Iron covers

Backsticks

Assistant Pro
Banned
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
3,852
Visit site
but a lot less time lost than someone using a laser.

My mate and I both use head covers, yesterday time as a 3 ball a shade under 3 hours.
True what you say. Lasers should be local rule banned in the interest of speeding up play, but "I delay all the people behind me on the course less that they guy who does x", isnt really a great for the iron covers fraternity/cult though.
 

Slab

Occasional Tour Caddy
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
Messages
11,728
Location
Port Louis
Visit site
They contribute to slow play. Next time you are twiddling your thumbs on the 8th tee, curse the player ahead on the 14th putting an iron cover back on for the umteenth time in the round.

Yes the frail, infirm or those with dexterity or mobility issues should avoid using any and all headcovers 👍
 

jim8flog

Journeyman Pro
Joined
May 20, 2017
Messages
15,883
Location
Yeovil
Visit site
I use a laser, takes no time at all.
I use headcovers and they take up even less time than getting a laser out of it's bag measuring then putting it back in it's bag.

I presume your comment means you do not use covers on your woods as they will take up the same amount of time to take off and put back on.
 

paddyjk

Active member
Banned
Joined
Aug 10, 2023
Messages
228
Visit site
I use headcovers and they take up even less time than getting a laser out of it's bag measuring then putting it back in it's bag.

I presume your comment means you do not use covers on your woods as they will take up the same amount of time to take off and put back on.
Driver and 3 wood have covers and to be fair I think iron covers just look daft and make no sense as opposed to causing slow play.
 
D

Deleted member 23344

Guest
I have covers on my irons on the way to the course and back. The clubs are in the back of the car and, with the roads being in such an appalling state, without them the cacophonous rattling means that I can’t hear the stereo. I take them off once the bag goes on the trolley.
 

Voyager EMH

Slipper Wearing Plucker of Pheasants
Joined
Mar 14, 2021
Messages
6,199
Location
Leicestershire
Visit site
I use a laser, takes no time at all.
This might be true.
Time does appear to stand still when two of the fourball use laser rangefinders on a par-3 and then compare read-outs.
I try to watch the grass growing in those moments.
If they take a long time, I get three golf balls out of my bag and practice some juggling.
Either that or walk behind a tree and have a wee.
Maybe both at the same time - but it is risky.
 
Last edited:

Jigger

Club Champion
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
1,845
Visit site
I’ve really no idea why people have such an issue with iron head-covers. You either use them or you don’t.
 

HeftyHacker

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 14, 2020
Messages
1,661
Visit site
True what you say. Lasers should be local rule banned in the interest of speeding up play, but "I delay all the people behind me on the course less that they guy who does x", isnt really a great for the iron covers fraternity/cult though.

Completely agree - imagine how much quicker my 110 minute round could have been yesterday morning had I not used my laser on every approach shot and par 3?
 

Backsticks

Assistant Pro
Banned
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
3,852
Visit site
Completely agree - imagine how much quicker my 110 minute round could have been yesterday morning had I not used my laser on every approach shot and par 3?
Half a minute per shot maybe. They are the worst. So probably 10-12 minutes faster. For a fourball, it probably doesnt quite multiply by 4, as some measuring would overlap, but up to a half hour onto the round is probably indicative if all 4 were laserers. The problem is that because they are engaged in the activity, the user isnt conscious of the time lost using one at all. So they still convince themselves that they didnt lose time or hold up play. But stopwatch one using one for a round some time. 10 mins for an individual offender will easily add up.
I wouldnt blanket ban them. If people want to use them, and the majority are happy with 5 hours + rounds, then no issue. But you cannot have both quick rounds, and, lasering, aimpointing, two full rehearse practice swing, gloves on off, people statuing for 20s 'visualising' behind the ball, etc
 

paddyjk

Active member
Banned
Joined
Aug 10, 2023
Messages
228
Visit site
Half a minute per shot maybe. They are the worst. So probably 10-12 minutes faster. For a fourball, it probably doesnt quite multiply by 4, as some measuring would overlap, but up to a half hour onto the round is probably indicative if all 4 were laserers. The problem is that because they are engaged in the activity, the user isnt conscious of the time lost using one at all. So they still convince themselves that they didnt lose time or hold up play. But stopwatch one using one for a round some time. 10 mins for an individual offender will easily add up.
I wouldnt blanket ban them. If people want to use them, and the majority are happy with 5 hours + rounds, then no issue. But you cannot have both quick rounds, and, lasering, aimpointing, two full rehearse practice swing, gloves on off, people statuing for 20s 'visualising' behind the ball, etc
Sorry mate but thats just nonsense.
 

