Priority tee times offered for active-duty Soldiers

By Nathan Pfau, Army Flier Staff WriterMarch 15, 2012

Priority tee times offered for active-duty Soldiers
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FORT RUCKER, Ala. (Mar. 15, 2012) -- Active-duty Soldiers take priority when it comes to weekend and holiday tee times offered at the Fort Rucker Silver Wings Golf Course.

"It's a priority system," said David Unsicker, business manager at Silver Wings Golf Course. "The first person to call with priority gets to make whatever tee time they want until all the tee times are full. That's the order that we'll start people on during that day of play."

The tee time priority, according to the SWGC tee time procedures, is given in the following order:

Priority 1 -- Active duty, including Reserve and National Guard and their Families, may call or go in-person Tuesdays at 7 a.m. to reserve a tee time for the following weekend.

Priority 2 -- Retired military and Silver Wings Golf Course members may call or go in-person Tuesdays at 8 a.m. to reserve a tee time for the following weekend.

Priority 3 -- Department of Defense civilians, federal employees, contractors and veterans may call or go in-person Wednesdays at 8 a.m. to reserve a tee time for the following weekend.

All remaining tee times will be scheduled on a first-come, first-serve basis Wednesdays at 9 a.m. for the following weekend.

Tee times are only offered during the weekend and on holidays, said Unsicker, and during normal weekday play, no tee times are taken and play is granted on a first-come, first-serve basis.

If a person wishes to reserve a weekend or holiday tee time, he or she must either call or go in person to the golf course and reserve a time, said the business manager, adding that most people shouldn't have a problem getting a tee time in.

"It's not a problem during this time because we're not operating at maximum capacity right now," said Unsicker. "When we are operating at maximum capacity, the tee time policy may vary or change, but it's not an issue right now."

There is no cost associated with reserving tee times, said the business manager, but if a tee time is requested, people are urged to be present for their reserved tee time.

"We won't assess a financial penalty for not showing up for a tee time because we can usually fill the spot," said Unsicker, "but it can be a bother."

Tee times are also not offered unless at least three players will be present, he said.

"We don't do [tee times] for singles or a twosome," Unsicker said, "but they are more than welcome to come out and we will group them up."

For more information, call 598-2449.