Division 9 – Try It, You May Like It!

Pop Quiz!

  1. What is Division 9?
  2. Where and when is Division 9?
  3. Who can play in Division 9?
  4. How does Division 9 play affect you handicap in Divisions 1 – 5?
  5. What does it cost to join Division 9?
  6. What does it cost to play with Division 9?
  7. Why should you be playing in Division 9?

 

  1. Division 9 is our little secret for even more fun and fellowship.  Nine holes of competitive golf like Division 1 – 5, with many continuing to play a full 18 (final nine for fun, practice, grins, whatever)!
  2. Division 9 plays every Wednesday morning from about March 15 to about November 15 at Riverside Golf Course in Fenton, Mo.  Start time is about sunrise with about 1 1/2 hour registration.  It is a great way to extend your golf season.
  3. Any registered member of Metro St. Louis Seniors Golf can join and play in Division 9.
  4. Trick Question – It does NOT affect your handicap, qualification for championship, or eligibility for Special Events.
  5. Division 9 only members pay an annual registration fee of $28.  Division 1 – 5 members can join Division 9 for $2 the first time playing plus $1 for each round for prize payout.
  6. Fees to play in Division 9 (green and cart) are $21 for a full 18 holes to as little as $12 for 9 hole walkers.
  7. Why add Division 9 to your schedule? Easy!
    1. Fun, inexpensive, competitive golf on Wednesday morning.
    2. No commitment required, just show up and make up a foursome.
    3. Relatively close location for almost all of our Missouri members.
    4. Great way to get in some practice before Thursday or Friday events.
    5. Extend your season with a great group of golfers.
    6. Great way for new golfers to get into Metro Seniors, learn rules, forming foursomes, meeting other golfers, making new friends.
    7. Will not affect you handicap or anything else in Divisions 1 – 5.
    8. More opportunities for Hole In One (Metro Seniors pays $100 for Division 9, too)
    9. Great way for golfer with health issues or simply cutting back on golf to stay in the game.

Now that you are interested, CLICK HERE for even more information.

 

Special Events Schedule for 2018

The Special Events Committee lead by Frank Mantia has put together a great mix of events for 2018. We have new courses and some really good venues.

Here is the schedule short form.

  • 24 April 1st 100 – Indian Mounds – $21 no lunch 0730 SG start
  • 15 May Ryder Cup – Gateway National – $51 includes lunch limit to 120 players 0730 SG start
  • 26 June Pick your partner 2 man scramble – The MO Bluffs – $52 includes lunch limit 120 players 0730 SG start
  • 16 July Super Seniors – Sunset Hills CC Edwardsville, IL – $63 includes lunch limit 120 players 0730 SG start
  • 14 August Founders Day – Whitmoor CC – $59 includes lunch 0730 SG start
  • 11 September Same Flight Individual tournament – Annbriar GC – $42 no lunch 0800 SG start

For the complete schedule information and a link to registration information see the Special Events Schedule Page.

 

Holes In One for 2017

Back in 2016, we reviewed the Holes In One for the regular weekly seasons for 2013, 2014, 2015. We had 14 Aces recorded over 28,000 rounds of golf – 1 for every 1999 rounds.  CLICK HERE to see the details.

Click Here for a Golf Digest information on Holes In One.

So – how did we do in 2017.

6 Holes In One for regular weekly tournaments covering 10,109 total rounds.

1 Hole In One for every 1685 rounds played.  Plus we had another Hole In One at an extra outing.

We are still about halfway between the typical “amateur” and the “low handicap” golfer referenced by USGA.

Pretty good for a group with average age of 70 and average handicap of 20.

The 2017 Hole In One class:

Weekly Tournaments Division
Eldon Hulbert 3
Peter Knese 4
Roy Migneco 5
Rick Hines 5
Ron Deines 5
Brad Bradley 2
Ham and Beer Special  
Ron Pierson 3

Special note – these guys have handicap guides ranging from 17 to 26.  Three are in C Flights.

 

New Officers for 2018

With the new year, we have changes in officers.  The following changes were approved by the Board of Directors for the 2018 Season.

