Slow play / fast play - who cares ???

[Junior]

I don't like slow play as much as he next golfer, however, I am becoming increasingly frustrated by players who are obsessed with wanting to tear around the course in 3 hours and bemone anyone who is not playing as quickly as they are.

Why should we let people like this play through on a busy Saturday morning ?

I choose to spend my free-time golfing as I love the game and want to enjoy my weekends off work - Its not enjoyable being pressed into playing at lightning speed.

I'm not saying we should all play at a JB Holmes like pace, but we should accept that if he course is busy, play is going to be slow. So take it easy , relax, enjoy your surroundings and remember, a slow round of golf is better than a whole day at work.

 

[GB72]

I feel that as long as I keep up with the group ahead then I have done my bit to keep the pace of play up. If that group invites me through then all well and good and I only get frustrated if they start losing holes on the group in front.

Strangely, since I joined my new club, I have not had an offer to play through accepted. Everyone seems willing to enjoy their time on the course and go with the flow. Twice now I have offered a 2 ball to come through but on both instances they have politely declined as they were in no hurry.

 

[shanker]

Junior
I once played a round of golf in 1 hour 45 minutes. I also met a scratch player from Inverness who used to have a 2 hour lunch break and fitted in 18 holes before going back to work.
You can take all day if you like. But please spare a thought for those us who want to get on with it, enjoy it, have a drink and then go and do something else.

 

[brendy]

I dont mind a busy course, what I hate is the etiquette ignorants who play short of the green then walk on play their hole out then tramp back to the fairway and proceed to put their club away, headcover on then walk back in the opposite direction back towards the next tee.

 

[Tommo21]

Junior
I once played a round of golf in 1 hour 45 minutes. I also met a scratch player from Inverness who used to have a 2 hour lunch break and fitted in 18 holes before going back to work.
You can take all day if you like. But please spare a thought for those us who want to get on with it, enjoy it, have a drink and then go and do something else.

You can only do that if the course is clear or on your own.

We never hear of anyone saying you’re playing too fast. It’s as if it doesn’t happen or even exist, but it sure does. Because the fast guys are fast doest mean the others are slow. Golf is a leisure sport and some players take 100 shots against my 78. That alone adds time and when your in a medal with many sets of players in front then there is no point in getting annoyed.

 

[golfcitydweller]

sorry junior-but if u refuse to let threw a group behind u that`s playing quicker than ur group,u should hang ur head in shame !!!it`s golfers with that kind of attitude that pis-es the rest of us off !!! `keep up or move aside`

 

[MVP]

sorry junior-but if u refuse to let threw a group behind u that`s playing quicker than ur group,u should hang ur head in shame !!!it`s golfers with that kind of attitude that pis-es the rest of us off !!! `keep up or move aside`

absolutely

 

[John_Findlay]

Have to agree with gcd, Junior. Play as slowly as you want but at least have the courtesy to let players through you if you're slow. It's one of the first rules of the game.

I nearly came to blows with 2 twats in front of me the last time I played because they were a 2 ball holding the entire course up with no-one in front of them. They took 4 hours to complete their round (only a short course, too), refused to let our fourball through and clearly thought that doing so was the ultimate shame. We would have been round in 3 hours if they hadn't been in front of us. Hanging's too good for them!

 

[RGuk]

Junior....you've got to let them through....that's part of the deal. Why some players want to go round in 2 1/2 hours and play sh** is beyond me. (NB - this doesn't apply to good fast players)
A 2 ball can do 18 in 3 hrs easily without either rushing or wasting time smelling the roses.
It depends on how many shots of course, if a player who shoots 72 in 2 hours wants to play through....I'll move out of the way.

 

[brendy]

Generally it tends to be young lads still learning the game that have ever held us up, I would and have called to them when close enough to not nessitate shouting but politely asking to get through.

 

[TonyN]

I agree with keeping up the pace but what really piss*s me off is when your keeping up with the group in front and the group behind you is telling you to hurry up. I almost drove my ball at an oap the other week. He was clearly having a bad round and looking for every excuse. His pals where ok but he stormed up to us saying if you dont keep up then let us through. Blaming slow play for his crap performance. Before i could point out the 4 ball infront was still walking up the fairway, he walked off. My mate is a pro so follows ettiquette like the bible and really seen his backside. When the old chaps caught us up at the next tee my mate pulled him to one side and gave him a right bollocking, Pointing out two fourballs in front of us(one on the green, one on the fairway 150 yards away) He just said well it must be someone ahead holding everyone up!

I dont motor round because i like to be composed, i take my time on my shots and putts, clean my ball if need be but try to make up for time in between shots, like walking as quick as poss and marking my card on the move, head covers on whilst walking etc. I am a beginner so i obv take more shots than most but will let anyone through who pushes me!

