How to stop slow play

[irip]

Believe me it does happen. Sometimes happens as well if it's me and HID out as a two ball whereas if it was him and a male PP it wouldn't.

Surely what matters is speed of play, not which sex you are, where i am there would be uproar and severe punishments handed out if slower groups did not let a faster group through, regardless of whether it was a comp or not and regardless of who was in the groups.

Do you not make a complaint when this happens?

 

[IanG]

It is going to be interesting at ours this morning, we have 14 twoballs going out in the reserved slot for our comp and a 4ball of men has booked the slot immediately before. I wonder if they will let us through or are we all in for a 4 hour plus round.

Lets take ignorant behaviour out of the discussion for a second and assume that the 4ball will take longer than the two balls not through slow play, just because there are 4 of them. How should this play out ? When the 4ball lets the first two ball through that will cause some inevitable delay, so the next two ball will have caught them up. So they let them through at the next hole , causing some more delay and so on. It could be they will find themselves letting a two ball through at almost every hole. Is this how we think this scenario should pan out ?

 

[irip]

Lets take ignorant behaviour out of the discussion for a second and assume that the 4ball will take longer than the two balls not through slow play, just because there are 4 of them. How should this play out ? When the 4ball lets the first two ball through that will cause some inevitable delay, so the next two ball will have caught them up. So they let them through at the next hole , causing some more delay and so on. It could be they will find themselves letting a two ball through at almost every hole. Is this how we think this scenario should pan out ?

No anytime they have to look for a ball they can let a group through, also they can tee off when the 2 ball are close behind, if done correctly the 2 ball will reach the tee by the time the 4 ball have all teed off, then the 2 ball tee off and they walk down together and the 2 ball carry on, that way there is limited disruption to the 4 ball and the 2 balls do not have to wait on every shot.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

both connected, if you are losing ground on the group in front and not just one hole you are playing slower.

Nobody mentioned losing ground on a group ahead, the point is about someone catching you up. You may catch them simply because you are faster and they should let you through, it doesn't make them slow players because you are faster.
What is the answer in IanG's scenario?

 

[louise_a]

And that is a problem Ian, you probably can't expect a fourball to continually let 2 balls through, the real problem is that they booked the slot immediately before the competition without thinking of the effect it would have. ( I am assuming they did not do it deliberately)

 

[louise_a]

If they keep up with those in front there'll be no where for you to go if let through. So take a 'pack-up'... good luck ��

They are the only 4 ball booked out this morning, nearly all in front of them are 2 balls.

 

[duncan mackie]

They are the only 4 ball booked out this morning, nearly all in front of them are 2 balls.

The club should head off the issue before it gets on the course. At the very least start them somewhere else so they end up on the first behind the 2 balls.

If you permit a 4 ball in the middle of a 2 ball field you already have a problem, as other posts point out its just a question of how it plays out!

 

[Slab]

Admitting I only did a speed read on the 70 odd pages & while not surprising its disappointing there's nothing innovative

Also unsurprising is that fully 2/3rds of what I read relates to areas of responsibility that lie with the club/course, not players

And really surprising is that there seems to be no mandate for clubs to comply with anything in the manual

Alongside the clearly laid out penalties for players who fall foul I was hoping to see instruction/penalties for conformance by clubs
i.e Unless already carried out in last 5 years, clubs must complete xyz section within 18 months etc. Failure to do so will result in abc

Its good the R&A have a manual but I get the feeling a copy/pate from the USGA would have saved a fair bit of time

 

[2blue]

Admitting I only did a speed read on the 70 odd pages & while not surprising its disappointing there's nothing innovative

Also unsurprising is that fully 2/3rds of what I read relates to areas of responsibility that lie with the club/course, not players

And really surprising is that there seems to be no mandate for clubs to comply with anything in the manual

Alongside the clearly laid out penalties for players who fall foul I was hoping to see instruction/penalties for conformance by clubs
i.e Unless already carried out in last 5 years, clubs must complete xyz section within 18 months etc. Failure to do so will result in abc

Its good the R&A have a manual but I get the feeling a copy/pate from the USGA would have saved a fair bit of time

I agree with s lot here though I think Clubs have to find their own solutions that suit them & their members. Perhaps in the future some thing more innovative will be proposed like ... Putting with pin in, larger hole, ready golf etc
Has anyone's Club adopted Ready Golf as a requirement??

