GCW Rant

[Hobbit]

Am I the only person getting pee'd off with this constant " slow play " stuff. It takes just shy of 4 hours to play a 3 ball comp at my place and the same for a 4bbb. We rarely experience 5 hour rounds but there are always some who want to run round!

If you don't have time to play at a steady pace and have to get round quickly to get home that's your problem, not mine, don't expect the other players in front to jog between shots just so you can keep HID happy or spend longer at the bar!

I'm with you on that one Chris. Fed up of hearing about it. It's been a constant all the years I've played. Once upon a time players moaned about nudging up against four hour rounds, then four and a half, and now players are moaning about five hour rounds.

Slow play isn't as prevalent as people think. It's a fact of golf. A very few players need a little education but that's all.

Fed up of all the high volume outrage. Relax and enjoy ffs!

 

[chrisd]

Agreed....I have a work colleague who has just taken up thje game and never been on a course before. I took him down the our Par 3 with the express purpose of talking to him about etiquette and behaviour on the course and told him that. We was very happy to learn

I told him about honour from the tee, furthest ball plays first, standing on peoples putting lines etc etc and said that no body minds that he is a beginner and plays poor shots...what they do mind is waiting for him to play poor shots which he got immediately so hopefully he has learnt something and again hopefully he doesn't get into a crowd of Philistines and go native on me....just my insignificant contribution to slow play....

Not insignificant, very helpful and caring I'd say!

You're right, if you are going to hit 120 shots please don't take 4 practice before each one like someone I knew did

 

[Deleted member 15717]

Crossfield actually did a fairly good video through GolfOnline, regarding it. He does make some valid points https://www.golfonline.co.uk/golf-news/slow-play-mark-crossfield-nd-801284263

 

[need_my_wedge]

Am I the only person getting pee'd off with this constant " slow play " stuff. It takes just shy of 4 hours to play a 3 ball comp at my place and the same for a 4bbb. We rarely experience 5 hour rounds but there are always some who want to run round!

If you don't have time to play at a steady pace and have to get round quickly to get home that's your problem, not mine, don't expect the other players in front to jog between shots just so you can keep HID happy or spend longer at the bar!

The link from Phil is not loading at the moment, so can't comment on that, but I'm firmly in Chris' camp...... Coincidentally, Mrs wedge and myself played last night and we tagged up with a friend who's a PGA pro, ex member of the club and happened to be walking through the car park as we turned up. I'm normally quite conscious of slow play, not wanting the finger pointed at me, so am usually quite a quick player, at least so I think. However, last night, hadn't seen our friend for a while, so we were happily ambling around in the sunshine. At one point a two ball started to push us, so we let them through and carried on ambling, took about 2 hours for nine holes, I really enjoyed it, no rushing to the next shot, no one else pushing behind us, a perfect evening for golf and a chat. I know for a fact that our club pro is in this camp too - slow play is mentioned, but golf should be enjoyed, it doesn't mean you have to run around between shots, or move at a speed so fast that it detracts from the enjoyment of the game. Life's too fast as it is, the idea of being on the golf course is to step out of the normal hustle and bustle, play at your own pace (which may be well within "expected" time fames), let others through if there is space and they are pushing, but play to enjoy, not to rush, simple as that really.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Agreed....I have a work colleague who has just taken up thje game and never been on a course before. I took him down the our Par 3 with the express purpose of talking to him about etiquette and behaviour on the course and told him that. We was very happy to learn

I told him about honour from the tee, furthest ball plays first, standing on peoples putting lines etc etc and said that no body minds that he is a beginner and plays poor shots...what they do mind is waiting for him to play poor shots which he got immediately so hopefully he has learnt something and again hopefully he doesn't get into a crowd of Philistines and go native on me....just my insignificant contribution to slow play....

Did you also tell him that in a bounce game 'play when ready' is an equally good thing to learn and may just help speed things up?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

The reason why it keeps being mentioned is a simple one - it appears a lot of people are getting affected by poor ettiquete in regards the pace of play on a golf course - it wouldn't be mentioned often in magazines etc if it was such a small issue. Only have to see the Masters to see it's an issue in golf from the top down.

And it's not IMO about how long the round takes its what happens during the round. People can play 4 and half hour to 5 hour rounds with no hold up on a golf course , going to every shot and not waiting etc - some courses are set up like that.

It's the 5 hour rounds with groups waiting on every single shot whilst they watch group ahead not have a single care about how their actions are affecting the whole field. Every club will have pace of play notices and how they expect people to act on the golf course but golfers need to be aware that their actions will affect everyone - where they place their bag , how long their PSR , getting ready for putts - there are so many little things we can all do that will just help both your own enjoyment and other peoples enjoyments and most of it is common sense.

We don't need trackers and people running around etc - just being aware that on the course there will be lots of people trying to enjoy themselves and being aware of your own actions.

If your on a green - check your line whilst others are lining up , if you get to the tee first then just go - don't worry about honour , play ready golf where it's safe and suitable , if your group has lost a hole then try and make up the gap or let the group behind through if you are searching for balls.

Since we put notices up and letters out and little videoed and tips in weekly emails our medals are going round in under 4 hours with so far no complaints. Previous offenders are appearing to be more aware

Golf is always supposed to be a leisurely relaxing game with everyone having consideration for other golfers when playing - at times some only think of themselves when playing - hopefully with the increased exposure on social media it can be curbed before people stop playing the game because of it

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It won't change. It hasn't in the the last thirty years and won't in the next. Ask members at any club and hardly any will admit they are a slow player and its so and so. It has to be someone as the course crawls around every weekend.

