dlwicks@sbcglobal.net

Good Scorecards – Correctly Recorded Scores

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The Universal Scorecard is the official scorecard for all scheduled weekly tournaments.

But about 4% of scorecard rounds are disqualified with incorrect identification, bad totals, and handwriting that is difficult or impossible to read.

Start and Finish times for Pace of Play has gotten overlooked too.  We will be improving Pace of Play measures for 2017 and the scorecards and Pace of Play logs will be our best tools to identify and fix slow play.

We have an illustrated guide to completing the Universal Scorecard and the Pace of Play Logs (new for 2017).  CLICK HERE       STARTER and SCORER Instructions are being revised and simplified.

Tips To Accurate and Quick Scorecards (thanks to Tom King)

  • Each foursome / threesome should keep 2 course scorecards, 1 on each cart.
  • Get good pencils – and perhaps a couple for each cart. The course and Metro Sr have plenty available. Many errors are caused by writing too faint to read.
  • Mark Start Times on both Course Scorecards when the Tee Group takes the tee box (when the first player addresses their ball). Most tee group starts have about 10 minutes separation at tee off, when the group ahead has moved out of range (200 to 250 yards).
  • At the end of play, these cards should be exchanged so that the other cart can check a card for legibility and accuracy, for scores, totals, times as well as names and player numbers. If you can’t read a scorecard, we can’t either.
  • Any discrepancies should be resolved among the playing group BEFORE transferring the information to the “green card”.
  • The guy with the best handwriting should record them on the Universal Scorecard (“green card”).
  • Have 1 or 2 players make a quick, final check of scorecard scores and totals, to find transposition errors.
  • The most legible Course Scorecard checked for completeness, signed, and turned in with the Universal Scorecard.

It may take a couple extra minutes to do it right, but wouldn’t you rather spend 5 minutes on your scorecard so the 5 hours you spent on the course is recorded accurately?

Illustrated Guide to Universal Scorecard

Download (PDF, 599KB)

Maximum 9 Stroke Rule Changes

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To help improve our Pace of Play, Metro Seniors is adopting a maximum  stroke rule starting with the 2017 season.

Players are to take and score no more than 9 strokes (strokes plus penalties) on any hole for any Metro Seniors tournament.  Players are not required to putt out holes where stroke count is already 8.

Why Max 9?

Intent 

  • Prevent out of control hole from holding up your group and groups behind
  • Minimal impact on scores most scores
  • No impact on handicaps
  • Virtually no impact on flight prizes

Play and record no more than a maximum Nine (9) strokes (actual + penalties) on any hole.  As soon as it is reasonably expected that score will be at least 9 (or more), pickup, move out of play area, and score 9.  Help others in your foursome to speed their play.

Examples

  • 3 into water off tee on a par 5. Hitting 7th on Tee. Player should pickup there, score 9 and move out of play to speed others and help others where possible.
  • Lying 6, 150 or more yds from hole, maybe pickup and score 9 and help others.  Do you really think you can hole out in 1 or 2 more strokes?
  • Lying 8 on green – don’t finish, pickup and score 9
  • Lying 7 on green – Must Putt one to try for 8, then pickup and score 9

Using Max 9 wisely will help you, your group, and the groups behind you.

 

In Policies and Procedures and for the Tournament Rules and Regulations

The official wording will be:

Section 6 – Putt Out Holes

Members are required to putt out on each hole at all tournaments except if the hole score is known or reasonably expected to be MORE THAN EIGHT (8) STROKES for that hole. Failure to Putt Out for any hole with a total score of 8 or under will result in disqualification for that round.

Section 7 – Maximum Hole Score of Nine (9) to speed Pace of Play

To speed Pace of Play, Members are to play and score no more than nine (9) strokes on any hole including all actual strokes and penalties. When it is known or reasonably expected that the Member’s hole score will be MORE THAN EIGHT (8) STROKES on any hole, Member is to:

  • Immediately STOP play on that hole
  • Pickup ball
  • Move toward the next hole
  • Assist other Members in speeding play for that hole
  • Record nine (9) strokes for that hole.

Member must NOT PUTT OUT for this hole.

 

Pace of Play Update – January 2017

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The Board of Governors reviewed and approved the Pace of Play Action Plan for 2017 as recommended by the Pace of Play Committee.

The summary of findings for the 2016 season were posted here in December (CLICK HERE).