Rick Hines has completed his term as Past President and on the Executive Committee.  He is continuing as VP for Division 5.

Bob Zaruba has completed his term as President and moves to Past President and continues on the Executive Committee.

Dave Wicks, as of January 1 will be the President and will continue on the Executive Committee.

Larry Roth, currently a Director for Division 1, has been confirmed as First Vice-President and will begin serving on the Executive Committee.

Don Skitt is stepping down from the Secretary position.  Craig Carothers has been confirmed by the Board as our new Secretary.

As previously announced, Denis Carter is now our Treasurer, replacing Ed Gautier.

Finally as a special recognition, Herb Walker has stepped down from responsibilities on the Board after 18 consecutive years of service.

Please be sure to express your thanks to these folks.  They have kept this organization healthy, fun and vital for many years.

2018 Rule and Operation Changes

2018 Rule and Operations Changes

As of November 2017 Board Meeting we  will be implementing the following changes for 2018 Rules and Regulations and Policies and Procedures.

LAST REGISTRATION – 1 Hour After Start Tee Times

The biggest change is reducing the registration cut-off time to one (1) hour after the official Start Time.  Example – the last group registration will be 7:30 AM (for a 6:30 AM first tee start).

For many outings starters are waiting 20 to 30 minutes for no registrations.  We occasionally had a 20 to 30 minute starting gap for the late groups.   A very few groups will have to show up a few minutes earlier for registration.

See all the current revisions below:

Download (PDF, 69KB)

Pace of Play Ideas

Here is a link to a video from USGA about ideas on Pace of Play.  CLICK HERE

Ideas on faster play at the Greens – CLICK HERE

How to Use Rules for Faster Play and Better Scores = CLICK HERE

 

 

New Scorecard Developments – 2018 and Beyond

CLICK HERE  to try out test scorecard (web page based)

Our Smartphone Survey showed that most members have smartphones and know how to use them with APP and websites.

We will be exploring Mobile Data Entry to get our weekly tournament scores in faster, more accurately, with less time, and less cost.  This would eventually replace the green Universal Scorecard.  Each tee group would complete the electronic scorecard AFTER their round just like we do with the green card on an available smartphone.  Once completed, the form would be sent electronically to OurGolfStats.

Completing the electronic scorecard will take 3 to 5 minutes if you have all your player hole scores from you course scorecard.  (THE ELECTRONIC SCORECARD 0IS NOT TO BE USED FOR SCORES ON THE COURSE!)

While on the course, use course scorecards, announce all players hole score at the end of a hole and write these down.  Use these agreed hole scores for the electronic scorecard.

We will still use “course” scorecards as a backup until we have a better backup alternative.

Web Page Test Scorecard

We have a sample scorecard form for all to try out.  This version is web page based.  Anyone can open the scorecard, input data and submit to a storage on our server.

Simply click on the link, enter the information and “submit”.  No IDs, no Passwords, no sign-ups required.

Most of the form is point and click.  Easy, fast and accurate.  Nine and eighteen scores are totaled automatically.  Form in test includes only Division 1 names and numbers, but all 2018 courses and tee locations are installed.

This is a work in progress so you comments and feedback are needed.

CLICK HERE  to try out test scorecard.

APP Version for Android Smartphones

This same scorecard is also available as a APP for Android smartphones.  You must install the ODK (Open Data Kit) app from the Google Play Store.   Then I can provide the needed links to get the Scorecard Form loaded.  The form has the required information to submit the data.

If you want to try this out, please contact me – Dave Wicks, david.l.wicks@gmail.com.

 

2017 Pace of Play Results – Full Season

The 2017 season is finished.  The Pace of Play data is analyzed.

2017 RESULTS
Overall Pace of Play (POP) for 2017 was GREAT! And a huge IMPROVEMENT. Our gross averages for all tee groups across all Divisions and courses was under 4:30, a 15 to 20 minute improvement as compared to 2016.

Although there were several complaints when we started, during the year we have received many positive comments about members appreciating the faster play. In discussions with courses for 2018 schedules, many acknowledged that they saw improvements.

