dlwicks@sbcglobal.net

Rule Revisions for 2025

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We revised and clarified some rules of play for 2025. This is a brief summary. For more details CLICK HERE. For the full details on our rules – CLICK HERE There are links to examples.

WRONG BALL

Any player hitting a WRONG BALL is now required to take a 1 stroke penalty. In addition, if your ball was hit (WB) by another player, you may be allowed relief from declaring a Lost Ball.

All this can be TOTALLY ELIMINATED if everyone marks their balls AND pays attention to identify their ball BEFORE hitting.

BUNKER Relief

We clarified all the options available for relief (free drops and penalty relief) in bunkers for unplayable balls, abnormal conditions in the bunker, completely unplayable bunkers, or if you simply don’t want to play out of a bunker (2 penalty strokes).

Back-On-The-Line Relief – Penalty Areas, OB, and Abnormal Conditions

In many cases dropping the ball withing 2 club lengths from where the ball crossed the boundary of Out of Bounds or Penalty area will work well for penalty, OB and abnormal conditions

However, Back-On-The-Line Relief (from the hole through the ball -going forward to the hole) is an important optional relief method for out of bounds, relief from penalty areas or abnormal course conditions.

THIS IS NOT LINE OF FLIGHT from the last stroke. LINE OF FLIGHT IS NOT/NEVER ALLOWED AS A RELIEF OPTION. This is a big source of confusion for many golfers.

Questions or comments and volunteers are always welcome.

If you are committed to getting the Rules just right, you can join us on the Rules Committee. Tell you Division VP. He will forward your name and interests.

Update and Reminder

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Membership Renewals and Year End Prize checks

Total membership renewals are moving along well. Almost 400 members have renewed. We are expecting membership to grow a little.

Division 3, 4 and 5 – Renew before Jan 1.

Our Thursday divisions fill up fast. 3 and 4 are already over 110 renewed with a wait list of several members. Renewing members have priority for 2025 until January 1, 2025.

After Jan 1 we fill positions with new members. Renewals no longer have priority. If your division is full, we can transfer you to another.

New Members

We already have over 20 new members on the wait list.

Almost all joined to play with a friend or relative. Recommending Metro Seniors to a friend is BY FAR the source of our new members.

Share your fun with a friend – invite someone to join Metro Seniors. A newly retired co-worker or neighbor. Someone from one of your groups or clubs.

Metro Seniors makes it EASY to have a regular golf schedule at a variety of courses, with friendly and fair competition.

2024 Year End Prize Checks

Good news – almost 90% of the prize checks have cleared the bank.

The checks were mailed to arrive by Nov 1, but some were still being received and deposited last week. DEPOSIT YOUR CHECK PLEASE.

Only 2024 winners will receive checks – to see if you get a payout – CLICK HERE

If you have not received your check by early December, let me know – email – david.l.wicks@gmail.com. Please don’t email me if you are NOT on the payout list.

2024 Prize Checks Issued

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The End of Year Prize Award checks have been issued. Check you mail between now and November 1. Deposit you check quickly, then renew your membership for 2025.

Our regular competition season for Metro Seniors divisions is now complete. The data for Divisions 1 – 5 and Metro Plus, Special events and the Championship has been reported.

The last events were played on October 17 and now only 1 week later 653 total checks have been issued for amounts from $3 up to $268. 94% of our membership will receive some prize award.

The Prize awards are based on
100 “Points” = $1
Points Awarded for each tournament
◦ Close to Pin – 500 points
◦ Hole In One – 10,000 points
◦ Flight Prizes – various amounts for each winning flight / position


A very few special adjustments
◦ Most Division 5 players at Columbia receive a 600 point refund (overcharge of greens fees)
◦ MP Skins awarded at the last event (Glen Echo) are included for participating members

The Prize Award Check consolidates all Points from Division play, Metro Plus, Special Events, and the Championship into one check The check is issued to members based on their current mailing address in their membership profile in their division(s) in Golf League US

A summary posting (PDF) for the Prize Awards is posted on the Metro Seniors website. This is total points from each Division. The file is large (650+ lines, 13 pages) and includes all total prizes paid. Click Here for the PDF

How can you get more details?

Golf League divisions will have more details (by play date) for points awards.

Login to your Golf League Division.

  • Click on “Scores Points” in the left hand sidebar
    Click on “Points” in the dropdown
    Select your name to view your data for the season
  • You get a table of all points awarded to you by date for the 2024 season
    For even more data, use the “Net Score Leaderboard” You can see all the net scores and points for all players, events and flights


The awards for Special Events and for the Championship have been posted on the Metro Seniors website.

