Slow Play - Not worth a punch in the face?

[Deleted member 15344]

So not just old people as you posted earlier? - there are people on this thread who've posted that 'It's not a race and I'm out there to have a break from the rest of my life' how about them?

You're right about ready golf and faffing about - applies to all age groups.

Can only go by what I witness on our course and then checking the tee time compared to the time the scorecard gets entered for example

Comparing how quickly a medal is the weekend to a medal on a Wednesday

All the players that have been highlighted and warned about slow play

All seniors but mainly during the week - at the weekend there was one bunch of 8 who started at 9 and held the whole course up - they have been asked to play later in the day as a group - all over 70

Can only judge on the evidence seen over the years ?‍

 

[Smiffy]

My experience over the years does lead me to believe that it is the lower handicappers that are the slowest. They want perfection and if they don't hit a perfect shot seem to spend ages afterwards trying to repeat the swing they've just made and "tweak" it, in the hope that it doesn't happen again.
And if they have a bad round will normally blame the fact that they felt "hurried" as the reason.
Sorry low handicappers.

 

[Deleted member 3432]

In my experience you see a small minority of older golfers who are slow, a small minority of younger and middle aged golfers who are slow and a huge number of people who spend a round of golf chatting away and hanging around wasting time.

Just play golf and leave the socialising to the clubhouse or better still miss out the golf altogether please and go straight to the clubhouse...

 

[davidy233]

Can only go by what I witness on our course and then checking the tee time compared to the time the scorecard gets entered for example

Comparing how quickly a medal is the weekend to a medal on a Wednesday

All the players that have been highlighted and warned about slow play

All seniors but mainly during the week - at the weekend there was one bunch of 8 who started at 9 and held the whole course up - they have been asked to play later in the day as a group - all over 70

Can only judge on the evidence seen over the years ?‍

At your place - nothing like that where I've played - if they've been warned then maybe you should be taking their membership away

 

[davidy233]

In my experience you see a small minority of older golfers who are slow, a small minority of younger and middle aged golfers who are slow and a huge number of people who spend a round of golf chatting away and hanging around wasting time.

Just play golf and leave the socialising to the clubhouse or better still miss out the golf altogether please and go straight to the clubhouse...

Exactly this

 

[birdyhunter]

I really don't think you can generalise who the slow players are... all age groups and abilities can be guilty of it, so arguments of a certain bracket of players holding up the course are facile.

Yes some players are going to be slower than others, we can never all play at exactly the same pace, it ain't going to happen.

However, a word I don't hear so much now but was drummed into me when I first learned to play is etiquette. That means being ready to play when it's your turn, not leaving your trolley at the front of the green when you've just chipped to the back, and acknowledging that when faster players are behind you and you're not keeping up with the group ahead, you wave them through with a smile and kind word. It's not difficult.

 

[RichA]

I quite often play solo rounds. I enjoy the chance to concentrate on the golf and just enjoy being out on the course for a few hours of recreation.
Being aware that I'm quicker around the course than most groups, I generally pace myself to stay a couple of shots behind the group in front. If they're slower than what you'd consider normal I'll put myself in a position on the course where they get the opportunity to invite me through.
Never found myself in a situation where I'm quicker and there's been anything other than pleasantries exchanged.
"Thank you. I'm *** but I'm quick", normally helps them cover up any embarrassment at being overtaken.

The only "slow play" confrontation I've ever experienced was while playing with a mate on a Sunday morning. We had teed off on the 3rd, coming back parallel to the 2nd. While we were looking for a sliced drive in the shared rough, one of the group came over to tell us that we'd better not hold them up looking for lost balls all morning. At this point they were 3 shots behind us, having teed off 10 minutes later.
We assumed the guy was having a laugh. He wasn't.

The point is, it's nothing to do with age or skill. The people who get angry about it are the same ones who drive around with a hand hovering over the horn, waiting for a learner to stall at a roundabout or a pensioner to pause for half a second when the lights change to green.
It's supposed to be recreation. Why does it have to be such a joyless slog when you've spent days looking forward to it?

