I’m convinced people just like to moan about slow play for the sake of it...

[timd77]

4BBB mixed stableford comp today, we were the second group out. By the 6th hole(short par 3) the group of scratch golfers behind caught us up and were waiting on the tee as we were putting, so we decided to hit our drives off the 7, let them hit theirs and we walked up the fairway together. All fine and friendly, we were up with the group in front but didn’t want to upset the quick play of the scratch players. They hit their second shots, we waited, all good.

Walking up towards the 8th green, a chap 2 groups behind decides to ask us ‘I know you’ve let those scratch golfers through, but could you speed up a bit please’. The scratch players had just cleared the green and were teeing off the next. This continued for the rest of the round, no hold ups, just normal pace of play.

I just think that it’s the hot topic and some people just feel they need to flex their muscles and show their knowledge by talking about slow play, even when it’s not present.

 

[Golfnut1957]

It's a hot topic alright. Sometimes the fact that it is a topic is justified other times it is part of a predetermined mind set.
Our mid week stableford is the most popular comp at the club and generally with the largest field it is also the slowest. Me, I know this and accept that I may be spending time waiting, don't like it but there is not a thing I can do other than not play.
I always book the tee for our three ball and try as best I can to get behind a group of people I know, why? Because they complain all the way round about the pace of play. If we are waiting on a tee together they will talk of nothing but the pace of play, and I love it, it is comedy gold. Just about everything they say is correct but at the same time pretty pointless, it's been the same for eternity and the fact is it is very rare that the round stretches beyond 4 hours, it feels longer because of the waiting but on a packed course during a comp 4 hours is just about acceptable.
On the other hand we play regularly with a Cat 1 player. He has a set routine which is a bit on the tedious side but doesn't wind us up. However there have been occasions when he get lost in this process.
We play ready golf, first player to reach his ball plays and while doing so the rest of the group, respectfully, walk up to their balls, check distances, select clubs and prepare to play. The cat 1 is generally the longest off the tee and therefore last to play. There have been numerous occasions when whilst lost in his perpetration we have all played, walked past him and have all been stood 150+ yards away at the green waiting for him. Needless to say we take great pleasure in calling him out. It's never changed any thing.

 

[Curls]

Can of worms. Open.

I didn’t realise this was a thing until recently when I spoke to a group after a round and they said “we would have left you through if you caught us”. I was in disbelief. I’m not saying this is you btw!!! But my unique and possibly irrelevant experience is this.

Pace of play can be dictated by how far groups drive (as opposed to how good they are, I’ve played with monsters off 24). If you’re in a short hitting group, and (some of) the group behind are long drivers, they have to wait until everyone in your group is well past your first shots - maybe even second if the first went awry. They need to wait until you clear a par 5 green if they can get on in two. This means they will never seem to “catch you” but they are waiting.

It is very possible that this guy who said pick up the pace was having a bad day and wanted to blame you/slow pace of play for it. Certainly it would seem unnecessary if the group in front were only clearing the green! That doesn’t mean you aren’t slow ?

And like I said I could be talking through my hat. But many slow players I’ve played with don’t really twig, or accept, that they’re slow. And I’ve played with incredibly slow (deliberate) Cat 1s, it’s not an ability thing. At all. My regular PP is the fastest player at any club and he’s off 21 and barely hits it 160 off the tee. But he marches to his ball and hits it while most others are checking their distance device. We regularly play a morning 2 ball (proper length course) in 2hours 10. I’m not saying that as a boast btw, just an indicator of how fast some people can play. If you and a buddy struggle to do 18 in 3 hours then fine, no worries, you’re out there to enjoy yourself. But much like not relishing driving behind a tractor doing 20 on a 60 road, people are sometimes a bit frustrated when they see a group slowly ambling about or leaving their trolleys wrong side etc etc. Not that I’m saying that’s what you were doing, but perhaps they saw something in those first 6 holes to make them think you were slow and therefore the cause of their rubbish golf ?

As for packed fields with everyone out? It’ll be slow. That’s to be expected. I just don’t play if it’s going to be like that and it’s sad that these perennially annoyed people haven’t figured out that it’s no fun so they should sack it off. Or maybe they like the pain? Could be that. They’re golfers aren’t they?

 

[Golfnut1957]

The thing I can't understand about the packed field events is that out front there is a group which is holding everyone up but nothing ever happens about it.

My favourite slow play story took place a couple of years ago during the Stableford final. I wasn't playing but my mate was, he said they got to the eleventh tee which is a know bottleneck and waiting point to find three groups on it. It has been a particulaly slow round, finals often are, but this one was more so.
A lad he was playing with just exploded, phoned the club up and demanded that they find out what was going on. An ex captain, ex Sergeant Major, went out in a buggy backwards round the course from 18. He quickly found a gap between two groups of over two holes and he also found the guy who has a reputation for being just about the most deliberate (slowest) player in the club.
It turned out that what was slowing them down the most (as witnessed by his partners) was that he had lines on his golf ball and was attempting perfection in lining up each and every putt.
The best part of all this was that one of his playing partners was a red face vice captain of the club.

