Slow play Hurts Your Scoring

[greenone]

Last summer I had to walk off the course 3 weeks running having teed off before 8am if I was to make it to play cricket in the afternoon. It's the same people who constantly slow the pace of play and if they play early then the course is lik that for the whole day.

 

[Backache]

Why do you expect others to play at your pace ? Why are you 'correct' and they 'wrong' ?

People are going to play at different speeds. No one is right or wrong. All that's wrong is the expectation of the quickest that every one else should play at their set pace.

Don't fully agree with this time on a golf course is a limited resource and slow play limits that resource for everyone whereas fast play does not. No one is suggesting that everyone should play at the pace of the fastest players but that slow players should either speed up or stand aside

 

[Backsticks]

Don't fully agree with this time on a golf course is a limited resource and slow play limits that resource for everyone whereas fast play does not. No one is suggesting that everyone should play at the pace of the fastest players but that slow players should either speed up or stand aside

True to a point. And it's easy for the fast group, thinking only from their own perspective, that they should be let through. In theory, it's OK. But that cannot apply to all cases. A slower group does not have to keep letting faster groups through as if they are VIPs. On a full course, what does the slowest group do, sit on a tee letting everyone through until there is no one left ? That's unreasonable.The slower group is always, and must, delay some other groups. There is nothing wrong with that, and the impatient need to recognise that fact. There is an arrogance to the : we are faster you better not delay us : attitude and expectation.

Everyone has got slower at playing golf in the last 40 years. I do blame the aping of TV pros and nonsense tips and methods. We just have to accept it. Was playing with a guy at the weekend who on every putt, was taking a practice imaginary putt half way to the hole. I didn't ask, but presumably he saw someone else do it or read it in a magazine or guru book. Did it add time to our round? Sure. Did it help his putting? Certainly not. It was just another gimmick. But do we stop him? No. We relax and accept slower rounds of golf are just life today

 

[Foxholer]

Last summer I had to walk off the course 3 weeks running having teed off before 8am if I was to make it to play cricket in the afternoon. It's the same people who constantly slow the pace of play and if they play early then the course is lik that for the whole day.

Double scheduling like that is YOUR problem! While I can sympathise with your predicament, it's selfish to expect those in front to rush to allow you to get away at a certain time. You simply need to tee off earlier and avoid being behind them in the first place.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Another bone of contention is when the big board events come around and everybody from the low handicappers battling it out for the club championship gross prize (which I actually get) to those off much higher handicaps all turn into Kevin Na and putts are studied from every angle and there are far more practice shots taken. You don't do this normally so why take more time in these events and change what you normally do to get it round and normally in around 4 hours

 

[bobmac]

Err, you’ve been saying faster players should play early in the day and slower people later. Unless I have you confused with someone else I’d have misunderstood. In which case I apologise.

I have said the slower players could be encouraged to play later, not forced. Big difference.

If a club announced that as of 5th Feb, the first 3 t-times* will be expected to not exceed 3hrs 30 mins or sanctions will be applied, the slower players will probably avoid them. If the announcement also stated that the last 3 t-times will be expected to take over 4 hours, the slow coaches will maybe just maybe change their plans for a later, more enjoyable walk while the sprinters would know to avoid those times.

This arrangement would mean the pace of play would not be set by slower players going off first.

Last summer I had to walk off the course 3 weeks running having teed off before 8am if I was to make it to play cricket in the afternoon. It's the same people who constantly slow the pace of play and if they play early then the course is lik that for the whole day.

 

[hovis]

Wouldn't it be better to have the snails behind you?



Says who?
For some people it is.

So what about the fast people that can only play after work and the snails that can only play in the morning. Sorry but your idea is not workable.

As for "says who". Says all the other people that have other things to do rather than be on a course. Almost all clubs have guidelines on pace of play. If you want a stroll with your mates then go to the park or start being considerate of other people

 

[Pathetic Shark]

Another bone of contention is when the big board events come around and everybody from the low handicappers battling it out for the club championship gross prize (which I actually get) to those off much higher handicaps all turn into Kevin Na and putts are studied from every angle and there are far more practice shots taken. You don't do this normally so why take more time in these events and change what you normally do to get it round and normally in around 4 hours

Years back at an old club, our Club President went on and on about the speed of play in the championship. He was off 28 because his real handicap of about 50 was not allowed then. He shoots a monster score on the first day going out last but the second day was reverse scoring. He promptly shoots around 130 gross and insists on holing out on every shot. His group took four and a half hours for a shortish course and naturally affected every group behind. By the time we got in as the last group, search parties were about to be sent out. I won that year and did let him have it after I thanked the greenkeepers etc - and of course he never changed his speed of play.

 

[Steve Wilkes]

I just love the attitude of, I want to be able to get to my ball at hit straight away with no waiting around. I like to go to the bank or post office and be served straight away, it's just not going to happen all the time unless I go to the bank when there's no-one there.

 

[bobmac]

So what about the fast people that can only play after work and the snails that can only play in the morning. Sorry but your idea is not workable.

I was talking mainly about the weekly weekend comps.

I did ask in post no.76 if any club had tried the speed slots and no-one has.
If you don't try something different, you won't know if it will work and I guess we'll just have to keep pushing people on and hammering 'ready golf'.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, not everyone wants to play at the same pace and in my opinion, it's wrong to try and force them to.

