How does your club combat slow play?

[Billysboots]

Slow play - a real headache for some, seen by others as merely an occupational hazard on the golf course, but how does your club take steps to combat it?

We played a bogey competition a week or so ago. For the uninitiated this format involves the player playing matchplay against the course.

I was one of the first group out on the course, and by the time we came off 18 it was evident that some huge gaps were developing between groups behind us - as much as two holes in some instances.

Looking at the cards on HowDidIDo it became clear that far too many members were continuing to play out on holes they had already lost, one member putting out for no less than 8 triple bogeys or worse.

Whilst I accept that we play competitions to enjoy the nature of the event, some common sense has to prevail and pressure brought to bear on serial offenders.

The question therefore is, what do your club do about such situations and how successful are the measures in place?

 

[Toad]

I don't think clubs do enough to combat slow play, we were the second group out on Saturday all three balls, we caught up with the first group at the 5th.
To be fair I did hear one of the group asking should they let us through at the 7th but another one said no.

We eventually got through when they were searching for balls on the 9th and once through we finished a full hour ahead of them through 9 holes.

When it was mentioned we were advised that they are always slow and should avoid going out after them.
Clubs should do more to warn persistant offenders and If no notice is taken they should force them to go out at the back of the field so they can't hold up everyone else.

 

[kid2]

We've got a course ranger that might as well be a girl guide he's so bloody quite........A waste of time if you ask me......And its only going to get worse.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have to say our club isn't too bad in competitions but we have some guys (same group) who go out at 7.30 and another just before 8 and they are so slow. No concept of letting anyone through and they then set the pace for the rest of the morning. People have tried having polite (or otherwise) but the mindset seems to be its not a comp so we'll do what we like. I'd like to take it further but have been told its been done before and I'm flogging a dead horse as they change for a week or so and pay lip service to any reprimand and the resort back to type

 

[algar5]

I have to say our club isn't too bad in competitions but we have some guys (same group) who go out at 7.30 and another just before 8 and they are so slow. No concept of letting anyone through and they then set the pace for the rest of the morning. People have tried having polite (or otherwise) but the mindset seems to be its not a comp so we'll do what we like. I'd like to take it further but have been told its been done before and I'm flogging a dead horse as they change for a week or so and pay lip service to any reprimand and the resort back to type

Homer,

You have it spot on. Our club is exactly the same and there are a number of groups of guys who are well known for being really slow. The club have been made aware of these groups but choose to do nothing about it. It is really frustrating to be stuck behind them and see 3, 4 or even 5 clear holes in front but know that they will not let groups behind through. They have been confronted (by fellow golfers) on a number of occasions but to no avail and in fact it just seems to make them more stubborn.

These players/groups come from all ends of the age spectrum. To me the worst of all the "Young Pro's" who are lying horizontal and getting a spirit level out on the greens. As a group they can take longer on the greens than other groups take to play a full hole.

Recently I had the pleasure of taking a couple of hours of work to play before the backshift. I reckoned I had a spare hour after the end of my round before work. I arrived for my tee time to find that there was 6 groups backed up on the tee and it was 1030hrs. Quick about turn and into work early. Reply by Club Officials was that a visiting party didn't know the course !!!

Club Officials really need to take the issue of slow play more seriously and not be afraid to offend people by confronting them over slow play. Otherwise courses will grind to a halt and already declining memberships will reduce even further.

Rant Over !

 

[haplesshacker]

If Carlsberg did course marshalling.........


50 cal on the 6th and a minigun mounted on the course marshalls buggy.

 

[CannyFifer]

fire a drive down the fairway
I'm joking
TBH we have a few slow players but it's usually the seniors who will let you go or if they are before you on the tee usually ask if you want to go as they dont like getting chased round the course as it spoils their day too. Patience is a virtue and if when we get a bit slower we may realise just why we were getting held up for what appears no apparent reason.

 

[Pro_V_wan_kenobi]

It's that old chestnut again! The good old slow play debate!
The R&A have alredy ruled on this matter

See
http://www.randa.org/rules/pace

I quote (although not accurately)

“As a guide, generally two-ball rounds should take no more than 3 hours 10 minutes; three-balls should take no more than 3 hours 30 minutes, and four-balls no more than 3 hours 50 minutes. In fact, shorter round times than these should be the aim of all players, where appropriate explosive devices should be fitted round the necks of persistant offenders that are set to decapitate the slow golfer who does not return to the locker room within the alloted time."

