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

[Orikoru]

I remember one time a while ago, we were playing the 14th as a three ball. A guy who was playing the 11th (which runs alongside) decided he was going to walk over and said "do you guys know there's a huge space in front of you??" My mate is a bit dim and didn't get the implication, so he just answered "oh yeah, brilliant!" which wound him up more, haha. Anyway to cut a long story short, he was trying to imply that we were holding the groups up, but we looked round immediately and the group behind us had barely teed off the 13th, so he was talking out of his arse. I should have given him an earful but I was too busy laughing at my mate's clueless response. I think we just told him to jog on and carried on. The reason there was no group ahead of us was simply that no one was booked in ahead of us.

I think it was a case of what someone else said earlier in the topic, someone frustrated not just at slow play, but perhaps was having a crap round and looking for something to blame as well. Decided he was going to have a pop at us simply because he saw us playing at a normal pace and was jealous. ?‍

 

[GB72]

I know it gets me grief when I say it but I would abolish playing through totally. How much extra stress and pressure does it cause on the course when a group decides to play right up to you despite the course being full ahead and everyone being up with the group ahead. How annoying is it when a 2 ball feels they can play through a full field of 4 balls on a Saturday morning. Plus, without playing through it will be obvious where the hold ups are and the club can then politely ask those groups to speed up a bit. Golf is not a game to be hurried. I am quite a quick player but I can happily slow by game to suit the pace of the course on any given day. Also, if I have not got time to play if there are hold ups, I don't play at all.

Yes, there will be frustrations of slow rounds every now and again but I would rather that than the ever increasing pressure of those who think that you should be able to sprint round a packed course.

I would also add that, despite all on here clearly being perfect bastions of prompt golf, the slowest rounds of golf that I have played have all been on forum days

 

[Deleted member 21258]

I love a moan about slow play, it would be enough to make me give up golf if every round was over 4 hours.

 

[Orikoru]

I know it gets me grief when I say it but I would abolish playing through totally. How much extra stress and pressure does it cause on the course when a group decides to play right up to you despite the course being full ahead and everyone being up with the group ahead. How annoying is it when a 2 ball feels they can play through a full field of 4 balls on a Saturday morning. Plus, without playing through it will be obvious where the hold ups are and the club can then politely ask those groups to speed up a bit. Golf is not a game to be hurried. I am quite a quick player but I can happily slow by game to suit the pace of the course on any given day. Also, if I have not got time to play if there are hold ups, I don't play at all.

Yes, there will be frustrations of slow rounds every now and again but I would rather that than the ever increasing pressure of those who think that you should be able to sprint round a packed course.

I would also add that, despite all on here clearly being perfect bastions of prompt golf, the slowest rounds of golf that I have played have all been on forum days

I know what you're saying, but if you were on your own and ended up behind a four-ball of seniors that would be bloody torture. (Not that they'd let you through anyway. )

 

[timd77]

Cool.
So just for the sake of the conversation (not taking sides) which group was ahead of you when you finished, the original group or the scratch group?
And how far behind were you on the 18th?
Either the scratch group went through the first group, in which case you had a gap to make up, or they got held up all the way round by the first group.

Unfortunately they weren’t let through the next group and as we stood on the 18th tee (shortish par 4) they were just finishing off their second shots and clearing the fairway. It was like that the whole way round, we’d be getting to the green as they were walking off the next tee. So it was a bit of a pointless exercise, but we did the right thing in letting them through, I feel.

 

[GB72]

I know what you're saying, but if you were on your own and ended up behind a four-ball of seniors that would be bloody torture. (Not that they'd let you through anyway. )

True but the onus would be on you to group up with other people to level out the pace of play or to appreciate that it will be slower.

 

[Jacko_G]

Golf is not a game to be hurried - Four hours isn't long - Group behind had only just tee'd off.

No wonder the game is slow.

Lockdown golf was tremendous golf, round every time in under 3 hours, no issues, no hold ups just plain sailing golf, regularly was around 2 hours 20 if I did a quick 18 before work. A couple of Saturdays ago I was 4 hours 40 due to incompetence and selfish idiots, if I didn't have a guest with me I'd have walked off after 6 holes which took 90 bloody minutes, a disgrace.

Attitudes need to change and education is key. When I first started playing "competitively" in the early 90's medals took 3 hours if you were longer than that people were not slow in telling you and you took notice. Now sadly people see getting a medal round done in 4 hours as acceptable.

