I much prefer the shotgun start. I get a better feeling of community as everybody is all hanging out together before the round, either warming up or waiting for the players meeting to start. Plus everybody gets done around the same time. You get time see people you haven't seen in a while, and run into people who you've played with before who's names you might not remember. I personally prefer it as a player.

excellaqnt question, rhett! i like both... hard to pick. tee times can fit more people on the course, but lead to scheduling problems sometimes. given a choice, i'd go with tee times. for some reason i look forward to those. maybe its the lack of the 45 minute TD speech :D

Its hard to say that 1 format works for every tournament;for example: TX States sunday tee time format works great.I can see where you are coming from as far as socializing before the event and everyone warming up together,etc.. because you dont really see that many people with the tee time format.

Tee time format sounds like a nightmare to most TDs (who are usually stressing and overworked as it is). Although, tee times sound awesome for bigger events, especially Pro-Ams. Ams can see the pros they wanna see (or the better ams, even) and still play in the tourney.

I second the TX States format of shotgun on Saturday and staggered on Sunday. It seems to get the best of both formats. Hang out on Saturday and then watch the Pro's finish on Sunday. None of us would have seen the great finish last year under a Sunday shotgun start.

At the tee-timed COTO, the 4 or 5 person players' meeting is another cool thing too.

true about COTO;as far as info concerning what time your final 9 starts-thats a different story. :DIs H-town snowed in Bender?

I second the TX States format of shotgun on Saturday and staggered on Sunday. It seems to get the best of both formats. Hang out on Saturday and then watch the Pro's finish on Sunday. None of us would have seen the great finish last year under a Sunday shotgun start.

At the tee-timed COTO, the 4 or 5 person players' meeting is another cool thing too.



Yeah but tee times are horrible when the weather is bad because some people get good weather and others don't.

Play better on Saturday, Matt. :)

Joe, not yet. I hear there's sleet in Montgomery County (Conroe) right now.

Tee time format sounds like a nightmare to most TDs (who are usually stressing and overworked as it is).


As a TD, I find tee-time format tournaments far less stressful. Something I don't see a lot of that makes it easier is to set the divisionsal order for the whole tourney before you start, so that when the first group of the biggest division comes in and starts asking when they tee-off tomorrow, you can say "your division tees off from 10:50 am until 12:40 PM, so you can guess based on how well you played."

Other than that, as a TD it's cake. No massive re-shuffling of the cards as you try to fit in wait-listers. If your volunteers don't show up before first tee time, you can set up the tee-signs as go out ahead of the first group. Same thing with water on the course. Scorecards come in one at a time in 10 minute intervals, so there's no mad rush to turn everything around fast.

As a TD, tee-times are sweet. As a player, I prefer shotgun. Neither is better. I was just wondering what people preferred.

Tee times whenever practical. 5-somes never!

In a tee time format, you can not practice on the course because play has started. Also, you can sit around for hours before your tee off.
Two things that keep many players away are Tee times and 5 somes. Let's have quality not quantity.

I second the TX States format of shotgun on Saturday and staggered on Sunday. It seems to get the best of both formats. Hang out on Saturday and then watch the Pro's finish on Sunday. None of us would have seen the great finish last year under a Sunday shotgun start.

At the tee-timed COTO, the 4 or 5 person players' meeting is another cool thing too.



I'll third that one TB! I have to agree with all of the advantages and drawbacks everyone has listed. No one format is better than another...each has its advantages.

Nez came up with our current format about 4-5 years ago, and I've been a huge fan of it ever since! As a TD and scorekeeper - you can score, sort and print each completed division as they come in. When you get to the end, there is only one division left to do and so I have been able to sneak out and watch the top cards play their last few holes.

We are considering letting some of the lower divisions pick their payout before the rest of the divisions finish in an effort to speed up awards. You sure can't do that with a shotgun finish.