 

[brendy]

Those situations are a pain in the arse Tony, Im not a fast player but I think I make up for it in always being at my ball when the shortest man is about to play his, I dont hang back, this gives me time to compose and think about the shot coming up. I will swear this helps rather than walking up and hitting it as you just dont know what sort of lie etc you have until you get there.

 

[Gasp]

I'm with Brendy. I'm what I would call a considered golfer; i.e. I take time over my shots (If I drop a shot because of carelessness that's a 1/4 of my handicap gone). However there are other ways to economise on time taken. Where you leave your bag, Where you mark your card, always be ready to attend a flag, be at your ball when it's your turn.

However the sooner you let a quicker group through, the better it is for all concerned.

 

[Junior]

GCD / JF, I agree with you whole heartedly, if I loose a hole on the group in- front I will always allow the group behind to play through if they catch me up.

My point is that on a weekend where the course is very busy you get some players who are obsessed with playing quickly and they believe they have the right to play through the whole field.

I can't abide slow play but there seems to be increasing pressure nowadays to play quickly , and I dont like this either.

 

[DarthFader]

As long as the group in front havent fallen a hole behind on the group in front of them,there isnt much you can do,personally if possible i slow down hit a few pitches and putts and enjoy the course.

 

[billyg]

Must say I don't like being rushed and so won't be. I like to keep in touch with the group in front but not 'press' them. This is partly as I don't want the pressure of having to tee off with an audience and partly because seeing someone standing on the tee behind with their hands on their hips does nothing for my concentration and i'm sure it won't do theirs any good either.

If the group behind gets within a fiarway of us well just sit it out and let them through. They can gee up the group in front.

The only exception is a group that marks it's cards on the green. At that point it's out with the .22 hunting rifle and a couple of rounds through the card and a third to the 'look at me aren't I such a wag' comedy driver cover....if only.

The hardest i would ever press a group is to knck one to within 15o yards while they're putting out. if they can't get the message from this there's no hope beyond words and fists- it's never come to that I hasten to add.

On the other side I agree with the OP I can't stand the - 'ooh look at me - I went round so fast ive got scorch marks on my cleats' type top trump twit.

Take up drag racing and bugger off.

Here's a warning for people who do this- knock a ball within 50 yards of where i'm standing and you'll be needing to head down to casualty to have the thing surgically extracted from your @rse!

I budget three and half four hours for a round in good company. If you budget two and aren't polite about being let through - tough doo doo - it's a problem of your making not mine.

 

[medwayjon]

I cannot see in the enjoyment in playing this beautiful game all flustered and hurried.

Golf is my relaxation so why screw it up by being all stressed out about getting round on the double.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I loathe slow play and will hold my hands up and admit I swear and curse (to myself and sometimes my playing partners) when we/I am held up by groups, be it a 2 ball or a fourball where clearly there are no-one else in sight and we could be through and away.

However I'm just as aware that if we are having a bad time that we are not doing the same thing and spoiling the enjoyment for others. This particularly applies in competition rounds when it isn't fair on those behind trying their darndest to win to be standing round while I play like a numpty.

That being said I am naturally quick and if I play alone (which I often do midweek when I get a chance to skip out of work early) and often catch groups up eho started long before me.

Fortunately 90% of the members of Royal Ascot are decent men and women and will either let me through or where possible invite me to join them.

I am prepared to put up with slow play at busy times i.e. Saturday morning as everyone else has paid their membership and are entitled to play their OWN game. What I can't abide above anything else though is time lost through bad ettiqutte including leaving bags in bad positions, card marking on the green etc. Then I'm afraid I do have to vent my anger and I will say something (usually quite sarcastically). Not big not clever but hey !

 

[Nico]

I have been here for a couple of weeks now and this is the first thing that has made me lose it!!

I cannot understand the selfish attitude of most of these posts. Our first responsibility as Golfers is the enjoyment of our fellow players,then we should consider ourselves.
READ THE RULES if a faster playing group comes up to you it is not your choice whether to play them through or not,you should always do so!!!
We should not just keep up with the group in front we should use all our efforts to keep ahead of the group behind.
As a deliberate player myself I do all I can to do this,but have no issue playing people through,why is this an issue for some people? Do you think it makes you a bad person or weak to do this polite thing?
Why is there a reluctance to do what is not only right but is just basically polite?
Forgive me for the rant but crikey folks have a thought for someone other than yourself please!

 

[andycap]

Nico,
I think most of us probably agree with you, but how do you let people through when you are right up with the group in front? surely it is their duty to let you through, then the group behind you . And you only need let them through if they are still a faster group than you .We must all have some level of tolerance particually at busy times , some holes on my course have tees that are very close to previous greens thus requiring players to wait until the next tee is clear before making their approach shots.This allways causes a bottleneck when the course is fairly busy.