“Un”official Poll: Tee Times vs Shotgun for 2022

[Rick Kimbrell]

joseph healy, what, pray tell, is that still wont help?

[greg messer]

No, getting some of the weaker courses off the rotation won’t help slow play, only enforcement and penalties will. The courses have no incentive unless WAHC either offers incentives to curb it or disincentives to courses that allow slow play, and WAHC has to put some teeth in it, penalties for slow player, or the group. I hate being in a group when that’s how the penalties are accessed, and I will tell a slow player to speed it up if that’s the case.

[Mark Hancock]

There is really nothing that a Ranger can do with 96 players and a shotgun start. At 96 players, that 24 foursomes, so there are 18 “A” Teams and 6 “B” Teams with 3 being on each side. Waiting on the three “B” teams to start play automatically causes a huge delay and that is only worsened by the inevitable Easter Egg hunts that occur and take time.

With Tee Times, having a ranger or marshal makes sense, but it’s a lost cause with shotgun starts.

Scott: Have you given any thought to lowering the amount of players in each Flight to 36? That way, we could have 18 “A” teams on each course.

[William Welch]

If you have “B” groups you have to put them on the correct holes. You have to put them on the holes after par 5s. I’ve had some years where I was a B group and the hole before us was a par 3. That group was waiting with us before we even teed off sometimes!!! If they double the holes after par 5s it gives them more time to get the B groups going without a backup. Not saying there won’t eventually be a backup but it does help.

[Scott T. – World Am]

The amount of courses we have in inventory aligns with how many players on the course which is usually between 90-104. 72 / course wouldn’t be feasible except in 2020 when we had 2,000 players.

[Bob Newman]

At a college event this past weekend saw a new way to handle A-B grouping with shotgun starts. Send b teams early so they could tee off and be in FW IN POSITION as others arrived. Played 36 holes in 10 hours. A rover riding backwards can spot a gap and then they are out of position. If no one is pushing the field, you will have 6 hour rounds. I thought several years Bach the WA went y to Max of 96 on each course

[Rick Kimbrell]

Disagree that having ranger/marshal on course for shotgun starts makes no sense. Inevitably we see to have open hole(s) ahead of some groups. When that happens the ranger needs to follow them and speed them up. You would think every group would finish within 15 to 20 minutes of the first group in. How can the last group in be an hour or more later than the first group in.

[Ed Guertin]

I agree with Rick, I have played in enough shotguns through the years to say that if there is a ranger on the course and he is monitoring the pace of play all he has to do is find where the holdup is. It is usually a group with a hole open in front of them. Speed that group up and the problem is solved! Last year I played in a shotgun that even had (3) “C” groups, rangers kept it moving and all 156 players finished in just over 4 1/2 hours.

[Billy Johnson]

Tee times vs shotguns make no difference to me. Slow play is inevitable. Hell, we had a starter let a guy play with another group, when he was supposed to play in my group on a “tee time” start. Nothing was done by the course, or WAHC. Unless, the rules are gonna be enforced…nothing really matters.

I enjoy being there for the week every year. But, if the keeps going up like it is. This may be my last.

[Daniel Rousseau]

shotgun

[Glenn Foster]

Tom, I agree with you. This issue is as old as this tournament. In 1995 I never had a sub-5 1/2 hr round. This is on the list of complaints that show up always. Between the chairs flipped up to ” save a seat for people” that are gone for an hr while people hit a shin on the chair legs all night at tables!
With tee times it is better, much better. Pace of play didn’t have so many groups at tee boxes, but still will happen at the intervals being so close between them, to get us on and off the course asap. Tournament rounds will always be longer because of the stress of mistakes & rules/rulings.
The facilities at course aren’t meant for volume in the am, with exception of the multi course facilities, and some people want to hit 3 bags of balls for a warm-up. Clubhouse/Grills would be less crowded, have better service. So without tee times, 100+ people trying to “hit some” are in line at each station waiting in 80 deg heat/ 75% humidity, fighting bugs watching others struggle to ” find something”…,( but in all honesty, golf is a fairly selfish sport.)
Keep the tee times, stop the skins stuff being hawked everyday and catch up at the C.Center with folks.

[Rick Kimbrell]

Glenn Foster…the tee time/shotgun ship has sailed. The World Am Committee has already made the right decision…shotgun.

[Charles Mines]

@Rick Kimbrell— So is “Shotgun” official?

[Rick Kimbrell]

@Charles Mines – best I can tell…yes it is official. Here is the link posted by Scott from WA Committee
http://forum.myrtlebeachworldamateur.com/forums/topic/tee-times-or-shotgun-starts/

[Frank Pinto]

Shotgun is more fun. I will study the course book a little harder after seeing which hole I start and finish on. Also I enjoy seeing all the participants before and after the round. Covid was the primary reason for tee times. The range is usually not a problem if you arrive a little early.

[Author]

Posts