Action Plan Elements

  • Expectations – What is Expected or Target Pace?
  • Education – What makes up Pace? Rules! Ready Golf!
  • Measures and Data – Improved data collection and measurements
  • Rules – Rules can improve Pace!
  • Enforcement – Slow Groups/Members

This website, newsletters, emails and meetings will be used to Educate and Inform our members.  More on the many moving parts as time goes on.

We will be measuring, analyzing, and reporting Pace of Play throughout 2017.  Starting June 1, we will begin enforcement for “slow play”.  This will include warnings, and remediation efforts, and if necessary expulsion of members.

EXPECTATIONS FOR 2017

  • Members
    • Play to best competitive effort, with courtesy and respect for others
    • Follow all rules
    • Manage their group to “Meet Pace” and “Keep Up” with group ahead
  • Pace of Play Targets for 2017
    • 4 to 4 1/2 hours Tee Starts
    • 4 1/2 to 5 hours Shotgun Starts
    • Course, conditions, organization, member capability
  • VP/Board/POP Committee
    • Manage Pace fairly and consistently
    • Set and communicate clear Standards / Rules
    • Measure and communicate status and results
    • Enforce
      • Identify “Slow Play” groups/members
      • Gain Improvements

RULE CHANGE – Maximum of 9 Strokes on any hole

All players will be required to take no more than 9 strokes on any hole.  This will prevent a “blow-up” hole from slowing a group and all behind them.  It will reduce only about 15 to 30 strokes per round but these are concentrated in our slowest players and groups. Pace for our slowest players (and those following) should improve by several minutes per round.

The Max 9 rule will not make any differences in handicaps, in flight prize money, in flight standings, or in qualifications for the league championship.

Everyone who has a bad hole may and should take advantage of the Max 9 rule.

DATA and MEASUREMENT – New Pace Log Sheet

We will continue using our Scorecards.  However, we will add a simple Log Sheet for times.  This will allow faster and simpler data collection and analysis.

Starters/Scorers instructions will be simplified to help.  The Logs will be completes as part of registration and Scorecard completion.

DIVISION MENTORS

We will work to expand the Mentors program used in Division 3.  Mentors will help new players get started, understand rules, requirements for Pace of Play, and regular play.  Mentors may also help with “Slow” players or groups.

ENFORCEMENT SLOW PLAYERS / GROUPS

Groups that are consistently slow will be identified, asked to improve, and as needed disciplined or asked to leave the league.

Slow Groups are:

  • Significantly over the target pace and/or average pace for the outing (>20 minutes)
  • Not Keeping Up with the group ahead (<15 minutes behind)
  • Warnings will be issued
  • At 3rd warning in the season, membership may be revoked

PGA Championship Coming in 2018

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We don’t have any official information yet.  So we can’t sign up anyone for a while.  This is to get you thinking for 2018.   Here is starting information link from PGA CLICK HERE.

The 2018 PGA Championship will be held at Bellerive.  Schedule is August 6 through August 12, 2018

Metro Seniors organized a group of volunteers for the 2013 Senior PGA Championship.  We essentially handled marshal duties for one hole.  It was fun and we got to ramble around Bellerive.

There is a cost to volunteer, and some training time required. Volunteers do get tickets for access to the course during most or all the event.  Volunteers also receive some clothing items (shirt, jacket, hat) that help offset some of the costs.  Volunteers also have separate parking and shuttles.

Board of Governors will discuss organizing a group for 2018.

Would you be interested?  Add your comments.

Links to Course Scorecards – 2017

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Following is a summary of links to course scorecards.  These are “informational” to help prepare for the season.  You can refresh your memory of the courses.

The document has hot links to take you directly to that page.  The scorecard page also has links for more information about each course.  If you are interested in other courses, you can search courses by state and city (click here).

These are from the OOBGOLF.COM site.  They feature a full scorecard with a plan of each hole.  These are also offered in a standardized view that is easy on the eyes.

Although they appear complete they are not “official” course scorecards.  A few of the forward tee colors, and some of the forward tee stats for Men are not included in these scorecards.  However, for MSLSGA “Regular (or Back”) tees, most of the yardages, ratings and slopes match or are a very close match for the MSLSGA official stats.

Many of our scheduled courses will have website, run and internet search on the course name and location.  An image of the course scorecard is sometimes available.  However, in several cases, the course websites show scorecards that are outdated or simply in error.  Example – Crystal Springs is showing a scorecard from a Houston TX course.

Metro St. Louis Seniors Golf Association statistics assembled by the Handicap Committee will be our official source for Tees and Colors, Yardages, Ratings, and Slope for scoring and handicap calculations.  These will be available on the website before the 2017 Season begin.

