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Minutes of Pinecrest Starter-Marshal Mid-Season meeting - 7/23/08
Items covered:
Miscellaneous-
1. Reminder of memorial service for Dick Eustis. August 4 th at Everly Funeral Home, 6161 Leesburg Pike, 11 a.m., followed by service at Arlington National Cemetery at 1 p.m. , followed by gathering at the American Legion in Annandale .
2. Red duty shirts. New supply on order. If you need a new shirt let me know. NOTE: Do not play in red duty shirt. NO putting, No hitting into net, or playing on the course while in uniform. If you want to do these things, please change into another shirt. When working, red pinecrest volunteer shirts should be worn for identification reasons.
3 Late person should not leave until relief arrives on busy days.
At shift change, talk to each other, exchange info.
4. Chance to show your support…….. Shot gun start tourney this Saturday, July 26 th . Help the course make this event a success. Put together a foursome to play or maybe stop by during the event to see if extra help is needed.
5. Rounds are up almost 3,500 from last year. This is good news and shows how much the course has improved and becoming more popular. However, with this comes slower play. Slow pace of play has become a concern, particularly on weekends and twilight but also during many days thru-out the week. Some patrons are walking off the course in disgust because of how slow their round was going. We must ask, “have we done everything we can to improve the pace of play” while working the shift.
6. Maureen Doherty resigned from the sub list. Sergio Prado resigned his position on Sunday afternoon to continue his college studies.
7. Brian Dunn was asked about the maintenance program. The help with divot mixture is appreciated and makes a difference. Keep up good work ! Note: Rye grass takes more water so the fairways are gradually being changed over to Bermuda which takes less water. Holes 6, 7, 8 are now 60% changed over to Bermuda . When fixing divots, if it is dried out, do not place back into divot and press it down expecting it to return. If it is a fresh divot – ok to replace.
8. Never turn away a potential customer. Tell them about walk-on list, offer the possibility of tee-sheet cancellations and no shows. They can putt, hit a rental bucket or use the clubhouse. Never tell phone caller not to come down.
PACE OF PLAY .
1. All players come thru starter's desk. We can control number of golfers going out. Try to send groups out as foursomes, then three, two. During busy times, singles can be held up until another walk-on arrives. Recommended you hold a single 5-10 minutes waiting for another walk-on. Grouping players together will make more slots available.
2. Review 7/20/08 memo from Andy reference “PACE OF PLAY; USE OF UNAVAILABLE TEE TIMES. In summary it reads, slow play has become a concern , particularly on the weekends. We have a duty to help ensure everyone has an enjoyable experience by eliminating slow play. Player Assistants are expected to make regular rounds and enforce the play policy.
Changes to the tee sheet have been made to create space and time. Friday, Saturday and Sunday unavailable times will be about every 1 ½ hours . Unavailable times are created to help ensure suggested pace of play of approximately 2 ¼ hours. This may not be realistic during extremely busy times. Unavailable times are NOT to be used by volunteers as a single, twosome, threesome, or foursome. Volunteers must use available times by making reservations or walk-on using open tee times; one that does not read “unavailable”.
3. Comments on how to improve slow play include:
• course can make hole placement better on weekends to speed play,
• talk to groups when going around, ask if everything is going ok,
• Take note of tee shots off of first tee. If it's obvious the players are new or inexperienced, note time they left and check on their progress 15- 20 minutes later. Remember that the course can only move as fast as the slowest player. Using this method, you will not have to interrupt other golfers but can focus on the players causing the delay.
• Note the time group goes out and when they finish the round on the tee sheet. This will help us track the flow.
• EveryBody Golf School must adhere to our pace of play policies also. Their plan of letting groups play thru is good and is helpful. Lessons are for only one hour and don't impact us greatly.
• The best advice to give golfers is to stay up with the group ahead of them.
• While making your rounds marshaling, consider setting up a sub-station on tee # 2. This maybe the biggest “logjam” hole and several groups can stack up here quickly.
From Outpost # 2 you can do the following:
• Tell the group that if they can't reach the green – to HIT.
If they can reach the green, would they consider using a different club instead to help us improve the pace of play.
• Tell groups, once they reach the green, wave-up the group on the tee – also tell them they should stay alert after holing-out and walking off the front side of the green into the line of fire.
• spot balls and help players find wayward shots near the water hazard or rough; carry spare balls on marshal's cart and offer to players instead of them taking time looking for their lost ball. This time saver can be used on any part of the course, to replace balls lost in rough, the woods or water. My guess is it speed up play greatly and will promote a positive attitude on the part of the patrons. Take care of our customers and they will return.
• Pass out the kids etiquette pamphlets when needed.
• Are players beginning promptly?
• Are players taking too many practice swings?
• Are players generally inattentive or unaware of slow play?
• Are some players giving others “instruction/lessons” on the course?
• Are players wasting time by rigidly sticking to “honors” and the “away game” ?
• Review section in training manual - “pace of play- what to look for and how player assistants can improve pace of play”. The first three tips in this section are: 1. always remember that customer service is job # 1; 2. do not disrupt golfers with excessive rule enforcement; and 3. observe discreetly from a distance and make first hand observations before addressing any issues with the patrons. Do not assume a complaint from a golfer is accurate. A slow play problem may be the result of groups in front of the suspected problem group. Review the three pages in this section for other reminders and tips.
SUMMARY OF PACE OF PLAY:
• Keep unavailable time open during busy periods- let course breath;
• Keep to 10 minute intervals when sending groups out
• Maintain presence on the course when busy- 45 minutes of each hour on course.
• Strongly consider setting up shop on # 2 during busy periods.
• Help golfers find lost balls, give them replacement balls to keep them moving.
TWILIGHT - NEW POLICY
• First come – first served. Walk-ons only. No call-ins.
• Twilight list begins exactly 1 hour before twilight begins.
• Starters will administer the list for the entire twilight period. When players arrive and check in at starter's desk, each are given numbered chips ( #'s 1 – 7 ). Counter staff will sell ticket to those who have a numbered twilight chip. Counter staff will write group number on yellow ticket . Starter will keep record of twilight list with provided form. During busy times it will be necessary to station the marshal at the first tee to see if everyone is queuing–up properly.
• Twilight rain checks are only given when course is closed and golfers have not completed hole # 3.
• If busy, early person on p.m. shift stays till conclusion of twilight. Late person is expected to stay until closing, currently 9 p.m. Assist with clearing the course, securing A.E.D., practice green flags, power and pull carts, sandwich board. Always tell MOD when leaving property.
NEW FORM -- “Pinecrest Starter's Daily Log”
A copy of this form and examples on how to fill out will be attached to a copy of these minutes and inserted in sign-in book for review.
It is requested that all volunteers give their feedback by making comments onto this form. All comments are welcome, positive and negative. We need to know if this info needs to be tracked and can this help improve our service delivery.