Magazines and media can only highlight the issue but until players, and the clubs take responsibility then it's good for filling print space but it won't make a scrap of difference

 

[seochris]

No cause he needs to get and understand the proper etiquette in his head first....:smirk:

 

[Hacker Khan]

No cause he needs to get and understand the proper etiquette in his head first....:smirk:

But I am sure somone has the intelligence to be able to differentiate between the concept of the 'proper ettiquete' of who tees off first, hits puts first in comps and 'play when ready' which is increasingly being encouraged as a simple way to help speed things up in casual games. After all wouldn't a newbie be playing mostly in casual games to start with anyway?

 

[seochris]

But I am sure somone has the intelligence to be able to differentiate between the concept of the 'proper ettiquete' of who tees off first, hits puts first in comps and 'play when ready' which is increasingly being encouraged as a simple way to help speed things up in casual games. After all wouldn't a newbie be playing mostly in casual games to start with anyway?

If you don't know what the proper etiquette is in the first pace there is nothing to differentiate with.....

 

[bobmac]

Has anyones club tried putting the quickest players out first?

 

[Deleted member 16999]

The reason why it keeps being mentioned is a simple one - it appears a lot of people are getting affected by poor ettiquete in regards the pace of play on a golf course - it wouldn't be mentioned often in magazines etc if it was such a small issue. Only have to see the Masters to see it's an issue in golf from the top down.

And it's not IMO about how long the round takes its what happens during the round. People can play 4 and half hour to 5 hour rounds with no hold up on a golf course , going to every shot and not waiting etc - some courses are set up like that.

It's the 5 hour rounds with groups waiting on every single shot whilst they watch group ahead not have a single care about how their actions are affecting the whole field. Every club will have pace of play notices and how they expect people to act on the golf course but golfers need to be aware that their actions will affect everyone - where they place their bag , how long their PSR , getting ready for putts - there are so many little things we can all do that will just help both your own enjoyment and other peoples enjoyments and most of it is common sense.

We don't need trackers and people running around etc - just being aware that on the course there will be lots of people trying to enjoy themselves and being aware of your own actions.

If your on a green - check your line whilst others are lining up , if you get to the tee first then just go - don't worry about honour , play ready golf where it's safe and suitable , if your group has lost a hole then try and make up the gap or let the group behind through if you are searching for balls.

Since we put notices up and letters out and little videoed and tips in weekly emails our medals are going round in under 4 hours with so far no complaints. Previous offenders are appearing to be more aware

Golf is always supposed to be a leisurely relaxing game with everyone having consideration for other golfers when playing - at times some only think of themselves when playing - hopefully with the increased exposure on social media it can be curbed before people stop playing the game because of it

I applaud all the efforts your club is making and obviously it is far worse at some courses than others and by the looks of it in different parts of the Country, question is, when is enough enough, is 3:55 suitable? No? Lets's go for 3:50, is 3:50 suitable? No? Let's go for.......etc
Once your course/committee believe it's under control and the education is wound back a bit will members get complacent and times creep up.
I believe it's a fine balance and a balance that each club has to determine, one size doesn't fit all.
Comments are generic Phil not aimed at your place.

 

[upsidedown]

Has anyones club tried putting the quickest players out first?

In NZ all our comps were drawn and surprisingly all the slow players were at the back and occasionally you'd get 4 David's, 4 Brian's and 4 John's in a fourball

 

[351DRIVER]

This site and campaign is another example of our TOO MUCH MEDIA society

People hashtag onto the blandest of things that only vaguely interest them to generate more views and kudos for themselves, it is an endless prosession of insincere causes and support, retweets, hashtaging in an attempt to accumulate more followers so when you post something banal more people retweet it.


Nearly everyone that posts LIKE, TWEETS, or whatever else usually gives less than a tiny fk about whatever it is...

Pointless site, dumb campaign, all you need is a decent golf club manager and there is no problem

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I applaud all the efforts your club is making and obviously it is far worse at some courses than others and by the looks of it in different parts of the Country, question is, when is enough enough, is 3:55 suitable? No? Lets's go for 3:50, is 3:50 suitable? No? Let's go for.......etc
Once your course/committee believe it's under control and the education is wound back a bit will members get complacent and times creep up.
I believe it's a fine balance and a balance that each club has to determine, one size doesn't fit all.
Comments are generic Phil not aimed at your place.

Guess you will only be able to tell that as the time goes by - you would hope that people will pick up the good habits and stick to them

And I don't think it's always about aiming for a specific time to be around in - we have timings on the card as a guide - some rounds will be quicker some slower all dependant on the format and course and weather conditions etc - it will always be for me the actions of what's happening whilst you are playing.

 

[351DRIVER]

Walk with a purposeful stride and be ready when it is your turn to play

Universal guidelines for you there, conceived and published in 10 seconds

 

[Capella]

Has anyones club tried putting the quickest players out first?

Yeah, that's how it is usually done in most comps at our place (based on their handicaps mostly, but also the secretary, who normally organizes the tee times, knows her flock quite well ). Keeps everybody sane and more relaxed.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Walk with a purposeful stride and be ready when it is your turn to play

Universal guidelines for you there, conceived and published in 10 seconds

Excellent - I wonder why all the clubs haven't thought of it

Now all you have to do is to get everyone to follow that

 

[Ross61]

Has anyones club tried putting the quickest players out first?

I was in a society years ago that did this.
The problem was there was a prize giving after the completion and the faster ones (Myself included) had to wait forever for the last group to finally come in.
Also you ended up playing with the same people every meet, not necessarily ones who's company you particularly enjoyed.

 

[351DRIVER]

It is simply not the sort of thing that needs a big campaign, it needs a decent member of staff at your club to ensure golfers play at the speed most deem reasonable
hashtagging and liking this on social media is a pointless exercise that is simply an excuse to self promote and is just making social noise without ever delivering anything that might be deemed a result