How does your club combat slow play?

[19th]

Most of this is a reiteration of previous points made, the 'me-me' folk who do not care about the games behind them, the 'me-me' folk who want to go round the course in 2 hours and don't see why the game in front can't be pushed up to their speed.

I ended up two weeks ago, as a two ball sandwiched between four balls and had the most enjoyable round. We were invited to play through but it was more four balls in front so it did not make sense. We did however have time to enjoy the round with no worry about being chased, so it is a mindset thing. I don't ever remember getting agitated playing five hour rounds in Spain.

Bob's idea I would back 100%, letting a group through, on a fairway, creates a problem for the following game. If, as suggested, both matches play up to the green area and this can be done as the group going through are walking between shots, the putting out leaves a free flow off the next tee and the game behind are now playing on/around the green. Result?? Less of a build up, happier golfers!

 

[HRC99]

I think people get far too hung up on on "slow play". Yes, everyone would like an open road in front of them and never to have to wait but that's not practical.

I'm always happy to let people through in bounce games but, as Bob correctly points out, it often does not save much time as you can end up at square one with another group up your backside.

It drives me mad when people start to panic that our group have slipped slightly behind and that we need to hurry up. You just end up rushing your shots and sprinting up the fairway. Where's the fun in that?

I am by no means a slow player. In fact, I could probably do with slowing down, thinking about things and taking more than one practice swing.

Perhaps, we are fortunate at my club but it rarely takes more than 4 hours. A slow texas scramble is about 4hrs 10. So it's not too bad, but occasionally it can be a bit slow.

But, if I'm round in 4 hours or less, I am not bothered. If it's over 4 hours then something's gone wrong somewhere for someone and that happens. But you hear people complaining that it was a bit slow as it took 3 hours 40 to play a medal round. This is just crazy.

You're out in the fresh air, enjoying the company of your partners (hopefully) and playing a great game. Does 15 or 20 minutes really matter that much?

 

[USER1999]

No it doesn't. But sadly, some medal rounds at my track are around the 5 hour mark. That is proper long. When you get to wait 15 minutes or more on a tee, that is way too slow.

I walked in on the 4th once. The first par 3 on the course. 1 and a 1/2 hours for 3 holes, and when I got to the 4th, there were 4 groups on the tee, and one group nearing the green. I guessed it would be another hour before getting to hit a shot, so walked in.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

My current club doesn't do much to be honest.
But my old club now has a reporting system. If someone is reported a certain number of times they are given a playing ban for a predetermined length of time.


I think one of the most important things to do to sort slow play is to determine what causes it.

Some things can easily be fixed -
ie, people who leave bags on the wrong side of the green so that when they've finished a hole they have to walk all the way round to get out of the way.
Not waving through when looking for lost balls.

Other players/pro's etc should educate these culprits.

 

[USER1999]

The trick with reporting people is that once you have a reputation for slow play, people will report you for no reason. A friend of mine used to be very slow, but now he isn't. If there was a delay anywhere in the field, his name would be reported automatically by people who assume he is still slow.

Not going to make any friends with this one.

 

[HRC99]

No it doesn't. But sadly, some medal rounds at my track are around the 5 hour mark. That is proper long. When you get to wait 15 minutes or more on a tee, that is way too slow.

I walked in on the 4th once. The first par 3 on the course. 1 and a 1/2 hours for 3 holes, and when I got to the 4th, there were 4 groups on the tee, and one group nearing the green. I guessed it would be another hour before getting to hit a shot, so walked in.

That is ridiculous and sounds like a combination of factors: slow play, sending people off too close to one another and bad course design.

 

[AuburnWarrior]

The design of some courses doesn't help though. My course is OK, I think. It's quite long so you don't tend to get hold ups. I've played other courses where the holes are quite short and I think that's when you get snarl ups.

Slow play will always be a problem because it's reliant upon the individual to have an awareness for his fellow golfers and to take the relevant course of action (letting the group behind through) but, of course, this is up to him/her. If s/he's too self involved then s/he'll plough on regardless.

I don't consider myself to be a slow player. I may have a very particular set up routine but by and large the ball goes where I want it to and yet I was told this year that I'm a slow player. So, once again, it becomes a personal thing. Some golfers want to speed round at the speed of sound, others are happy to relax and enjoy the walk. Horses for courses I guess.

As I say, slow play will always be an issue - but remember one thing, whilst you're stuck on the 5th tee for a week and a half waiting for the green to clear, it could be worse, you could be Scottish!!!

 

[evahakool]

Was playing Dale Hill in Sussex a few weeks back, on the 5th tee and two members came charging over in a buggy and asked if they could play through as the group behind were complaining of slow play.Ours was a 3 ball and by no means were we holding up play, we were in no hurry so let them through.

Thinking about it after we thought we sould have refused as it must be hard if your in a buggy and holding up play We didnt even see the players behind them that were supposidly complaining.

Just before we teed of on the first on of the same members asked if we were teeing of now I think they sould remember if it wasnt for pay and play players their club would be worse of.

 

[sev112]

if you want us to stop complaining about slow play, then hopefully you wont complain about my new strategy of hitting golf balls at people who play slowly ...

- oh sorry, that presumably offends you ...?

