Rules

Handicaps in 2 Metro Seniors Divisions

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A number of golfers play in 2 18-hole Divisions of Metro Seniors. If you do this, you will have a separate handicap for each Division. You do not have to establish the handicap in the 2nd Division with 3 rounds played before you are eligible for Net Score prize money.

When you first sign up for the 2nd Division, either let Membership know, or let CustomerService@OurGolfStats.com know, that you would like your Metro Seniors handicap “grandfathered” into the new Division. Since we already have a record of how you play, we will use that history to set you up with a handicap and flight in the new Division.

To enroll in another Division, you will need to pay another membership fee. If you are interested in this, the Membership Committee can assist in answering any questions on the details of enrollment.

If you are just transferring from one Division to another, that needs to take place before the season starts. Again, Membership can handle that for you.

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 – 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)

 

Pace of Play – Some Data (Division 1)

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Why is the 15 minute Gap so important?

Well, the gap time measures a tee group’s separation from the group immediately ahead. If there is more than about 15 minutes separation, the groups are separated by a full hole.

Once a group loses sight or contact with the group ahead, they sometimes lose their perception of pace and fall behind even further.

The following chart show the actual Play Time and Gap for Division 1 at all Tee Start courses for 2016.

  1. For most groups, the gap separation is less than 15 minutes – GREAT!
  2. If the gap is less than about 8 minutes, the group ahead may be slower and blocking
  3. The yellow highlight – gaps between 16 to 25 minutes – too slow but not critical.
  4. The red highlight – gaps from 26 to 50+ minutes.  These are very serious.
  5. The red highlights usually show a very slow time.
  6. The fast groups in the early tee positions show the course conditions
  7. Slow group early in the tee positions will slow and block several groups behind
  8. Unfortunately slow play problems are magnified on the Shotgun Starts (different data set)

Where were you in these groups?  What could you do to play faster/ keep up? Every group is responsible for enforcing pace of play within their group.

Bottom line:

  • A few slow groups can impact many groups on the course
  • Keeping Up with the group ahead (Minding the Gap) is very important

Everyone can have a bad round.  It is very important to shake off a bad hole or two.  And it is important to all of us for everyone to play quickly, and as a minimum stay up with the group ahead.

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President’s Letter to Membership

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METRO SENIOR’S PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Welcome to Metro St Louis Senior’s Golf Association and the 2017 season! We have made some changes that will hopefully make the 2017 season more enjoyable and quicker. Some of the off-season changes are:

  1. Continued improvements to the two websites – golfstlseniors.org and ourgolfstats.com
  2. Expansion of the Play-It-Forward Initiative to allow ALL players to move up if they choose on every course AND all Special Events.
  3. A great slate of Special Events at Whitmoor, Annbriar, Pheasant Run, Missouri Bluffs, Woods Fort and Columbia Bridges in addition to the 25 weeks of regular weekly play.
  4. Addition of Acorns, The Legacy, Incline Village and Old Florissant; dropping of Quail Creek, Normandie, Mystic Oaks and the Hills at McKendree.
  5. Revision of The Policy and Procedures Manual.
  6. The ability to pay the regular dues via credit card.

Starting in 2017, we will be able to pay for all golfing activities via credit card, noting that over 60% of the golfers have availed themselves of this alternative. One of our major initiatives for 2017 will be Pace-of Play. 2017 improvements will include:

  1. The aforementioned Pace-Of Play Initiative. It is NOT, I repeat, NOT our intent to have play in 3 ½ hours or 5 hours. The goal is 4 ½ hours with no more than 15 minutes between completing groups. We will monitor slow groups and penalize them as appropriate. A KEY to completing your round in getting your green card immediately upon the completion of your round – do not go to your car first!
  2. We will once again offer discount cards for the ease of carrying and the ease of use. Please let us know of your usage of these cards.
  3. We are offering at least nine shotgun starts (all Special Events will be shotgun starts) with some divisions, probably 1 and 2, having even more.
  4. Another new initiative related to pace-of-play is that we will max your scores at 9 strokes, regardless of hole type (par 3’s, 4’s or 5’s). Our study indicated that this will not affect any money winnings or handicaps, merely speed up play – a win-win for all of us.

We will also be getting your opinions on many topics via surveys, so please take the time to complete them to make your voice heard. Unlike other elections, popular votes do win here.

This is the 45th year of Metro Seniors! It succeeds because of VOLUNTEERS, new ideas and our love of golf. As I’ve said before, I will listen to all suggestions and even complaints, but if you have a complaint, come with a suggestion that will make the situation better.

Good luck with your golf in 2017.

Bob Zaruba – President

Good Scorecards – How To

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You completed a great round of golf over the morning. You had fun with friends. It was a beautiful day.

Now finish the tournament properly with accurate, legible scorecards. An incomplete, incorrect, or sloppy scorecard can ruin the feeling. Take as much time on your scorecard as you would caring for your favorite clubs.

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 in your score totals and data entry 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?