Getting told you're slow

Dogma

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Played in a pairs 4BBB today.

We were 3 down after 9 holes but we ended up winning 2&1.

In the bar afterwards, our opponents (who we were buying a beer) told me how well I played, but told me how slow I was, in particular my pre shot routine.

I've always thought of myself as being a quick player and always make an effort to play ready golf when playing, so it shocked me if I'm honest, especially as nobody has ever told me this before.

My routine is place the ball on a tee, stand back and have one practice swing, stand behind the ball and pick my line with a deep breath, set up and then hit it.

I reckon it takes around 30 seconds at most.

Is this now an unacceptable amount of time to take a shot?

Should I be literally sprinting around the place trying not to offend people?

Thoughts? :confused:
 

duncan mackie

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It's not unacceptable, but 30 sec on each and every stroke is slow. It would be pretty much the slowest of anyone i have played with this year.
But its not a race...
 

matt71

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Pretty much do what I do and I for one is not slow

Just ignore them, I am sure that your mates would have told you by now if you were :)
 

Dogma

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It's not unacceptable, but 30 sec on each and every stroke is slow. It would be pretty much the slowest of anyone i have played with this year.
But its not a race...
Do you mind posting what your pre shot routine is?

Do you have a consistent one?
 

Wolf

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I don't think that's particularly slow, it's not a race and as long as you're keeping up with play I wouldn't worry about it to much
 

Jamesbrown

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Take your practice swing and routine while others are playing their shot.
Then nobody has to watch or wait for your routine. Obviously not on the tee.

When I first started I was told I was too slow. I changed and vowed never to be too slow. Now I’m stuck behind everyone complaining! 😂
 

Imurg

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Having that routine on tee shots and approaches is fine with me.
If it took you 30 seconds routine to hit a 5 yard chip and run on a flat fringe and green I might start getting bored....
 

KenL

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If this is just tee shots then that isn't a major issue but if you do this on every stroke that could become a problem.

Say you had 40 strokes, that's 20 minutes just for your setup. A fourball all doing this you are 80 minutes used up without moving.
 

Neilds

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They might not have been referring to your PSR, do you amble to your ball, faff putting your glove on, check your yardage, dither between a hard 7 iron or a soft 6 iron, etc....
There are lots of ways to be slow, not just taking time to play the actual shot.
 

Trojan615

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I think that’s slow, as above when including the faff about glove, clean ball etc it’s painful. That said, if you play ready golf and keep moving when others are prepping you can save time..
 

Bunkermagnet

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30 secs for tee shots?, I dont consider that fast.
Personally it's not the placing of the ball or even the practice swing, but the pregnant pause before actually taking the shot that creates feeling of a slow player.
 

duncan mackie

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Do you mind posting what your pre shot routine is?

Do you have a consistent one?
Approaching the tee it's a combination of picking target line, target landing area which leads to picking teeing spot (consistent with latest available in selected area).
Clubhead behind ball consistent with above, stance consistent with clubhead...trigger.
Everything else has now been removed from the stoke process. Any practice movements, mobilisations, distances considerations, club selections are done before I approach either the teeing ground, or subsequently my ball, to make my shot, in 'dead' time as far as possible. It's not always possible - but it's my underlying approach.
Around the green I will make movements to emulate the stroke I wish to make between the target selection and putting the club behind the ball. They will range from one, to as many as I feel I need to get comfortable that my concious and sub concious are aligned - then back to clubhead behind ball etc
 

Kellfire

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Don’t take a deep breath before you take your shot. You’re introducing tension and an irregular breathing pattern.
 

Hobbit

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If you're thinking you might be slow why not time yourself, and then time other players. If you're constantly taking longer than others, irrespective of whether or not its 30-40-50 secs, people will think you are slow. But at the end of the day its how long it takes you to get around the course that is the more important thing. I've played with people who've had painfully slow pre-shot routines but have been quick getting to their ball and do the right things when putting the bag down or attending the flag - one balances the other.

As to your two opponents saying you're slow; one may have thought it and convinced the other. Once one had it in his head he will have subconsciously looked to reinforce that opinion. And his partner would most likely agree as he's part of a team - "group think."

If after timing your routine you do feel you're taking too long, change it.

On a wider note, if someone goes round a course in 80 shots, with a 30 sec PSR, thats 240 secs at their ball. 4 hours at their ball + walking time. Then add in their playing partner's times. I doubt that many people have 30 sec PSR's...
 

pendodave

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They might not have been referring to your PSR, do you amble to your ball, faff putting your glove on, check your yardage, dither between a hard 7 iron or a soft 6 iron, etc....
There are lots of ways to be slow, not just taking time to play the actual shot.
Yep. I play with a guy who does this, plus the (at least 30 secs) over the ball. He also does all the above only after the player before him has hit....
 

rudebhoy

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My PSR is slow compared to the guys I play with who generally just pull a club out and hit it without a practice swing, I like a couple of practice swings and a couple of looks at where I am aiming. I do try to make up for it by getting to my ball quickly, putting my trolley in the right place etc. The 3 of us normally get round in just over 3 hours, so I guess I can't be that bad.
 

Slab

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I guess it’s a bit moot until you find out whether what you reckon is 30 seconds, is anywhere near accurate. Maybe you actually do it in 25 or maybe its 40

The actions & movements you describe could be done (unhurried) in 20 seconds on a home course with a consistent swing or may take a fair bit longer if the wind is blustery etc or if playing a course for the first time or battling a slice that day
(picking a line on a ‘normal weather’ day at your home course will just take a couple of seconds since the fairway hasn’t moved and there’s limited pin positions that you’ll have experienced all of them previously which means after popping the tee in you’re taking 28 seconds to swish for practice, walk three paces behind your ball and back again, take your grip/stance and swing)
Maybe they saw you stand behind the ball for 10 seconds staring off down the fairway taking deep breaths (most of us will have done it on occasion) or you hover unmoving over the ball for 8 seconds before starting the backswing. It could just be one movement/action within your PSR that is longer than average for them to throw out the slow tag (I do this with a guy that lines up his ball, he’s not especially slow but gawd that action alone makes it seem like he is)

For the most part I’m accepting of almost any PSR in my PP’s. The slow tag for me comes to mind most often when things like the glove isn’t on, tee & ball aren’t in their hand, club out of bag etc etc
 

Fabia999

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We're they not just bitter about losing?

Regarding time, to me depends on difficulty of shot. I would usually take one practice shot and then go but I had to hit left handed yesterday so I spent longer on that. However, my PP takes quite a few practice shots before every shot. Personal preference.

Only other time that it would take longer is if I'm addressing the ball and I know I don't have confidence (too far/too short) in the club and need to change, but that doesn't happen too often.
 

robinthehood

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We're they not just bitter about losing?

Regarding time, to me depends on difficulty of shot. I would usually take one practice shot and then go but I had to hit left handed yesterday so I spent longer on that. However, my PP takes quite a few practice shots before every shot. Personal preference.

Only other time that it would take longer is if I'm addressing the ball and I know I don't have confidence (too far/too short) in the club and need to change, but that doesn't happen too often.
Yeah probably just sore losers .
 
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