How slow is too slow?

[barrybridges]

I know that slow players are the bane of everyone else's life, but I had a worrying thought at the weekend: what if I am a slow player?

In a two-ball we went around in just under 3:45hrs, but that felt really 'rushed' to me; I didn't take practice swings on each shot and was hard pushed to putt and move on without being given much chance to study the greens as well as I would have liked.

I guess my question therefore is: what is a reasonable amount of time to take on a round? Not from the perspective of 'how quick is quick', but from the other way; how slow is it reasonable to go?

We didn't play anyone through because as it happens no-one was behind us all day; in fact, we caught up with another two-ball in front and played through them. But I have been thinking for a while now that maybe I am a slow player - but should I feel bad for it?

 

[USER1999]

To me, 3.45 for a two ball is quite slow. To others, it may be indecently fast. All things are relative. Key thing is always to keep up with the group in front, if there is one. If the course is empty, then what does it matter?

For me, if I play with Matt (my usual partner, off 4) on a Friday, then as a two we would expect to be round in a bit over 2 hours. We don't rush, but we don't lose many balls, we normally play pretty well, we are both pretty fit, walk at a good pace, and we know the greens very well. This is pretty quick golf though.

 

[Whereditgo]

Difficult to say really, depends on the course length and the conditions as well of course, but that does seem a little on the slow side for a twoball.

I would expect out after work twoball to get round our par 72 6400 yard off the yellows course in an hour or more less than that if the course was clear.

That said the Brits do have a reputation for rushing round!

 

[barrybridges]

2 hours is pretty lightning quick though, isn't it?

I'd say I'm reasonably fit, young, certainly not a slow walker at all, but I do feel rushed when I play. I'd like more time to look at the shot and play a practice swing or two, but instead I feel like I'm walking up to the ball; dump the bag and hit away.

It might be the lost balls that are slowing me down though!

 

[barrybridges]

An hour?! But 6400 yards means walking it t 3.5 miles an hour without even considering hitting any shots! That's a pretty decent walking pace ignoring the golf!

 

[Whereditgo]

Searching for lost balls will obviously slow things up, but even then under 3 hours should be no problem with plenty of time for a Homer-esque pre shot routine.

As Murph said though, why worry if the course is empty? If there is a group behind you let them through. During busier times try to keep up with the group in front, not just ahead of the group behind!

 

[Oddsocks]

if your in a 2 ball, and you played through another 2 ball after catching them, if anything id say you rushed. You didnt seem slow when we played baz.

 

[Whereditgo]

An hour?! But 6400 yards means walking it t 3.5 miles an hour without even considering hitting any shots! That's a pretty decent walking pace ignoring the golf!

Bit of a timing issue there - I was still typing a reply to your post when Murph posted, so my hour less is in reply to the OP not Murphs.

 

[barrybridges]

if your in a 2 ball, and you played through another 2 ball after catching them, if anything id say you rushed. You didnt seem slow when we played baz.

That was partly because it was absolutely bloody freezing though!!!

 

[Oddsocks]

fair play, it was like ice! I think they key to any quick play is time management. Dont wait until its your turn to look at a putt for example. As long as your not putting your other players off look atnd study that putt while other putt. if you could save 5 mins on 18 greens by doing this, thats 90 mins quicker on your round.

 

[bladeplayer]

3.45 does seem a bit slow tho . but if you werent holding anybody else up ,what the heck , id imagine a 2 ball with no hold ups should be done n dusted in 3 hours tops ..as Oddsocks says been ready to play is the key. even where you leave youg bag/buggy around the greens , if you can put it down/park it close to the way to the next tee.. if you roll a putt up to say 6inches do you mark & step away r just finish out , 2 min a hole is 36min saved . stuff ya learn as ya go along mate .. but if you not holding anybody up fill your boots & take your time & relax

 

[SatchFan]

It's not a race and you don't get any prizes for going round in 3 hours. Providing you are not holding anyone up just enjoy yourself - as far as anyone can enjoy this infuriating game!

 

[kev_off_the_tee]

playing as part of a trio of high handicappers, we go around 18 holes in between 4-4.5 hours.

Being high handicappers that includes taking 2-3 practice swings on most shots, hunting for lost balls, playing short scuff shots and 2-4 putting.

