Following slow play.....what actions cause slow play or delay in play.

[Herbie]

I thought that pointing out those little things that irritate and affect play may prompt others to recognise the things they may see as harmless, or things they inadvertantly do themselves would help improve things in a small way

Heres one....
Leaving your bag in front of the green!
Now on rare occasions this is unavoidable due to course design, but most cases this causes irritation, not just because when the golfers have finished on the green, one player or more have to walk back to collect their bag before leaving the line of fire, but more importantly this activity can prevent following players from hitting their max shot, or hitting a lay up, thereby interfering with play.


Or my favorite pet hate are the golfers who reach their ball, park the trolley 10 paces away, walk to the ball, walk back to bag, take forever to choose a club, then return to ball, do the faldo pose, the seve pose, tiger pose followed by the longest set up routine known to mankind only to hit the ball fat or top it or slice it, followed by a very long look at their cock up before moving on.

Why oh why take so long to cock something up when you can take half the time to create the same cock up?

 

[DMC]

Marking cards on the green,thats a popular one.

 

[USER1999]

I don't agree with that one. As long as you are not standing on the green after every one has putted out, what difference does it make. I always mark the card on teh green, unless I am the last to putt out. Even then, some one still has to put the pin in.

 

[USER1999]

Slow play is caused by people not caring about how fast/slow they play. Slow people can do everything that faster players do, they just do it more slowly, whether it's where to leave a bag, being ready to play, pre shot routine, club selection, first to putt out getting the pin, etc. Makes no odds, slow play is slow play, there doesn't have to be a reason. You can do everything wrong, and still be round in 2 hours, or do every thing right, and be over 5.

 

[Herbie]

I am like minded on that one murph, its not the act of marking on a green, its if doing so delays anyone.

But not so like minded with your following comment, I can come in with any score within a reasonable amount of time, and there are things that cause unnecessary delays, I am of the camp that there is a reason for everything!

 

[jammydodger]

Not just marking cards on the green but also the whole bloody group marking their cards on the next tee. Will the chap with the honour just get on and play his shot and mark his card whilst the others are hitting their shots ..grrrr

Those that have finished putting not having the flag ready to put back in the hole but leaving the last guy to hole out to go and fetch it from the edge of the green...grrrr

People who hit a chip/putt and then stand there exasperated with the result trying to catch anyones attention to complain that "it was in" , "did you see that bounce" , "unbelievable bad luck". NO-ONE cares get on with it...grrr

 

[stevek1969]

At my place every know's who they are ,its the messing about the 10 practise swings before shots ,one guy even does the spiderman on the greens lining putts up , whats all that about .Marking your ball 6 inches from the hole then the same routine again.
Its meant to be an exercise not a fud about for 6 hours like some. We play at enjoyable pace, its the way i was brought up to play ,i dont race around but any more than 3.5 hours round my place is poor

 

[Parmo]

Pro's and clubs who don't manage their courses and people moaning about petty slow play issues rather than having the balls to tackle Pro's and clubs.

 

[USER1999]

I don't see how it can be the pro's fault. The course needs a ranger.

I have played with a guy at my club (never again), who can be first to tee off, last to leave the tee, you can have played your second, and he will still be on the tee putting on his head cover, he ambles along, not a care in the world. He is never ready to play. No one can hurry him up, he can't be rushed. If you get 3 similar in a 4 ball, then the course is stuffed. He can do all the right things, leave his bag in the right place etc, but he will still always be slow. He doesn't care a jot.

That is your problem, not how many practice swings a guy has.

That said, why do some stand frozen over the ball for what seems like 15 minutes, getting more and more rigid. Often followed by some vague club movement similar to stirring lumpy custard with a large ladle. And then knock it 15 yards to go through the whole mess again.

 

[toonarmy]

I'd sooner have slow play if it meant that people REPAIRED THEIR PITCHMARKS!

Slow/fast play - subjective problem

Unrepaired pitchmarks - actual problem

I cannot fathom why pace of play generates more heat than holes in the green. I would cheerfully put a pitchmark-sized dent in anyone who doesn't reapir one. I don't even care if you didn't leave one, if you see one - FIX IT!

In all honesty, what would you rather? Ending up taking an extra 30m and have all your greens and fairways without blemishes or finish early and putt across a colander?

NB I have noticed that the sprinters rarely seem to tend to little things like pitchmarks and divots...

 

[Parmo]

Isnt it the Pro's job to manage the course and tee times or he just their to flog lessons and marsbars?

 

[Herbie]

I'd sooner have slow play if it meant that people REPAIRED THEIR PITCHMARKS!

Slow/fast play - subjective problem

Unrepaired pitchmarks - actual problem

I cannot fathom why pace of play generates more heat than holes in the green. I would cheerfully put a pitchmark-sized dent in anyone who doesn't reapir one. I don't even care if you didn't leave one, if you see one - FIX IT!

In all honesty, what would you rather? Ending up taking an extra 30m and have all your greens and fairways without blemishes or finish early and putt across a colander?

