Golf Pairs 5hr30 rounds becoming the norm?

[Jigger]

Was fortunate to play 5 decent courses in the Golf Pairs 5 Day Yorkshire event this week but every round was around the 5hr30 mark. It was the same at Celtic Manor last year, Fife 4day event in May and Seaton Carew. Is this the norm?

There’s nothing they can really enforce 4hrs as nobody is really losing ground with the group in front but just playing that bit slower than the group in front and if you enforced a timer on all groups you’d end up with some people bombing the groups in front.

Are all organised events like this? What’s your experiences?

 

[IanM]

Celtic Manor is a long walk regardless. But it's a sign of the times.

I avoid commercial opens entirely now. Slow play being only one of several reasons.

 

[Billysboots]

5 1/2 hours is totally unacceptable. Regardless of format, venue, and everything else.

 

[Skytot]

My Bro in law played in the Mizuno Pairs in North wales in April . I forget which course it was but he said it was 5 -30hrs. He said the rough was bad looking for lots of balls but there were walkers that they had to wait for on a few holes which started backing up .

 

[Doon frae Troon]

So glad I do not play golf anymore.
I gave up when 18 hole rounds took over 4 hours.
Golf will be like cricket soon with a lunchtime break at the 9th hole.

In the 1990's I played a complete 36 hole scratch match play final in less than four hours

 

[RichA]

My Bro in law played in the Mizuno Pairs in North wales in April . I forget which course it was but he said it was 5 -30hrs. He said the rough was bad looking for lots of balls but there were walkers that they had to wait for on a few holes which started backing up .

I played it last year, if you mean the 4 day comp around Llandudno and Anglesey.
Slow play misery was not our experience; 4h - 4h30m rounds each time for us. We were one of the last groups out and we went off on time.

 

[Mandofred]

If golf turns into 5+hrs of standing around.....I'll sell the clubs and won't look back.

 

[rulie]

Was fortunate to play 5 decent courses in the Golf Pairs 5 Day Yorkshire event this week but every round was around the 5hr30 mark. It was the same at Celtic Manor last year, Fife 4day event in May and Seaton Carew. Is this the norm?

There’s nothing they can really enforce 4hrs as nobody is really losing ground with the group in front but just playing that bit slower than the group in front and if you enforced a timer on all groups you’d end up with some people bombing the groups in front.

Are all organised events like this? What’s your experiences?

You've just described what happens on the PGA Tour.

 

[Jigger]

So glad I do not play golf anymore.
I gave up when 18 hole rounds took over 4 hours.
Golf will be like cricket soon with a lunchtime break at the 9th hole.

In the 1990's I played a complete 36 hole scratch match play final in less than four hours

They do that in South Korea apparently

 

[Jigger]

You've just described what happens on the PGA Tour.

I know but they’re pros and I ain’t

 

[Jigger]

I played it last year, if you mean the 4 day comp around Llandudno and Anglesey.
Slow play misery was not our experience; 4h - 4h30m rounds each time for us. We were one of the last groups out and we went off on time.

Yeah it just seems to back up in round

 

[Jigger]

5 1/2 hours is totally unacceptable. Regardless of format, venue, and everything else.

I get longer courses take longer due to walks between holes etc. but Seaton Carew should be no more that 4hrs and others should be no more than 4:30. I think half the problem is that people take longer than three mins to look for balls. I completely understand everyone joins these to play the course but that doesn’t mean you can’t pick up a missed putt or drop a ball on the fairway to play the hole but not score.

 

[Skytot]

I played it last year, if you mean the 4 day comp around Llandudno and Anglesey.
Slow play misery was not our experience; 4h - 4h30m rounds each time for us. We were one of the last groups out and we went off on time.

Yes that is the comp. It was only 1 of the venues 5-30 round

 

[sunshine]

I played the Mizuno event at the Addington last week and it was 5h30.

It’s a tough course with tricky greens which slows things down, but the back nine was painful with 5-10 minutes waiting on each hole, was 3 hours.

This is bound to happen when there’s a load of people who aren’t used to playing in competitions or taking on long tough courses with fast greens.

The scorer back in the clubhouse said an early group had been very slow and backed up the whole field. Before the event I received email reminders about pace of play protocol and penalties, but I didn’t see anyone out there enforcing it.

 

[stymied]

In the 1990's I played a complete 36 hole scratch match play final in less than four hours

Did one of you win 19 and 17 or was the course like 4500 yards?

 

[JT.]

I played Seaton Carew and Hartlepool in the Mizuno Pairs this year - both were about 4 1/2 hours. I reckon I play about a dozen opens a year and they all take between 4 and 4 1/2 hours, never experienced a 5 1/2 hour round in any open (and would stop playing in them if that was the norm!).

 

[rulie]

I get longer courses take longer due to walks between holes etc. but Seaton Carew should be no more that 4hrs and others should be no more than 4:30. I think half the problem is that people take longer than three mins to look for balls. I completely understand everyone joins these to play the course but that doesn’t mean you can’t pick up a missed putt or drop a ball on the fairway to play the hole but not score.

Are you suggesting this for competitions? I thought your original post described a competition?

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Did one of you win 19 and 17 or was the course like 4500 yards?

Par 72 and 6,300 yards long.
Forgot to add we had a quick sandwich lunch
I was never behind in the game until I lost on the 36th hole.

On the same course I followed a Ladies County final which finished on the 12th green after one hour and 15 mins.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Get golfoutlaw to give them one of his motovational lectures

 

[IanM]

So glad I do not play golf anymore.
I gave up when 18 hole rounds took over 4 hours.
Golf will be like cricket soon with a lunchtime break at the 9th hole.

In the 1990's I played a complete 36 hole scratch match play final in less than four hours

In the interest of balance, I can't remember the last round i played over 4 hours 20 mins. Most are under 4 hours, some nearer 3 and a half.

Mind you, I never play the sort of places or events where plus 5 hours are likely.