Welcome, Welcome, Welcome to the 3-Ring Circus that is the Shipley Golf League version 2019. There is plenty to get to so grab your favorite beverage and settle in.

Luke and I just concluded the Winter Meetings about the league. The venue this year was Aruba. Quite windy, but warm. And as you know the wind doesn’t effect Luke’s game a bit. We discussed several ways to improve the pace of play; those thoughts are shared with you in the notes below.

All invitees have until March 17th to declare their intentions of Playing this season or Not Playing this season.

Particulars:

1-Season starts on April 17th, Wednesday’s 

2-Greens Fee is $26 per week. 18 weeks x $26 = $468 + $25 prizes = $493 

Pay Russell Burdick (12 Plant Ave, Hudson MA 01749) by check or by electronic transfer:  Account Number 004661868409,  Routing Number (paper & electronic) 011000138, Routing Number (wires) 026009593.

3-No strokes are given on par 3’s. Continue to use current hdcp to calculate the Net scores. 

4-There are now assigned tee-times for each foursome. No Grace period. Go out on time; if late, run to catch up with your group. Each hole you don’t play you lose and record  the maximum allowable for that hole.

5-USGA reduced the time to look for lost balls this year. So have we. 1 minute maximum. Then your opponent drops a ball for you to hit. One stroke into the junk, one stroke for the dropped ball and you are now hitting your 3rd shot.

6-Maintain pace of play. If the Ranger tells you to step it up, step it up. If the Ranger tells you to pick it up and go to the next tee-box, pick it up and go to the next tee-box. Record double bogeys for each player in the group and then keep up the pace of play.

7-If you can’t or refuse to improve your pace of play Your Team will be assigned the last tee-time each week for the rest of the season.

8-Anyone with a handicap of 14 or more are now required to use the Yellow Tee Boxes. Your name will be highlighted in Yellow on the Standings page for that week that it applies. As your play improves you can move to the Blue tees, not before.

9-Handicaps are now calculated using the middle 10 of the last 14 scores(throwing out the lowest 2 and the highest 2). This has no material effect on your handicap, but will reduce the number of times it changes during the season.

10-Birdie Pool: $20 to get in. Regular Season Only. Payout is 60,30,10.  Must putt out all birdies and eagles: no gimmies. It doesn’t matter whether you are playing from the Blue or Yellow or Red tees. Kevin Riley is the current favorite. There will be a Special Prize if anyone manages to beat him this year. Sorry Kevin, my job is to whip these savages into a frenzy….

11- Notes concerning subs and playoffs will follow.

Luke and Rusty