Slow play is great!

[Orikoru]

Read about the first dozen words of your opening sentence; then read your second paragraph - what do you think the 4.00 relates to?

Not unusual for a club to have recommended pace of play times for each hole on their score cards - actually a good place to have them as the score card will be in constant use.

I would suggest to any 2 ball taking four hours - if they haven't been held up on every hole - that they should probably find a different game to play!!

Yeah obviously the time is for a four ball but it doesn't actually say that, it just says 'pace of play'. So potentially a two-ball or three-ball who don't play very much could look at that and think 4 hours is fine for them.

 

[need_my_wedge]

Slow play is not how long I take to get round 18 holes, slow play is when I am forced to wait for minutes at a time on any given shot, or a number of consecutive shots. If I fly round in 3 hours, or meander round in 4.5, it doesn't matter as long as I'm playing at my pace and enjoying the round. Keeping up with the game infront is only important, if, there is someone playing behind me. Sometimes I'm a bit quicker, sometimes a bit slower, if I'm holding someone up behind me due to my pace, then they are welcome to play through if there is a gap ahead

There is too much onus put on "a round should only take 3.5 hours" or some such. We seem to have developed a need for instant gratification, everything needs to be done now. Of course there are times when we may have another appointment but for me, playing golf is my time away from the rat race, I try to enjoy it where possible and I really don't care if it is 3.5 or 4.5 hours to play. If I really need to be away quicker, then it's 9 holes or 6 even.

 

[jim8flog]

When I first joined my current club over 30 years ago the required pace of play for a Saturday medal was 3 hours 20 minutes. We used to have to put our finishing time on the card so it could be monitored.

These days the cards state that a four ball are expected to play in no more 4 hours.

If we actually get round in 4 hours on a medal Saturday it has become quite an achievement.

By using IG golf we can pinpoint the slow players in medals and the charts now get displayed on the board in the hope that the players who cause the slow play problem will take note.

 

[Jacko_G]

The game will take as long as it takes, weather, number of players etc etc. Each course will be unique and present a challenge. Of course we could always make 'speed' the main criteria and tell course designers we want to play but we don't want to take too much time.
The new design brief...
Have high fences around the course limits so no 'out-of-bounds'
Remove the rough
Take away any trees, bushes
Remove any ditches and streams
Remove bunkers
Make the hole bigger
slope all fairways to the middle.
Slope greens towards the hole.

Just might be an issue with the sport's popularity e.g. Would we still ENJOY a game probably not !!

Absolutely 100% the wrong attitude.

That is why we're now approaching 5 hour medal rounds!

 

[Deleted member 1418]

Yeah obviously the time is for a four ball but it doesn't actually say that, it just says 'pace of play'. So potentially a two-ball or three-ball who don't play very much could look at that and think 4 hours is fine for them.

I see your point but it would soon be pointed out to them pretty quickly that it isn't by either a Marshall; or the groups they're holding up - if the course is busy!

But even as a beginner one of the first things I was told was to not play slowly or hold anyone up.

 

[User 105]

I've got a new take on slow play. I don't think people do it deliberately or for that matter even realise they're doing it.

My regular PP is a bit of a faffer and can be a bit distracted at times. More than once I've been standing on the next tee talking to him only to realise he's actually left his bag the other side of the last green and he's standing there with a putter in his hand .

We played with another guy from the club last week, haven't played with him before, and he was the same. But put the two of them together and it was mental. I'd had a word a couple of times about speeding things up. They just seemed to distract each other.

On one hole on the back 9 with the group behind standing in the fairway waiting to hit. I'd putted out as I'd chipped up close, walked over to the next tee, tee'd off to speed things off and looked around to see where they were. They were still at the back of the last green chatting.

AND THEY HADN'T EVEN TAKEN THEIR PUTTS YET !!!

It wasn't malicious or deliberate they were just in a complete world of their own.

 

[Jamesbrown]

Can’t wait to get the clubs back out full time come April, roll my eyes and watch PP’s pee about in their bags, pp’s search for a pp’s lost ball without hitting theirs first, groups teeing off the moment the fairway is clear rather than waiting for their tee time, wasting time tending flags, marking two footers, pp’s not having their glove on ready and players not even turning up on time to tee off.

