Frequently Asked Questions
In an effort to provide complete information to our members and, especially to newcomers, the following commonly asked questions are presented. If there are questions you feel should be answered here, please let the club Secretary know by sending an e-mail.
- How do I get on the list to play with the Men's Club Saturday morning? Can I just show up to play?
- What are "pay balls"? How do I get in on that?
- I've just joined, when will I get a handicap?
- I don't know anyone else in the club yet, can I still play when it's "make your own foursome"?
- I was on the winning team last week, but I didn't get any money. When will I get the winnings?
- Does the Men's Club have a pace of play policy?
Q: How do I get on the list to play with the Men's Club Saturday morning? Can I just show up to play?
A: It's easy to get signed up for Saturday play. If you did not sign up after play Saturday - there will be a sign up sheet available after the game - Simply call the Pro Shop by 5:30 p.m. Thursday and let them know you want to sign up. They will ask your name and handicap and sign you up.
On Thursdays and Sundays, show up a half hour prior to play and let one of the members know you want in the game (or let them know at the pro shop counter and they will direct you to a member). After that, it's simply a matter of putting in your pot money, or making whatever arrangements are needed for that days game. The organizers will let you know at the time.
Q: What are "pay balls"? How do I get in on that?
A: "Pay balls" are really a version of skins. It is completely voluntary and is not an official Men's Club requirement. To play you put $5 into the bucket found in the restaurant prior to the game on Saturday mornings, and put your name on both the gross and net sheets found with the bucket. The $5 covers both net and gross and you can't play just $2.50 worth for only gross or net, you must play $5.00 for both.
After your round, you enter your birdie or better gross scores on the gross sheet and net scores, birdies or better, on the net sheet. If your score was the lowest for that particular hole (figuring gross and net separately) you get a pay ball for that hole. When all the pay balls are figured, the total pot is split among all the pay ball winners equally. If there were 20 members in the pay ball game, and there were 10 pay balls total, each winner would receive $10, if there were only 5 winners, each would receive $20. It is possible to get 2 pay balls by winning just one hole (both the gross and the net sheets).
Q: I've just joined, when will I get a handicap?
A: Once you have posted 5 scores to the GHIN computer system you will be given a "local" handicap to use in Men's Club play - this is not an official handicap. After 10 rounds are posted the handicap you receive will be official. After that, your handicap is figured using the best 10 of your last 20 scores posted and represents your golfing potential, not your average.
Reminder to everyone - Remember to post all scores, not just good, or bad, scores. Your handicap should be a reflection of how you actually play, and, in fact, if evidence exists to suggest manipulation of scores to affect handicaps, those will be looked at closely by the committee and may be adjusted as a result. For more information on handicapping, follow the link for handicapping in the link sidebar at the top right of this page.
Q: I don't know anyone else in the club yet, can I still play when it's "make your own foursome"?
A: Certainly, this is really a good way to meet new golfers. Simply let them know when you call to sign up that you don't have a group and they will either fill in a spot that is vacant, or start a new group with you in it. Many times members can't commit early enough to sign up with particular people and then will be matched with whoever needs a 4th to fill the group. You can also ask others to join you - don't be shy, while many times there are "groups" already formed, just as many times there are groups that need 1 more person to become a foursome.
Q: I was on the winning team last week, but I didn't get any money. When will I get the winnings?
A: Winnings for Saturday play are not paid in cash. Winnings are paid in pro shop credit, so when the winnings are reported as Joe Member's team won $17 each it really means they each now have $17 in pro shop credit credited to their name.
There is a "Credit Book" kept behind the counter that records all credits won for each player. Weekly winnings, KP's won, and some tournament winnings go into the book. You can save them all year long to use on one large purchase, or use them as you earn them, it's up to you.
Credits can be used for anything in the pro shop, or ordered for you by the pro shop, except for cart fees or green fees. They do have to be used by December 31st, however, or they will be lost.
Q: Does the Men's Club have a pace of play policy?
A: Not officially, but the golf course has one which we obey. We should play 18 holes in no longer than 4 hrs 30 min. according to the Meriwether policy of 9 holes in 2 hrs 15 min.
However, your position on the course should be directly behind the group in front of you. If you are not in position by being directly behind the group in front of you, you are out of position and the Marshalls may ask you to speed up your play.
Ready golf is the accepted standard in the Men's club and you should be ready to play when it is convenient for you to do so. Do not wait for honors, do not waste time between shots, and have your club chosen and your shot planned when you reach your ball. Slow play is not only unnecessary, it is disrespectful to those behind you (your fellow club members). Expect some ribbing if you don't keep up pace of play.
Hopefully, the Men's Club will not need to institute a pace-of-play policy to enforce common sense, ready golf play among it's members. Don't be the one that is asked to pick up the pace. Play ready golf!