PLay to what ever pace you want, but be practive and let everone (yes everyone) through, inlcuding on every hole if need be - this is a communist game where everyone is allowed to enjoy it - not a game that shoudl only be enjoyed the way you think it should.

 

[Bigfoot]

There are two things that can change the pace of play that are not always factored in to this debate.
1. Handicaps of the groups - Four players with handicaps in the 20s will naturally take more time than a group of player in the low teens - just because of the number of shots they would expect to take if playing around handicap.

2.Buggies- It does not matter how quickly a walking group is playing, a group in buggies will catch them. On a busy day, this then slows the walking group down and they will be caught by the group originally behind the buggy group. If that group is in buggies too - even more delay.

 

[HRC99]

The design of some courses doesn't help though. My course is OK, I think. It's quite long so you don't tend to get hold ups. I've played other courses where the holes are quite short and I think that's when you get snarl ups.

Definitely. I played a new-ish course the other day. Hole 1 - 297 yard par 4. It was downhill and wind behind. My playing partners were out of range so they could tee off. I had to wait for the green to clear. By which time, we had two more groups up our backside.

Hole 2 - 140 yard par 3. The tee was immediately to the left of the first green. My playing partners had to wait for the tee to clear before playing their approach shots on the first.

Bonkers design and we were half an hour over the first two holes.

 

[HRC99]

if you want us to stop complaining about slow play, then hopefully you wont complain about my new strategy of hitting golf balls at people who play slowly ...

That'll help. I always immediately allow through someone who's smacked a ball at me and, of course, I wouldn't make them wait til hell freezes over if they are going to be so stupid, dangerous and immature.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

if you want us to stop complaining about slow play, then hopefully you wont complain about my new strategy of hitting golf balls at people who play slowly ...

That'll help. I always immediately allow through someone who's smacked a ball at me and, of course, I wouldn't make them wait til hell freezes over if they are going to be so stupid, dangerous and immature.

There are some people out there who hit balls back to idiots who play when those in front are still in range.

Of course, I'm not one of them

 

[StrangelyBrown]

My track put up signs and... err... that's about it. On medal days it snarls up because the 2nd and 18th share a tee when you're off the whites and the 5th and 12th cross over each other. Other than that it's normally fine.

 

[viscount17]

as a course they do nothing, just cram more on.

the problem with the R&A 'advice' is that some take it as gospel while it makes no allowance for length/difficulty of a course and whether you've played it before etc.

disagree with bigfoot about buggies, they have one characteristic - anyone using a buggy forgets how to walk, can't even make it back to the buggy 20 yards away and has to be collected.

 

[Pro_V_wan_kenobi]

What a pile of baloney, bunkum, drivel, flapdoodle and foolishness. Your arguments are at best un-researched, and at worse, speculative garbage. One look at professional golf is enough to tell you that the standard of the player has little to do with slow play. It is a self-centred mindset that causes the problem. The stuck up selfishness and conceit that inspires the philosophy that you should play at your own speed, as long as you let the next guy through, is irrational nonsense which only compounds the problem and causes more hold ups behind you. It is every golfers duty to respect the game, the course and every other golfer. This is a fundamental of golf and etiquette is the rock on which the game will stand or fall. I would no sooner (intentionally) curl one out in public than stand (intentionally) on someones line. Likewise I would never fart, belch, cough, sing, or do impressions of a sperm whale while someone is driving (by driving I mean hitting a ball with a golf club, rather than controlling an automobile). These are not rules in golf. They are only etiquette and there are guidelines set by the R&A about the time it takes to play a round of golf, which should be adhered to as staunchly as any other guidelines as they form the etiquette of the game.

 

[toonarmy]

if you want us to stop complaining about slow play, then hopefully you wont complain about my new strategy of hitting golf balls at people who play slowly ...

- oh sorry, that presumably offends you ...?

PLay to what ever pace you want, but be practive and let everone (yes everyone) through, inlcuding on every hole if need be - this is a communist game where everyone is allowed to enjoy it - not a game that shoudl only be enjoyed the way you think it should.

Idiot.

 

[toonarmy]

“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...

And whilst these are utterly arbitrary timings which would be nice but are no means defensible, it seems a little rich for the R&A to proclaim like this when they do diddly-squat about tour pros regularly taking over 5 hours for a two-ball that only takes 130-140 shots combined.

 

[Pro_V_wan_kenobi]

“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...

And whilst these are utterly arbitrary timings which would be nice but are no means defensible, it seems a little rich for the R&A to proclaim like this when they do diddly-squat about tour pros regularly taking over 5 hours for a two-ball that only takes 130-140 shots combined.

The timing are only a guide, something to strive for. Your point about the pros is a very good one and something should be done about their antics.

 

[Robobum]

I haven't bothered to read every post on this because I look at it in two ways:

If you get caught behind a slow group as a one off, get over it. If your life is so busy that an extra 30 - 60 minutes can't be wasted out in the fresh air then go do something else.

If it's a regular occurence at your club then do something about it. Either leave and go to one where they don't have the problem or bring it to the attention of as many people as possible so the problem is highlighted.

Our course pretty much self polices, if you are an "offender" you will be "encouraged" to get a move on if you are out in the busy times especially.