The detailed data now shows 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. This reinforces that being ready to play and staying aware are far more important than skill, age or physical capabilities in pace of play.

 

2018 and Beyond

Focus on pace will continue.  We can still improve.  Every year new members will need to understand and practice.

Reverse Shotgun starts were clearly identified as a problem for pace.  No Reverse Shotgun starts are on the 2018 schedule (and probably not into the future).

Split Tee starts are the fastest.  We have more Split Tee starts for 2018.

Improved pace can also be a source of new membership as our reputation for fair, competitive, and speedy play grows.

We are not seniors who play golf.

We are good golfers who happen to be seniors. 

For 2017 details – see below.

Download (PDF, 145KB)

2017 Year End General Membership Meeting – Tuesday Nov 14

Members are encouraged to attend the General Membership Meeting on Tuesday, November 14, 2017.  The meeting will start at 1:00 PM at the Kirkwood Community Center on Geyer Road.

Come to meet, thank and confirm your leadership (officers and committee members).  In addition:

  • Visit with Golf Buddies
  • Renew your membership (in person or use online registration)
  • Bring a new member for sign up
  • Find out about the 2018 Schedule
    • Weekly Tournaments
    • Special Events.
  • Rule Changes – All Flights can Chose Forward or Back Tees
  • Sign up for Starter / Scorers for 2018
  • Volunteer for Committee or possible Board / Officer Positions

 

2018 Membership Renewal Now Open

Metro Senior Members,

It is time for you to began the your membership renewal process. You have until December 31, 2017 to renewal your membership and maintain your position in your current division, or transfer to a different division.

If you wait until after January 1, 2018, you will be grouped with new members on a first come first serve basis and when the 160 member limit is reached you will be frozen out of your desired division.

Division 5 was at 160 members last year, while Divisions 3 and 4 were almost at 160. To guarantee your position in Divisions 3, 4, or 5, then you should get your renewals in.

Please use the following link: On-Line Renewal Form

If you elect to mail in your renewal application (see attached file) the check should be made payable to – Metro Seniors.

The completed renewal form and check should be mailed to:

Dan Glenzy

14 London Ct.

O’Fallon, MO 63366

Thank you,

The Membership Committee

Metro Seniors Renewal Form

2017 Smartphone Survey Results

Thank you for your responses.

The evolution of smartphones has generated the opportunity and need to make communications “mobile friendly”.  As an example, our Metro Sr website automatically resizes for the smaller smartphone screen.  We also need to look for improved ways to communicate Metro Seniors news and perhaps weekly VP tournament announcements (emails?).

Over the last several years, ideas for improving our weekly tournament scoring process have bubbled up. Ideas have outrun the technology.  Our current “paper based” Universal Scorecard process is:

  • Time consuming – members and data entry
  • Time delayed – mailing, bulk data entry
  • Relatively expensive – mailing, printing, data entry
  • Error prone – input and data entry
  • Affects every member

Technology now exists. Smartphones are now in wide use. Essentially hand held wireless computers connected to the internet and central servers/systems.

Applications (APPs) that use smartphones for “Mobile Data Entry” are widespread and some are virtually free.  These allow easy point – click data entry, automatic completion, error checking and math.  They also allow immediate data transfer for use in central databases (like OurGolfStats).

We are exploring the opportunity to utilize Mobile Data Entry as a replacement for our current paper scorecard system.  Within a few years, we expect that this will be the standard everywhere.

The decision for us is should we start now or wait.  The Smartphone Survey will help in deciding when we start.

Do we have a “critical mass” of smartphones?

Do members have enough experience to use website or Mobile Data Entry APPs?

Do members understand the issues, problems, delays, costs, and time for paper scorecards?

Can we develop Mobile Data Entry that is faster, cheaper, higher quality and that members will use?

Do we see more opportunities?

  • Fast, accurate, real time course surveys or course conditions reports
  • Improved pace of play measures, real time
  • Reduced efforts and time for volunteers (Starters / Scorers and administration)
  • ???? More Ideas?????

Download (PDF, 260KB)