Does pace of play effect how you play

[patricks148]

was speaking to my mate this morning who played in our Black tee open at the weekend, he's a quick player and found waiting around on every shot made him lose concentration and play poorly. This was the main reason i didn't play this comp as its slow. I like to walk to me ball hit and not wait around.

so how does pace of play have any effect on your game?

 

[Hobbit]

I used to be a very quick player, and slow play did affect my game. It doesn't bother me these days, and to be honest I now think that playing slower, not slow, helps me think about how I'm going to play the shot.

 

[Coffey]

To be honest I think this works both ways.

There are days when it is so slow, you just cannot get a rhythm going.

Then there are days were you are waiting a bit for the group in front and then feel rushed yourself to play the remaining hole quickly as you know the group behind are waiting on you. Even though I was just waiting, I still feel the pressure of the group behind as I do not want to hit a bad shot and then have to hit another while they still wait.

 

[Twire]

I voted for both.... I find pace of play a bit of a mindset. I do like to play relatively quickly, and that's one of the reasons I play early. But, if for some reason I can't get off early enough I just tell myself it's going to be a slow round and adjust my pace accordingly. So, yes, it can effect my game, but only if I let it.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Never really pay that much attention. As long as my group is holding position with the group ahead and we're not holding anyone up then that does for me. If one player decides to play quicker then that's their choice. I'll play ready golf where possible anyway which I think has lessened the impact playing with quicker or slower players

 

[Slab]

Invariably when I’m with slow players and try to take on the burden of speeding up the group i.e I try playing too fast and mess up.
More and more now I just say what I hope are the right things to get slow-folks moving etc and at the same time make an effort not to rush my actual shot

If following slowly or in a slow field then I’m not too fussed waiting to play providing I don’t lose ground, but would much rather not wait at all

 

[Wolf]

Double edged sword this one if I feel like I'm rushing I simply don't pay enough attention, if I'm literally waiting in every shot and it's a really slow one I can get bored.

For me as long as the pace flows so everybody can play as soon as they're ready and we're not being pushed from behind then I'm happy with how things go. I prefer a relaxed pace but one where your holding nobody up

 

[Orikoru]

I think it does. I would say I've played my best rounds when there's nobody in front, and we're free to just get to the ball, have a quick think about my shot and hit it. Standing waiting for fairways/greens to clear seems to do me no favours at all. Longer I have to wait and think about it, the more likely I am to make a mess of the shot. Feels like you can't get into your natural rhythm I suppose.

 

[hacker_al]

I find it difficult if I have to change my pace of play during the round i.e. catching a slower group 3/4 of the way round. If I can maintain the same pace all the way round then it's not an issue for me.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Generally stop/start and waiting around, affects my golf and a few times I have come close to walking off and wished I was not on the golf course.

So voted just yes.

 

[IanM]

Standing behind a slow group watching lots of dawdling and not much actual golf isn't the best recipe for a focused competitive round!

Playing with a guy tomorrow who hides his Bushnell at the bottom of the bag and doesn't start looking for it until it is his turn to play. Eventually it is retrieved and he starts a lengthy "Lord Nelson!" Sometime later club selection commences and a few changes of mind later one is selected and the first of several practices swings ensues. On the completion of the hole, the search for pencil and card at the bottom of the Staff Bag resumes.............................and apparently it's dress codes putting people off golf!!

 

[garyinderry]

Really slow play can be frustrating if your game is unravelling. Its not really an excuse though.

I've learnt to make peace with it. Quite enjoy a slower back 9 if I'm going well.

 

[mister v]

i dont mind following a slower group, i hate being the group thats holding people up. I probably rush my shots and that causes poor scoring.
out of interest is there anyone on here who admits to being "the" slow player? i don't think they know there doing it!!!

 

[Jacko_G]

My mate walked off in the CC on Sunday as he was 3 hours 20 minutes through 12 holes. He's a scratch golfer and was 1 behind the leader at the time. He detests slow play.

Went out in reverse order on Sunday, highest scores first - he was absolutely fuming when I spoke to him about 6 hours later. CC should be for single figures only not any player who returns a 98 off 18 the day before.

😂😂😂

Edit - his views that I may or may not agree with!

 

[Pathetic Shark]

According to anyone in the clubhouse who played badly, it was all the fault of the group(s) in front for being slow.

 

[Pathetic Shark]

My mate walked off in the CC on Sunday as he was 3 hours 20 minutes through 12 holes. He's a scratch golfer and was 1 behind the leader at the time. He detests slow play.

Went out in reverse order on Sunday, highest scores first - he was absolutely fuming when I spoke to him about 6 hours later. CC should be for single figures only not any vagina who returns a 98 off 18 the day before.

😂😂😂

Edit - his views that I may or may not agree with!

My old club has one total nob who shot 121 on the first day and then 126 on the second and plainly refuses to pick up even if he cannot score stableford points for that event. He had three 10s in the Sunday round.

 

[Wolf]

is there anyone on here who admits to being "the" slow player? i don't think they know there doing it!!!

That's never ever gonna happen because of the below 😂

According to anyone in the clubhouse who played badly, it was all the fault of the group(s) in front for being slow.

That is simply the most accurate thing in golf slow play is always someone else's fault 😂

As my dad told me if your group is slow and you're not sure of the reason why, that's because you are the reason for it 😂🤔

 

[Capella]

I do find it harder to play well when I have to wait a lot. Especially if I have to wait on the fairway. I don't mind waiting to hit my tee shot quite so much, maybe because I am more confident with my tee shot than I am with my second or third shot, usually. And without having any empirical evidence for it, I would say I do play best when I can keep a steady rythm and walk through the complete round in my own tempo.

It is not only waiting, though. I also find too much distraction in my group quite .. well ... distracting. Yesterday I played in a comp with another lady (who is a very experienced player and who also played extremely well and won the comp in the end, so she obviously wasn't bothered too much) and two guys. One of them is an elderly chap, really friendly and charming and a joy to have around, but a bit confused sometimes. He was supposed to be my marker, but he kept writing down the score of the other lady instead, and he kept walking into other peoples lines when they were about to hit and stuff like that. I really wasn't mad at him, I think it is great that he is still playing in comps at his age, he is well over 80, but it did distract me a bit. The other guy was a relatively inexperienced player with very little knowledge of the rules. Also, especially in the beginning he kept hitting really wild shots and we spent a lot of time searching for balls, guiding him through the process of hitting a provisional ball or taking an unplayable etc.

We did keep up with the group in front of us through the complete round ... the whole comp was moving incredibly slowly. We needed almost 5 h 20 min for the 18 holes (including a 10 min half way break) ... so even if my fourball had been different, we would not have been able to move much faster, but I found it really hard to concentrate mostly because of what was going on in my own group.

 

[Springveldt]

I voted no because slow play usually doesn't bother me. Thinking about it now, I should probably have voted yes as I have a tendency to rush shots/putts if the group behind are waiting on us playing (even when we haven't lost pace with the group in front).

I know I'm a slow(er) player who doesn't mind a 4 ball taking 4 hours, or 3:40 for a 3 ball so the only time I guess it affects me is if I have to play quicker.

 

[chrisd]

Although I dislike being held up, and was taught when I first started playing to always be aware of the group behind and the need to keep up the pace, I actually seem to score better when it's slow going. I guess those extra few seconds just help me not to rush the shot