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How long is acceptable to stand over the ball?

This is a difficult one. I try not to hold other groups up, but on the same note I don't want to rush and make mistakes because of that pressure of being slow.
 
BAD : I'm one of those that takes too long between address and hit!
I just have to feel 'right' before starting my swing.

GOOD : I'm reasonably brisk when walking to my ball.
I'm always ready when it's my shot.
I take no practice swings, not even with my putter.

BAD : I spend too much time looking for my damned golf ball after I've hit it!
If I've nailed my tee shot, I need to find that 'lucky' tee peg!

I'd much rather play with someone who takes his time to take his 80 shots than with someone who rushes his 100 shots!
For me, it's about enjoyment .............................. not speed.



Slime.
 
See if you can get the music off this

[video=youtube;M2dhD9zR6hk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2dhD9zR6hk&feature=player_detailpage[/video]
 
I am prone to getting 'stuck' at times too many swing thoughts! In fairness though I walk quickly to my ball and I'm always ready to play.

On the other hand my mate is fairly quick over the ball but likes to hold court on the tee and saunters between shots.

I bet if you asked our PP most would say I'm slower even though he wastes way more time in between actually getting down to the shot.
 
rosecott said:
As long as it takes for the player to be ready in his mind to start the swing.
Click to expand...

So if it takes someone 60s to be ready in their mind, that's OK? My humble opinion is that if your standing over the ball for more than 10s, you're thinking too much and taking too long.
 
Couple of seconds, too long and I have to reset.

Good thing my pre shot routine is nice and compact, probably 15 seconds on average. I should go from start to finish in about 30 seconds.
 
I'm' not a lover of people taking practice swings, cannot see the point in it! I can take someone for 10 seconds in address position thinking about their shot before swinging but some I play with take 3 or 4 perfect practice swings before duffing it when it counts! some I play with must have 400 swings over the round including shots, save your energy!!!
 
philly169 said:
I was playing at the weekend in a yellow ball comp and in a group was a chap, over 50, played off 10, it was the first time i'd been in a group with him.
Click to expand...

Over 50!! There ought to be a law against this sort of thing. Was he with his nurse :mmm:
 
Last edited:
HawkeyeMS said:
So if it takes someone 60s to be ready in their mind, that's OK? My humble opinion is that if your standing over the ball for more than 10s, you're thinking too much and taking too long.
Click to expand...

Pardon? I didn't realise there was a time limit!
Surely you mean that 'if your standing over the ball for more than 10s, you're thinking more than me and taking longer than me'.



Slime.
 
Markw said:
I'm' not a lover of people taking practice swings, cannot see the point in it! I can take someone for 10 seconds in address position thinking about their shot before swinging but some I play with take 3 or 4 perfect practice swings before duffing it when it counts! some I play with must have 400 swings over the round including shots, save your energy!!!
Click to expand...

I have to say I disagree strongly with practice swings having no benefit. I belief they are very useful, especially on short game shots when you are gauging distance using feel. If I am really concentrating I will take quite a few strokes to find the correct feel. See what kind of interaction I am having with the turf and finally I see it as oiling the moving parts before the real stroke.

I can't say for certain if I always take practice strokes on all shots but if I am standing waiting for my shot I'm pretty sure I will take a few swipes in preparation.
 
Slime said:
Pardon? I didn't realise there was a time limit!
Surely you mean that 'if your standing over the ball for more than 10s, you're thinking more than me and taking longer than me'.



Slime.
Click to expand...

I think you missed the bit where I said "in my opinion" making what I said my opinion, I wasn't stating it as a hard time limit, just my opinion. Is that OK?
 
I used to have a lot of swing thoughts right down to how tightly I tended to clench the toes on my right foot!

I've now got it down to three and I try to be going through those as I step in; take club away inside, try to keep left knee from buckling too much and smooth tempo. I think I've gotten faster over the last two years but every now and then, especially if I'm have a mare I'll find too many thoughts creeping in.

I'm by no means a fast player now but I notice the slower people amongst my regular playing partners more often, one of whom is a constant tinkerman (so must have a million swing thoughts) but he's playing off a lower handicap than I am after playing the game just over a year so I can't say too much!

I did have the yips when putting two years ago for a couple of months and I ended up having to tap the ground with the putter behind the ball to initiate the swing. Not ideal for producing a consistent face hit so thankfully I got away from that.

I've just started using an alignment cross on my putting so that seems to slow me down. I try to get myself lined up while others putt where it won't interfere with others' lines and putting routine but I'm told I'll get better at lining up quickly with practice.
 
Oh an aside, I find the biggest contributer to slow groups (at least at my course) is people waiting for playing partners to hit before they even so much as decide what club they'll need or a line.

That, and an entire group walking to the first ball, then the next, then the next... ARGGHHHHHHHH
 
There was a guy at my club (Hawkeye would know him) who would stand over the ball for at least 30 seconds frozen. We once timed it at 42 seconds before he swing. He played off 12. No idea what went through his head over the ball
 
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