Pace Of Play - what can be done to improve it

[Deleted member 15344]

Pray that you never have to suffer a playing partner using aimpoint.

One of our regular playing partners recently took the aimpoint course - he takes forever to read putts at the moment - seems to take three or four "readings" on every putt and anything up to about 3 feet ?!

Thankfully I have been paired with him yet but I'm certainly going to have no issue asking he increase his pace of there is a problem

 

[Robobum]

Do you people really encounter slow play that often?

Aside from pro ams, I reckon I've experienced slow play a mere handful of times in the years that I've been playing.

 

[Hobbit]

Pray that you never have to suffer a playing partner using aimpoint.

Played with a guy earlier this year who used it. Didn't even realise till he was half way round he was using it. Don't think it made any difference to the pace of play. Equally, he played tee to green at a very decent pace.

 

[Hobbit]

Do you people really encounter slow play that often?

Aside from pro ams, I reckon I've experienced slow play a mere handful of times in the years that I've been playing.

Maybe once or twice a year. A number of years ago I was asked to check out a few players, the joys of Chairman of Comps, and to be honest there wasn't a single one that was slow around the course. They might have had a slow putting routine, or when teeing off but they made up the time elsewhere in the round.

 

[Scotty Cameron]

Took us just over an hour to play three holes today

we walked off after the fourth, just couldn't bear it any longer. I just wish these societies would get there act together.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Aimpoint takes me 20 seconds using the chart and less than that if I use the express version. Can usually be done while players are coming on to the green

Ok well since its a bit of a tangent I won't argue the toss but my experience of playing with people using aimpoint express is that they take significantly longer to read putts than anyone else I've ever played with. It's likely different people take different lengths of time but at least one of those was one of the best players I've ever played with and it certainly worked for her given the putts she was making but it wasn't quick.

 

[3565]

If you really get a move on, a 2 ball can get round in 2 hours...but why would you want to?

My question is - How fast do people want to get round?
Is much of the perception of slow play down to the amount of time we have available to play? - I have 3 hrs 45 minutes spare, therefore if the round takes more than 3 hours its been slow.
Are people stopping playing cricket - I don't know, but it takes a damn sight longer than a round of golf.
Golf is a hard game and it takes time to play.
Sometimes it gets silly and takes longer - so does getting round the M25
Sometimes the pace is slow and nothing will speed it up if you're the 20th group out - the pace is set.
You either have to get on with it or go home.

I'm not saying there isn't a problem, there obviously is.
But, in real terms, if a round takes 4 hours instead of 3 hrs 30 does it really matter a bundle..?
Or 4 hrs 45 instead of 4 hrs 15....?

Yep totally agree with this, I'd rather spend 5 hrs on a course then 5 hrs at work........ Doesn't mean I condone it, just saying in principle.

If this is such an issue then maybe Golf Monthly should get a few of you together and make a you tube video of how you want play to speed up.

Why not get rid of ALL technology and go back to the oldsters time of just a 150 marker post, no strokesavers, GPS, DMDs, lasers, no marks on balls, get the ball companies to shorten the length a ball flies then you won't get the numpties who stand 275yds from the green on par 5s waiting for green to clear then proceed to nob it 50.... Let's just tee it up, stand to it, take one look and swipe at it, and walk very briskly to your next shot and not talk to your FCs as the speedsters will be bellowing slow play slow play.

You start at 1st tee and end on 18th green and WHATEVER the time it took is the day's pace of play. You can't control what others do, so just deal with it.

 

[richart]

The elaborate and slow routines presumably picked up from watching the tour pros on TV. Something has to be done about slow play in pro tournaments, or golf will grind completely to a halt!

Totally agree. Penalty shots need to be enforced.

When you watch the golf on Sky in the evening they flit between players, play seems reasonably fast. When you watch only one group on the red button, and you see the pre shot routines, the stalking of the ball, backing away from putts etc it is mind blowingly slow.

 

[3565]

Totally agree. Penalty shots need to be enforced.

When you watch the golf on Sky in the evening they flit between players, play seems reasonably fast. When you watch only one group on the red button, and you see the pre shot routines, the stalking of the ball, backing away from putts etc it is mind blowingly slow.