 

[Slab]

I agree with s lot here though I think Clubs have to find their own solutions that suit them & their members. Perhaps in the future some thing more innovative will be proposed like ... Putting with pin in, larger hole, ready golf etc
Has anyone's Club adopted Ready Golf as a requirement??

Absolutely, but the manual tells them how & where to look to enable them to form solutions, it's just clubs aren't compelled to do it






But no, no and thrice no to larger holes

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I played at Tyneside GC with other forummers on Monday. It was a tight course but the rough was cut back under trees, plenty of trees, so you could quickly find your ball. You either found it in 10 seconds or you had clearly lost it big time and it was not worth looking for. Keeping a handle on the rough has to help massively.

I'm also a big fan of ready golf, so easy to do and implement. That is a no brainer for me.

 

[Crazyface]

Ready golf will help, as will putting out in turn, but what will really help, and this is what I've noticed at ours.....is DO NOT DAWDLE AROUND THE COURSE!

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Dave, are you not risking alienating members with 3 and 4, they may come across as a bit "big brother" and create suspicion amongst members, would you not be better doing the education and media campaign and putting on the notice 3 and 4 maybe introduced if members don't respond.

Problem is that it is a handful of slow players who generally upset the pace of play for 100 golfers.
Doing nothing about it because you do not wish to upset the slow players results in members leaving/giving up golf. plus you continue to have the problem of slow play.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

According to the Muirfield members it appears the answer to slow play is to ban women

 

[Capella]

Has anyone's Club adopted Ready Golf as a requirement??

Not for competitions, but for private rounds it is strongly encouraged. It is mentioned on the website as well as printed on the back of the scorecards. And most people I play with have adopted it.

We also have a course marshall who regulates traffic a bit during the busier times, reminding groups to keep up or suggesting that they let a faster group play through. He also mentions if players have left their trolleys/bags on the wrong side of the green, did not replace divots, rake bunkers etc. He is always very nice about it, and I don't think there are any real official consequences for players who don't follow his advice, but the pure fact that he is out there and calls people on their behaviour does have a positive effect.

 

[Simbo]

Slow play could easily be made history by changing expectations. Declare slow play to be any 3 ball that takes longer than 5 hours, and any fourball that takes longer than 6 hours. No more slow play.

Time to bury this old slow play moan. Garden of Eden memories of a three ball trotting around in little over 2 hours are just myths.

People want to play 'slowly'. Or at least the vast majority do, and it is time for quick players to get down from their high horses and self proclaimed superiority view of themselves as better than those who play more slowly. I am sick of it.

Virtually all players are part of the general pace of 'slow' - if you still insist on calling it that - play anyway. People play at different paces from one game to the next. Sometimes they are quicker, sometimes slower. And as we know, one slower player does have a big effect on the pace of the field, 50+ golfer likely, behind him. But how many of those self described quick players have never slowed up when nursing a competitive card, or taken time to look for a ball rather than let those behind play through, gone back to play a ball instead of having played a provisional, etc. Even if that is just once every 20 rounds, with the excuse that 'well normally I am quick, so it wont hurt if I take my time just this once', then you are part of slow play. Someone doing just the same, however infrequently, all add up to one or more doing everytime there is a full field on the course - so determining the pace of play.
So, every one is to blame, and no one is to blame.

Put this one to bed. Dont let it bother you. Give up on these war on slow play campaigns, useless signs and exhortations around the course. And just get on with the game. Write the letter to your club committee if you really are out there for longer than 6 hours, otherwise be happy to be out playing golf.

Good post mate, I agree.

Golf seems to be no longer a game where the score counts but how long it takes you to get round. Have the R and A forgotten the results of the survey they done on slow play??? Where 70% of players didn't think it was a problem. Ones man slow is another mans fast and the minirity that want to play fast seem to keep shouting from the rooftops about it.
Played the medal last night with 2 young lads from work, generally the pace of play doesn't bother me but I realise if you're a hole down on the group in front you should move a bit quicker. 4 holes in and we were a hole down. the young lads, new members and both play from 20+ handicaps, hitting the ball everywhere. Gents we need to move a bit faster and try and catch the group in front. I actually seen one of the lads running a few times, rushing shots, making more mistakes,,taking more shots. Both ended up N/R by the 12th. One young lad said to me today he was so stressed he won't be playing anymore medals if that's how it's going to be. This isn't the first occasion iv had people say this.
If it keeps going the way it is it's only a matter of time before the whole scenario is flipped on its a head a no-one wants to play because they are racing round the course

 

[Scoobiesnax]

Good post mate, I agree.

