dlwicks@sbcglobal.net

Member Information – Rosters and More

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Now is a great time to check your personal information in our online rosters and to check the membership in you Division.  Look for new and old friends.

Here is a link to an illustrated guide to start using OurGolfStats.com.  CLICK HERE

To view the official rosters (by Division)

Visit OurGolfStats.com    (CLICK HERE)

Click on the LogIn (upper right side link)

Select your Division from the Metro Seniors drop-down list

Enter the password and submit.

You will then see the front page for your (or any) Division. with lots of options for reports.  Click on the Roster (#1).

You will then see the most recent information for you.  This includes your most recent Handicap Guide and Flight.    PLEASE HELP US by reviewing your Roster Information for accuracy.  If you change your email, phone number or address during the season, PLEASE tell us ASAP.

PLEASE CONTACT Membership Chairman, Dan Glenzy,  dglenzy@charter.net, with corrections or changes as needed.  We can’t contact you with wrong addresses.

New Members – your Handicap Guide will start following your first outing, but you will not have a Flight assignment, and official Handicap Guide for Flight Prize participation until you have recorded 3 official weekly outings.   So you can start Flight winnings on weekly outing 4.  Again, very important to check your roster information.

 

Water Hazards and Dropping Zones

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Update for Week 2 – April 20/21

No conforming Dropping Zones for these courses for Week #2

  • Division 1 – Columbia
  • Division 2 – Crystal Springs
  • Division 3 – Orchards
  • Division 5 – Belk Park

Innsbrook (Division 4) has 3 marked, maintained Dropping Zones

  • Hole #7 (left of lake)
  • Hole #15 (left of lake)
  • Hole #17 (left of lake).

We encourage the use of Dropping Zones as it can help improve Pace of Play.

When we have problems with Water Hazards (marked by Yellow Stakes), use of Dropping Zones may be allowed (see Section 17 below).

Section 17 – Water Hazards – Penalties and Carry Over Procedure
All players must attempt to hit their ball across water hazards marked by yellow stakes.
If a ball is in or it is known or virtually certain that a ball that has not been found is in the water hazard, the player may proceed with under one of the following options: :
A) proceed under USGA Rule 26-1 (water hazard rule) with penalty of one (1) stroke
B) If there is a conforming dropping zone, identified and clearly marked by the course, and announced before start of play to players as to the hole and location of the dropping zone player may drop a ball, under penalty of one (1) stroke, in the dropping zone.
C) Under penalty of three (3) penalty strokes, player may choose to drop a ball on the opposite side of the water hazard two club lengths from the margin of the water hazard, opposite the point where the ball entered the water hazard. Penalties are one stroke to come out of hazard, plus two (2) penalty strokes to carry across the hazard.

Most of our scheduled courses DO NOT have regular, marked. maintained Dropping Zones.   I am preparing a detailed summary for all our courses.

For this week’s courses (April 13/14) – Only Division 1 (Emerald Greens has marked/maintained Dropping Zones).

Landings at Spirit (Division 2) – No Drop Zones
Aberdeen (Division 3) – No Drop Zones
Columbia (Division 4) – No Drop Zones
Links @ Dardenne (Division 5) – No Drop Zones

 

For Emerald Greens (only 2 holes have regular drop zones)

Hole #2 – Par 4 – Drop Zone beside and to the left of the green
Hole #17 – Par 3 – Drop Zone at bunker near green

Note – there is NOT a regular drop zone for #18, although this may be “marked” sometimes. We cannot use a temporary zone.

 

Revised Tournament Rules 3-28-2017

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The Tournament Rules have been revised (3-28-2017) to include no penalty for hitting the flagstick while putting.

CLICK HERE for the latest version of the Tournament Rules that replace the Member Directory, page 13.  Print this out and attach to your Member Directory for the latest information.

This also required a revision to the full, detailed Policies and Procedures (3-28-2017).  CLICK HERE

 

Starters and Scorers – Instructions and Schedules Update

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ALL MEMBERS – Please remember we need everyone (including new members) in each Division to volunteer as Starters or Scorers each season.  The job is not hard.  We have simplified the instructions.  Starters and Scorers are really facilitators – handing out and collecting score cards and handling the Closest To Pin markers.

Scorers – We do ask that you assign the Scorer Finish Time accurately.  Then scan score cards for completion (all blanks full), and legibility (if you can’t read it, neither can we). If incomplete or illegible ask group to clean it up.  You don’t have to check math.  You don’t have marshal or policing duties.

The Pace of Play Log Sheets are new, but tee groups are responsible for completing their member IDs at registration and times and comments at scoring completion.  Should take less than a minute for each tee group.

MEMBER TEE GROUPS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL SCORE AND TIME DATA AND ACCURACY, LEGIBILITY AND COMPLETION on Universal Score Card, Course Scorecard, and Pace of Play Logs.

The new checklists/instructions for Starers and Scorers have been updated.

Plus we have the current (3-28-17) Starter/Scores Schedule for Divisions 1 and 4 online.

