If this is such an easy solution why is it still a problem. If slow players wanted a "relaxed round" they would already be booking a later tee time, fast players the opposite. Simply golfers have lifes outside the club and wish to play at a time that suits their lifestyle, if committees tried to force members to play at a time that suits the pace of play theire would be uproar.
Because no one has tried it. They just want to force everyone to play at a pace decided by someone else and it won't work. It's never worked in the 50 years I've had to endure it. And it's getting worse.
No it doesn't it only affects those behind them and if they tee off last that means ....nobody.
But you want to force players who do play at a reasonable pace to play early to accommodate those who are unwilling. That's just ridiculous.
No.
I don't agree, I can't remember the last comp that took under 4 hours
For goodness sake, stop telling me why people are slow, I spent 50 years behind them so I'm well aware of why they're slow.
No-one has tried your idea because it's ridiculous.
I didn't
Sure.
I don't agree
There's so much in there I disagree with and I'd just be repeating myself.Not read all the comments, but I definitely wouldn't want to penalise a group for taking over a certain time to play a round, because:
1. Slow groups would be even less encouraged to let groups through, knowing it will add time onto their own rounds
2. Groups stick behind the slow group would also get penalised? Or would it be OK if they finished right behind them, but not OK if they themselves lost a hole or so on the slow group in front by the end of the round?
3. How do you manage it for a club comp? Have someone clocking everyone in and out?
4. You'd penalise players who played with a slow player. Would probably increase friction amongst club golfers, with many demanding they never get drawn with slow players. May make some golfers feel very unwelcome within their club, even if they are not actually that slow but rumour spreads around that they are.
5. A golfer may just be having a bad day, looking for a lot of balls. Perhaps more than one golfer in the group has this issue. They may spend less than 3 minutes looking for every ball, and actually be quick to play when they prepare and take shots but because it happens so often they have many shots, so they have a long round. Do golfers get time penalties for searching for balls, or would it be fairer to clock them between arriving to ball and taking shot? And that would require a timekeeper with every group.
Our club isn't too bad. Three ball groups, most comps are in handicap order. I'm usually out just before 9, and finished not long after 12. So, most rounds are about 3hrs 30. Was out a few groups later earlier in year, as handicap was about 3 higher than it is now, and a few rounds crept over 4 hrs, as one of the groups in front slowed things down. I don't think it was a common thing for the players involved to be slow, just that they were slow that day. Looking for balls more than normal, that sort of thing.
I agree that golfers who are consistently slow could and should be reminded as to how to speed up play. On the flip side, perhaps some of the golfers who like to play speed golf should also be reminded about their pace of play. At the end of the day, they are playing a sport that takes a good few hours to play, and if they can't bear the thought of playing a round of 4hrs every now and then, probably best to find a more time efficient hobby. Some golfers like to charge through their round, and expect a whole field of golfers in front of them to part like the Red Sea immediately they get behind them. Even if they have to wait 20 seconds, hands start getting thrown in the air. First World problems