 

[nabbit]

Being a bit of a "slower" player myself i find it incredible that these slower players at your clubs don't have the common sense or enough respect to let the groups behind play through. My friends and i are in no way the greatest golfers anyone could ever wish to play behind but we generally find that our own game deteriorates if we know we are slowing up another group,especially since we know they are watching how bad we are! Our pace of play may be slower but we still enjoy the game and we often get the odd nod of appreciation back at the clubhouse.

 

[mansell]

Can we stop talking about slow play, I’m getting p$$s off about the subject You will never stop it so let’s just get on with it and talk about other things

 

[nabbit]

Can we stop talking about slow play, I’m getting p$$s off about the subject You will never stop it so let’s just get on with it and talk about other things

Sorry.

 

[mansell]

Can we stop talking about slow play, I’m getting p$$s off about the subject You will never stop it so let’s just get on with it and talk about other things

Sorry.

Do a search on the subject then you'll see what I mean

 

[GRAEMBO]

there was an etiquette in place at Bellshill last year that seem to speed play, where holes crossed, or on shorter holes. This seems to have been abandoned this year and it is always torture.

Most Saturdays, youll see someone to take three to reach the gulley of the first, which is about 260 from the tee and 230 from the hole, and theyll wait until the green clears! Its a real bug bear of mine, and Im of the opinion that you can take as long as you like over a shot, so long as you walk pretty quickly between.

Theres one old boy who plays at around 9 every saturday, and you would swear he ouldnt get round if he didnt have his leccy trolley to hold onto!

We were 1hr 45mins for 4 holes a week past on saturday.

 

[Imurg]

The answer to the OP at mine is - not a bustin' amount!
They've put up a notice in the changing rooms reminding everyone about the ettiquette but I don't think anyone takes any notice of it.
Slow play's always going ot be thee. We work out when the culprits are likely to be out and try to get round them.

 

[Paul_Stewart]

Crucification - for a first offence ....

Nail them up I say. Nail some sense into them.

 

[bobmac]

I'm sorry but I don't agree.
Who are we to tell people to play faster.
They have paid their money and are entitled to play at any speed they want.
All I ask of them is that they allow others to do the same.
It's like driving a car. Some drive fast and some slow. The fast drivers just overtake the slower drivers and everyones happy.
I quote

"Play at a Good Pace and Keep Up
You should always play at a good pace. The committee may establish pace of play guidelines that all players should follow. It's a group’s responsibility to keep up with the group in front. If they lose a clear hole and delay the group behind, they should invite the group behind to play through, irrespective of the number of players in that group. Where a group has not lost a clear hole, but it is apparent that the group behind can play faster, they should also invite the faster moving group to overtake them. "

Print a dozen of the above quote and scatter them around your clubhouse. You never know, it may help.

 

[USER1999]

There are some players who will never let any one through. It is the way they are wired. Back to the driving scenario, they are the ones doing 68 miles an hour in the right hand lane, because it is the speed limit, and no one should be going any faster.

 

[bobmac]

I think a change in the rules about calling through would help.
At the moment if you lose a ball and call someone through, you are not allowed to play another shot until the group behind have passed you and are out of range which can take 10 mins or so.
I would suggest that when you call a group through, both groups play the hole together. When you all arrive around the putting green, the second group putts out first and moves on, leaving the slower group to hole out.
This would mean less hanging around

 

[ColinR]

We had a big problem with slow play on Saturday mornings. Generally it was a certain set of people, although spread out through the morning taking a long time to get around.

I have to applaud the club for it's actions to correct a situation that was causing a great deal of unrest at the club. They hired a Course Marshall for Saturdays only, and gave him the power to sort it out. At first people we not happy with this militant style of starting and being timed when they came off the course. Strong words were said to people that were deemed to be taking to long. But, I'm telling you it has really worked. There is a much better atmosphere about the club house afterward.

 

[USER1999]

Is that because all the people he has upset don't hang around for a beer?