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

[welshjim22]

The only real consistent reason for slow play is lack of consideration of others. You can take practice shots and still play quickly or put your bag in the wrong place. I see alot of people who let having a chat get in the way. You can chat at any time acept when someone is taking a shot you don't have to stop standstill and do nothing else.

Slo play is a real problem just like pitchmarks and divots but you can't expect people to be considerate on the green when they aren't in any othe raspect of the game. Quite frankly this is the UK all over outside of golf.

 

[clubchamp07]

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?


A 2ball taking 3and a half hour's? far to slow

 

[Whereditgo]

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?


A 2ball taking 3and a half hour's? far to slow

As I said my first post, I haven't really played sufficiently long enough to know what an average time would take. What I do know is that arriving at the club at around 5:15 and walking off the 18th at around 8:45 having shot high 80's to low 90's wasn't a slow pace. i.e. we walked at a fair pace (in fact others have commented that its a bit too quick when joining us) and didnt mess about over our shots as we were under pressure to beat the fading light.

I guess it will vary dependant on conditions, course length, layout etc

I am beginning to get the feeling this thread is like the 'How far do you hit your x,y,z!' threads

 

[Imurg]

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?


A 2ball taking 3and a half hour's? far to slow

I guess it will vary dependant on conditions, course length, layout etc

I am beginning to get the feeling this thread is like the 'How far do you hit your x,y,z!' threads

Far too slow for a competition I'll agree but for a social round after work on an empty course? - I just can't see the problem.

The words "pretty deserted course" need reading and understanding. I've taken 5 hours as a solo on a "deserted course" before now. Who am I getting in the way of? Who am I holding up? I took my time and strolled around and enjoyed being outside on a nice day.

In a competition or when the course is busy then you obviously need to keep up - the ettiquette says It is a group's responsibility to keep up with the group ahead. But on a "Deserted Course" you can play at any pace that you want to, be it 2 hours or 5.

 

[Billysboots]

If you need to complain about which side of the green someone leaves their bag then you really should consider a different sport.
Likewise, if your that desperate to hit your shot before the person has actually vacated the green then you should also consider a different sport.

You clearly miss the intended irony in my post! I was not "desperate" to play before the green was vacated - I had waited, and then as I said I got an absolute flyer from the rough when I was playing a lay-up. I didn't intend to be anywhere near the green - I don't hit a 6 iron 220 yards, so my indiscretion was a genuine mistake, and I held my hand up.

The chap in front, on the other hand, had hit the green with his approach, and then left his bag 20 yards short when surely the sensible and courteous thing to do would have been to have at least left it by the side of it. I either leave mine between green and next tee, or by the side of the green nearest the pin. Not really too much to ask is it?

I made a genuine and heartfelt apology for my mistake and the response was for this man to stare at me like I was something he had trodden in without muttering a word. So it's okay for him to be a thoughtless pain in the backside and not for me to make an honest mistake?

I echo what someone else said... it's crap play that causes holdups, nothing else.

Sorry, but that's absolute nonsense. One of our Saturday roll-up plays off 4, is capable of far better, and yet is one of the slowest players I have ever set foot on a golf course with.

Whilst some poor players are slow, good golfers can be equally guilty of it and very often are. It has nothing to do with ability and everything to do with a lack of respect and common courtesy.

You have suggested for two rather bland reasons that I need to try another sport. With the greatest respect, if you genuinely hold the belief that crap play is the root and sole cause of slow play, then it is not me who needs to be giving up the game.