HeftyHacker

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 14, 2020
Messages
1,661
Visit site
Half a minute per shot maybe. They are the worst. So probably 10-12 minutes faster. For a fourball, it probably doesnt quite multiply by 4, as some measuring would overlap, but up to a half hour onto the round is probably indicative if all 4 were laserers. The problem is that because they are engaged in the activity, the user isnt conscious of the time lost using one at all. So they still convince themselves that they didnt lose time or hold up play. But stopwatch one using one for a round some time. 10 mins for an individual offender will easily add up.
I wouldnt blanket ban them. If people want to use them, and the majority are happy with 5 hours + rounds, then no issue. But you cannot have both quick rounds, and, lasering, aimpointing, two full rehearse practice swing, gloves on off, people statuing for 20s 'visualising' behind the ball, etc

Absolute nonsense - it's 18 shots a round generally (18 approaches or par 3s), and I keep mine in the little basket under my trolley handles so i get it out as I get to my ball. I reckon it takes no more than 10 seconds from getting to my ball to putting it away again. So at worst it'll be adding a couple of minutes to my round. A damn sight quicker than pacing out from markers or even my garmin and deliberating where exactly the pin is in relation to f/m/b.

You need to offset it against the time spent for people to work out the yardage without a laser.
 

Backsticks

Assistant Pro
Banned
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
3,852
Visit site
Sorry mate but thats just nonsense.
Maybe 10-20s per laser then. Its still time.
People are very reluctant, while still moaning about pace of play, to accept that it is all the extra activities that have been added to the routine, that add up to longer rounds. Actually swinging a club takes the same time as it did 50 or 100 years ago. Its all the dressage and routine that is built into it now, rather than walking to your ball and hitting it, that has added the extra time.
You cant have your cake and eat it - do all the peripheral stuff - and still expect the same pace of play.
They are all small time things. But every 5 or 10s, done 50-100 times, by 3 or 4 players, cannot but slow the round.
People defend their 'thing' saying it takes no time, and that they do it while playing partners are doing their 'thing'. But that is delusional - the pp shouldnt doing it either.
Lasers are one of the worst. Any laserers should do the experiment of not using it for a month. But playing with other laserers. And count the time you standing looking at them doing their Nelson impersonation. The sad thing about lasers, and why a ban is easily justified, is that there is a perfectly superior alternative technology - a 1s glance at a GPS. Which thankfully is used by the majority. But laserers are still there as the occasional weed.
 
Last edited:

Jigger

Club Champion
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
1,845
Visit site
Because they are naff 😅
Maybe but one man’s rubbish is another man’s gold and it would be boring if we were all the same.

Coming from someone who doesn’t use them, I’d rather have a crack on with a decent bloke on the course who is using covers and doesn’t care than listen to someone who is too bothered in what other people are doing. 😉

It’s exactly the same with handicap complainers. Tedious.
 

Alan Clifford

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 13, 2020
Messages
1,154
Location
51.24545572099906, -0.5221967037089511
Visit site
Maybe but one man’s rubbish is another man’s gold and it would be boring if we were all the same.

Coming from someone who doesn’t use them, I’d rather have a crack on with a decent bloke on the course who is using covers and doesn’t care than listen to someone who is too bothered in what other people are doing. 😉

It’s exactly the same with handicap complainers. Tedious.
I find that covers are a handy cap for my irons.
 

PJ87

Journeyman Pro
Joined
Apr 1, 2016
Messages
21,839
Location
Havering
Visit site
As with everything it's people's use of these things not them being used that's the issue

Some people faff about others adds zero time .

Lack of ready golf and insisting the flag is removed slows the game just as much

Behaviours top tech in slow play chart
 

garyinderry

Ryder Cup Winner
Joined
Jan 7, 2012
Messages
13,284
Visit site
A massively overlooked factor in slow play is the staggeringly crazy amount of people who have little idea where their ball went due to bad eye sight.

Never mind seconds here and there putting on headcovers or using a lazer. It's minutes over and over again in a round. In many cases pulling playing partners into the search all because their eyesight is poor and can't really follow the ball after a certain distance.
 

JayB

Newbie
Joined
Nov 9, 2016
Messages
153
Visit site
I use head covers for transporting my clubs. I used to own an MX5 and the clubs had to go across the passenger seat, head covers stopped the annoying rattle while driving. Although my clubs now go in the boot, it's a habit I've continued with. Never used on the course though.
 

HeftyHacker

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 14, 2020
Messages
1,661
Visit site
A massively overlooked factor in slow play is the staggeringly crazy amount of people who have little idea where their ball went due to bad eye sight.

Never mind seconds here and there putting on headcovers or using a lazer. It's minutes over and over again in a round. In many cases pulling playing partners into the search all because their eyesight is poor and can't really follow the ball after a certain distance.
This in spades.

We've recently grown the rough out at our place and the comp rounds have increased by about an hour. It's not quite clicked yet that if it goes in, it's gone and you should hit a provisional.
 
Top