Are YOU the cause of slow play?

[Billysboots]

I can honestly say I am one of the quicker players at my club. I tend to play when ready (with the agreement of playing partners), and quick between shots and keep my pre-shot routine to an absolute minimum. If playing solo when it's quiet I can comfortably get round in under 2 1/2 hours.

I have a good mate who plays off 5 and is renowned as a slow player but he simply will not have it. He is never ready to play, even when it's his turn, and his pre-shot routine is painfully slow. He won't get his laser out and take a yardage until it's his turn to play, and will insist on taking yardages even when there is no need. For example, two of our par 3's play from elevated tees and the pin position is clearly visible. Even if the flag is slap bang in the middle of the green he will take yardages, despite having been a member for over a dozen years - the rest of his group will know what distance they have without even thinking about it.

The entire package means that, good golfer though he is, he is also a nightmare to get stuck behind in a competition. He's been told times, but simply won't have it.

 

[Kellfire]

I'm definitely not fast but I'm not as slow as I used to be.

I can freeze over the ball if I'm lacking confidence, which I am right now and pulling the trigger can be tough but it's a work in progress.

 

[Robobum]

No I am not a slow player. Far from it. Neither are JustOne, Richart, Drive4Show, Wookie, RickG, ChrisD, PieMan, Murph, Bobmac or PNWokingham. I have played with them all and they play at a good pace, never too fast, certainly not slow. E.g. Wookie and I played in a 3 ball at Hayling a couple of weeks ago in a very stiff breeze and despite that, we were still round in just over 3.5 hours and we were not rushing in any way, shape or form.

In the society I play with, I have a list of players that I request not to play with due to their horrendous pace of play and when my company is the sponsor, I ask the Society secretary to put them at the back of the field. Additionally we advise the host club (Hankley Common) that they need to leave a decent gap behind the last of our society groups as there are two 3 balls at the back that consist of slow players. The players in question have all been spoken to on many occasions about their speed of play but it makes no difference to them.

One of them when asked about speeding up said, "I know I am slow but it is the pace I want to play at and I don't care what other people think about me." I think that is a very poor attitude to be honest.

Slow play is killing golf in my opinion and whenever I play with someone who is slow for whatever reason; overlong PST, dawdling, not ready to play etc, I try to have as polite chat as possible with them as soon as it becomes apparent that they are slow, usually by the 3rd or 4th hole. The chat essentially consists of explaining that you can take all the time you like getting ready to play your shot but you must do it whilst others are playing in order that when your turn to play arrives, you are ready to pull the trigger in relatively short order. E.g. 20 seconds.

And yes, a good thread James. Nice one.

Haha, I've played with Snelly and I'm not in his list. I knew I was right in thinking I was slow!

 

[Slicer30]

i know i'm relatively quick, unless my ball is in line with a playing partner, i will almost always be ready to hit the second that his ball is in the air. i was grounded well in etiquette as a youngster, a lot of being ready to play comes down to the etiquette guidance and too many people just aren't aware enough.

my group always tees off 7.00 am and most groups at that time are quick players who want to get round quickly. if i teed off after 10.00am i think the time a round takes at that time would put me off playing anything other than comps.

in my experience, it's still wayward players who cause most delay. long PSR's are frustrating but make 30 secs seem like a minute. having everyone in a group look for a ball in the trees makes 3 mins feel like 30 secs (because you're all doing something) and then you have to go back to your balls and get ready to hit while the wayward player, takes drop, hacks at it, goes back for a new club, then plays his shot from behind the rest of the group, or goes to play their provisional.

I agree with Ready Golf, but I think as a minimum you should watch the ball land. Not having a go at you here, just the idea of someone hitting a wayward shot and no-one else in the group sees it as they are all in the midst of their own routines etc in an effort to speed up.

 

[MadAdey]

I agree with Ready Golf, but I think as a minimum you should watch the ball land. Not having a go at you here, just the idea of someone hitting a wayward shot and no-one else in the group sees it as they are all in the midst of their own routines etc in an effort to speed up.

With you on that one. You can't just start hitting your ball the moment your PP has hit his without watching it, or your being counterproductive. The 2 seconds you have just saved might have been better used keeping an eye on his ball so he doesn't spend 5 minutes looking for it.

 

[Slicer30]

With you on that one. You can't just start hitting your ball the moment your PP has hit his without watching it, or your being counterproductive. The 2 seconds you have just saved might have been better used keeping an eye on his ball so he doesn't spend 5 minutes looking for it.