 

[Smiffy]

My mate Bob is the slowest player I know, although he is getting better nowadays.
As I say, standing on the tee knowing you are going to be hitting your driver, you should have the headcover off and be prepared to step up onto the tee as soon as the guy with the honour in front of you has played. But no, he will leave his headcover on until the very last minute.
He paces out exact yardages from the marker posts. I can look at my ball in relation to the post and am close enough with my "guess" to get my clubbing right. I know what 10/20 yards looks like. But no, Bob will walk forward/back to the post and then pace it out exactly to his ball. He is never (ever) ready to play his shot when others have played. He waits until he gets to his ball before he even starts thinking about what club to hit. Myself? I am walking towards my ball counting down the club I will be using as I get 10 yards nearer to it. I'll be ready to play as soon as it is my turn.
Little things like this do my head in and slow play up. We tell him, he gets annoyed. He just doesn't see what he is doing wrong. In fact, he is doing nothing "wrong" he is just playing the way he plays. All I know is that if I play in a different fourball in front of Bobs group, we will always (and I mean ALWAYS) pull out at least 2 or 3 holes on them over the course of a round. And he won't accept it's HIM!!

 

[Region3]

Re: Following slow play.....what actions cause slow play or delay in p

I don't watch enough golf on tv to know, but how long do they take in a 3-ball on tour with not having to worry about where to put their bag, put flags in holes, and have 50 people to look for their ball?

 

[toonarmy]

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?


A 2ball taking 3and a half hour's? far to slow

Spelling and punctuation errors aside, far too slow for what? And who the hell are you to make such a rule?

 

[Herbie]

Re: Following slow play.....what actions cause slow play or delay in p

unnecessarily slow driving is bad driving, in the same way unnecessarily slow play in golf is just bad golf

I don't know what analogy you'd make to golf, but tailgating because you think the car in front is going too slow is downright dangerous.

Who said anything about tailgating?The thought of such an event is in your mind, as it is with many drivers who see a car behind them and react when there is no need to, a drivers judgement of what is too close is as subjective as a golfers judgement.

 

[Herbie]

Re: Following slow play.....what actions cause slow play or delay in p

If pace of play is not important to some golfers, why is there an expected (marshalled in some cases) rate of play at many golf courses around the globe? Perhaps people need control's and policing because they are incapable of finding a happy medium as is clearly shown throughout this thread.

 

[jammydodger]

Re: Following slow play.....what actions cause slow play or delay in p

Well said Herbie

Seems to me that a lot of people are happy to spend 4-5 hours on the course and I have no problem with that until it holds up others. But these people just dont seem to see that they are the cause of others frustrations , which is even more frustrating

 

[haplesshacker]

Re: Following slow play.....what actions cause slow play or delay in p

Nothing aimed at anyone. But this reminds me of a saying I once saw.

"I hate intolerent people"

Lovely little contradiction.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Re: Following slow play.....what actions cause slow play or delay in p

I use to play with a guy as a junior and he was the epitomy of slow play. I'm sure grass started growing over his ball before he'd hit. He would regrip more than Sergio in his worse period, shuffle his feet like an audition for come dancing and then stare at the ball for an age. He'd usually find the fairway (which is why he was my partner - and I knew how it wound other pairs up) but it seemed to take forever.

 

[RGDave]

Re: Following slow play.....what actions cause slow play or delay in p

This is an interesting read.

1) No disrespect to good or bad players, but surely the standard of golf being played will affect the time to complete the game. If I play with Matthew (off 7.2), he and I will zip round in 3 hours taking plenty of time over putts. If I play with Alan (off 22) we will be hard pushed to be under 3 3/4 hours.

2) Slow play is NOT an issue on a deserted course as long as slow groups let the speedy group through. The problem at mine (and every club I've ever been at) is that on a weekend morning (comp) one group could let a group through, but only to come up against another 3 or 4 ball immediately.

3) If I play in a slow group and we let a group through, sooner or later, they will then have a "lost-ball-type" hold-up....what then....let us through?

4) I don't mind waiting on a few tees on the weekend. My club only has 3 balls, so worst case, it's just over 4 hours.


At top speed (back in the day - about 1997) my regular 3-ball (all off single figures) could easily play a game in 3 hours or a little under/over. Trouble was, 4 balls were utilised and average time ended up being 4 1/2 minimum. I don't remember getting in a tiz about it....take a few choccy bars and some conversation onto the course.