Roll on season 2019!

 

[6535]

Absolutely 100% the wrong attitude.

That is why we're now approaching 5 hour medal rounds!

Why is it? You can only control what you and your group does? If a group in front won’t let you through for whatever reason, are you going to hit through them just because your not going to hit the 3.5hr round?
I agree with drdel it takes as long as it takes, It might be 3.5 or 5hrs or anything in between.

 

[drdel]

Absolutely 100% the wrong attitude.

That is why we're now approaching 5 hour medal rounds!

I guess you don't do sarcasm / irony

 

[clubchamp98]

Pace of play must be variable, surely.?
Two lads in their thirties off single figures will (should ) always be a lot quicker than two high handicap seniors.
And four high handicaps seniors, being mindful of pace and not faffing about, is still going to be very slow, and maybe slower than the Club expects.
But if the Club permits high handicaps playing medal comps, then it can't criticise long-time rounds?
So, which is worse on a golf course, being held up, or being pushed by following group
Answer- Both😊

It’s the other way around imo at ours anyway.
Seniors all get on with it , it’s the young ones with the PSR and lines on the ball it’s painful to watch.

 

[clubchamp98]

I think a lot of people would be quite happy if their round was 4 hours tops.

Certainly if I get a good run at my course, it flows pretty well, and 3 and a half hours is very achievable without rushing.
My previous course did not flow as well and 4 hours was a big struggle (quite a few 50m to 80m walks from green to next tee as well as 1 tee directly behind the previous green).

As I've said before, it's marginal gains. No one is saying folk should be rushing round or hitting their shot without taking a few seconds to just consider what they're planning to do.
But there's a dozen things you could do just to shave a few seconds here and there, which adds up for a 3 or 4 ball over 18 holes.

Definitely feel that golf trolleys have added quite a bit of time to most rounds. However, we are well past the point of no return with regards to this.

Putting with the flag in (certainly long putts) should make a difference, especially for 2 ball.
Likewise more clubs promoting ready golf for all social and medal rounds.
Going to make a conscious effort to mark, clean and replace my ball on the green in one movement (assuming not in anyone's line) rather than keep it in my pocket then replace it pre-shot.
Doubt the 3 minute rule will make much difference. If 3 guys don't find a ball within 2 minutes, then it's probably not worth finding and there would have been very few searches than extended much beyond 3 minutes.
Clubs can also make a conscious decision to consider problematic areas (for example marsh areas where a ball plugs, or thick rough that is not maintained but very much in play).

All very sensible but some players don’t like putting with another ball on the green in their eyeline.
I know at least two who would ask you to mark and pick it up.

What would happen if I asked you to mark and you refused.
Can I make you.
All in the best possible way of course.

 

[clubchamp98]

The game will take as long as it takes, weather, number of players etc etc. Each course will be unique and present a challenge. Of course we could always make 'speed' the main criteria and tell course designers we want to play but we don't want to take too much time.
The new design brief...
Have high fences around the course limits so no 'out-of-bounds'
Remove the rough
Take away any trees, bushes
Remove any ditches and streams
Remove bunkers
Make the hole bigger
slope all fairways to the middle.
Slope greens towards the hole.

Just might be an issue with the sport's popularity e.g. Would we still ENJOY a game probably not !!

I just might get back to cat1 if I played there.

 

[Jacko_G]

I guess you don't do sarcasm / irony

No. I'm as straight laced as a nun. 😜

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Slow play is not how long I take to get round 18 holes, slow play is when I am forced to wait for minutes at a time on any given shot, or a number of consecutive shots. If I fly round in 3 hours, or meander round in 4.5, it doesn't matter as long as I'm playing at my pace and enjoying the round. Keeping up with the game infront is only important, if, there is someone playing behind me. Sometimes I'm a bit quicker, sometimes a bit slower, if I'm holding someone up behind me due to my pace, then they are welcome to play through if there is a gap ahead

There is too much onus put on "a round should only take 3.5 hours" or some such. We seem to have developed a need for instant gratification, everything needs to be done now. Of course there are times when we may have another appointment but for me, playing golf is my time away from the rat race, I try to enjoy it where possible and I really don't care if it is 3.5 or 4.5 hours to play. If I really need to be away quicker, then it's 9 holes or 6 even.