Download (PDF, 6KB)

 

Scorecards – Scoring Problems and Solutions?

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Just how important is our Universal Scorecard?  It is almost everything.

It is the only way that your score is recorded.  It is the basis for your handicap.  It is the proof that you actually won your flight (or not).

It is also the basis for measuring our Pace of Play, but more on that later.

So why is it that we have so many errors, omissions, and simply unreadable scorecards????

For 2016 (Division 1 Data)

  • 40% of our Members (50 members) had score errors on Scorecards
  • 12 Members had errors on multiple outings
  • 2 Members had errors on 4 separate outings
  • Only 1 play date was free of score errors – Far Oaks
  • Many of the scorecards were almost unreadable

Why is it IMPORTANT?

  • Your score, handicap, flight, flight prizes, and invitation to championship.
  • It takes extra time ($) for outside service to find, fix errors.

 

Why do we have the problems? It is really simple! We are sloppy!

  • Poor Handwriting – really hard to read
  • Bad Pencil – too light to read
  • Bad Math
    • Totals Incorrect
    • Could Not Read Hole Scores

How to Fix?

  • Get a GOOD Pencil or Pen – we have lots at the course
  • Get the best scribe in group to write
  • Have each in group add up scores, especially their own
  • Check scores and math on course card FIRST, then transpose to Universal Scorecard
  • Take a minute or so to make it Right First Time!

Pace of Play – How to Improve for Metro Seniors

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Pace of Play on the golf course is almost always a hot topic.  Everyone wants a speedy rounds.

And we can easily see the problem as “the other guys” in the group right in front of us.  Remember the group immediately behind you can only see you.  So maybe we are all part of the problem.

SLOW PLAY is the real sore point.  What causes SLOW PLAY?  There are many contributing factors.  Metro St. Louis Seniors Golf has to work with all the factors to give members the best possible experience.

  1. Course Conditions, Rules, and Equipment
    1. Course Design and Difficulty
    2. Course Maintenance
      1. Long Rough
      2. Leaves on Fairway and Rough
    3. Slow Carts or Bad Cart Paths
    4. Rain Delays or Wet Conditions – Path Only
  2. Tournament Conditions and Rules
    1. Individual or Team Competition (Scrambles)
    2. Tees Selected by Metro Sr and by Individuals
    3. Shotgun or Tee Order Starts
    4. Out of Bounds and Lost Ball Rules
    5. Number of Golfers
  3. Player Ability
    1. Short Hitters = More Strokes, More Time
    2. High Handicaps = Higher potential for lost balls, searches, penalties
  4. Player Behavior
    1. On Course Time Management
    2. Ready Golf
    3. Time Wasters
    4. Player Etiquette

What does Metro Seniors do to improve tournament pace of play?

  • Select Courses With
    • Design, Distance, Difficulty that mesh with Members’ Capability
    • Reasonable and Consistent Maintenance
    • Good Management
  • Set Rules that help maintain Speedy Play while offering Fair Member Competition
    • Tees Selection (Distance, Rating, Slope)
    • Division Number and Size – Smaller number of golfers for each tournament
    • Tournament Rules for Lost or OB Balls or special situations
    • Start Type – Shotgun or Split Tee Starts (#1 and #10)
    • Monitor Tee Group Times and Separation Gaps on Scorecards
  • Set and Communicate Metro Seniors Pace of Play Targets and Standards
    • Weekly Tournament and Special Events Targets
    • Course Pace of Play Targets
    • Measure and Communicate Member, Division
  • Encourage Pace of Play Improvements 
    • Record Scores, Calculate Handicaps, Flights
    • Encourage Short Hitters and High Handicaps to “Move Up”
    • Educate and Promote READY GOLF
    • Recognize “Model” Players and Groups
    • Mentor New Members and SLOW MEMBERS
  • Enforce Pace of Play Rules and On Course Corrections 
    • Slow Group Notification, Penalties on Course
    • Slow Group Weekly Warnings
    • Apply Board Sanctions
  • Monitor Tournament Play for the Season
    • Member Survey for Good/Bad Courses
    • Member Attendance, Times, Scores
    • Course Feedback

Member Ability/Behavior is the “last” and probably the most visible element of Pace of Play.  It is very important.  We are all involved.  AND we can all contribute by helping, encouraging, and modeling good behaviors for slower players.  With everyone’s cooperation we will improve everywhere.

Metro Seniors will act fairly and consistently to enforce our rules for Slow Play when significant and consistent problems are identified.