With winter approaching and the clocks now turned back this is the time of the year when all golf clubs have to manage restricted tee-time availability as sensitively as they can.

By way of example, over the next three months the average number of tee-slots available each day for 18 hole play will be around 100 because of daylight issues. This compares with 250 in the longer summer days and assumes that all tee-times are being played as 4 balls. Our current golf playing membership is around 550.

The COVID situation increases the problem for all golf clubs this year as many members have the opportunity to play, and are playing, more golf than in ‘normal’ years.

So we all have a part to play in optimising the number of tee-slots available to members and providing as many playing opportunities as possible for our members.

WHAT YOUR MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE HAS DONE

• Disabled the opportunity for visitors to book tee-times online either through our website or through third party websites e.g. Golf Now, Tee-Off-Times etc.

• Reserved all morning tee-times for members only.

• Re-introduced tee time restrictions for ‘Member Guest’ bookings.
With effect from 01 November bookings for member guests will be restricted to tee-times after 12 noon. Unfortunately the BRS system does not have the functionality for us to be able to do this automatically and so the Committee will be policing this in the early days.

• Reviewing the introduction of maximum membership numbers either by membership category or total membership e.g. total number of players with 7 day playing rights.

• Pausing the use of club members’ complimentary member guest rounds for the winter months (November – February).

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Welcome your fellow members joining you for a social round of golf.

• Do not book speculative tee-times on the basis that you may or may not use it and will determine nearer the date.

• From 01 November do not book member guest rounds before 12 noon.

• If you’re only playing 9/13/15 holes consider booking afternoon tee-times if possible, thus releasing earlier tee-times for those wishing to play 18 holes.

Hopefully the above will help to optimise the use of all available tee-times and maximise playing opportunities for all our members. However your Committee will be keeping things under constant review and will not hesitate to take whatever action they feel necessary to ensure fairness to all members.

In the meantime please don’t hesitate to come forward with your own ideas for
better managing this situation. Emails to me please as below.

Peter Knowles
Club Secretary (for and on behalf of your Management Committee)
E: secretary@brackenghyll.co.uk