A shotgun start in golf is when play begins with competitors starting on all 18 holes at the same time.
Shotgun starts are typically used for charity tournaments or club tournaments such as a member-members or member-guests.
How a Shotgun Start Works
Say there are 18 groups of 4 players.
Each group will start on a different hole. Group 1 starts on hole 1, Group 2 on hole 2, etc.
At the predetermined time, say 8:00 am, all golfers would be expected to be on their designated tee box awaiting the start of the tournament.
A loud device (typically an air horn) is sounded at the designated start time, which signals the start of play. All groups will then tee off and play as usual, with everyone finishing at the same time, but on different holes.
Sometimes tournaments will have more than 18 groups start simultaneously in a shotgun format. This allows a charity tournament to have more participants, making the host club and the charity more money.
In this case, there will typically be two groups starting on some par-4 or par-5 holes.
For example, if 24 groups were playing, 6 of the holes would have A/B groups.
On those holes, the A group would tee off at the designated start time, while the B group would tee off as soon as the A group clears the fairway.
Why is it Called a Shotgun Start?
It’s called a shotgun start because the first time this starting format was used, Jim Russell, head pro at Walla Walla Country Club in Washington state, fired a shotgun off to signal the start of play.
In 1956, Russell came up with the idea because he didn’t like the fact that tournaments were taking all day long and upsetting his dues-paying members.
Today, an air horn or other loud, safer device signals the start of play.
Related: What Is A Flight In Golf?
What is the Benefit of a Shotgun Start? How Long Does it Take?
A shotgun start allows all players in a tournament to finish at the same time.
This will enable tournaments to plan post-event meals and awards ceremonies right after play ends. Otherwise, those who teed off first would have to wait for hours until everyone else was done.
A shotgun start tournament can take anywhere from 3.5 to 4.5 hours, depending on how many participants there are.
Keeping tournaments to around four hours allows club members to play on the same day an event is held at the course.
This can help keep the dues-paying members happy by not frequently blocking them from playing their home course.
For example, if a tournament has a 1:00 pm shotgun, the club can allow its members to play at 8:00 am using a shotgun start. That way, the members will all be done and off the course well before the tournament starts.
This also allows public courses to make some money from the tournament while still being able to open the course the other half of the day for paying customers.
Who Uses Shotgun Starts?
Private Country Clubs
They are very popular with private country clubs.
They can be used when outside charities want to use the course for a tournament, for club events such as member-member and member-guest tournaments, and for various other club-only events throughout the year.
Public Courses
Public courses can also use them in order to keep the course open for half of the day to make some money before or after the tournament.
Professional Tours
The only professional tour that uses shotgun starts is LIV Golf.
Due to inclement weather conditions, the European (now DP World) Tour has used a shotgun format several times.
Other Ways to Start a Golf Tournament
The most common way play begins each day, whether it’s a professional tournament, a local tournament, or just a regular day of golf at a local club, is for everyone to start on hole one and tee off one after the other, typically in 8-10 minute intervals.
For example, the day’s first group tees off at 7:00 am, followed by the next group at 7:09, the next at 7:18, and so on.
Sometimes tournaments will use a two-tee start, where half of the field starts on hole 1, and the other half begins on hole 10.
This type of start can also be called a split tee start, a tandem start, or a double tee start.
This allows more players to be on the course at the same time.
The PGA Tour frequently uses this format on Thursdays and Fridays.
Some courses also use this style of play for everyday operations to maximize profit.