Yep - its the only way to "speed up" someone who is having a wayward day. If you get a good line on his ball, then you can find it quick and watch for his next one

 

[Snelly]

Haha, I've played with Snelly and I'm not in his list. I knew I was right in thinking I was slow!

You are not slow! Sorry for the omission!

 

[Oddsocks]

Not the cause of slow play by any means, but it's easy to get distracted by your own game and lose pace in the group in front.

If we are enjoying the game and not being pushed the crack on, I'm much more aware of the group behind than the group in front as their speed doesn't effect my game if it's fast, but my game effects the group behind if I'm slow.

But... I am always the first in our group to make others aware if we are losing too much time and always first to call people through.

 

[Robobum]

You are not slow! Sorry for the omission!

Haha. No bother.

I would rather someone paid full attention to their shot and took some time & care over it rather than play with guys who hit it on the run.

 

[bluewolf]

Well, today's solo round was 2 1/2 hours, and that was with several practice shots and numerous practice putts on the greens (no one behind, so I took the opportunity). I didn't rush either.

Yesterdays medal round was 4 hours 10 minutes (3 ball) and was excruciating at times. It was embarrassing that we were so slow, but one player really can grind a 3 ball into the dust.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Bag placement:

By all means leave your bag at the front of the green IF you are short or on the front edge. Then when you have played your shot and it is someone else's turn to play, move your bag to the correct place instead of standing around scratching your backside.


It's common sense people.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Haha. No bother.

I would rather someone paid full attention to their shot and took some time & care over it rather than play with guys who hit it on the run.

Certainly weren't slow the other week even though we took our time

 

[JustOne]

Agreed it is not a massive factor is slow play but is a massive avoidable irritant to those standing waiting on the fairway.

Usually perpetuated by the ignorant and uninformed.

I don't think it's irritating whatsoever... but then that's probably because I realise it's not the cause of slow play

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'm quite happy with the pace of play in my usual gang of cronies. The roll up that go out in front of ours are a nightmare and it's always an ongoing issue how they seem to hold the hold course up and every week it's the same players and there is not a chance of being let through. Its been raised politely, jovially, sternly and even in writing but nothing changes. Our roll up (usually 12-20 or so) is always held up and so the people behind us get held up and so before the golfing day is an hour old on a Saturday there's an issue. No-one in power seems concerned as its "social golf"

 

[Piece]

Indecision on yardages and the club to be used burns a lot time. Since I bought a GPS watch years ago my pace of play as improved a lot.

 

[JustOne]

I'm quite surprised by the poll results (however tongue in cheek the voting may have been), some 40% have replied that they're sometimes responsible, no wonder it's slow out there!!

 

[GeneralStore]

I answered that I am sometimes responsible and I think its true. I can play well or play poorly, on the days I am playing well I get around in what I would consider good time (3:15 hours for 18 holes playing in a 3 ball).

However if I start spraying the ball all over the place off the tee and need to look for it all the time, also throw in a couple of extra shots through poor play and that just makes a big difference.

My pre shot routine doesnt change and I leave my bag in the right place etc...but I think its more down to my level on that day. I am trying to improve my level of golf, so the speed of play will improve over time as well, but if someone thinks I play too slowly and they would prefer not to play with me because of it, I wont get offended. I would rather that then someone not enjoying themselves.

 

[North Mimms]

I'm quite happy with the pace of play in my usual gang of cronies. The roll up that go out in front of ours are a nightmare and it's always an ongoing issue how they seem to hold the hold course up and every week it's the same players and there is not a chance of being let through. Its been raised politely, jovially, sternly and even in writing but nothing changes. Our roll up (usually 12-20 or so) is always held up and so the people behind us get held up and so before the golfing day is an hour old on a Saturday there's an issue. No-one in power seems concerned as its "social golf"

Then your committee need to grow a pair

 

[North Mimms]

Indecision on yardages and the club to be used burns a lot time. Since I bought a GPS watch years ago my pace of play as improved a lot.

I forgot mine a couple of days ago when playing at an away course.
I definitely dithered more than usual!

 

[Spear-Chucker]

I'm pretty quick anyway but am another one who's quicker with a distance device. I know roughly what I'm hitting as I walk to the ball and just confirm it with my watch. Quick practice swing or two, hit and I'm on my way. Definitely used to take longer looking at a chart or markers on the hole trying to figure it all out...