Any Tips for Dealing With Slow Rounds?

[Orikoru]

Had my course championship at the weekend, at which I scored 108 on Saturday (awful) and 92 on Sunday (net par and new best for me). The only difference between the two days was pace - on Saturday we were crawling round, having to wait extra minutes for almost every shot. On Sunday we were able to breeze round at our own speed.

Whenever the pace is slow I always seems to struggle. Having to wait 2 minutes to hit my ball seems to increase the chance of a mishit exponentially. I'm not really sure why, whether I lose my rhythm or my mindset or what. It's probably almost become self-perpetuating now as well which is even worse - i.e. "I'm having to wait here so I know this will be a bad one.." so it's hard to get out of the loop.

Anyone else struggled with this and managed to resolve it? Any advice you can give? I need to sort it since most of the competition rounds are likely to be slow like the Saturday.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Somehow you need to find a zen like calm. If you start like that then you will be okay. The minute it starts to rile you then you are stuffed. Some days I can manage it, other times it just gets under my skin and I do what you do. Keep calm, walk around, chat with your pp. When it comes to take your shot try to concentrate a little more than usual, almost go into pro pre shot routine mode.

None of this is ideal but it is about making the best of a bad deal.

 

[Orikoru]

Somehow you need to find a zen like calm. If you start like that then you will be okay. The minute it starts to rile you then you are stuffed. Some days I can manage it, other times it just gets under my skin and I do what you do. Keep calm, walk around, chat with your pp. When it comes to take your shot try to concentrate a little more than usual, almost go into pro pre shot routine mode.

None of this is ideal but it is about making the best of a bad deal.

The thing is I don't think it's making me angry having to wait for them or anything. I just lose something if I'm not able to go straight into my shot once it's my turn to hit. As you say, I guess I need something to take my mind off the fact I'm waiting for people. Not sure what though. I do normally chat with my fellow players anyway.

 

[BomberSRL]

If I know its slow, I'll take longer to walk to my ball. If I'm on the tee I just try to 'focus out' for a while look at the trees, a house in the distance a cloud blah blah blah, just to take my mind off of it.

Pre shot routine is key though!

 

[Capella]

Pack a picnic. Loads of nuts and dried fruit and some candy and maybe a sandwich and bananas and some other fruits etc. Every time you have to wait, nibble on something and have a drink of water with it. It works for me, at least a little bit. But like the OP, I play my best if I can just whiz around at my own pace. I find it even worse if I have people coming up from behind as well, so that I am sandwiched in. I find that I then rarely take my time over a shot, because I want to get out of the way for the people coming up behind as quickly as possible, even though I don't really have anywhere to go up front.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

We have recently put a clock by our 13th tee - also putting one by 7th tee I think.

Yesterday the clock by the 13th was set 2hours 40mins behind time - so assumes a 4hr round for a medal 3 ball. When we got to the 13th tee we checked whether we were ahead or behind a 4hr round. We had tee'd off at about 10:02am. When we got the the 13th the clock was showing 10:10am - so we were 8mins behind 4hrs - our expected pace. And indeed we had been just lagging a little behind the group in front so we speeded up a bit.

We were actually slightly held up over the last 4 holes and walked off the 18th - 4hr 8mins for then round.

The clock by the 7th tee will be 1hr 20mins behind time.

The 'lag' can be changed according to the competition and format as we might wish to do so.

Visible, unarguable and independent evidence of slow play staring you in the face. And it seems to be working.

Note that we are all aware that keeping on or ahead of time does not exempt us from letting a faster group through - nor does it exempt us from trying to keep up with the group in front.

 

[Dasit]

Just match the pace of the group in front

Don't let it get in your head

 

[User 105]

Had my course championship at the weekend, at which I scored 108 on Saturday (awful) and 92 on Sunday (net par and new best for me). The only difference between the two days was pace - on Saturday we were crawling round, having to wait extra minutes for almost every shot. On Sunday we were able to breeze round at our own speed.

Whenever the pace is slow I always seems to struggle. Having to wait 2 minutes to hit my ball seems to increase the chance of a mishit exponentially. I'm not really sure why, whether I lose my rhythm or my mindset or what. It's probably almost become self-perpetuating now as well which is even worse - i.e. "I'm having to wait here so I know this will be a bad one.." so it's hard to get out of the loop.

Anyone else struggled with this and managed to resolve it? Any advice you can give? I need to sort it since most of the competition rounds are likely to be slow like the Saturday.

If you find and answer let me know. I've tried everything.

With me it's a vicious circle once it starts slowing down. I know I play bad, so that winds me up, which makes me play bad, and winds me up. :angry:

I've got a good PSR that I stick to, that doesn't help. It doesn't help I am a really quick player to start with anyway, I try to slow down getting to my ball. I've tried to take more time over my shots and putts. Tried all sorts of other things but I just can't play slow.

