dlwicks@sbcglobal.net

Effective immediately, unless otherwise noted, payment for all Metro Seniors Dues, Special Events registration and Metro Plus must be done with a credit/debit card or a check.  We will no longer take cash for payment.  With credit/debit cards or checks automatically a receipt is rendered.  We can track items better especially when refunds are in order. It’s a change we just need to embrace. 

Metro Seniors has partnered with St Louis Sportswear as our apparel outlet.  Currently we have over 12 shirt styles available with over 74 different color selections, 4 different hat selections and 2 golf towels.  Ordering is done thru an online store we have set up.  The store is open until March 3^rd at 11:59 PM to order items that you will receive before the March 24^th meeting to display to all of us in attendance.  You still have time to order.

Here is the link: https://metrostlouissrgolfassoc.itemorder.com/sale

Payment must be made by Credit/Debit card only and items may either be picked up at St Louis Sportswear 3615 Ridgewood St Louis, MO. 63116 on or after March 17^th or for a $10.00 fee, they will ship it to you house.

The store will open again soon.  Stay tuned for details.

We are good golfers who happen to be seniors.

PACE OF PLAY RESULTS FOR 2019

Pace of Play 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”.

2019 RESULTS

Overall Pace of Play (POP) for 2019 over 10,000 rounds, all 18 hole divisions and courses was 4:31. It improved slightly over 2018 and a huge IMPROVEMENT over 2016 and earlier.

Pace in 2019 was especially challenging.

• Pace early in the season with wet and cold weather was slower than “normal”. Half of our slowest rounds were in April and early May and many of those were Path Only that slows pace by about 30 minutes. Several were also shotgun starts.
• Occasionally 1 or 2 slow groups playing early in a Tee Start held everyone back.
• With fewer shotgun starts and NO REVERSE SHOTGUNS we were able to improve pace as the season moved on.
• Challenging courses (long, blind shots, deep rough, hilly) especially when coupled with shotgun starts and wet or Path Only conditions.

• Being ready to play and staying aware are far more important than skill, age or physical capabilities in pace of play.

2019 had only 15% of events with average play of 4:45 of more, and over 1/2 of them were Shotgun starts and difficult courses.

All the data from 2018 – 2019 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.

Unfortunately there is still a very small minority (less than 4%) of players and groups who are playing slower than our targets. Continued effort for these members and new members added for 2019 and beyond will be needed.

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.

2020 Pace of Play Efforts 

This will be a continuing process for many years. Efforts for 2020 and beyond

• Reduced Shotgun Starts and Complete elimination of Reverse Shotgun
• Continue and improve Pace Log measurements
• Continue member education and encouragement
• Improve Weekly Tournaments operations

For more details by course, division, start type and more see below.

[gview file=”https://www.golfstlseniors.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2023-MP-Schedule-1.pdff”}

Metro Senior now has Golf Apparel merchandise available to all Metro Senior members to purchase.  Presently our online “Store” features 9 different styles of polo style shirts in 76 different colors, some long sleeved, 4 different hats styles in 20 colors, and golf towels.  Metro Seniors has aligned with St Louis Sportswear a local company who can offer us our logo on items at reasonable pricing.  We feature Callaway, Pacific Horizon, Pro Celebrity, North End, Nike, Foot Joy, Adidas, and Under Armour brands. 

Shirt logos will appear on the left sleeve or on the front left side, hats in front or the side and towels are in the middle or bottom right.  It’s your choice.

The “Store” is open from now until March 3^rd.  All items will not be made until the “Store” closes.  At that time the link will disappear.  Payment is made by debit/credit card online only.  Items may be picked up on March 16^th or later from 9 am to 4 pm, at St Louis Sportswear, 3615 Ridgewood, Saint Louis, MO, 63116 or for a small service fee delivered to your home directly. 

The “Store” with the same items will be open from March 23^rd thru March 31^st and items can be picked at the same location on April 16^th or later or again for a small delivery fee, sent directly to your home. 

St. Louis Sportswear will be at the March 24^th Metro Seniors general meeting, displaying out MS items, so you may order that day if you wish.  Items ordered and paid for that day with debit/credit card can be picked up after April 16^th or delivered.   No items on March 24^th will be available for immediate purchase. Everything must be ordered. 

The “Store will be open for Championship Tournament apparel in at August with orders picked up/delivered before the Championship event and open again in November with all the “New” 2021 items available before Christmas.

Be the first one in your group to have them.  Remember, payment is only by debit or credit card. 

Here is the link: https://metrostlouissrgolfassoc.itemorder.com/sale

 I received sad news Friday my old friend and Metro 3 member John Gerfen passing. On 1/2/2020 John passed away, he was having trouble again with new liver from what I was told. His visitation is this Wednesday, January 8th, at Schrader Funeral Home on Manchester Rd. in Baldwin. Schrader Funeral Home web site has more info.

I’ve known John for 30 yrs., from work at National Archives Amid: (NARA) and have played a lot of golf and golf trips. With John and 2 others we join the League back in 2007. He will be missed, John was a good friend.

Terry Janitch

REMINDER – If you selected the team you want to play with on your Special Events sign-up form, please make sure every member of your team has paid.  Enrollment for an event is not confirmed until a player has paid the designated fee or someone has paid for them.  The time stamp for payment is how we determine if a player is on the confirmed roster or on the wait list.  Each year we have individuals selected as team members, but they delay payment and end up of the wait list.

The rosters for 2020 Special events are filling up, through 9:30 pm, Friday, Jan 3, we have the following: 126 Signup Forms with 662 Paid Players


Find Your Swing  108
Ryder Cup  113
Best Ball  96
Pick Your Partner  115
Founders’ Day  136
Last Chance  94

Frank McLaughlin, Special Events Chairman

Wallet /Credit Card sized schedule is available as a PDF file (below). This includes all 26 weeks of tournaments for Division 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 plus our Special Events.

This is a one (1) sheet 8.5×11, two (2) page form that includes all five weekly divisions plus the Special Events calendar information. One side has all 26 weeks in calendar order with a separate list of Special Events. The other side has the Special Events included in the calendar order with the Weekly Tournaments, useful if you are playing most Special Events.

Each division is printed in a 2.25″ length X 8.5″ width. Cut your division from the printed form. Then fold on the “FOLD LINE” to credit card size 2.25″ X 2.75″ size.

If you have a duplex printer (prints on 2 sides of paper) you can print it directly and cut out your division.  IMPORTANT – Print option to “flip on short side” to have the front and back for each division properly aligned on front and back. Print this on card stock for more heft.

If printer is not duplex, print both pages, cut out your division and attach the 2 sides together. Then fold at each “FOLD LINE” to credit card size.

Click here to download the PDF file for printing.

This is what the form will look like.

2020-Wallet-Schedule-Rev-12-09-19