Chicken or egg?

[Robobum]

Loads of slow play threads recently - normally accompanied with it ruining a round.

So what comes first? Does the slow play really effect your swing and ability to score?

Or

Are you looking for an excuse for why you're hitting it like a spanner?

I'm in the latter group on the rare occasion I've been effected.

 

[Spear-Chucker]

I've blamed slow play before when tbh it's my lack of patience to deal with it or just a bad day. Guilty m'lud.

 

[fundy]

Think I fall into both, dont deal overly well with it but definitely start to stiffen up and lose rhythm if I have to wait around much

 

[Cheifi0]

It depends on what your mentality is like. Played with a guy at the weekend who gets massively affected when he thinks he is holding people up even if the field is backlogged and it isn't down to him at all. He basically threw in the towel after the third hole and actually said on the 5th that he was Nr'ing and walking in after 9. His game is miles too fragile so he can be affected by anything. It almost feels like everything has to be going exactly as planned for him to play well.

Personally it doesn't help but once you have entered and that is what the pace of play will be you just have to accept it and get on with it. I can see frustration been detrimental to people's games but in my book you have already started looking for excuses. Having said that I am only entering comps at certain times so I can avoid stupidly long rounds.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Loads of slow play threads recently - normally accompanied with it ruining a round.

So what comes first? Does the slow play really effect your swing and ability to score?

Or

Are you looking for an excuse for why you're hitting it like a spanner?

I'm in the latter group on the rare occasion I've been effected.

It's like playing in the rain, it gives people an excuse. I don't like slow play but bad play is caused by me.

 

[Hobbit]

I find slow play useful when I'm out with boring players, "sorry guys but this is too slow for me. I'm off in." Occasionally said when I'm lathered with sweat at the pace of play.

 

[Imurg]

I can struggle if we're flowing along and then come at the back of a queue....it can mess with my rhythm
But sometimes it doesn't make a difference.....
Agree with Hawkeye, it's a bit like playing in the rain and agree with Robot, sometimes people look for an excuse...
Chicken or egg or egg or chicken..?
Hit the ball, go find it, hit it again..

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Easy to use it as an excuse (and I have) but in truth if I'm playing badly and swinging poorly it's down to me and the pace of play won't make a difference to this

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I find slow play useful when I'm out with boring players, "sorry guys but this is too slow for me. I'm off in." Occasionally said when I'm lathered with sweat at the pace of play.

I'm just trying to think if you've ever walked off when playing with me.........

 

[Tashyboy]

Am I the only one on here who does not see slow play as a major issue. Maybe that's because I have never really been affected by it. being a midweek golfer, our front nine can get as busy as most. But a lot at our club play the front nine and then hit the 19th.
Our back nine really is millionaires golf.
I suppose a lot of it is to do with attitudes on the course.
We played the other month and there were five of us. We had booked two X fourballs. With five or six slow fourballs in front. (stood on first tee 10 mins) We teed off and by the second green another fourball had caught us up. We finished the 2nd and split into a three and two ball. Waited three or four mins and the two ball teed off. The fourball behind us were waiting at the tee with us for three or four mins and I explained why we had now split into a 3 and 2. Spent nearly three hours playing nine holes. Then flew around the back nine.
The club pro came into the 19th and told us that there had been a complaint about us playing a five ball for two holes. We took it on the chin ( even though I was the only one to say don't play a five ball). Ironic thing is that the guys who complained were the ones knocking balls onto the green whilst we were putting out on the 2nd.

 

[NorfolkShaun]

I do find waiting round can easily break my rhythm, but in truth it's a mental thing and it makes no real difference waiting round.

Just need to be mentally stronger and try not to stand around thinking about what might go wrong.

Funny how that works, when putting I always say to myself back of the hole but if i happen to say don't pull it you can guess what happens

 

[patricks148]

i'm someone that likes to just walk to my ball get the distance and hit it, waiting around on shots always has an affect on my game... i hate standing around waiting to play

 

[3565]

Slow play doesn't affect me as I adjust my pace with theirs, 3 hr or 6 hr rounds don't bother me

 

[Hobbit]

I'm just trying to think if you've ever walked off when playing with me.........

once bitten Gordon...~

 

[duncan mackie]

i'm someone that likes to just walk to my ball get the distance and hit it, waiting around on shots always has an affect on my game... i hate standing around waiting to play

I'm the same.