If you want to play quick, line up a game at 7.00 on a weekday morning with someone on the scratch team. I believe we even cracked 2 hrs 30 some days.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Re: Following slow play.....what actions cause slow play or delay in p

I agree with Dave's points particularly about the competency of the other group members. My regular fourball consists of myself off 11 (not always straight and known to spray it a bit) a 25, 26 and 28. We always have a laugh as these rounds are my fun games where 20 or 40 points is all the same. They use to be regular drinking buddies when I could so its a great way for me to keep in touch with the gossip from the pub etc. We usually go round in less than 4 hours because we don't stop to look for balls to closely, will play if we are out of position rather than wait even if we are nearer the hole.

That said the same guys in a medal/stableford will take 4 1/2 hours because they hit a lot more provisionals and take longer on the greens because like it or not they have to make every putt and often 3 putt.

 

[Herbie]

Re: Following slow play.....what actions cause slow play or delay in p

Two voices of reason in the last two posts, and thats what its all about to me, if you have difficulty finding ballance, fairness or reasoning then maybe you will often end up with the angry hairs standing up on the back of your neck, or some axe to grind over the slow or fast player.

 

[bobmac]

Re: Following slow play.....what actions cause slow play or delay in p

Some people in life do things quickly. Nothing wrong with that.
Some people in life do things slowly. Nothing wrong with that either.
Put them together and then you get problems.
There are sufficient guidelins in the rulebook which suggest what players should do.
If a slower player calls through a faster player, everyone is happy.
Courtesy for your fellow golfer.

 

[Parmo]

Why is it that a lot of people seem to think its the responsibility of the pro. In most cases they are independant of the club itself and paid a retainer for the provision of their services. They collect the green fees more as a gesture (and to save the club employing someone to do it) and don't actually get any of that revenue.

If we have a problem on the course I call the Pro shop, as its his job to manage the course and the club is totally seperate from it been a Muni.

Tbh I am sick to death of hearing about slow play and the time limits golfers are imposing on the game. Don't get me wrong I detest very slow golfers but I also destest over fast golfers as well. If I am on a time limit I tee off early or later in the day when the course is quite, I really don't like these golfers who impose their own failure to time manage themselves on others because they want to tee off at peak times regardless of anyone else and come crying when a round takes longer than thought.

 

[clubchamp07]

I like to play at a fair pace, i dont mean run round. But my problem is whenever a 4ball losses a hole or more and dont give a damn. It's not rocket sicence, all you have to do is keep behind the 4ball infront of you. I think the arguement about higher handicaps being the slow players is totally wrong. Ok, they take a few more shots, I play with a guy every Saturday off 24, he knows when to lift his ball, his only problem is leaving his bag in the wrong place. I dont have a problem with higher handicappers, I know plenty of low men who for some reason or another take a lifetime to hit their shots.
A ranger on the course during competition, or a busy day is the way to go. If you get spoken to once and he/she needs to speek to you twice, then it's time you were off the course.
Whats wrong with a time sheet on say the 6th tee, an hour for 5 holes, 2 hours for 10 holes 3hours for 15 and then you can enjoy the last 3 holes. 3 an a half hours for golf. simples.
How about this one for a competition day,
You swipe in 10 minutes before your due to tee off.
You swipe your card again after 9 holes. (Would need a swipper on 9th green or 10th tee)
Then your card is returned into the computer, this way any slow players won't be able to hide.
I love the guys who are in a slow 4ball and blame others for slow play, your in the 4ball thats slow, so it's up to you to sort it out. I wouldn't have a problem telling a player to hurry up.


I love to see the ranger arriving, I aim for his buggy. I haven't hit him yet but been close a few time's lol. Only joking.

 

[viscount17]

Should I make it to retirement, acting as a ranger could be an enjoyable way of, possibly, reducing my golfing costs. The potential is there in every club to do this, at little cost to them, a high viz surcoat and a buggy, and a bit off the club fees.