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Pre round check in- what's too early?

#troy

#troy

Jax, FL
Albatross 2024 Club
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You have a tee time, how early is too early to check in?


Just saw this on a local course tee time reservation site, range balls included in pricing.

"Check-in accepted no more than 1 hour in advance of the starting time. Proper golf attire is required for all golfers"
 
The earliest I’ve ever gotten to the course before my tee time is 45 mins, avg about 30 mins.
 
What does check in mean? Paying for your round of golf and using the facilities? I’m showing up whenever I want. Usually no earlier than 45 mins though.
 
No such thing as too early at my course, our starter will get you out as soon as there's an opening. We checked in an hour early this morning and the league that was supposed to be ahead of us hadn't all checked in yet so he sent us out ahead of them as the first group of the day, 48 minutes early.
 
Mmaynard11 said:
What does check in mean? Paying for your round of golf and using the facilities? I’m showing up whenever I want. Usually no earlier than 45 mins though.
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I'm assuming, paying for round in proshop and then heading to practice area to warm up, range/putt.
 
BigMac said:
No such thing as too early at my course, our starter will get you out as soon as there's an opening. We checked in an hour early this morning and the league that was supposed to be ahead of us hadn't all checked in yet so he sent us out ahead of them as the first group of the day, 48 minutes early.
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I don't think it is to limit folks trying to get out earlier than their posted tee time.

That starter would have their hands full trying to recoordinate based on check in times.
 
I showed up two hours early to CDA to get range time, pro shop time and eating and a couple drinks in. Places with free range I usually show up an hour before.
 
I don’t think there is an amount that’s too early.

I’m generally a 45-60 mins guy with time allotted for filling out scorecards, about 20-30 range balls, then light chipping and putting. The rest is BSing with the group
 
An hour is typical for me. Heck, even if there are no ammenities other than a putting green, I still show up early.

Even if I am not hitting balls, it gives me a chance to walk around, stretch, take things in.
 
45 minutes was my go to for a long time. Now that my home course doesn't have real range I just show up and go.
 
I like about 45 minutes, more than that and I spread myself to thin, less than that and I feel a little rushed. As general rule, I would figure an 60-90 minutes to be on the earlier side.

my boy @Scrap22 likes to arrive before the pro shop opens so curious on his thoughts.
 
An hour is good. Check in, get your gear settled, hit some range balls and putt before you tee off.
 
If I’ve made a tee time I like to get there an hour early to pay, get a drink, use the restroom, hit a bucket, chip, and putt. Usually puts me only waiting less than 10min
 
mancest said:
I like about 45 minutes, more than that and I spread myself to thin, less than that and I feel a little rushed. As general rule, I would figure an 60-90 minutes to be on the earlier side.

my boy @Scrap22 likes to arrive before the pro shop opens so curious on his thoughts.
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Thanks, @mancest . Lol. I would say normally an hour to have time to putt and warm up. I dont like being rushed. I guess when we play I just can't wait to see you so I help them bring the carts out. So funny,
 
My courses don’t care how early as long as you check in 15 mins before
 
I love hitting the range so I could get there over an hour early to get some range time in and some chips and putts. I have had to start forcing myself to take less practice time and look at it as a warm up instead of a range session.
 
45-60 minutes works for me. 60 or a bit more on a new venue just to help get a feel for the place.
 
I like to show up about an hour before. I won't check in right away though, just get some practice and check in closer to 30 minutes before. I feel like they should let you check in whenever, understanding your tee time is still your tee time. I don't understand why they would not allow that, unless their system can't handle it. who knows though.
 
#troy said:
I don't think it is to limit folks trying to get out earlier than their posted tee time.

That starter would have their hands full trying to recoordinate based on check in times.
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Our starter has an iPad, and the pro shop transmits all the check-ins to him so he knows who is there/has paid, and how many are in the group. The tee times are all on his iPad, they just turn different colors after the golfers check in and update how many people are in the group if there have been any changes.

I've never seen a limitation on how early you can check in, that's a new one to me.
 
Depends where I am playing. Par 3 down the road. I'll rock up 20 mins before tee time. "Proper" round, I try for a minimum of 30 mins at worst. Usually 45mins to an hour if there is range and putting area. I've never been told I'm too early to check in.
 
Anything more than an hour beforehand is getting up there, unless it’s required before accessing the range/facilities.

I usually get to my home course around 15-20 minutes before. Plenty of time to check in, warm up and get to the first tee box.
 
I'm usually 45 minutes early. Time to stroke some putts, go hit some balls on the range to loosen the old spine up. Some days I'll be hours early if I want to go to the short game range, but usually that's a separate trip during the week with no round that day..
 
Depends on the course and the layout. Most local public courses I arrive 45 minutes to an hour early so I can warm up, putt around, maybe get a cup of coffee or a beer if it is in the afternoon and just get loose without feeling like rushing.

There are a few that take longer. Chambers Bay in Washington has a somewhat strange layout where most of the parking is down below and you take a bus up to the check in area. It is somewhat strange since the big driving range portion is there about 2/3 of a mile downhill from the pro shop. I get there about an hour and a half early since getting there an hour often means wasting about 25 minutes getting yourself around to hit and get ready. There is a range near the pro shop and a putting green but it is much smaller and not as easy to get on if there are a lot of golfers.
 
I used to typically arrive 45–60 minutes before tee time, so I could hit the range, etc. Now, practically teeing off in the dark, there is no range time, just a few chips and putts, so I arrive 30 minutes before, max. Typically, the guy who is supposed to open the pro shop, only shows up a few minutes before our tee time. Sometimes, the starter/cart guys just send us off without him having showed up. He then checks us in, knowing we are already out on the course. We are members, so there is no green fess to collect.

I saw more of this limiting arrival times during the height of COVID as courses were trying to keep the number of people milling around before teeing off to a minimum so the "authorities" would allow them to stay open.
 
my club has range balls so I always warm up. I try to be in the parking lot about 1 hour before. This lets me casually load my push cart, hit the head and hit some balls. Likely I'm 40 minutes or so warming up. This is the max I'd want.

When I play on an empty course, my normal warm-up period is more like 15 minutes then I'm fully warmed up and walk to the tee.
 
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