Policy on back nine play in the morning? Cancel The title field is required!

1. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   8/19/2011 9:08 AM

   Hi all, just wondering what your back nine policies are for letting players tee off on the back 9 first thing in the morning? Also if possible provide info on what is done before those golfers (mowing cup cutting etc.)
   
   In the past at our facility they would let golfers go off the back starting at the same time as regular play off the front. They would send play up to the point of just being front of the golfers coming down 9 making the turn. Since we went and moved our tee times up to 6:30 the pro shop has been holding anyone from going off the back until 7:30 which really only give them maybe a half hour worth of times as our first groups usually play in 1 1/2 hours. Depending on what we are doing, these golfers sometimes are in the way of us, luckily for our layout we aren't spread out much and can bounce around some (depending on what we are doing)
   
   As for equipment and staff we don't have much, so we can't get out in front of players on both nines, I like to finish the front 9 and move in behind the golfers that go off the back. (we just have one greens mower, tee/collar/approach mower, one fairway mower, etc)
   
   When I worked in NJ for a county, (we had a full tee sheet from morning to evening) we would let 1 hour of tee times go off the back 9, if it was during the week we had enough staff and equipment to prepare the course in front of those players. On weekends we could mow and change cups in front of front nine play and would move onto the back nine behind that 1 hour of tee times.
   
   Those are our scenarios, what are yours?
   
   Thanks! Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
2. Wahlin Scott B

   
   8/19/2011 10:08 AM

   We have three nines that all start at 6:56am. We send out two greensmowers, two cup cutters and one bunker rake as a minimum.

   
   
   
   
3. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   8/19/2011 11:08 AM

   Back when we did 1 and 10 starts at 7:30, it would require two of everything to stay ahead of play. Even then, we would start mowing at 5:00. It was a pain when someone was on vacation, etc....

   
   
   
   
4. McCallum David K

   
   8/22/2011 10:08 AM

   Mel,
   Our policy and signage on #10 states they must seek permission to go off the back 9 from the golf shop. They call or radio me or my assistant to make sure that we will allow them to go off of #10. Unless fertilizing, topdressing, aerifying etc we grant it. They are told they have no priority over any maintenance going on, especially watering at this time of year and they merely get what they get if they choose to play the back first or just the back 9. Most don't have a problem with the restrictions they get as they may be practicing or waiting on their group to arrive.

   
   
   
   
5. Ronald Conard

   

   4 posts
   
   8/22/2011 11:08 AM

   If they don't mind being irrigated, topdressed, fertilized, or mowed over they can play the back nine before our crew makes the turn, unless they hit into us.

   
   
   
   
6. Kinney Brian

   
   8/22/2011 3:08 PM

   conard said: If they don't mind being irrigated, topdressed, fertilized, or mowed over they can play the back nine before our crew makes the turn, unless they hit into us.

   
   
   
   That is going to be my reply from now on, awesome stuff!

   
   
   
   
7. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   8/22/2011 7:08 PM

   conard said: If they don't mind being irrigated, topdressed, fertilized, or mowed over they can play the back nine before our crew makes the turn, unless they hit into us.

   
   
   Hell, why not send them off the front nine too at first light if that is the case.

   
   
   
   
8. Ronald Conard

   

   4 posts
   
   8/23/2011 9:08 AM

   andyjorg said:

   conard said: If they don't mind being irrigated, topdressed, fertilized, or mowed over they can play the back nine before our crew makes the turn, unless they hit into us.

   
   
   Hell, why not send them off the front nine too at first light if that is the case.

   
   
   
   We do.

   
   
   
   
9. Keith Pegg

   

   0 posts
   
   8/23/2011 4:08 PM

   In these economic times I want to give all I can without giving away the farm so to speak. We have a number (10-12 every day) of men that tee off at 4:30-5 AM some back and some front-side. They walk 9 each day and always pay after the pro-shop opens. I have talked to them all and they step out of the way and pick up the ball if needed to let my staff mow or do set up. Because my staff is all Japanese they cannot start work until 5:30 AM most days. But my American players can come at any time. This was not a DOG that made the policy, it was me. Before I came I was told the golfers had to wait until 6:30.
   This might not work for all but it works for me. We even have shotguns at 7:30 from time to time and I can put out two setup men and 6 greens mowers and get it done. On those days I do have the men come in at 5 as an exception.
   I encourage all the golf I can, as every $ that comes in makes my boss look better and in-turn the trickle down to myself. We get on average 45,000-50,000 rounds (18 hole) per year and about 90% with golf cars. I have an 18 man turf staff and 2 mechanics. They can only work a 40 hr week and receive 30 days of leave (holiday and vacation) per year. My turn over rate is less than one man per year. Most have been with the club 20 years +. Ages 22 to 64 and a great mix.
   
   Keith

   
   
   
   
10. David Brandenburg

    

    3 posts
    
    8/24/2011 6:08 AM

    Mel,
    
    We have 27 holes and usually two 9 hole leages each morning along with the 18 hole play. We prefer to not have players on the turn side on Mondays but if people are waiting to play we accept it as part of making money. What makes us upset is when we have players on the turn side when the other 9 is not full. With employees trying to turn to that 9 these players just get in the way and slow everyone down. Then the customer wonders why he has a differnt mower on each hole.
    From the golf shop's prospective they are trying to please a whinning customer that does not want to play a certain 9 or behind someeone else.

    
    
    
    
11. Melvin Waldron

    

    43 posts
    
    8/24/2011 7:08 AM

    Dave,
    
    That's why I don't mind it as much as some of my crew members. Most of those going out there really don't expect the course to be fully set up as we would for someone going off the front nine. My biggest complaint is having to work around them which isn't so bad the way our course is laid out, we can bounce and skip a hole pretty easy. The problem is when our first group of players are making the turn in 1 1/2 hours and they send someone out maybe 15 minutes in front of them and when we are making the turn as well, we sometimes struggle to provide what I believe we should be doing for those paying the full boat. Plus it hurts us a little on our productivity. The biggest pain is when verticutting and topdressing, trying to stay in front.
    
    I guess the biggest issue is our course is the only one out of the three city courses that has gone to 6:30 tee times and while the others stayed at 7:30. The other funny thing is one of our courses get every Tuesday morning until 10 I believe to do this work and we don't. We have always had a fair amount of players wanting to play just nine. (Not as many as when I first got here, most of those guys have died off) So I was just curious as to what others do.
    
    Thanks to everyone!
    
    Mel

    
    Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO