Slow play harms your game.

[Thustwest]

I booked an early solo morning round at my local muni yesterday. When I arrived they apologised that they had double booked me and suggested I start on the 10th.

I played the first 9 without a sole around. I played at my own pace, without having to hurry or wait and played the best 9 holes of the year. I was in golf heaven.

When I finished the 18th and headed to the 1st to start the 2nd 9, I fed into the normal weekend traffic with the usual wait for every shot and my game fell apart. Rather than just walking up to the ball and hitting it, I found myself over thinking each shot.

Does anyone have any tips to deal with this, and help me play like I did when I didn't have to wait?

 

[Rooter]

Have a read of 'new golf thinking' have a search on here, it's been talked about a lot but I have found it very useful!!

 

[SammmeBee]

Find someone to play with?

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Don't try playing on your own on a Saturday morning would be a start

 

[Foxholer]

Any change of pace tends to 'disrupt' a game. Not just going from quick pace to a slow one.

Learning to adjust would help your overall score.

PS: I wouldn't be surprised if the 'double booking' wasn't deliberate!

 

[hombre_paulo]

Had a nice afternoon 9 holes today. No-one else in sight, love playing when its up to you how fast/slow you go

 

[tsped83]

Playing solo and then running in to traffic is inevitable. While your waiting, think about something else entirely. What's for tea? What's the missing wearing? Better still, play with others, much more fun!

 

[Green Bay Hacker]

Any change of pace tends to 'disrupt' a game. Not just going from quick pace to a slow one.

Doesn't it always happen in a comp though! Your group will we going along nicely when you hit a delay and you can almost guarantee that the next shot to be played will be one of a fat/thin/shank.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Not surprised but have to question what you expected going out alone at peak time

 

[Nosevi]

I practice alone a lot and because it tends to be during the working week I'm often in the middle of either the seniors or ladies out for their morning 'ramble'. Joking aside, I don't mind them going slowly and having a natter - it's a social occasion for them so why shouldn't they enjoy themselves? Putting aside whether they should wave me through (they should regardless of there being a clear hole ahead or not and regardless of me being alone, says so in the Etiquette of Golf....) what I tend to do is play at the same pace regardless of how long there is between shots.

This might sound daft but what I mean is that just prior to being able to take a shot (say the green is about to be cleared or the last chap on the fairway is taking his shot) I then get into my routine and start thinking about the shot. I've selected the club before hand but this is the first time I pull it out and start thinking about how I'm going to hit the ball etc. I do a few 'looseners' while standing behind the ball, visualise the shot, that sort of thing but I only start this a few seconds before I can play, before this point I'm either thinking about something else entirely or maybe practising some chipping drills. In essence I plan the shot when I get to the ball then have my pre-shot routine and execute it some time later but the two are distinctly separate and whether there's 2 seconds between or 10 minutes makes far less difference than when I tried to do both together.

It actually helps me to take one shot at a time (that old cliché...) and not think about what has gone before. I quite like playing behind the seniors, helps prepare for comps when play is generally slower.

 

[louise_a]

its more a case of changes in pace of play then slow play, I find that if I have been stuck behind someone and then get let through I suddenly start rushing.