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whats the earliest time you can go out golfing?

  • 02-07-2021 4:55am
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 38


    On the brs booking system, the earliest slots are 7am, but given there is 2 hours of light before that is it ok for members to just go out before that time without needing to book or does it depend on the club?


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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 2,684 ✭✭✭dan_ep82


    It's a little different with the contact tracing now but generally you can go out before the BRS timesheet but don't expect the greens to be cut or rolled etc.

    I usually book the earliest slot and go out early as long as its not a weekend


  • Registered Users Posts: 160 ✭✭NotCarrotRidge


    Cooled1 wrote: »
    On the brs booking system, the earliest slots are 7am, but given there is 2 hours of light before that is it ok for members to just go out before that time without needing to book or does it depend on the club?

    At the moment, you need to stick to the booking system for contact tracing. In the past, I occasionally went out very early, but they don't want too much of that because that's when the greenkeepers are trying to get as much done as possible, so it's not fair on them.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,046 ✭✭✭bustercherry


    If it's a competition - no is the answer otherwise you are disqualified and as somebody pointed out you may not even be playing the same course if the tee boxes and pins are not set up for the comp.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,884 ✭✭✭DuckSlice


    If it's a competition - no is the answer otherwise you are disqualified and as somebody pointed out you may not even be playing the same course if the tee boxes and pins are not set up for the comp.

    Its also quite annoying if you think you are first out at 7 to get around no issues to find somoeone teeing off ahead of you and slowing you up.

    Friend of mine is as early as possible golfer and before we started using a booking system he got caught a couple of times with the pins being moved. he used to tee off at 6am in the summer.


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,078 ✭✭✭✭PARlance


    Count yourself lucky, our earliest slot is 8am which a lot of members rightly find ridiculous imo.

    Apparently the greenkeepers hold too much powerful to have to get up the hour or so earlier like nearly every other golf club out there.

    They've also been known to remove the blue tees from the first few holes to stop anyone looking to get out at the crazy time of 7:40 or so.

    I don't think before 7 should be expected but 7 should be the standard.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 87 ✭✭padmcv


    8am in our club too & it's one of the reasons I am looking to move to a different club


  • Registered Users Posts: 48,742 ✭✭✭✭Wichita Lineman


    God forbid that greenkeepers might actually have a life, family kids etc. Yeah sure they should all be up at 5am from May to September and have the greens cut tight and have the fairways in pristine condition so you can rock up at 7am to play golf.

    While you're at it might as well make sure the shop staff have to come in then too in case you need a bag of tees and the caterers better be around too in case you feel like a snack beforehand.

    No offence intended but the sarcasm most definitely is.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,089 ✭✭✭finglashoop


    God forbid that greenkeepers might actually have a life, family kids etc. Yeah sure they should all be up at 5am from May to September and have the greens cut tight and have the fairways in pristine condition so you can rock up at 7am to play golf.

    While you're at it might as well make sure the shop staff have to come in then too in case you need a bag of tees and the caterers better be around too in case you feel like a snack beforehand.

    No offence intended but the sarcasm most definitely is.

    Its their job


  • Registered Users Posts: 48,742 ✭✭✭✭Wichita Lineman


    Its their job


    It is their job and they are entitled to a bit of respect which is not coming across in this thread.


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,078 ✭✭✭✭PARlance


    God forbid that greenkeepers might actually have a life, family kids etc. Yeah sure they should all be up at 5am from May to September and have the greens cut tight and have the fairways in pristine condition so you can rock up at 7am to play golf.

    While you're at it might as well make sure the shop staff have to come in then too in case you need a bag of tees and the caterers better be around too in case you feel like a snack beforehand.

    No offence intended but the sarcasm most definitely is.

    I've seen a few overreactions on here but that is up there with the best of them!

    Early mornings go hand in hand with a greenkeepers job, there are plenty of jobs that require the same. A starting time of 7 am is fairly standard and not some crazy expectation.