This in mind 3.45 seems like an eternity for a pair

 

[sev112]

PLay at whatever speed you want, but if you want to spend 3.75hrs for a 2 ball and you arent looking behind and letting EVERYONE through then you'd be Billy Nomates very quickly

i like to play quick, but i understand others like to take their time. What i hate, is that some people think that because they like to take their time, everyone else should too. hence why anyone who says "it's not a race" usually gets loads of crap on here and elsewhere.

 

[jammag]

I think it depends what type of course you play. If its a tight course then you expect to go abit slower, if its an open course for example all par 5s reachable in 2 then its going to be quicker.

Our course ask us to go round in a 3 ball for comps at 3:40 mins which is tough if anyone in front slightly holds you up.

Although saying that me and my mate played at the weekend and followed a 4 ball. They kept up with group in front up until hole 7ish when they lost a ball or 2 and lost a hole on group in front yet still wouldnt let us through. Even though one of them said something and we replied yeah its a bit slow today he said that isnt our fault. Right after we had timed him from placing his ball down on the tee to hitting it was just over 2 mins. Ridiculous.

Nothing more frustrating when you have a hard shot that some people like to take on and wait for the greens to clear then muck the shot up so you have held about 2 groups up and then look at an idiot for trying to be the big man.

If you are keeping up with the groups in front then you are not a slow player and cannot be accused of it.

 

[jammydodger]

From my point of view I would say 3h 45 mins for a 2 ball would have me reaching for a noose to hang myself. On a normal course of say 6500 yards without too many hikes from green to tee and no-one in front I would be looking to take no more than 3 hours at a nice calm gentle strolling pace. Mind you I suppose it helps if you're a more proficient golfer who doesn't lose balls ( or doesnt look too hard for them). Our comps are usually done in 3h 45m for 3 balls in medals , sometimes a few minutes more if its a tough day. OUr course is 6700 with some long walks.

It's all about not fannying about wasting time on stupid things. Marking your card on the tee when its your shot (first to play should get on with it), not having the flag ready to go in the hole ,leaving trolleys wrong sides of greens,talking when you shoud be hitting,not reading your putt while others are taking theirs, the list is endless and if people just got on with playing golf and then having their chat wlaking up the fairway it would make things run smoothly.

 

[bobmac]

Mind you I suppose it helps if you're a more proficient golfer who doesn't lose balls

Do you know of any such person?

 

[Smiffy]

Most of my golf is fourball play, and I generally "allow" about 4 hours for a round. Sometimes it takes less than this, sometimes a little longer, but the longer games tend to be the ones where we have been held up somewhere along the way.
I played in a threeball on Sunday, both myself and one of my playing partners had our wives with us (they fancied a walk in the sunshine) and the round took 3.5 hours. We didn't rush around, in fact it seemed quite leisurely.
I'd be looking to complete a 2 ball in under 3 hours.
I played in a 36 hole medal at Princes a few years ago.
I walked off midway through the 2nd round. The first round had taken over 5 hours and as we walked off the 9th green it was 6.30pm. The way things were going we weren't going to get back to the clubhouse until about 9.00PM (or even later) and that was a bloody joke. Would have been out on the course for the best part of 12 hours, stuff that.

 

[Evesdad]

I had a two ball round the other week that took the 3h 45 mins, this felt like an eternity to me. We are both high handicaps and were stuck behind the green keepers for the first 3 holes as it was early morning. There were a few holes looking for balls, a few pants shots etc. I picked up on a couple of holes to speed it up as group behind had made up a couple of holes on us but they were plating great golf at a great speed although they never really had to wait for us. My partner was oblivious to this and carried on even with my gentle reminders about putting our foot down etc. I would expect a two ball to go round in 3 hrs with no his ups and that for me is not rushing. I play with a guy who wants every round done in 2.5 hrs and rushes around, he is v good player and so prob can get round as always on fairway etc but this can get on my nerves more than slow play!!

 

[need_my_wedge]

I played 18 holes on Monday with my 10 year old son. There was no one in front of us, and no one behind us, we didn't catch anyone and no one caught us, he walks a lot slower than me, took us 3.5 hours.