NB I have noticed that the sprinters rarely seem to tend to little things like pitchmarks and divots...

Good sentiments but the reality is that if you see an old pitch mark, it is better to leave it as the damage is already done and repairing it is likely to create more damage, old marks need propper green keeper attention.
But current ones?....oh yes, wholeheartedly agree.

 

[USER1999]

I always do pitch marks, and divots (if I can find the sod, as I hit them pretty far). The biggest culprit with divots is crows. Making each player carry a bag of sand and seed would fix them faster, and better. They do this in SA and it works. I don't see why playing fast means you don't repair pitch marks. This is another generalisation, jumping to conclusions that aren't warranted. each group of golfers (be it fast, slow, left handed, old, young, male, female, members, pay and players) has in built predjudices against any of the other groups. Mostly unjustly.

As I have said previously, slow players do it all slowly, fast players do it all quickly. They still do the same things.

Some people drive a car slowly, me, I like to go at a million miles an hour. In fact I live my life at a million miles an hour, and find slowing down doing anything stressful.

 

[freddielong]

People are far to obsessed with getting around quickly aren't we supposed to be enjoying ourselves, I think as long as a fourball takes no longer than 3hrs 45 mins every one should just relax and enjoy it.

 

[Robobum]

A lot of folk will probably be surprised if they saw a proper pace of play schedule, they are very lenient and there shouldn't be any excuse for exceeding it.

Our track for example is a par 70 @ 6100yds with a pace of play for a 3 ball medal of about 3hrs 55mins, that's in competition play,

IMO a friendly 4ball shouldn't need to take any longer than 4hrs.

 

[bobmac]

Some people drive a car slowly, me, I like to go at a million miles an hour. In fact I live my life at a million miles an hour, and find slowing down doing anything stressful.

A great point Murph.
Thats why when teaching, I never tell a person to slow down his swing, rather I say make it smoother.
It's very hard, even unfair to ask someone to change their natural pace of life, whether it's eating, driving walking or playing golf.
I personally think the 2 main causes for slow play are
1. too long a pre-sot routine
2. Not calling people through when looking for a ball.

It says in the rule book
'Players searching for a ball should signal the players in the group behind them to play through as soon as it becomes apparent that the ball will not easily be found.They should not search for five minutes before doing so . Having allowed the group behind to play through, they should not continue play until that group has passed and is out of range.

Unfortunately, the Keyword there is 'should' not 'must'.
It is, therefor a suggestion, not an instruction.
And again from the rulebook...

'Where a group has not lost a clear hole, but it is apparent that the group behind can play faster, it should invite the faster moving group to play through'.

Not my words, straight from the rule book.

How many people do that?

 

[drawboy]

I was lucky enough to have a letter published in GM not so long ago on this very subject. Card marking, divot replacing, leaving bags on the front of the green are all I agree minor irritations but lets be honest lads/lasses (for the pc brigade) the biggest cause of slow play on any course is and always will be crap players!

 

[Herbie]

I was lucky enough to have a letter published in GM not so long ago on this very subject. Card marking, divot replacing, leaving bags on the front of the green are all I agree minor irritations but lets be honest lads/lasses (for the pc brigade) the biggest cause of slow play on any course is and always will be crap players!

so true!!

 

[Whereditgo]

As a relative newcomer to the game, and while totally understanding the frustration slow play can cause, I still don't really know what would be considered as being a par time for 18 holes.

I have got round in a 2 ball after work in less than 3 1/2 hours when the course is pretty deserted, but surely its different in a competition?

Last weekend for example I was in the second to last four-ball that went out in a stroke play competition, the conditions were not really conducive to low scoring i.e. blowing a gale from the SE which is the worst direction on our track. On the 10th one of our group drove into a wooded area and didnt hit a provisional, to be fair every one of us was sure we would find the ball no problem as the pine needles prevent any grass and I never failed to find my own ball while I was having my slicing crisis. Ulitimately he had to scuttle back and play his provisional, which was embarrassing for the lad and caused much annoyance further back.

We completed the round in 4:40, without losing a hole to the group in front, I didn't think that was too slow. A guy from the first social round of the day collared me in the car park and had a bit of a go, saying that their round had taken over 5 hours! (clearly not the case as they tee'd off at least 20 mins after us). I tried explaining that we weren't playing gimme's, going off whites etc but he was having none of it!

I just shrugged my shoulders and let him have his moan - I must be finally mellowing in my old age!

 

[Imurg]

Hold-ups in play are caused by groups not letting other groups through at the most appropriate time.
I don't care if a 10-ball wants to take 3 days to play a round as long as they let people through when they have to start waiting.
There is not a "par" time for a round of golf - there can be a recommended time but you have to take conditions, numbers, format, course set-up,scoring etc into consideration. On some days a 3 ball can take 2 3/4 hours, on another the same 3 ball might take 4 1/2. But it doesn't matter if they let through groups who catch them up.