If it’s the same 4 every week, ask them why they won’t let you through. And ask them the next time too. If you don’t want the confrontation, ask the Captain to have a quiet, unofficial word.
Slow play moaners
- Thread starter timd77
- Start date
If it’s the same 4 every week, ask them why they won’t let you through. And ask them the next time too. If you don’t want the confrontation, ask the Captain to have a quiet, unofficial word.
Siolag
Active member
The easiest day to play for me at the time was a Saturday, Saturdays are taken up by comps every week at my club, ergo, I entered a comp. I didn't really have anyone to play with/sign cards to get a handicap so i put my 3 in from the white tees. I agree, I probably wasn't at the required standard, but even my back 9 had a huge difference. The converse is, I would be paying for a club that I cant use If i cant enter medals. Thankfully no one had the same attitude you have.
rksquire
Head Pro
There's a happy medium, none of us should be surprised that actual slow golf is frustrating but equally I find those trying to complete a round in as quick a time as possible equally frustrating and not enjoyable. Calling someone for slow play, whilst you are in the middle of the previous hole to that which the slow culprit is playing - as is the case of the OP, is not appropriate and for someone trying to learn the game (he was a 30 hcp) the pressure of now rushing is detrimental.
A guy I've known for a while now has periodically started playing with us as his own 4ball has been inconsistent for various reasons (work, ill health) - he says he's enjoying his golf now, playing the best he has in 3 years and it's simply because he's not flying round the course trying to keep with one particular person in his original 4ball (no conversation, walking straight to ball halfway through the final tee box downswing, hitting to the green as soon as possible, walking straight to tee box before everyone's finished etc.). He said he liked it at the start as it was great to get the round finished swiftly and they'd be let through a lot but he said he hadn't realised that the fun had went out of it until he started playing a few rounds with us. Speed golf, when you're playing it (and paying for it substantially in some cases!) as a past time and a form of relaxation / break from work pressures, is not fun.
Sensible golf - ready golf, trolley in right place, not having all 4 people look for a ball etc. - still leaves plenty of room for enjoyment and the social aspect.
A guy I've known for a while now has periodically started playing with us as his own 4ball has been inconsistent for various reasons (work, ill health) - he says he's enjoying his golf now, playing the best he has in 3 years and it's simply because he's not flying round the course trying to keep with one particular person in his original 4ball (no conversation, walking straight to ball halfway through the final tee box downswing, hitting to the green as soon as possible, walking straight to tee box before everyone's finished etc.). He said he liked it at the start as it was great to get the round finished swiftly and they'd be let through a lot but he said he hadn't realised that the fun had went out of it until he started playing a few rounds with us. Speed golf, when you're playing it (and paying for it substantially in some cases!) as a past time and a form of relaxation / break from work pressures, is not fun.
Sensible golf - ready golf, trolley in right place, not having all 4 people look for a ball etc. - still leaves plenty of room for enjoyment and the social aspect.
richbeech
Hacker
4 hours isn't slow for a round of golf and 3 and half hours is rapid! All depends on the course you're playing of course but it's 4 and a half hours at my club on a good day. On a bad day when the course is showing it's teeth it can be 4:40-4:45, even 5 hours on the odd occasion. It doesn't bother me too much because I know how difficult our course can be and I've planned my day around how long my round is likely to take. So long as the group(s) in front are showing the correct etiquette and not leaving bags the wrong side of greens, marking cards on the green, spending more than 3 minutes looking for balls and clearly not demonstrating obvious signs of messing about before and/or in between shots then I'm okay with that. And of course if they are having a mare and have clearly lost a couple of holes then that's fine so long as they let you through which most of the time they do.
sunshine
Well-known member
Yes but what were your 3 cards? And was it the first time you'd ever picked up a golf club?
Playing off a handicap of 54 equates to scoring in the 120's or a triple bogey on every hole. Scoring in the 160's is another 40 (forty!) shots worse than a 54 handicapper. That's a complete beginner walking in off the street, you can't expect a complete beginner to play in a medal on a full size course. It's massively demoralising / embarrassing for the newbie, and for everyone else in the field.
Jacko_G
Blackballed
Couldn't agree less. When you start taking over 3/3.5 hours tops the fun goes and the frustration builds then it becomes unenjoyable.
I don't ever run run a golf course, Christ I've had three operations on my feet so far so the last thing I do is run! I just play smartly. That isn't difficult.
garyinderry
Ryder Cup Winner
Last year 4 Italian students arrived at our club on a Sunday afternoon to play. They did let everyone through but it took them over 6 hours to complete the round.
They had never held a club in their lives. They really should have been directed to our 9 hole par 3 course.
Orikoru
Tour Winner
Sunday afternoon seems fair enough though? Golf clubs are always happy to take green fees then aren't they? It's usually quiet. No comps on a Sunday afternoon.
garyinderry
Ryder Cup Winner
Our comps run all day. Every fri sat and sunday.
The wee girl in the shop should have been more pro-active and asked them had they played much (read at all).
Out 9 hole course would have been fine for them.
They were taking lumps out all over the course. I gave one a chipping tip and also a divot replacing tip.
They were very pleasant but it wasnt the place for them to be.
Orikoru
Tour Winner
But if the pro shop asks them how good they are at golf then they have to ask all paying customers, and I'm sure a few people wouldn't take too kindly to being asked.
bobmac
Major Champion
The trouble is some people prefer to play slower or just can't physically walk/play faster and that's ok but.........
I've said it all along the only cure for slow play is not to encourage slower players to play faster. Who would decide? and how fast? the only solution is to redistribute the slower players.
Fast players off first and slow players off towards the rear.
Never the twain shall meet.
chellie
Tour Winner
It's not always the same 4 and sadly it would be a waste of time anyway. One group of them didn't let a single woman player through the other week. I now have a mental list of who not to book behind
chellie
Tour Winner
garyinderry said:
They would have been removed from our course and been refunded their fees. Saw it happen last year.
sunshine
Well-known member
It's not always the same 4 and sadly it would be a waste of time anyway. One group of them didn't let a single woman player through the other week. I now have a mental list of who not to book behind
This is sad. Do you think they don't let you through because you are women? Or actually they don't let anyone through at all?
can't remember what i shot but was given 24, only played a handfull of rounds up till that point. Ignorance is bliss as far as i was concerned, was encouraged to play and get a handicap ASAP
sunshine
Well-known member
24 handicap - let's say you were shooting around 100. That's a world away from 160!
Siolag
Active member
That’s great for that guy, but at my club, I have as much right to play competitions has him or anyone else.
Saying things are “embarrassing” for me and the field? Only embarrassing thing about that is your attitude.
got learn somehowm how are you ever getting a handicap if you cant put cards in
Jacko_G
Blackballed
chellie
Tour Winner
Husband says it's both reasons and I do tend to agree with him.
