Has WHS contributed to Slow Play

[clubchamp98]

I would guess that, in a 3 ball, an extra couple of shots a hole that are short putts might add 5 minutes to a round and any searches will likely go the full 3 minutes before giving up rather than a minute/chuck another one down but thats unlikely to add more than 5.
That 10 minutes is hard to pinpoint as "extra time" over the round of 4 hours.....
We're not seeing rounds extended because of WHS..it's more to do with clowns not letting groups through and generally being slow anyway

I think the three mins looking for a ball has made it worse.
If you start looking and don’t see it right away ,I have heard players say “they can wait another two minutes,that’s not long enough to let them through”
But with five minutes to look players were more likely to allow games through while they looked.

Putting handicaps up has a impact imo.
Anyone who needs 54 shots needs to learn to hit the ball first before going out in comps etc.
It’s about money now!
In the past clubs would not let you join unless you could play to a certain standard “ snobby or sensible” take your pick.
But now if you have the cash your in!

 

[Oddsocks]

Why do you think that is so?

A putt that was given now needs to be putted out, logically it takes longer to do your pre putt routine and putt putt than it takes to just pick it up.

Re the wayward shots, if someone has registered a card pre round the will now take the time to look for the ball instead of just scrubbing the hole and walking on, again this takes a lot more time. Gone are the days of “ I’ll have a quick browse but don’t waste your time looking “

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Not at our place. In our swindle, if you can’t score then you pick up.

This. We are quite strict on the 3 minutes to keep play going and lose a ball or can't score and keep walking to the green with the others. If we take more than 4 hours to complete any round, social (including roll ups) or competitions then people are not happy

 

[sunshine]

Putting handicaps up has a impact imo.
Anyone who needs 54 shots needs to learn to hit the ball first before going out in comps etc.

Agree with this!!!

(although that's not related to WHS)

 

[rulefan]

A putt that was given now needs to be putted out, logically it takes longer to do your pre putt routine and putt putt than it takes to just pick it up.

Re the wayward shots, if someone has registered a card pre round the will now take the time to look for the ball instead of just scrubbing the hole and walking on, again this takes a lot more time. Gone are the days of “ I’ll have a quick browse but don’t waste your time looking “

How has WHS affected this?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Not in any consistently significant way that I’ve really noticed…but it does depend upon the players you are with.

I’ve got my thinking sorted to consider WHS rounds that previously wouldn’t have been ‘qualifiers’ as simply a round I chuck over the fence into my pond of 20. If it’s a good one it’ll float and likely count towards my H/I; if it’s rubbish it’ll sink without trace unlikely to ever have any impact on my H/I - and even if it does the impact will not be significant due to the averaging.

And so when I am playing then yes - I might be holing out a handful of putts that would have been gimmes…but as these are all tiddlers the time it takes me to hole them is minimal. And though I might not rush I am frankly not that bothered if I miss one.

But I know that some of the guys I play with still struggle and take time over the tiddlers.

 

[Blue in Munich]

I have yet to play with anyone who has been putting a card in outside of a comp so this has simply not been a thing. It is either a comp, so card is done, or social game in which case it is purely for fun and a card is not kept, unless for interest.

I've actually been putting in cards when playing comps away from home; a couple of them are actually counters. Tend not to put cards in at my home course outside of competition as those rounds tend to be 4BBB which is not the same beast as stroke play so I don't put a card in.

If there is something that slows the game down it's putting the scores in on both a card & the phone on the way round.

 

[IanM]

How has WHS affected this?

I assume he meant when folk are putting cards in, when in the past they might not be.

We are now playing qualifiers in the winter, which is new. Whereas we played matchplay and ran round to get out of the cold. The whs drive to have everything qualifying is behind this.

I'm sure some on here would say that it isn't whs, but elsewhere they've moaned folk aren't putting enough cards in ??

 

[Backache]

Our course is busier than it was but I think this is a common effect post covid.
I haven't noticed play being any slower and I have yet to meet or play with anyone putting in a round for WHS outside formal competition though doubtless some do.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

A putt that was given now needs to be putted out, logically it takes longer to do your pre putt routine and putt putt than it takes to just pick it up.

Re the wayward shots, if someone has registered a card pre round the will now take the time to look for the ball instead of just scrubbing the hole and walking on, again this takes a lot more time. Gone are the days of “ I’ll have a quick browse but don’t waste your time looking “

Gimmes are hugely more often than not simple tap-in length and should not require great consideration…if they do then they shouldn’t be gimmes.?

 

[Oddsocks]

How has WHS affected this?

People putting in general play cards are now playing every hole out, simple.

 

[Oddsocks]

Gimmes are hugely more often than not simple tap-in length and should not require great consideration…if they do then they shouldn’t be gimmes.?

That I agree with, but then there are “ generous mates gimmies “ … you know the ones. Those slippery 2ft ones that would my your ass twitch in a medal but they seem to be given in bounce games. No can do if you’re scoring a card and if you haven’t putted one in weeks they’re even worse, or in the case slower.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

How has WHS affected this?

Because more people are putting in cards ?‍

In the past 99% of people only put cards in when in comps

 

[Oddsocks]

Because more people are putting in cards ?‍

In the past 99% of people only put cards in when in comps

Glad it wasn’t just me that saw the obvious answer ?

 

[rulefan]

Because more people are putting in cards ?‍

In the past 99% of people only put cards in when in comps

That isn't the full story. Supplementary Scores had been available for years before WHS. Admittedly with a little more effort but apps were well on their way to this country.
It's more that the national unions put pressure on players to get plenty of scores in to make transition look more sensible. Since then players have worked out for themselves that more cards mean more accurate handicaps and they are seemingly enjoying the bit of extra pressure or (a cynical thought) the opportunity to get their handicap to where they want it.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

That isn't the full story. Supplementary Scores had been available for years before WHS. Admittedly with a little more effort but apps were well on their way to this country.
It's more that the national unions put pressure on players to get plenty of scores in to make transition look more sensible. Since then players have worked out for themselves that more cards mean more accurate handicaps and they are seemingly enjoying the bit of extra pressure or (a cynical thought) the opportunity to get their handicap to where they want it.

I couldn’t put a supplementary card in for years ?‍

But that wasn’t the point that was being made

It is a fact that a significant more about of handicap cards are being submitted by people from all courses and at away courses where it wasn’t possible unless in a organised open

 

[Deleted member 23270]

If people get more shots under WHS then I guess it's fair to say that rounds will take longer. Someone with a course handicap of say 60 shots instead of 28 under the old system has loads more shots before they have to pick up.

 

[IanM]

That isn't the full story. Supplementary Scores had been available for years before WHS.

And hardly used....

 

[Deleted member 15717]

If people get more shots under WHS then I guess it's fair to say that rounds will take longer. Someone with a course handicap of say 60 shots instead of 28 under the old system has loads more shots before they have to pick up.

But you could have a 54 handicap before WHS….so this point doesn’t stand.

 

[jim8flog]

If people get more shots under WHS then I guess it's fair to say that rounds will take longer. Someone with a course handicap of say 60 shots instead of 28 under the old system has loads more shots before they have to pick up.

54 handicaps were the limit long before the WHS was introduced.
something like 2016/17 for 'Club Handicaps'
and January 2018 for CONGU Handicaps