Pace Of Play - what can be done to improve it

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

The field should dictate the pace - if you are up with the group in front or within half a hole then you are fulfilling your responsibilities in regards pace of play

Loosing holes to the group in front is slow play and has a detrimental effect on the whole field

which is why the first groups out in the day when tee is likely to be busy or in a comp must be brisk and monitored to make sure they get round in the expected time for the format and number in each group. If the first half doz groups are slow that will easily determine the pace for as long as the tee remains busy

 

[patricks148]

judging by the few minuets of the US am on TV the problem is getting worse. Just seen the winner take around 5 mins for a 4 footer that was straight

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

judging by the few minuets of the US am on TV the problem is getting worse. Just seen the winner take around 5 mins for a 4 footer that was straight

Same with the little bit of the US Junior Amateur Championship I watched a few weeks back. Excruciatingly slow at times. Especially on the greens.

 

[Billbored]

Playability of courses is a major factor. If the rough is long, or the carry off the tees over thick rough/heather is too far for high handicappers who then have to play provisional balls, clubs cant complain about slow play too much as they have invited it on themselves. I often play with high handicappers who play provisional balls, but in the latest medal we predictably were searching for 4 balls, two from each of my August Medal companions.

 

[Billbored]

All brilliant points chrisd

 

[North Mimms]

I've been following this thread with interest but not got round to posting as phone is acting up.

I can't find her post, but I am like Fairway Dodger - pretty quick tee to green, but i like to spend my time on putts.
This can be a problem when I am playing with someone who is the opposite.

I don't take any practice swings on full shots, just a swish for short variable chips.
I have a strict set up routine but it's simple and quick.

But I am Satan's golfer in that I use an alignment line on my ball when putting. Yes, even for "ridiculous" two foot putts - mainly as they are the ones I can miss!
But I will have done most of the reading of line before it's my turn to putt. I tend to look at the line from a fair way behind the ball, so can do this without getting in the way of others.

At my Club we play qualifiers in 2 balls, with a field of 60+ players.
You are expected to get round in 3 hr 10 minutes if you want to play early.
Tee times are zoned into three slots- if you can't keep pace in Slot 1, you are "demoted" to slot 2 etc.

It actually means that even the tail enders have a chance of getting round in less than 4 hours.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I've been following this thread with interest but not got round to posting as phone is acting up.

I can't find her post, but I am like Fairway Dodger - pretty quick tee to green, but i like to spend my time on putts.
This can be a problem when I am playing with someone who is the opposite.

I don't take any practice swings on full shots, just a swish for short variable chips.
I have a strict set up routine but it's simple and quick.

But I am Satan's golfer in that I use an alignment line on my ball when putting. Yes, even for "ridiculous" two foot putts - mainly as they are the ones I can miss!
But I will have done most of the reading of line before it's my turn to putt. I tend to look at the line from a fair way behind the ball, so can do this without getting in the way of others.

At my Club we play qualifiers in 2 balls, with a field of 60+ players.
You are expected to get round in 3 hr 10 minutes if you want to play early.
Tee times are zoned into three slots- if you can't keep pace in Slot 1, you are "demoted" to slot 2 etc.

It actually means that even the tail enders have a chance of getting round in less than 4 hours.

Interesting - first time I have heard of this in practice

And also as you say/admit - you are relatively slow(er) on putting but feel you make up for it elsewhere. The problem as you rightly say happens when your PP is fast on the green and slow elsewhere. Your round is determined by the slowest player in each phase/aspect of the game. You might walk briskly from the tee as soon as all have played - but if one of your group does not - and he is to play first then it doesn't matter how fast you walk - you have to wait for him.

But you are aware of your pace on the green - and hence would be able to pick it up a bit if necessary. Self-awareness and doing your own little bit are key to speeding up rounds IMO

 

[duncan mackie]

judging by the few minuets of the US am on TV the problem is getting worse. Just seen the winner take around 5 mins for a 4 footer that was straight

I also picked up the highlight show and was, bluntly, horrified.

It's not entertaining, it's way beyond excessive and it sends a huge message to those aspiring to be elite golfers who watch. "If I spend enough time on it I will get it right..."

To be honest I didn't watch that much as it was so painful and switched over to a repeated episode of a fishing program about barbel...

 

[patricks148]

I also picked up the highlight show and was, bluntly, horrified.

It's not entertaining, it's way beyond excessive and it sends a huge message to those aspiring to be elite golfers who watch. "If I spend enough time on it I will get it right..."

To be honest I didn't watch that much as it was so painful and switched over to a repeated episode of a fishing program about barbel...