Reality is I probably just don't have the right temperament for this game. Which is odd, as in every other part of my life, I'm pretty calm and relaxed. Go figure.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

When pace of play is slow I just focus on the small things that are nothing to do with golf - the taste of a fruit gum I am eating; the refreshing feeling of cold water as I drink it; the branches and leaves in the trees behind the green as they sway in the wind; the sound and the beauty of nature all around me. Anything to engage my thinking, fill the time and keep my peace of mind as I walk to my ball and ready myself for my next shot.

 

[drdel]

Goodness I did not realize there were quite so many uptight golfers. It's a sport to be enjoyed with your PPs you're not in competition for the Crown jewels!!

 

[Slab]

Perfect time for a brewski and to spark up a smoke, enjoy

 

[Orikoru]

Goodness I did not realize there were quite so many uptight golfers. It's a sport to be enjoyed with your PPs you're not in competition for the Crown jewels!!

Don't understand this comment. I think you completely missed the point somehow. I wasn't complaining about slow play, I was simply asking for advice for how to not let it affect my shots. I have no idea how that would qualify as being uptight.

 

[Orikoru]

Perfect time for a brewski and to spark up a smoke, enjoy

I don't smoke, and I save my drinking for after the round!

 

[jamielaing]

I try to slow down my pace to fit the group in front. Not always easy but anything you can do to not be waiting.

Also, in comps, people tend to be on the tee a few minutes early and hit when it is safe to do so. If it's likely to be slow, wait for your time. It gives a little breathing space.

Most importantly what do you do when waiting? I know a lot of people who stand behind the ball, club in hand, taking hundreds of swings to kill the time. This wrecks your routine. Walk away and chat to someone, have a smoke, have a drink, check the football results, take time out. Whatever you want to divert from the game. Once it's clear start your process.

Also remember there is no point in hurrying up behind someone when the course is clogged up. May as well take your time from that point.

 

[Imurg]

Visible, unarguable and independent evidence of slow play staring you in the face. .

All it shows is visible, unarguable and independent evidence of how long it's taken you to play.
Not necessarily slow play
Just say you have to spend 5 minutes on each hole searching for a ball - that adds 1 1/2 hours to your round!
So just say you only have to look on 6 holes - that's still half an hour added
But you're not playing slowly and if you're letting groups through at appropriate times then you're not playing slowly, you're doing it right.
You can't just take a time, say 4 hrs 10 minutes and say that anyone who takes longer than that is slow - you have to look at the reasons ....
If it's because they're faffing about, using extra long pretty shot routines, walking slowly, not being ready to play, leaving the bag on the wrong side of the green etc etc - that's slow play and needs to be addressed.

 

[Orikoru]

I try to slow down my pace to fit the group in front. Not always easy but anything you can do to not be waiting.

Also, in comps, people tend to be on the tee a few minutes early and hit when it is safe to do so. If it's likely to be slow, wait for your time. It gives a little breathing space.

Most importantly what do you do when waiting? I know a lot of people who stand behind the ball, club in hand, taking hundreds of swings to kill the time. This wrecks your routine. Walk away and chat to someone, have a smoke, have a drink, check the football results, take time out. Whatever you want to divert from the game. Once it's clear start your process.

Also remember there is no point in hurrying up behind someone when the course is clogged up. May as well take your time from that point.

I'm probably halfway between the two, will stand there with a club in my hand, might have a couple of gentle swings to keep my arms moving, but will also have a chat with my fellow players as well.

Maybe I should buy one of those fidget spinners. :rofl:

 

[Fish]

When pace of play is slow I just focus on the small things that are nothing to do with golf - the taste of a fruit gum I am eating; the refreshing feeling of cold water as I drink it; the branches and leaves in the trees behind the green as they sway in the wind; the sound and the beauty of nature all around me. Anything to engage my thinking, fill the time and keep my peace of mind as I walk to my ball and ready myself for my next shot.

:rofl: If you told someone to do or follow this you'd get carted off with men in white coats :rofl:

 

[User 105]

I used to play keep ups with my wedge and see how many I could do before I got warned that counts as practicing . Yeah right, of course I pick my ball up and drop it on my club to hit it in the hole. that's exactly how I play :rofl:

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

:rofl: If you told someone to do or follow this you'd get carted off with men in white coats :rofl:

well - call this a form of 'mindfulness' - recommended by quite a few as a technique for preventing yourself being carted off by the men in white coats

Just recognise yourself as you are and enjoy the nice things around you rather than dwell on the things that irritate or annoy.

 

[Fish]

well - call this a form of 'mindfulness' - recommended by quite a few as a technique for preventing yourself being carted off by the men in white coats

Just recognise yourself as you are and enjoy the nice things around you rather than dwell on the things that irritate or annoy.

I'd rather strike up a convo with my playing partner/s if we were waiting on shots due to slow play, the last thing I would be doing is gazing into the tree's whilst humming Blowing in the wind by Bob Dylan :smirk: