Slow play moaners

[timd77]

I’m currently off 30, trying to get that down and I know I should be off around 25. Played in the stableford comp today with 2 lads who play off 18. The group in from were off 1, 4 & 9, therefore clearly much quicker than us. Despite this, we more or less kept up with them, usually teeing off on a par 4 as them were on the green etc.

Personally played quite well on the front 9, 18 points even with a couple of blobs, and started off the back 9 with 3 points on the first 2 holes. So not exactly having a shocker.

After we’d teed off the 12th, one of the blokes behind moaned that we were holding play up and were nearly 2 holes behind the group in front. We just laughed/shrugged it off and ignored him, but it got to me. I ended up blobbing the next 2 holes, which included an OOB and not playing a provisional after hitting one into the trees, I felt under pressure to get on with it.

In all, our round took 3.5 hours, which I don’t think is particularly slow, especially for a Saturday morning and a comp where you might take a bit more care over your shots. We hadn’t felt ten breathing down our necks at all and only noticed them waiting once once on the short 9th. They were in the tee and we were putting out so not exactly an opportunity to offer them to play through, and probably not required anyway.

I really regret not responding to him. I’m wondering what other’s experience is of this and what’s the best way to handle it in future? Should you respond in any sort of way? Leave it till the clubhouse?

I get that a 4+ hour round is annoying, but we were nowhere near this. Just enjoy the game!

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Had you lost 2 holes on the group in front?

 

[timd77]

Had you lost 2 holes on the group in front?

No. It’s a blind tee shot so you can’t see after your drive but they would’ve been on the green at the most.

 

[timd77]

No. It’s a blind tee shot so you can’t see after your drive but they would’ve been on the green at the most.

Even if we had been, as I say, the group in front are rapid, they’ll take 3-4 fewer shots than us on most holes due to their superior ability. What are we meant to do to remain on their tales, run between shots or pick our ball up?

 

[harpo_72]

Comps and Saturday roll up stuff, are hard to gauge. Today I felt we were probably a bit slow initially and then as a group of 3 we started to press the 2 ball in front and got a hole clear behind. I did not feel it was a long round.
Sometimes your a victim of layout, don’t worry too much about the groups pace in front of you, they are just indicators of what’s possible and what’s slow. Always check behind you, if you have no one in front and it looks like they are waiting behind you .. call them through, wish them well, let them play their shots and enjoy your game.

 

[Siolag]

You are off a similar handicap to me, and I know the feeling of feeling rushed. Unless you are doing ridiculous pre shot routines or counting scores whilst still on the green, I wouldn’t worry too much. 3.5 hours seems ok for a round.

I try and play ready golf and find I’m at my best when I’m playing efficiently but not rushed. On my first ever medal, only my 3rd time doing 18 holes, I put 160 odd on the card and we were still waiting in several places on the group in front. My first 3 holes accounted for 40 odd of those shots. High handicappers are an easy target but not always the cause of slow play.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

No. It’s a blind tee shot so you can’t see after your drive but they would’ve been on the green at the most.

Then I’d of put him straight.

At times anyone can be holding up or slowing down those behind, it doesn’t make you a slow player and this is the confusion Imo,

If you lose over a hole to the group in front, you should be aware of those behind you and if you are holding them up, ie, you could be in a 4 Ball and behind could be a 2 Ball or a 3 Ball which in normal play will be faster by size of group, but even if it’s another 4 Ball you should consider letting them through, time taken to complete the round is almost irrelevant.

If you went round in 3hrs and held somebody up, they could consider you as slow.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

In my opinion, when a group is only teeing off with the group in front of them on the grenn on par 4's that tends to invite scrutiny which can lead to mutterings.

 

[larmen]

At my last comp our combined handicap was 110 while the group ahead was 60ish. We lost a hole and a bit over 18 (they walked of the 18th tee when we walked to 17) and I felt bad about it. But i think I walk fast and if I stop once or twice more on the fairway to take a shot it doesn’t slow us much. It is just that as a group we lost 5 or 6 balls between us and they probably just 2 or 3.

Tomorrow I am drawn in the last group, do having non computer people playing the yellows behind makes me a little nervous as well when they see me ‘hacking’ it from the whites, even if only at 2 holes it makes a proper difference.

 

[Jigger]

Firstly you’re not slow at 3.5 hrs! Handicap does not determine slow play. Fannying around, not thinking about your exit point for leaving your bag and not playing ready golf does.

However, the etiquette rules dictate that if you lose the group in front you should let the group behind through at the earliest opportunity. In all honesty it sounds like you were consistently only a shot behind the group in front all the way around so I don’t think this counts to you but let’s say you did to give you an example. If the group behind is consistently up your backside you should let them through at first opportunity (I.e. looking for a ball) by letting them hit and then continuing to play yourself where possible until they pass you so you don’t set off a chain reaction and slow the whole field down.

Off what you said they just seem to be concerned about speed rather than score and did the right thing by ignoring them. Just don’t let them rattle you in future. Me on the other hand would’ve pointed out you were ahead of time and told them to stop being kn#b heads and to F off but that doesn’t make it right.

 

[timd77]

The lads I played with are experienced players, but even allowing for my relative inexperience, I’m always aware of the group behind and would always call a group through if we were holding them up. At no point today did I feel we held them up, I think you know when you’re holding play up. The closest it came was them on the tee on a par 3 with us putting out, but it does tend to bunch up on a par 3 anyway, and then back to normality on the next hole.