 

[timd77]

In the case of Angry Golfer v timd77, the court finds the defendant:
View attachment 32229

? Thank you your Honour!

Just to add, you know when it’s a slow round, you’re waiting on most shots and you’re having to text the wife to say you’ll be back later than expected. This was nothing like that, maybe once or twice we paused on a tee to make sure they were out of range, the group behind were never up our jacksies. It was just one prat who felt the need to spout off.

 

[Grant85]

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.

personal view is what you've done is slow the pace down for the group behind the scratch group, as well as yoursevles. You weren't slow or hadn't lost your place on the course, so I don't see any point in doing what you've done.

Letting groups through only speeds up play for one group. But it takes longer for you to play the hole you are on.

 

[SGC001]

I know it gets me grief when I say it but I would abolish playing through totally. How much extra stress and pressure does it cause on the course when a group decides to play right up to you despite the course being full ahead and everyone being up with the group ahead. How annoying is it when a 2 ball feels they can play through a full field of 4 balls on a Saturday morning. Plus, without playing through it will be obvious where the hold ups are and the club can then politely ask those groups to speed up a bit. Golf is not a game to be hurried. I am quite a quick player but I can happily slow by game to suit the pace of the course on any given day. Also, if I have not got time to play if there are hold ups, I don't play at all.

Yes, there will be frustrations of slow rounds every now and again but I would rather that than the ever increasing pressure of those who think that you should be able to sprint round a packed course.

I would also add that, despite all on here clearly being perfect bastions of prompt golf, the slowest rounds of golf that I have played have all been on forum days

And while we are at it, if a tractor comes on the road doing 10 mph we should all just queue behind it. ?

I agree with the priniciple on a packed course with no space and nowhere to go, but if a faster group is behind and space is clear ahead of you they absolutely should be let through.

Ive played 12 holes since the restart, course packed with 4 balls all day long doesnt interest me. Its taking under 4 hours usually although 1 group did take nearly 7 (Seven) and it takes me just under 75 minutes to play 18 holes on my own.

My choice to not play, as said on a packed course i dont expect to get let through, with gaps i do.

 

[Orikoru]

... it takes me just under 75 minutes to play 18 holes on my own.

What?? Is this at a pitch n putt??

 

[GB72]

And while we are at it, if a tractor comes on the road doing 10 mph we should all just queue behind it. ?

I agree with the priniciple on a packed course with no space and nowhere to go, but if a faster group is behind and space is clear ahead of you they absolutely should be let through.

Ive played 12 holes since the restart, course packed with 4 balls all day long doesnt interest me. Its taking under 4 hours usually although 1 group did take nearly 7 (Seven) and it takes me just under 75 minutes to play 18 holes on my own.

My choice to not play, as said on a packed course i dont expect to get let through, with gaps i do.

I can see both sides of the argument but, from my point of view, people are getting so militant as to pace of play and to pressuring groups ahead that it actually makes a round a stressful experience. Wish I was one of those people that could just shut it out and get on with my round but I am not. Add to that the fact that there is normally one in a group who is so averse to the idea of playing people through and that just adds to the unpleasant feeling. Don't get me wrong, I like to play pretty quickly but I also feel that I would rather have a slow round without the pressure and hassle of groups pushing up behind or having to push up on the group ahead so as we get asked through. It is a personal opinion thought I one I know is not universal.

Interesting to see a few comments on how pace of play was ideal during lockdown. Maybe it is partly the clubs to blame. Smaller groups with larger spacings and less people on the course led to great round times. Maybe at some places, with the number of people crammed on to the course at weekends, it is just not possible to play a quick round of golf.

 

[Piece]

Ah, slow play. Always someone else's fault, never our own.

 

[HeftyHacker]

I had a cracker on Friday, teed off alone at 12.50 with no one in sight in front of me (it had tipped it down for an hour before I teed off so assume people had sacked it off). By the 4th hole I'd caught up to a pair of older ladies. On the fifth they themselves were behind a 4 ball who, to be fair, let them play through before letting me play through on the 5th. From that moment on I was stuck behind these ladies. On the 9th it started spitting so they jumped into the halfway house to put on waterproofs before I managed to finish the hole.... then it stopped spitting so they decided to remove said waterproofs in the middle of the 10th fairway. Then they counted back each of their shots on the green before moving off.

