A players still prefer playing from the Back tees.
For Pace issues, only a very small number of members and tee groups are causing the slowdowns on the course. 8 people who repeated as slow 6 or 7 times caused 50% of slowdowns in one division. Most of these played from the Forward tees.
Although we had a few slow rounds (over 4:45 average) in Divisions 2, 3, and 4. They hit our targets. Very few players repeated as a slow player.
We don’t want to penalize all players and remove freedom to select their tees because a very few players don’t pay attention and keep up with the group ahead.
An important point, our target is a 4:30 average and with very limited exceptions we are there. We are NOT trying to push everyone into 4 hour or less rounds, although many of our players do this almost every week.
We have to get our slowest 5% of players to simply stay up with the group ahead. These groups fall behind as much as 20 to 40 minutes. This is torture for several groups following them.
Playing 20 minutes faster – play each hole 1 minute faster. Stop looking for hopelessly lost balls.
Finally, Metro Seniors has a rich history in serving golfers for 45 years. We have guys in their 90’s who have been playing for 30 years. We also have guys in their 60’s who average 250 yds with their driver. Our handicaps and flights and now tees allow a league where you can play for 20 or 30 years.
I started in 2010 and averaged about 220 yds for drives. I probably would not have joined if forced to play from Reds. AT 70, my average drive is more like 200 yds, and I occasionally play Forward when I’m not feeling all that confident. In 10 more years, I hope to be playing and will probably be forward most of the time. But to be sustainable in 10 years we still must appeal to younger players who will be running the league in 10 or 20 years.
Flexibility and adaptability and tradition are reasons that this group has made it 45 years. We are changing to reflect our future. We want to honor our past, but make sure that we are vital, sustainable, and have a rich future,