Golf seems to be no longer a game where the score counts but how long it takes you to get round. Have the R and A forgotten the results of the survey they done on slow play??? Where 70% of players didn't think it was a problem. Ones man slow is another mans fast and the minirity that want to play fast seem to keep shouting from the rooftops about it.
Played the medal last night with 2 young lads from work, generally the pace of play doesn't bother me but I realise if you're a hole down on the group in front you should move a bit quicker. 4 holes in and we were a hole down. the young lads, new members and both play from 20+ handicaps, hitting the ball everywhere. Gents we need to move a bit faster and try and catch the group in front. I actually seen one of the lads running a few times, rushing shots, making more mistakes,,taking more shots. Both ended up N/R by the 12th. One young lad said to me today he was so stressed he won't be playing anymore medals if that's how it's going to be. This isn't the first occasion iv had people say this.
If it keeps going the way it is it's only a matter of time before the whole scenario is flipped on its a head a no-one wants to play because they are racing round the course

This.... This is what I am panicking about!! I am a high handicapper and try and be as quick as possible, but I feel sometimes I'm rushing to make sure I don't hold people back. It stresses the fook out of me.

Thankfully the group I have been playing with are top lads; but I catch myself looking back all the bloody time and if i see a group behind us catch up I'm forever worried about slowing them down and inevitably my game goes to pot.

Man up I hear you say......maybe I do but I find my best golf is on an evening with a couple of members who kindly let me join them as I rock up to the first tee box and we play a relaxed but well paced 9 holes +

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Good post mate, I agree.

Golf seems to be no longer a game where the score counts but how long it takes you to get round. Have the R and A forgotten the results of the survey they done on slow play??? Where 70% of players didn't think it was a problem. Ones man slow is another mans fast and the minirity that want to play fast seem to keep shouting from the rooftops about it.
Played the medal last night with 2 young lads from work, generally the pace of play doesn't bother me but I realise if you're a hole down on the group in front you should move a bit quicker. 4 holes in and we were a hole down. the young lads, new members and both play from 20+ handicaps, hitting the ball everywhere. Gents we need to move a bit faster and try and catch the group in front. I actually seen one of the lads running a few times, rushing shots, making more mistakes,,taking more shots. Both ended up N/R by the 12th. One young lad said to me today he was so stressed he won't be playing anymore medals if that's how it's going to be. This isn't the first occasion iv had people say this.
If it keeps going the way it is it's only a matter of time before the whole scenario is flipped on its a head a no-one wants to play because they are racing round the course

This.... This is what I am panicking about!! I am a high handicapper and try and be as quick as possible, but I feel sometimes I'm rushing to make sure I don't hold people back. It stresses the fook out of me.

Thankfully the group I have been playing with are top lads; but I catch myself looking back all the bloody time and if i see a group behind us catch up I'm forever worried about slowing them down and inevitably my game goes to pot.

Man up I hear you say......maybe I do but I find my best golf is on an evening with a couple of members who kindly let me join them as I rock up to the first tee box and we play a relaxed but well paced 9 holes +

You guys have clearly missed the point. Nobody is advocating that you sprint round the course in under 2 hours.

Slow play is caused by many things and most of them are completely avoidable. All that people are asking is you avoid unnecessary delay and apply a bit of common sense.

 

[Simbo]

I haven't missed the point, the point to me is one mans slow is another mans fast. Whether it 3/4 or 5 hours round. Some will be slower than others and everyone pays the same money. Why should it be the slow ones that have to speed up and not the fast ones to slow down.

 

[FairwayDodger]

I haven't missed the point, the point to me is one mans slow is another mans fast. Whether it 3/4 or 5 hours round. Some will be slower than others and everyone pays the same money. Why should it be the slow ones that have to speed up and not the fast ones to slow down.

Neither, just let faster groups through.