Finally, on the 12th they finished up on the green and waited under a tree instead of proceeding straight the the 13th tee. "This is it!" says I "they're finally letting me through" so I rushed the approach and put it in the green side bunker, before a nice little down and up to save par. I got my ball out the hole and marched towards the next tee. Only to find that they had no longer decided to let me play through and had just teed off as I arrived. One of them smiled at me as she walked away from me and I swear I could hear them cackling as they walked towards the green.

They then proceeded to not give me a sniff at playing through for the remaining 5 holes.

Turned what should have been a 2:15 saunter around the course into a 3:15 slog.

 

[davidy233]

I had a cracker on Friday, teed off alone at 12.50 with no one in sight in front of me (it had tipped it down for an hour before I teed off so assume people had sacked it off). By the 4th hole I'd caught up to a pair of older ladies. On the fifth they themselves were behind a 4 ball who, to be fair, let them play through before letting me play through on the 5th. From that moment on I was stuck behind these ladies. On the 9th it started spitting so they jumped into the halfway house to put on waterproofs before I managed to finish the hole.... then it stopped spitting so they decided to remove said waterproofs in the middle of the 10th fairway. Then they counted back each of their shots on the green before moving off.

Finally, on the 12th they finished up on the green and waited under a tree instead of proceeding straight the the 13th tee. "This is it!" says I "they're finally letting me through" so I rushed the approach and put it in the green side bunker, before a nice little down and up to save par. I got my ball out the hole and marched towards the next tee. Only to find that they had no longer decided to let me play through and had just teed off as I arrived. One of them smiled at me as she walked away from me and I swear I could hear them cackling as they walked towards the green.

They then proceeded to not give me a sniff at playing through for the remaining 5 holes.

Turned what should have been a 2:15 saunter around the course into a 3:15 slog.

"Mind if I nip ahead of you ladies?" has always worked for me in that situation.

 

[timd77]

personal view is what you've done is slow the pace down for the group behind the scratch group, as well as yoursevles. You weren't slow or hadn't lost your place on the course, so I don't see any point in doing what you've done.

Letting groups through only speeds up play for one group. But it takes longer for you to play the hole you are on.

I do get that, but the point was that they were quick and so we felt it right to let them through with the hope that the other groups would do too. As I said, it didn’t work out that way but letting them through was right in my view. Plus, as mentioned in another post, they were also starting to create a gap between themselves and the next group, so the wait was absolutely minimal, we played up the fairway with them. When we left that green, the previous group had only just got to their balls, so it was a couple of minutes delay.

 

[Backache]

Introducing capital punishment locally for rounds over two and a half hours. Once it beds in it should keep things moving.

 

[HeftyHacker]

Agree, it can be done politely and always works.

I love the "cackling" though ?

I would have done but I never quite got close enough to ask them, short of me bellowing up the fairway - which in hindsight would have been the correct approach. Ultimately I'm a quiet soul.

 

[Ethan]

I had a cracker on Friday, teed off alone at 12.50 with no one in sight in front of me (it had tipped it down for an hour before I teed off so assume people had sacked it off). By the 4th hole I'd caught up to a pair of older ladies. On the fifth they themselves were behind a 4 ball who, to be fair, let them play through before letting me play through on the 5th. From that moment on I was stuck behind these ladies. On the 9th it started spitting so they jumped into the halfway house to put on waterproofs before I managed to finish the hole.... then it stopped spitting so they decided to remove said waterproofs in the middle of the 10th fairway. Then they counted back each of their shots on the green before moving off.

Finally, on the 12th they finished up on the green and waited under a tree instead of proceeding straight the the 13th tee. "This is it!" says I "they're finally letting me through" so I rushed the approach and put it in the green side bunker, before a nice little down and up to save par. I got my ball out the hole and marched towards the next tee. Only to find that they had no longer decided to let me play through and had just teed off as I arrived. One of them smiled at me as she walked away from me and I swear I could hear them cackling as they walked towards the green.

They then proceeded to not give me a sniff at playing through for the remaining 5 holes.

Turned what should have been a 2:15 saunter around the course into a 3:15 slog.

Once they decide to let you through, they can't revoke it. Report them. It used to be that the single player had no standing. That was changed some years ago.

 

[sunshine]

Slow play thread will slowly descend into a thread of people listing a shot by shot, and minute by minute, description of how long their last round took. All the riveting details.

Time for me to step aside and wave through some of the more prolific posters.