All members and especially new members should look over the instructions.  If you know the process, registration and scoring will go faster and be more accurate.  CLICK HERE, for a step by step illustrated instruction for scorecards and Pace of Play Log sheets.

CLICK HERE for Starter Scorer Checklists and Division Starer / Scorer Schedules.

 

USGA Rules Changes Proposed

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Proposed USGA 2019 Rules

USGA has developed a number of rule changes that are out for review with a schedule to implement them as of January 1, 2019.  Some of these will help improve pace of play for everyone.

Golf Digest has “A comprehensive guide to the “New Rules of Golf”” – Click Here   This is a great summary of the proposed rule changes, simplified and illustrated.

PLEASE NOTE – These USGA rules are NOT in effect until 2019 as such are not part of Metro Seniors rules for 2017.    

Metro Seniors Rules 2017

Metro St. Louis Seniors Golf Association uses USGA rules, except where we make specific changes as listed in out Policies and Procedures and in the Tournament Rules Summary (page 13 in your 2017 Member Directory).

The Board has ruled that the we will immediately begin use of the flagstick rule – no penalty if your putted ball would hit the flagstick standing in the hole.  This is expected to help improve Pace of Play, reduced juggling of flagstick for ball off green and on green, faster ready putting.

The new flagstick rule is now being added to the Tournament Rules Summary (page 13 in your 2017 Member Directory).  A revised page will be available as soon final language is approved.

Future Metro Seniors Rule Changes – 2017 / 2018

The Rules Committee and Board have not had a complete review of all the proposed rule changes but will do so during the next months.  Where these simplify MSLSGA rules and meet the needs of our members, we will look at expedited implementation during 2017 and for the 2018 season.

Want to help – offer to join the Rules Committee, or consider running for a Board Position for your Division when they open.  Talk to your Division VP or Division Board representatives.

 

60 is Nifty Challenge – Registration Date extended to April 18

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None of the courses in the 60 is Nifty Challenge are scheduled for week 1 of the regular schedule, so the final date for registration has been extended to April 18.

You still have plenty of time to register, but time is running out.

Registration is through the Special Events form (online / credit card or paper / check) CLICK HERE

 

60 is Nifty – Hole Corrections for Member Directory

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We have two (2) hole corrections for the 60 is Nifty for your Member Directory (page 14).

  • Legacy – Par 5 – correct hole is #1
  • Spencer T Olin – Par 4 – Correct hole is #13

This was only in error on page 14 of your Member Directory.  Other posts and pages online were correct.

You can mark up your directory or if you wish, you can print out the following page to replace the version in your Member Directory.

60 is Nifty – Revision 3-26-2017

Download (PDF, 95KB)

Pace of Play – Blank Log Sheets Available

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New Pace of Play Log Sheets will be used for each weekly tournament starting this season.  This is really required as data improvement to really improve and enforce pace of play.

  1. Simplified and fasted data recording
  2. Faster data collection and analysis
  3. Published Pace Status in website and newsletters

The data is exactly the same as required on the Universal Score Card (USC).  But the USC is not available for analysis quickly.  Plus extra movement (mailing or collection) is added expense.  The USC will be the backup if Log Sheets get misplaced.

At Registration:

  1. Starters will have log sheet out and noted for Date/Course and weather or course conditions
  2. Tee Groups will fill in Member IDs on their start line as soon as they have their tee position

At Round Finish

  1. Scorers will have Log Sheet available
  2. Tee Groups will complete their line with Start Time, Finish Time and Scorer Finish Time
  3. Tee Group can also comment about round if times are unusual
    1. Sickness
    2. Cart problems
    3. Slow group ahead
    4. Whatever they think is appropriate
  4. Scorers will look over Official Finish Times for accuracy and then mail the sheet to Pace Committee

Tee Groups will only have to write Member IDs and Times – about 20 seconds each tee group.  Starters / Scorers simply make Log Sheet available and mail out.

Each Div Case will have Pre-Printed (Date, Course, Division) log sheets for each Tee and Shotgun start.  Plus blank sheets will be available.  Stamped, addressed envelopes are available.  Each sheet has instructions printed on the back.

Sample Blank Sheets are available.  Starters or VPs can print these out and set up manually before the outing if they wish.    The logs are different for Split Tee and Shotgun to more easily show the Tee Group order of play.  You can actually see your group status (Start/Finish) as you fill out the sheet.

Blank Pace of Play Log Sheets

Split Tee Start Log Sheet

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Shotgun Tee Start Log Sheet

Download (PDF, 97KB)

 

General Membership Meeting – Reminder

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General Spring Membership Meeting

Tuesday, March 21, 1:00PM

Kirkwood Community Center on Geyer Road.

  • Get your Directory, Division Roster, and Discount Card
  • Meet up with friends
  • Meet new Officers, Directors and Committee Chairs
  • Updates on changes for 2017
    • Max 9 Stroke
    • Changes to Starter/Scorer
    • Sign-up for Starter / Scorer
    • Pace of Play Improvements and Focus
    • Sign-up for Special Events and 60 is Nifty Challenge
  • First Tee Donations (CLICK HERE)