This. I don't mind taking four hours if the group (assuming a 4 ball) is constantly moving and we can go from green to tee, play, walk from tee to the shot, play etc. If I'm waiting on every shot it's frustrating, tough mentally and a pain especially in a social roll up where I'm suppose to be out having fun. I don't consider waiting on each shot fun

 

[chrisd]

This. I don't mind taking four hours if the group (assuming a 4 ball) is constantly moving and we can go from green to tee, play, walk from tee to the shot, play etc. If I'm waiting on every shot it's frustrating, tough mentally and a pain especially in a social roll up where I'm suppose to be out having fun. I don't consider waiting on each shot fun

I thought you'd be used to waiting for a shot Homer - being a Fulham supporter 😂

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I thought you'd be used to waiting for a shot Homer - being a Fulham supporter 😂

We used our quota for the next six games at home to Brighton

 

[HankMarvin]

I think a lot of people would be quite happy if their round was 4 hours tops.

Certainly if I get a good run at my course, it flows pretty well, and 3 and a half hours is very achievable without rushing.
My previous course did not flow as well and 4 hours was a big struggle (quite a few 50m to 80m walks from green to next tee as well as 1 tee directly behind the previous green).

As I've said before, it's marginal gains. No one is saying folk should be rushing round or hitting their shot without taking a few seconds to just consider what they're planning to do.
But there's a dozen things you could do just to shave a few seconds here and there, which adds up for a 3 or 4 ball over 18 holes.

Definitely feel that golf trolleys have added quite a bit of time to most rounds. However, we are well past the point of no return with regards to this.

Putting with the flag in (certainly long putts) should make a difference, especially for 2 ball.
Likewise more clubs promoting ready golf for all social and medal rounds.
Going to make a conscious effort to mark, clean and replace my ball on the green in one movement (assuming not in anyone's line) rather than keep it in my pocket then replace it pre-shot.
Doubt the 3 minute rule will make much difference. If 3 guys don't find a ball within 2 minutes, then it's probably not worth finding and there would have been very few searches than extended much beyond 3 minutes.
Clubs can also make a conscious decision to consider problematic areas (for example marsh areas where a ball plugs, or thick rough that is not maintained but very much in play).

3 and a half hours should be the maximum time it should take to play 18 hole, a game of football is 90 minutes and then a few more minutes for extra time so why can golf be timed ?

Slow play is killing the game

 

[Roops]

Pace of play must be variable, surely.?
Two lads in their thirties off single figures will (should ) always be a lot quicker than two high handicap seniors.
And four high handicaps seniors, being mindful of pace and not faffing about, is still going to be very slow, and maybe slower than the Club expects.
But if the Club permits high handicaps playing medal comps, then it can't criticise long-time rounds?
So, which is worse on a golf course, being held up, or being pushed by following group
Answer- Both😊

Interesting, on New Years Day we have a fun comp of 8 and 9 balls! The rule is that you have to finish in 3 hours. This year no team finished outside the time limit, sure it can be a bit of a rush but if you just get on with it, not a problem. Interestingly, we caught a two ball on the 10th hole.........priceless seeing them look back to the tee with eight people waiting to tee off

 

[GB72]

I like to play at a fastish pace but I am also realistic about it. Fact is that there are very few times when any of the groups anywhere near me have any control over the pace of play. I only play at weekends, the course is busy, there are 2 groups on most holes so any delay anywhere on the course is going to be extenuated for those behind. Frustrates me when I am playing with someone who gets seriously annoyed with the group in front when there is little that they can do except play to the pace of all of the groups in front. It is even worse at this time of year when a similar number of golfers want to play but the time available due to shorter days is even less.

The pace of play does not wreck my game so much as the pressure appplied by other groups or even just by myself to move quicker because others are waiting (through no fault of mine or my group). In all honesty, I would be more relaxed playing if the whole concept of playing through was abolished. The chaos that it can cause when a 2 ball wants to play through a busy course full of 3 and 4 balls is just not worth it.

Appreciate that I will probably get stick for this but I would rather pace my game to the speed to the rest of the course and a round take how long it takes (OK my course never really gets much above 4 hours so that may impact on my feelings about it). If I am in any sort of rush, I do not play.