The next hole was a par 5, we were well gone when they got to the tee and as we were walking off the green they were still checking yardages etc, so definitely not up our a*ses.

Literally impossible to not lose a bit of ground on the group in front... they’re taking 3-4 shots and I’m taking 5-6! We’ve all got to start somewhere!

 

[Leftie]

I can't comment on this particular instance Tim - I wasn't there, but one thing that people tend to forget is that if a group loses ground on the group in front, they are actually losing ground on the whole of the field in front of them. You can't just blame it on the group directly in front being quicker players. They all are.

 

[Jacko_G]

A medal/competition - 3 ball - I would say 3.5 is more than acceptable. 4+ hours absolutely no no.

 

[Slab]

Is this really about pace of play or the fact that you went blob blob after someone gave you a talking to

If the group behind talked to you about say, your shirt not being tucked in and setting a bad example etc, or some other topic you didn't really agree with, do you think you might have let that 'get to you' too & go blob blob?

If yes then it's not specifically 'pace' that's the cause for the drop in concentration/poor play

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

Nobody gets more annoyed with slow play moaners than I do, timd 77.

First of all, fours hours is NOT too long for a round of golf. If one doesn't have four hours for recreation, go to the cinema and watch a two hour film instead.

One thing that's becoming popular in America is something called "ready golf" where the players in a group hit out of turn as soon as each gets to his/her ball.
I simply refuse to play with any group that chooses to do that. It totally disrespects the social aspect of golf.

Fortunately, I play weekday golf with other seniors where these untraditional ideas are not encouraged. The primary reason for slower play is that newer, aspirational players hit more shots to get around the track. Live with it. We were all there once.

 

[Smiffy]

Teeing off on a par 4 when they were on the green???
I'm usually teeing off once they start walking after their second shots (providing they all hit decent ones).

 

[Kellfire]

Nobody gets more annoyed with slow play moaners than I do, timd 77.

First of all, fours hours is NOT too long for a round of golf. If one doesn't have four hours for recreation, go to the cinema and watch a two hour film instead.

One thing that's becoming popular in America is something called "ready golf" where the players in a group hit out of turn as soon as each gets to his/her ball.
I simply refuse to play with any group that chooses to do that. It totally disrespects the social aspect of golf.

Fortunately, I play weekday golf with other seniors where these untraditional ideas are not encouraged. The primary reason for slower play is that newer, aspirational players hit more shots to get around the track. Live with it. We were all there once.

You refuse to play ready golf? I’ll get my popcorn.

 

[bobmac]

First of all, fours hours is NOT too long for a round of golf. If one doesn't have four hours for recreation, go to the cinema and watch a two hour film instead.

You may not think so but there are many who would disagree.
If you think 4 hours isn't slow especially in a buggy, then you may be part of the problem

 

[Siolag]

You refuse to play ready golf? I’ll get my popcorn.

Surely at the windup...

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I’m currently off 30, trying to get that down and I know I should be off around 25. Played in the stableford comp today with 2 lads who play off 18. The group in from were off 1, 4 & 9, therefore clearly much quicker than us. Despite this, we more or less kept up with them, usually teeing off on a par 4 as them were on the green etc.

Personally played quite well on the front 9, 18 points even with a couple of blobs, and started off the back 9 with 3 points on the first 2 holes. So not exactly having a shocker.

After we’d teed off the 12th, one of the blokes behind moaned that we were holding play up and were nearly 2 holes behind the group in front. We just laughed/shrugged it off and ignored him, but it got to me. I ended up blobbing the next 2 holes, which included an OOB and not playing a provisional after hitting one into the trees, I felt under pressure to get on with it.

In all, our round took 3.5 hours, which I don’t think is particularly slow, especially for a Saturday morning and a comp where you might take a bit more care over your shots. We hadn’t felt ten breathing down our necks at all and only noticed them waiting once once on the short 9th. They were in the tee and we were putting out so not exactly an opportunity to offer them to play through, and probably not required anyway.

I really regret not responding to him. I’m wondering what other’s experience is of this and what’s the best way to handle it in future? Should you respond in any sort of way? Leave it till the clubhouse?

I get that a 4+ hour round is annoying, but we were nowhere near this. Just enjoy the game!

when it comes to slow play the simple mantra is

Are you holding up the group behind you because you have lost ground-

If you are getting to the tee whilst the group in front are getting off the green and the group behind are waiting for you then yes you should be letting them go through because there is space in front of you and they are clearly the quicker group and must be let through ( regardless of size )

Nobody gets more annoyed with slow play moaners than I do, timd 77.

First of all, fours hours is NOT too long for a round of golf. If one doesn't have four hours for recreation, go to the cinema and watch a two hour film instead.

One thing that's becoming popular in America is something called "ready golf" where the players in a group hit out of turn as soon as each gets to his/her ball.
I simply refuse to play with any group that chooses to do that. It totally disrespects the social aspect of golf.

Fortunately, I play weekday golf with other seniors where these untraditional ideas are not encouraged. The primary reason for slower play is that newer, aspirational players hit more shots to get around the track. Live with it. We were all there once.

You always seem to be wanting to say the “contraversial” point knowing that it’s against the grain

Ready golf is in both rules manuals of the sport - it is trying to combat on of the biggest issues in sport - slow play but then I suspect you know that hence your comment , if not then you have the same sort of attitude that some seniors have in most clubs ( from what I have witnessed )