 

[Ethan]

Played today and was held up by a group 3 groups ahead which kept the 2 groups behind and mine all waiting. Then arrived at 18th tee to be told that group behind us, who started right after us, were on the 14th green, and we and the groups ahead had all made pretty good time.

 

[KenL]

A Stableford comp should not take 4 hours unless the course is really long.

 

[Bazzatron]

Got held up by a 4ball yesterday. All in buggies too. They let us through on the 17th. Nearly died of boredom.

 

[Britishshooting]

I’ve just played in a two ball, endless 4 balls ahead off varying handicaps but some high 20’s including mixed husband/wife groups etc.

Myself and playing partner both around scratch.

The group ahead said on the tee, we will mark balls on green and let you up. We assumed we were in for a slow day so just said to the group ahead don’t wave us through there is nowhere to go just stick at your own pace. Not sure if that had some calming effect but they never seemed to venture from the fairways and shoved the groups ahead.

We walked at a steadier pace, took time over shots and putts more so than we normally would, lots of practice swings and some pre shot drills to try and not get behind them too much and be stood waiting to tee off etc. on drivable par 4’s. Honestly the chance of pace for me was actually quite enjoyable.

We still ended up getting around in 3 hour 40 so zero complaints from myself. Previous course on several occasions saw 5 hour rounds and it was unbearable as you just can’t slow yourself down enough.

I do think sometimes people can try and shove groups in front when there isn’t much to be gained whereas they could make it much easier by maintaining some gap so they aren’t stood waiting to tee off and getting frustrated when it’s bunched up ahead.

Also funny that a group Behind with one individual that bangs on about slow play were all over the shop today and lost 3 holes on us and the 4 balls ahead. Shoved all the way around by 4 women who they should have waved through on several occasions but were too pig headed to do so.

 

[Imurg]

A Stableford comp should not take 4 hours unless the course is really long.

Or there are other factors involved....
You can't simply generalise and say a stableford shouldn't take more than 4 hours....
If a group looks for 1 ball for the full 3 minutes on every hole then you've added the best part of an hour to the round.....OK thats unlikely but 5 or 6 times isn't uncommon so that adds 20 minutes
High handicappers will have 2 shots on some holes..they might hack it around for 7 shots on a par 5 and sink a 30 foot putt for a point - Yes Fragger..I'm talking about you!
That takes time, especially if you have 2 or 3 in the group.
There's a big difference between slow play and pace of play.....
And, yes, some people are simply out there to play as fast as they can.......are those in front too slow or are those behind too fast..?

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I’ve just played in a two ball, endless 4 balls ahead off varying handicaps but some high 20’s including mixed husband/wife groups etc.

Myself and playing partner both around scratch.

The group ahead said on the tee, we will mark balls on green and let you up. We assumed we were in for a slow day so just said to the group ahead don’t wave us through there is nowhere to go just stick at your own pace. Not sure if that had some calming effect but they never seemed to venture from the fairways and shoved the groups ahead.

We walked at a steadier pace, took time over shots and putts more so than we normally would, lots of practice swings and some pre shot drills to try and not get behind them too much and be stood waiting to tee off etc. on drivable par 4’s. Honestly the chance of pace for me was actually quite enjoyable.

We still ended up getting around in 3 hour 40 so zero complaints from myself. Previous course on several occasions saw 5 hour rounds and it was unbearable as you just can’t slow yourself down enough.

I do think sometimes people can try and shove groups in front when there isn’t much to be gained whereas they could make it much easier by maintaining some gap so they aren’t stood waiting to tee off and getting frustrated when it’s bunched up ahead.

Also funny that a group Behind with one individual that bangs on about slow play were all over the shop today and lost 3 holes on us and the 4 balls ahead. Shoved all the way around by 4 women who they should have waved through on several occasions but were too pig headed to do so.

This ^^^^ all day long.
Slow play can be different for so many reasons on any given day and why, imo, is it almost impossible to quantify.

What can seem slow to one person in a 4 Ball can be fine for the other 3, how you should behave can depend on the course, competition, weather, etc.

Great post!

 

[Beedee]

Was playing in a comp last year. We were the 2nd group out and were a four ball. The group ahead are famous in the club for being very fast players, and on this day one of them had dropped out. They completely left us behind after about three holes. However we quickly dropped the group behind us (also a 4 ball).

We had a bad 14th hole that took a lot longer than planned. Was a bit annoyed as we were walking up the 15th hole when a marshall came over to our group and told us to speed up as the course was getting backed up. The group behind hadn't even been close to having to wait on a single shot on the whole round and still weren't even playing their approaches to the 14th. The maximum time on the card for a 4 ball is 4:15. We finished in 3:45 including a stop at the half way house.