    Nobody mentioned the pro shop or caterers but sure you were full flow at that point.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,884 ✭✭✭DuckSlice


    God forbid that greenkeepers might actually have a life, family kids etc. Yeah sure they should all be up at 5am from May to September and have the greens cut tight and have the fairways in pristine condition so you can rock up at 7am to play golf.

    While you're at it might as well make sure the shop staff have to come in then too in case you need a bag of tees and the caterers better be around too in case you feel like a snack beforehand.

    No offence intended but the sarcasm most definitely is.

    Whatever about during the week, but weekends I bet if you gave them the option most of them would happily start an hour earlier to be finished an hour earlier and actually be able to do something with their family/kids. They aren't going to be spending time with the family/kids at 5am in the morning.

    They only have to be 15 minutes ahead of the first tee time or however long it takes to cut a green and rake the bunkers.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,089 ✭✭✭finglashoop


    It is their job and they are entitled to a bit of respect which is not coming across in this thread.

    respect?

    surely they know the hours coming into the job.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,684 ✭✭✭dan_ep82


    As long as you don't interfere with other people or the greens keepers I don't see why ( outside of contact tracing) you can't play of there is enough light.

    I've played a 6am 9 holes before and just picked up or waited if the greens keepers were working. I've talked to and played with them and they have no issue at their club.

    As for the early start comment, I would expect a 5am start in the summer if I was to take up the job. And before "its easier said than done" I start at 4am and I'm home around 5pm, but I knew that when I started.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,070 ✭✭✭Ollieboy


    We don’t allow it and the early light is used by the green keepers to get the course ready. This is why the booking system doesn’t start before 7!

    We did discuss it with our staff about starting earlier and it wasn’t an option for different reasons but during the peak COVID season last year we did start a little earlier.

    To be honest, 7 am is early enough as pro shop etc need to be on site and the course needs to be inspected to make sure it’s playable etc.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,884 ✭✭✭DuckSlice


    Ollieboy wrote: »
    To be honest, 7 am is early enough as pro shop etc need to be on site and the course needs to be inspected to make sure it’s playable etc.

    I doubt the course needs much inspection April-October except for extreme weather situations which are rare in the peak months.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,276 ✭✭✭✭fullstop


    DuckSlice wrote: »

    They only have to be 15 minutes ahead of the first tee time or however long it takes to cut a green and rake the bunkers.

    That is completely untrue.

    For the couple of years I did it, you needed to be there at 5am on a summer morning to have the course playable for 7:30.

    Remove dew from greens, cut greens (hand mown in some courses), change holes, rake bunkers and we usually only had 2 people to do all of that. Also, following the holes from 1-18 is usually not the quickest and most optimal way to do things.

    Not all clubs are flush with cash and can have an army of lads in on Saturday and Sunday morning.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,577 ✭✭✭newport2


    We have 8am on weekdays and 7.15am at weekends.

    Nobody is allowed tee off before those times and a couple have got suspended for doing it. Green staff still working on the starting holes earlier than that is the reason given. So in answer to OP's question, in our club it would be no, you can't just roll up early and tee off.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,884 ✭✭✭DuckSlice


    fullstop wrote: »
    That is completely untrue.

    For the couple of years I did it, you needed to be there at 5am on a summer morning to have the course playable for 7:30.

    Remove dew from greens, cut greens (hand mown in some courses), change holes, rake bunkers and we usually only had 2 people to do all of that. Also, following the holes from 1-18 is usually not the quickest and most optimal way to do things.

    Not all clubs are flush with cash and can have an army of lads in on Saturday and Sunday morning.

    The full course doesn't have to be playable at 7:30 was my point. How much of a head start would you need to make sure you are ahead of the first group teeing off?

    I suppose the issue would be if the first group was a one or 2 ball you probably need a considerable headstart on them.

    I get your point though I'm just curious. I would have thought also the weekend is when you need the extra lads not during the week but i suppose weekend work isnt for everyone, i would just have presumed it comes with the profession.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 18,559 Mod ✭✭✭✭slave1


    Often teed off at 6AM, met greenstaff after a while, stayed out of their way, no issue.
    Covid different with contact tracing but with software I see no need to have to wait until 8am, pins can be set up the day before and electronic sign in.


