Slow play…….

[Blue in Munich]

If they really did go round in 2 hours donkey's year ago, then it HAS to be the case that they just took zero time over shots. Guess the yardage, grab a club (with only about 6 to choose from) and pelt it. Nowadays people will spend a little longer. We have the capability to get a correct yardage, so we do it. We have more clubs to choose from, so we'll spend another 10 seconds deciding which is the right one to use. Maybe we even care more about the outcome than the golfers of 50-60 years ago.

No, you don’t care more about the outcome than we did. As we walked to the ball we’d be looking at the landmarks as we walked to the ball (some courses had yardages on sprinkler heads, others had fairway markers), mentally calculating what we’d hit from there previously and the outcome, factoring in the weather and ground conditions and coming to a conclusion. As we reached the ball we’d worked out what we thought we’d need, pulled it and hit it. Didn’t need to stand around at the ball faffing because we’d already done it. That is now either a dying or forgotten art. We spent zero time over the shot because we’d already done the work.

 

[Orikoru]

No, you don’t care more about the outcome than we did. As we walked to the ball we’d be looking at the landmarks as we walked to the ball (some courses had yardages on sprinkler heads, others had fairway markers), mentally calculating what we’d hit from there previously and the outcome, factoring in the weather and ground conditions and coming to a conclusion. As we reached the ball we’d worked out what we thought we’d need, pulled it and hit it. Didn’t need to stand around at the ball faffing because we’d already done it. That is now either a dying or forgotten art. We spent zero time over the shot because we’d already done the work.

But I also look at the GPS while I'm walking to the ball - I don't see how what you said makes it literally twice as quick (if we're talking 2 hours v 4 hours). Playing on my own on an empty course is the only time I've ever managed 2 hours, and that's because I had nobody to talk to or wait for them to hit shots. I just can't see how a four-ball would ever do it unless they were physically jogging in between shots! Let's say you shoot 80 in 120 minutes, that's 1.5 minutes per shot, including waiting for your other players to hit and walking to your ball, assessing the shot and then hitting it. How?? Ok you get some time back on tap-ins and short putts but still.

I would genuinely love to see a video of an old golf round where a 3 or 4 ball has gone round in two hours as I think it would be amazing to watch, if it ever happened. Be like watching Benny Hill.

 

[theoneandonly]

But I also look at the GPS while I'm walking to the ball - I don't see how what you said makes it literally twice as quick (if we're talking 2 hours v 4 hours). Playing on my own on an empty course is the only time I've ever managed 2 hours, and that's because I had nobody to talk to or wait for them to hit shots. I just can't see how a four-ball would ever do it unless they were physically jogging in between shots! Let's say you shoot 80 in 120 minutes, that's 1.5 minutes per shot, including waiting for your other players to hit and walking to your ball, assessing the shot and then hitting it. How?? Ok you get some time back on tap-ins and short putts but still.

I would genuinely love to see a video of an old golf round where a 3 or 4 ball has gone round in two hours as I think it would be amazing to watch, if it ever happened. Be like watching Benny Hill.

It's nonsense , golf was as slow 40 years ago as it is today. Which is sometimes very quick and other days not so much...

 

[Backsticks]

Nobody every played a real course in 2 hours. Thats just a joke.

But people were faster. Aping the pros is the main culprit, and the efforts handicap golfer put into doing things the pros do, that are simply not relevant to the handicap golfer. Being used to see a pro standing around over a shot, chatting with his caddy, studying one of those fat notebooks they keep in their back pocket, etc, normalises standing around picking grass, and rehearsing a takeaway etc. Lining up lines on a ball with the hole, etc. Nobody, AT ALL, did that decades ago. The more of this nonsense is added in, and amateurs immitate it, the slower golf will be. Lasers. Aimpoint. There will be more.
And they will slow down golf further.

 

[clubchamp98]

No, you don’t care more about the outcome than we did. As we walked to the ball we’d be looking at the landmarks as we walked to the ball (some courses had yardages on sprinkler heads, others had fairway markers), mentally calculating what we’d hit from there previously and the outcome, factoring in the weather and ground conditions and coming to a conclusion. As we reached the ball we’d worked out what we thought we’d need, pulled it and hit it. Didn’t need to stand around at the ball faffing because we’d already done it. That is now either a dying or forgotten art. We spent zero time over the shot because we’d already done the work.

I still do all that now.
I look for the yardage markers then pace it out to my ball so do the maths as I am walking.
Whip my laser out to confirm my yardage while others are playing and select a club.
When it’s my turn I am ready to go.

Lasers and gps are not the problem imo, it’s how they are used by some.
A slow golfer will be slow a ready golfer will be quicker.
But your only as fast as the slowest player.
We can always tell who the slowest is just by watching the mannerisms of the group ahead.
What’s the answer God Knows.

 

[Blue in Munich]

I still do all that now.
I look for the yardage markers then pace it out to my ball so do the maths as I am walking.
Whip my laser out to confirm my yardage while others are playing and select a club.
When it’s my turn I am ready to go.

Lasers and gps are not the problem imo, it’s how they are used by some.
A slow golfer will be slow a ready golfer will be quicker.
But your only as fast as the slowest player.
We can always tell who the slowest is just by watching the mannerisms of the group ahead.
What’s the answer God Knows.