 

[Golfnut1957]

Or there are other factors involved....
You can't simply generalise and say a stableford shouldn't take more than 4 hours....
If a group looks for 1 ball for the full 3 minutes on every hole then you've added the best part of an hour to the round.....OK thats unlikely but 5 or 6 times isn't uncommon so that adds 20 minutes
High handicappers will have 2 shots on some holes..they might hack it around for 7 shots on a par 5 and sink a 30 foot putt for a point - Yes Fragger..I'm talking about you!
That takes time, especially if you have 2 or 3 in the group.
There's a big difference between slow play and pace of play.....
And, yes, some people are simply out there to play as fast as they can.......are those in front too slow or are those behind too fast..?

This. We regularly play behind a large slow group and we often find ourselves stood on the 11th (see earlier post) a tree lined par 4 which has a pond to carry on the dogleg, it is a difficult hole which can slow things down. I've seen this time and again. The slow 4 ball are on the 12th green. When they finish they have to walk behind the 11th tee across to the 13th. While we are invariable waiting they putt out and walk across to the 13th. Eventually we can tee off, the four of us do so and set off down the fairway, without fail the slow group are still on the 13th doing whatever slow golfers do, having a discussion, marking cards, asking each other who is away etc. There is nobody in front of them, there never is, how could there be? And they are also the reason why I'm waiting so long on the 11th.
Numerous people have spoke to them. I saw them having an argument with the chair of the greens committee after the club posted guidance on playing ready golf as they thought it was aimed at them, really!
I know one of them and he blamed his plastic knee but he knows that it has nothing to do with it. I know he has tried to get his PP to giddy up but he cannot, they are not interested.
The Tuesday stableford issues are pace of play, the Friday fourball are just ignorant and slow.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It was a mixed competition and so (and it is a huge generalisation) but maybe there were some higher handicappers out there including the ladies. Lots of factors can come into play, including players having two shots per hole and so in essence could take eight shots on a par five for a net six and a point. It only takes one group to lose position (and not call through) and the course will back up and from then on there's not much that can be done to improve the pace of play

 

[Slab]

Played in a mixed stableford shotgun comp at the weekend, at one point with us standing idle on the tee it made three 4-ball groups on the same par 4 & I could see the group behind us on their green

When we finished we did the scorecards etc. I showered, changed, had a couple of drinks, chatted with other players, sat down to lunch, prizes etc, bit more banter and eventually headed to the car… but I have no idea how long the round took! I couldn’t tell you if it was 4 hrs, 4½ or maybe even longer, I honestly have no clue

I don't even know what time I got home & I as a result I don't know whether to be outraged about pace of play or not

 

[chrisd]

Yesterday we had no competitions on and decided to play a 4 ball Stableford and we got round in exactly 4 hours. The group in front was a 3 ball and behind was two 3 balls. In the car park afterwards one of the guys came over " the guys behind us were fuming cos you didn't let us through and we were waiting on every shot, also they went to a two ball half way round" we told them that were weren't slow as the round was 4 hours and that's about the same time as a 3 ball takes in a comp at ours, that we kept an eye on them as we played but they only have arrived at a tee or fairway just as we were playing the last of our 2nd shots, no one lost a ball and we never looked for any. If they had let the 2 ball through we would have too, although the 2 ball would then have been on the wrong side of the course and we asked how we would have known that the group behind had become a 2 ball unless they had let them through.

Yes, it was touch go whether they were faster than us but they were of the opinion that a 4 ball should always call a 3 ball through, our view was that, if they were ever kept waiting it was only for a minute on the odd occasion and why slow up play and if they were so entitled to come through why was the 2 ball not?

 

[timd77]

The thread title is overly-specific. Should be "People Just Like to Moan for the Sake of it".

I say this as a confirmed moaner.

After I posted, I did think I was being slightly hypocritical, moaning about people moaning! ?

 

[ScienceBoy]

Unless you are hitting into empty green space, for every shot on the round without delay, then the pace is slow.

 

[Slab]

Unless you are hitting into empty green space, for every shot on the round without delay, then the pace is slow.

Or pace is fine but the club do not have correct spacing?

 

[jamiet7682]

Out again on my own today to work on the short game, played pretty well through the round, didnt keep score as was hitting a few balls round the greens then spent 2 hours on the practice area working on my chipping and bunker shots.

Chipping is improving but its still a lottery trying to get out of bunkers.

Hopefully the work on the short game pays off in tomorrow nights medal.

 

[jamiet7682]

Out again on my own today to work on the short game, played pretty well through the round, didnt keep score as was hitting a few balls round the greens then spent 2 hours on the practice area working on my chipping and bunker shots.

Chipping is improving but its still a lottery trying to get out of bunkers.

Hopefully the work on the short game pays off in tomorrow nights medal.

Wrong thread