  • Registered Users Posts: 111 ✭✭twounderpar


    Noise pollution is a problem for clubs who might want to start earlier.
    I know of a club that had to move their machinery shed to a different
    location as a result of complaints from neighbours about noise as the course
    staff started their machines. The move cost the club a lot of money. Another
    club had to change their machines to electric as their course is surrounded by
    houses.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,684 ✭✭✭dan_ep82


    I wonder were the houses built first or the course.

    Not a nice thing to wake up to but if they bought houses beside a golf course I'd have less sympathy.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,070 ✭✭✭Ollieboy


    DuckSlice wrote: »
    I doubt the course needs much inspection April-October except for extreme weather situations which are rare in the peak months.

    There is a lot more to check…

    It’s not only the greens they cut, they do pins, rake bunkers etc.


  • Registered Users Posts: 17,574 ✭✭✭✭Mantis Toboggan


    Ollieboy wrote: »
    There is a lot more to check…

    It’s not only the greens they cut, they do pins, rake bunkers etc.

    Would they be cutting greens every day? I'd doubt if our place would be doing that.

    Free Palestine 🇵🇸



  • Registered Users Posts: 111 ✭✭twounderpar


    wonder were the houses built first or the course.

    Not a nice thing to wake up to but if they bought houses beside a golf course I'd have less sympathy.

    Doesn't matter if the course was there first. There are plenty of examples of courses having to change things around
    even though the course might have been there for up to a hundred years before the houses were built.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,684 ✭✭✭dan_ep82


    wonder were the houses built first or the course.

    Not a nice thing to wake up to but if they bought houses beside a golf course I'd have less sympathy.
    Doesn't matter if the course was there first. There are plenty of examples of courses having to change things around
    even though the course might have been there for up to a hundred years before the houses were built.


    Of course it matters, you build beside a golf course you have to expect noise and everything that goes with it. Same if you built it beside a road,factory,airport or anything else. Knowingly building a house beside a golf course when your against early morning noise just doesn't make sense.


  • Registered Users Posts: 111 ✭✭twounderpar


    Beaverstown had to change some holes as had Ashbourne even though both courses were there before the houses
    were built. Lucan is also changing a hole even though it was there 100 years before the houses were built!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,684 ✭✭✭dan_ep82


    Beaverstown had to change some holes as had Ashbourne even though both courses were there before the houses
    were built. Lucan is also changing a hole even though it was there 100 years before the houses were built!!
    Sorry I thought you meant it shouldn't matter as an opinion, not that thats what actually can happen.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,070 ✭✭✭Ollieboy


    Would they be cutting greens every day? I'd doubt if our place would be doing that.

    Depending on conditions but we cut our greens 6 times a week and 1 days rest.

    During winter that drops to roughly 3 times a week.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,276 ✭✭✭✭fullstop


    DuckSlice wrote: »
    The full course doesn't have to be playable at 7:30 was my point. How much of a head start would you need to make sure you are ahead of the first group teeing off?

    I suppose the issue would be if the first group was a one or 2 ball you probably need a considerable headstart on them.

    I get your point though I'm just curious. I would have thought also the weekend is when you need the extra lads not during the week but i suppose weekend work isnt for everyone, i would just have presumed it comes with the profession.

    Well it depends on the course, how many bunkers there are, how big the greens are, etc., but it used to take us about 3 hours to have all done from 5am start. Also you’re not going to head out the far end of the course to follow the holes in sequence just so someone can tee off at 6am.

    You’re not getting paid overtime (in my experience) so getting extra lads in at the weekend is not easy.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 92 ✭✭Walter Alright


    It’s a 6AM start in our club and that’s 7 days a week.

    I’ve never gone our before 7 but I’d presume you’d run into the greenkeepers if you start at 6am. Only to be expected if you start that early.

    The proshop doesn’t open until 7 at the weekends, not sure what time during the week. You can enter the competition on your phone if you’re that early.


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