Same here, but replace a program about Barbel with Laurel and Hardy "picking the back roads of America, for rusty gold"

The guy was 8 up with a 4 footer and spent what seamed like an age on what was a simple putt... he had a strange routine.... not sure if this was "Aim point " or not?

 

[Region3]

I also picked up the highlight show and was, bluntly, horrified.

It's not entertaining, it's way beyond excessive and it sends a huge message to those aspiring to be elite golfers who watch. "If I spend enough time on it I will get it right..."

To be honest I didn't watch that much as it was so painful and switched over to a repeated episode of a fishing program about barbel...

Same here, but replace a program about Barbel with Laurel and Hardy "picking the back roads of America, for rusty gold"

The guy was 8 up with a 4 footer and spent what seamed like an age on what was a simple putt... he had a strange routine.... not sure if this was "Aim point " or not?

I watched this too, and it wouldn't surprise me if crouching over his ball holding his putter above it to get the alignment line straight is actually quicker than keep stepping away/readjusting etc, but looks worse as he's not moving.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

judging by the few minuets of the US am on TV the problem is getting worse. Just seen the winner take around 5 mins for a 4 footer that was straight

An appropriate typo - some players do seem to engage in a preposterous and lengthy 'dance' around their putting.

 

[craigstardis1976]

Here in the USA, one of the main problems I see is virtually no-one plays Matchplay in actual games. They are all concerned with strokeplay and total score. Even if you suggest a match, most of the time they do not know the rules and when they do they still want to putt out anyway to record their actual hole score. Bloody pointless, if you ask me...

The best way to speed up play is to develop a club culture where ready golf is the de facto way to play, all the time, on busy days ensure pin positions are accessible and have rangers who have the power and support needed to remove slow players from the course.

 

[patricks148]

Here in the USA, one of the main problems I see is virtually no-one plays Matchplay in actual games. They are all concerned with strokeplay and total score. Even if you suggest a match, most of the time they do not know the rules and when they do they still want to putt out anyway to record their actual hole score. Bloody pointless, if you ask me...

The best way to speed up play is to develop a club culture where ready golf is the de facto way to play, all the time, on busy days ensure pin positions are accessible and have rangers who have the power and support needed to remove slow players from the course.

totally agree with you... all my social golf is match play (better ball) or skins and ready golf most of the time, hence we get round our course in 3 hours as a 4 ball

 

[SAPCOR1]

Haven't read all 26 pages, just a few comments, so apologies if any of the below have been mentioned before.

If busy then the first few groups can be the make or break the whole day

Person closest to their ball takes their shot instead of furthest away from the hole, whether on fairway, rough or green

Always be ready to play your next shot with club selection, glove, tee ready etc

Check the line of your putt as you walk up to your ball

Keep your bag/trolley on the exit side of the green

Mark your card after leaving the green

First person to hole out gets the flag ready

Be aware of your/your groups position of the course, who's in front and who's ahead

Let others play through where possible

All basic stuff really

 

[North Mimms]

I think Duncan said something about behaviour being more important than actual time.

I totally agree with this. I don't wear a watch when playing golf and my impression of whether a round was "slow" or "fast" is often determined by other's behaviour, usually the group in front but somtimes my FC.
What makes a round seem slow is people not being ready, faffing about and not actually playing golf.

I have become more tolerant of others taking practice swings these days as they are actually doing something in readiness for their shot. What I hate to see is the 4 ball ahead of me (that are holding me up) all standing by the next tee, marking their cards, having a chat, offering round the fags etc and no-one is actually on the tee swinging a club!

 

[SammmeBee]

Captains Day to day. Shotgun start at 8.00 and took for and a half hours. We seemed to lose a hole early on although we spent ages looking for three balls on one hole. However we never even saw the group behind. Did we play too slow? Did we affect the flow of the course. Clearly not as most groups all seemed to be finishing exactly the same time and we were stopping at several points for refreshments and captains day challenges. A fun day and so no-one felt preoccupied by time but way over a standard four hour round for our place although given the stops etc only to be expected. If that pace of play happened next weekend in a stableford there would be huge gnashing of teeth.

At the end of the day we all play golf for fun. No-one likes slow play but if your group is in a flow, and everyone ahead are moving and you don't have an express group behind trying to set a course record of fast play, surely focusing on your own game, enjoying the experience and trying to score well and get a cut is more important than constant clock watching and fretting that this week may take seven and a half minutes more than last week

How many teams and what hole did you start on? If a par 5 was behind you then why would you ever see them if you were playing at a sensible pace?