Tbh, the pro game has got a loooooonnngggggg way to catch up with the amateur game on speed of play. Yes they are playing for gazzzillions of dosh but they hit the ball better then us, play shots better then us, sink more longer putts then us, but watching them on the greens stalking their 15ft putt from all sides then they mentally prepare, stand, take a few practise strokes, then go and hit it, a regular amateur 3 ball would of played their putts in the time it takes them to hit one!!!
grant you, they play courses that are considerably longer then we do, but they hit the 300+ drives not us!!!

its the norm now, your not going to get the rounds reduced by any significant timescale as there are any amount of different playing levels, fitness levels, disabilities, in the amateur game, but not within the pro ranks. They are all at a 'similar' level yet the governing bodies don't do anything to speed them up to get THEM to the timescales that on an 'average' we amateurs play to.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

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

 

[Smiffy]

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

Hey Phil. Have you ever thought of going on "Mastermind?"
Specialist subject..... "The bleeding obvious"

 

[delc]

Tbh, the pro game has got a loooooonnngggggg way to catch up with the amateur game on speed of play. Yes they are playing for gazzzillions of dosh but they hit the ball better then us, play shots better then us, sink more longer putts then us, but watching them on the greens stalking their 15ft putt from all sides then they mentally prepare, stand, take a few practise strokes, then go and hit it, a regular amateur 3 ball would of played their putts in the time it takes them to hit one!!!
grant you, they play courses that are considerably longer then we do, but they hit the 300+ drives not us!!!

its the norm now, your not going to get the rounds reduced by any significant timescale as there are any amount of different playing levels, fitness levels, disabilities, in the amateur game, but not within the pro ranks. They are all at a 'similar' level yet the governing bodies don't do anything to speed them up to get THEM to the timescales that on an 'average' we amateurs play to.

Well even at the amateur level something has caused rounds of golf to take much longer than they did 50 years ago. At least most amateurs do not have a caddie with whom it seems necessary to have a 2 minute discussion before even the simplest of shots, but many of the younger generation of golfers seem to copy many of the mannerisms and pre-shot routines of the pros. It is noticeable at my club that rounds during the week, when the course is mostly occupied by retired seniors such as myself, rarely take more than 4 hours, but when the younger weekend warriors come out they become more like 5 hours.

 

[Fish]

Hey Phil. Have you ever thought of going on "Mastermind?"
Specialist subject..... "The bleeding obvious"

Is it though, what if your in a 4-ball following a 3-ball, how do you judge that, what if your following some single figure more accomplished golfers who aren't looking for the odd ball and are pulling away but the course behind and more importantly the group behind isn't pushing you or waiting!

For me it is what it is, if a group behind is waiting, we'll always let them through, if their not waiting I'm going to enjoy my game and company irrelevant if the group pull away in front or not, if I try to rush myself to keep up when I'm not under pressure to do so from behind it will only have a detrimental effect on my game, when that day comes I'll sell everything.

I've played in loads of meets up and down the country with a wide range of handicaps and I don't think I've ever played in any of them well under 4hrs, and that's being in some very good 3 and 4-balls with all very low single figure handicaps, so, some of the stuff I'm reading on here is pure junk IMO, I think some serious management of expectations need addressing.

 

[alexbrownmp]

Hey Phil. Have you ever thought of going on "Mastermind?"
Specialist subject..... "The bleeding obvious"

isnt the whole thread this?

common sense should prevail without the need for free pints, penalties if you clock in to the pro 10 seconds longer.

if you are in the way, and space in front, MOVE or MOVE OVER!

 

[Foxholer]

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

Half a hole behind (physically) is actually t least 'up with the group in front'! Any closer and you have made up ground on them and are quite possibly going to have to wait for them to clear the green - irrespective of whether they are fast, slow or playing at 'standard' pace!

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

Only the field behind - and then only if they are being held up! So if there are known slow players, put them in groups at the rear of the field - if they haven't done that themselves, as I know several 'traditionally slow' (through age, infirmity or lack of skill) groups do. Likewise, endeavor to put traditionally quick groups out early, both for their own sake and in order to 'drag' the rest of the field up to a better speed.

 

[chellie]

Round today where a lot of the time was spent checking watches and looking behind to see how close the ones behind were. Can't say it was a good experience.

 

[Robobum]

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

That's wrong Phil.

The 1st group out in almost every medal we have gets round in about 2:45. I go in the 2nd group quite often and will finish a clear 2 holes behind them in 3:10 - so, by your reckoning, that is too slow and has a detrimental effect on the field!?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

That's wrong Phil.

The 1st group out in almost every medal we have gets round in about 2:45. I go in the 2nd group quite often and will finish a clear 2 holes behind them in 3:10 - so, by your reckoning, that is too slow and has a detrimental effect on the field!?

My comment was a bit too generic and obviously doesn't tackle every day on the course as we also go out very early behind a group of buggies and can't keep up

Obviously if loosing ground on the group in front and holding up the group behind will have an effect on the rest of the field

But if you have a clear gap behind you then it's at the pace you feel comfortable with

It's very hard to nail down to certainties I guess and will always depend on in front and behind your group

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Round today where a lot of the time was spent checking watches and looking behind to see how close the ones behind were. Can't say it was a good experience.

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

 

[delc]

Round today where a lot of the time was spent checking watches and looking behind to see how close the ones behind were. Can't say it was a good experience.

There is really no need to rush to get round a golf course in a reasonable time. Just walk briskly between shots and don't faff about like the tour pros when playing your shots. Small things like leaving your clubs in the right place and marking cards on the next tee rather than on the green all help.