I think if you’ve always done it you’ll continue to do it, but if you’re conditioned to relying on a laser or not thinking about it until you’ve got to the ball then you won’t.

And yes, a slow golfer will always be slow and normally won’t realise or accept the fact that they are the problem. Looking away from poor shots in disgust then asking playing partners where they are; bag left on the wrong side of the green, never ready to go, all of which slow play down far more than some other things that get blamed.

 

[clubchamp98]

I think if you’ve always done it you’ll continue to do it, but if you’re conditioned to relying on a laser or not thinking about it until you’ve got to the ball then you won’t.

And yes, a slow golfer will always be slow and normally won’t realise or accept the fact that they are the problem. Looking away from poor shots in disgust then asking playing partners where they are; bag left on the wrong side of the green, never ready to go, all of which slow play down far more than some other things that get blamed.

Yes I don’t disagree.
When I joined my first club I had to play with two comittiee guys to basically prove I could play the game and knew what I was doing.
That’s all gone now and your in as soon as you sign on the dotted line.
But if your shown by your mate who’s a moron you have two morons.
That happens far to often.

 

[Neilds]

Out of interest, can I ask what the times were for the rounds at the recent H4H forum meet? I will be disappointed if they are slower than 3 hours, with all the speed merchants we have on the forum

 

[Blue in Munich]

Yes I don’t disagree.
When I joined my first club I had to play with two comittiee guys to basically prove I could play the game and knew what I was doing.
That’s all gone now and your in as soon as you sign on the dotted line.
But if your shown by your mate who’s a moron you have two morons.
That happens far to often.

Still play in with committee members at mine.

 

[clubchamp98]

Still play in with committee members at mine.

Mind you one of our comittiee members is the worst example.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

I still do all that now.
I look for the yardage markers then pace it out to my ball so do the maths as I am walking.
Whip my laser out to confirm my yardage while others are playing and select a club.
When it’s my turn I am ready to go.

Lasers and gps are not the problem imo, it’s how they are used by some.
A slow golfer will be slow a ready golfer will be quicker.
But your only as fast as the slowest player.
We can always tell who the slowest is just by watching the mannerisms of the group ahead.
What’s the answer God Knows.

The only time I have lost my rag out loud with someone I didn’t know on a golf course was with a chap who had a course planner, and would pace of every shot, than write things in the planner.

Which would be fine if he wasn’t off 20odd and taking an age. Eventually after letting a few groups through and yet another duff, as he started to get the planner out of his pocket and look for something to pace off from……… Snap!

 

[Ian_George]

I still do all that now.
I look for the yardage markers then pace it out to my ball so do the maths as I am walking.
Whip my laser out to confirm my yardage while others are playing and select a club.
When it’s my turn I am ready to go.
...

Why both pace it out and laser it? Surely the pacing out is a waste of time! Or don't you trust the laser unless it's a near match!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Out of interest, can I ask what the times were for the rounds at the recent H4H forum meet? I will be disappointed if they are slower than 3 hours, with all the speed merchants we have on the forum

The target we were set for a four ball playing individual stableford was four hours - and my group did it maybe 5 or 10 minutes under four hours.

 

[Imurg]

Out of interest, can I ask what the times were for the rounds at the recent H4H forum meet? I will be disappointed if they are slower than 3 hours, with all the speed merchants we have on the forum

We began on the 11th and played steadily all the way round.
Finishing on the 10th we were walking up the 18th with SILH and MikeH so we must have taken 3.45/50ish...some did take a bit longer.
We were up on the balcony with a beer watching other groups still walking in..

 

[evemccc]

No, you don’t care more about the outcome than we did. As we walked to the ball we’d be looking at the landmarks as we walked to the ball (some courses had yardages on sprinkler heads, others had fairway markers), mentally calculating what we’d hit from there previously and the outcome, factoring in the weather and ground conditions and coming to a conclusion. As we reached the ball we’d worked out what we thought we’d need, pulled it and hit it. Didn’t need to stand around at the ball faffing because we’d already done it. That is now either a dying or forgotten art. We spent zero time over the shot because we’d already done the work.

That’s exactly how I play my home course. If you’ve played it more than 25 times, then the only thing to think about upon reaching your ball, is the lie…which obvs can impact shot/club selection…everything else should be done in advance

If I’m playing away and paying a lot of money or made a big effort to play a ‘treat’ course, then assuming i am not holding up play, then i am certainly going to take stock of the situation and take in the view and the challenge of the shot ahead

 

[clubchamp98]

Why both pace it out and laser it? Surely the pacing out is a waste of time! Or don't you trust the laser unless it's a near match!

Gives me something to do while waiting for the slow ones to catch up!
It’s just a habit , my stride is less than a yard. So just backs up my guess.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Strict 10 min tee times and well trained marshals sorts out slow play.
I used to run one of England's busiest courses and we seldom had complaints of slow play.
In fact the only folk who complained were the matches pulled up for slow play.
Because as as we all know, it's NEVER their fault.

 

[Backsticks]

This thread moves veeery slowly.

 

[Golfnut1957]

You should have gone to bed earlier.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Locking this thread as we already have one on the go. No point in duplicating