It's like the golf swing....if you change nothing, nothing will change

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Most clubs have known offenders that are slow whether its their weekend game with their pals or playing a club competition. We have at least two in our roll ups that will regularly lose a hole with their group (and yes that is with others giving them the hurry up). We have mentioned it quietly, in general conversation and even put it in writing but as the club have no interest in speeding up play in any way then the problem will never go away. Slow players will still be slow (most don't accept they are anyway) and average round times will slowly creep up

 

[bobmac]

We have at least two in our roll ups that will regularly lose a hole with their group (and yes that is with others giving them the hurry up).

I remember you mentioning these people years ago and they are still allowed to carry on?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I remember you mentioning these people years ago and they are still allowed to carry on?

Of course. They pay their membership so are entitled to play. The majority recognise they are a problem and have tried to tackle the solution but without the club wanting to get involved what can you do?

 

[sunshine]

Another bone of contention is when the big board events come around and everybody from the low handicappers battling it out for the club championship gross prize (which I actually get) to those off much higher handicaps all turn into Kevin Na and putts are studied from every angle and there are far more practice shots taken. You don't do this normally so why take more time in these events and change what you normally do to get it round and normally in around 4 hours

I love the Kevin Na analogy.

I think course presentation plays a role. especially medal compared with stableford. It's noticeable at my place when a tricky pin slows everyone down on that green. Same goes for long rough in popular zones... we have a par 4 where I always aimed down the left to avoid trees on the right, left rough was a safe miss. Last summer the greens team let the left rough get really thick, and everyone was always waiting on the tee while groups ahead searched for balls.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I love the Kevin Na analogy.

I think course presentation plays a role. especially medal compared with stableford. It's noticeable at my place when a tricky pin slows everyone down on that green. Same goes for long rough in popular zones... we have a par 4 where I always aimed down the left to avoid trees on the right, left rough was a safe miss. Last summer the greens team let the left rough get really thick, and everyone was always waiting on the tee while groups ahead searched for balls.

I totally agree. In the summer the club grows the rough to shin height (or higher) on some holes and anything too wild is an immediate reload. Even if every player to a provisional while the group was on the tee, they still often insist on "a quick look" when it is obvious it is a lost ball and even if it is found there is no shot, even on the shortest line back to the fairway. Nothing against the club and it does present a challenge but mid-high handicappers can be notoriously wayward often with a two way miss and so it is inevitable the pace slows. Add in those already going slow and dragging their group to their pace and it can be painful

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I think course presentation plays a role. especially medal compared with stableford. It's noticeable at my place when a tricky pin slows everyone down on that green. Same goes for long rough in popular zones... we have a par 4 where I always aimed down the left to avoid trees on the right, left rough was a safe miss. Last summer the greens team let the left rough get really thick, and everyone was always waiting on the tee while groups ahead searched for balls.

I suspect every club has a hole or area like that. We certainly do at my current club, have done at past clubs. They are so obviously pinch points but every so often someone gets involved with the argument, 'don't go there'. As we know, golf isn't that simple and ulitmately people do so cut it down and keep the course moving. Rough is appropriate at times, at times it isn't smart to have. Recognising that shouldn't be too hard but every so often you have to go through the pain before those in charge realise their error.

 

[Foxholer]

...
I think course presentation plays a role. especially medal compared with stableford. It's noticeable at my place when a tricky pin slows everyone down on that green. Same goes for long rough in popular zones... we have a par 4 where I always aimed down the left to avoid trees on the right, left rough was a safe miss. Last summer the greens team let the left rough get really thick, and everyone was always waiting on the tee while groups ahead searched for balls.

I agree that pinch-point identification and resolution is extremely important for flow of play. Frequent communications with GKs are very important in that process.

 

[hovis]

I was talking mainly about the weekly weekend comps.

I did ask in post no.76 if any club had tried the speed slots and no-one has.
If you don't try something different, you won't know if it will work and I guess we'll just have to keep pushing people on and hammering 'ready golf'.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, not everyone wants to play at the same pace and in my opinion, it's wrong to try and force them to.

It's like the golf swing....if you change nothing, nothing will change

I agree in essence with what you are saying. It makes sense, especially weekend comps. I personally think the biggest problem with slow play is lack of self awareness (not thinking you're slow). Or outright selfishness. Those won't change no matter what time they tee off

 

[Foxholer]

I suspect every club has a hole or area like that. We certainly do at my current club, have done at past clubs. They are so obviously pinch points but every so often someone gets involved with the argument, 'don't go there'....

My view is that such rough as described above is ok if it prevents the player from getting onto the green on a Par 4 (or requires a significant effort in subsequent shots to do so on a Par 5), but not if it's a potential lost ball. Sufficient punishment, but minimal delay involved.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

My view is that such rough as described above is ok if it prevents the player from getting onto the green on a Par 4 (or requires a significant effort in subsequent shots to do so on a Par 5), but not if it's a potential lost ball. Sufficient punishment, but minimal delay involved.

I agree with that, it's about getting the rough height just right. Enough to penalise, not enough to lose a ball. Be able to see it and walk up to it but have to bully it out and along.