I do recognise that it reflects a weakness in me; I'm not someone who can let anything go, I'm always on, always looking and thinking.

I see the people waiting and do anything and everything to help them, even if it 'costs me'.

 

[Slab]

The more I play the less I find myself worrying about the pace of the field (i'd obviously prefer to be going steady without waiting on any shots)

This weekend its 36 hole stroke-play for a club champs and it'll crucify anyone who lets the pace of others determine their own performance

I'll do my part re my own pace and that of the group i'm in but beyond that... it is what it is

 

[kid2]

I would say by nature I'm very relaxed. I rarely let stuff worry me.
I play at my own pace which isn't slow but i wouldnt be considered lightening fast either. More deliberate.

I'm always conscious of my position on the course and if our group is looking for a ball we'll happily let the group behind through so as not to upset our pace of play.

It's a big problem in most courses though and I've seen lads at our place walk off after 9 holes because of it.
But to answer the OP. Slow play doesn't affect my game to the point I blame it on bad shots. I think that some find it as a way to blame it on their skill level and there are more people who just by nature are not very patient. I know In an ideal world everything should tick along like clockwork but as everyone knows golf is far from that.
Part of slow play can also be blamed on a players complete ingnorance to rules and etiquette.
So if I am held up I'll always try and use the time to my advantage. I'll pull a club and start swinging nice and smooth to try and keep my rhythm and tempo. I'll use everthing I can to stop myself from getting angry at what's going on in front.

 

[Snelly]

If it is slow, it affects my golf. It is more that I get cross with the selfish golfers ahead of me rather than anything physical. I wish I was more tolerant.

The pace of play is one of the things I love about my new club. Pleasantly brisk. I've played 11 rounds to date and not gone over 4 hours yet, including competition rounds and fourballs. Fastest 18 was about 3 hours for a 3 ball. The club is keen to ensure that play is not slow - one of the main plus points that convinced me to join.

 

[Capella]

Actually, most of the time the reaction of my playing partners to slow play puts me off more than the slow play itself. My aunt is pretty bad at this, for example. As soon as someone from the group in front does anything that she perceives as slow play or breach of ettiquette, she starts ranting about it and about the fact that we are "going to be out here forever" etc. And she is neither a fast player nor very considerate herself, so she tends to hold people up more than she is held up herself, but is pretty unaware of that fact (and will stubbornly cling to that state of blissfull unawareness no matter how often you try to talk to her about it). That can drive me pretty bananas sometimes and throw my concentration. Slow play itself has to be really extreme before it does that. Normally I just happily use the extra time to have a drink of water, nibble some nuts or do a few extra practice swings when I have to wait.

It's similar with groups pushing from behind. When it is up to me, I much rather step aside and let them play through than being rushed. It is having to discuss the issue with my playing partners and to make them see reason that stresses me out.

 

[patricks148]

i'm someone that likes to just walk to my ball get the distance and hit it, waiting around on shots always has an affect on my game... i hate standing around waiting to play

I'm the same.

I do recognise that it reflects a weakness in me; I'm not someone who can let anything go, I'm always on, always looking and thinking.

I see the people waiting and do anything and everything to help them, even if it 'costs me'.

If it is slow, it affects my golf. It is more that I get cross with the selfish golfers ahead of me rather than anything physical. I wish I was more tolerant.

The pace of play is one of the things I love about my new club. Pleasantly brisk. I've played 11 rounds to date and not gone over 4 hours yet, including competition rounds and fourballs. Fastest 18 was about 3 hours for a 3 ball. The club is keen to ensure that play is not slow - one of the main plus points that convinced me to join.

This, i don't mind taking 4 hours if its a course that takes 4 hours and not one that should take 3-3 half at most and the rest standing around waiting on others.