Pace of Play – Important for Everyone

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Who wants to play a 5 hour round of golf? Who likes to wait for 5 minutes on every tee box for the group ahead to clear the fairway?

NOT METRO SENIORS PLAYERS!!! And our golf course partners don’t like it either.

DON’T KNOW OUR RULES ON PACE OF PLAY AND READY GOLF – CLICK HERE

WE DO MEASURE PACE – SLOW PLAY IS MONITORED – CLICK HERE

Want to see more about how we monitor pace – CLICK HERE

Over many years the most frequent complaint from members and courses is Pace of Play.

Your Officer and Board of Governors have made many changes in rules and operations over the last several years. You – our members – have also accepted the challenge to “Pick up the Pace” with Ready Golf and a great attitude to help everyone.

Now our starting tee foursomes frequently finish in 3 3/4 to 4 hours. Almost all tee groups have shown that they can finish in less than 4 1/2 hours. Our partner courses have noticed and are happy to have us on their schedule.

So why all the CONTINUING interest?

Every year, we have new members. Some members are getting more “senior”. We can be “forgetful”. Little reminders, nudges can help.

More important, it only takes one SLOW tee group to cause HUGE delays!

One group falling behind by only 1 minute per hole would come in about 25 minutes behind the group ahead. A gap of two empty holes!

Worse still – this slowdown would delay EVERYONE behind by at least 20 to 30 minutes. From 40 to 100 following players could have a miserable round approaching 5 hours or more.

WORTHY OF REPEATING – If your group is slow by 20 minutes, you just wasted somewhere between 200 to 400 MANHOURS of your fellow members time in delays.

Want to see more about how we monitor pace – CLICK HERE

Herb Walker – Memorial

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Feb 25, 1942 – May 25, 2024

Herb Walker, a friend and long time member of Metro Seniors Golf, passed Saturday, May 25, 2024.

Herb joined Metro St Louis Seniors Golf back in 2000. He quickly joined the board, He soon moved through many service roles including the President, Vice President, Past President and on the Membership, Tournament, Special Events committees.  He was a director in both Division 4 and Division 5.

Herb had the distinction of serving on the Board for 18 consecutive year from 2000 through 2017.

In 2020, MSLSGA awarded Herb with an Honorary Life Membership. CLICK HERE for the announcement.

A celebration of life will be held at Manchester United Methodist Church, Manchester, MO on Saturday, June 22, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. with visitation beginning at 9:30 a.m. prior to the service. In lieu of flowers donations to LoveU2Pieces or Manchester United Methodist Church are appreciated in Herb’s Memory. As a service of the SCHRADER Funeral Home and Crematory, friends may sign the family’s on-line guestbook at Schrader.com.

For more information on Herbs life – CLICK HERE You may also leave online condolence messages for the family.

You may also comment here to share with the Metro St. Louis Seniors family.

Metro Plus – GUESTS 2024

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A few Metro Plus events may allow non-MP members to play as guests.

Metro Plus members always have first priority for registrations. However when we expect more openings to be available, the MP team will consider allowing guests.

Currently only 2 events are now open for guests – Forest Hills and Old Hickory.

To see more on the Guest Policy and signup information and links to the online signup form, CLICK HERE

Courses Tees and for 2024

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The Handicap Committee completed the review of the 2024 season schedule and has updated the courses, tee and ratings.

We maintained the tee selection criteria for the 2024 season.

  • 3 tees for men, 1 tee for women
  • Yardage guidelines
    • Forward about 5000 yard (4500 to 5300)
    • Middle about 5500 yards (5000 to 6000)
    • Back about 6000 yards (5700 to 6500)
  • Women use the same Forward Tee as men
  • Regular course maintained tees (no mixed or combo tees)
  • All par 3 holes will be included in CTP prizes

Maximum Score to record for every hole is “QUAD Bogey” or 4 strokes over par (7 on a par 3, 8 on a par 4 and 9 on a par 5)

Revisions made for 2024 Season

  • Added Cardinal Creek, eliminated Sugar Creek
  • Added missing Womens tee
  • Updated tee ratings and slope to current USGA
    • Unrated Men’s tees use USGA estimate system
    • Lockhaven and Quai Creek use scorecard data (errors in USGA)
  • Updated other course statistics as needed (yardage, hole handicap)
  • Updated in GLUS by season start
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