 

[clubchamp98]

I quite often play solo rounds. I enjoy the chance to concentrate on the golf and just enjoy being out on the course for a few hours of recreation.
Being aware that I'm quicker around the course than most groups, I generally pace myself to stay a couple of shots behind the group in front. If they're slower than what you'd consider normal I'll put myself in a position on the course where they get the opportunity to invite me through.
Never found myself in a situation where I'm quicker and there's been anything other than pleasantries exchanged.
"Thank you. I'm *** but I'm quick", normally helps them cover up any embarrassment at being overtaken.

The only "slow play" confrontation I've ever experienced was while playing with a mate on a Sunday morning. We had teed off on the 3rd, coming back parallel to the 2nd. While we were looking for a sliced drive in the shared rough, one of the group came over to tell us that we'd better not hold them up looking for lost balls all morning. At this point they were 3 shots behind us, having teed off 10 minutes later.
We assumed the guy was having a laugh. He wasn't.

The point is, it's nothing to do with age or skill. The people who get angry about it are the same ones who drive around with a hand hovering over the horn, waiting for a learner to stall at a roundabout or a pensioner to pause for half a second when the lights change to green.
It's supposed to be recreation. Why does it have to be such a joyless slog when you've spent days looking forward to it?

Spot on I do exactly the same I do try and stay away from other groups if I am on my own.
General manners are poor in society imo.
But there is always a dick.

I remember a trio coming up behind as I was leaving the1st tee .
One said in all seriousness “ I hope you won’t be holding us up”
I replied “your early for your tee time and shouldn’t be here, but if you catch me I will give the game up”
Shut him up.
I just can’t see the need for stupid comments before they have even caught you up.
But the world is full of these idiots not just golf courses.

 

[harpo_72]

Heckling from hole 4 to 15? That’s pretty miserable behaviour as well. Punching is not suitable either. He should of let them through and got on with his game, then mentioned to the sec this was offensive behaviour.
It is true men in their 30-50s are more likely to be the time offenders, they have the big driver heads they thrash at it and it goes in all manner of places... and they don’t find it so quickly.
Then you have those who are putting like they are at the masters... this spans age groups and gender

 

[DanFST]

It's true, seniors are faster. They are only going to get worse at golf, so they don't bother spending time over any shots. They want to hurry round as fast as possible because they hate the people they are playing with, they are only playing to get away from their wife. They will also tell everyone to hurry up and talk to them rudely, after all they've been a member for years, it's their right.

Generalisations are fun right?

 

[RichA]

I'm a senior but I've only been a member for 6 months.
Other than that, all true.

 

[sweaty sock]

I must be one of the very few people who actually enjoy playing golf. Could not care how long it takes.

Keep you place on the course, try and enjoy your favourite pastime?

 

[Slab]

There’s a bit of an obvious flaw in posting stuff like; players ‘usually get round in 3;30 or whatever; or anything longer than x is too slow etc... It’s not immediately clear to the reader what size the course and the overall distance is

It’s a bit like me saying I finished a road race in 3:30 & not saying if it was a marathon or a half-marathon (one is pretty good the other is just a walk really)

The course I used to play most in the UK is a compact 6,200 plus about 800 for green to tee distance (so topping out at only 7000 yards to walk plus diversions to the ball)
The course I’ll play this weekend is 7,478 just tee to green distance with easily another 2,500yds green to tee, so about 10,000 yards to cover plus diversions to the ball
(doesn’t matter that I don’t play at full length, I still have to walk past the tips to get to my tees)

So that extra 3,000 yards (at a very brisk pace) will take about 30 minutes. So even forgetting elevation changes, weather, choke points, number of players and any other delays etc, one course is going to be a lot longer to play than the other… for the same player going at the same pace

 

[Boomy]

Perhaps they should put "Slow, Medium and Fast" lanes up the fairways they people can fly past on the right if they want to get round quickly?

Or alternatively we could all just share the darn space politely, with polite communication and manners and enjoy being out playing the game we love!

 

[clubchamp98]

Perhaps they should put "Slow, Medium and Fast" lanes up the fairways they people can fly past on the right if they want to get round quickly?

Or alternatively we could all just share the darn space politely, with polite communication and manners and enjoy being out playing the game we love!

In Florida they have FAST TEE TIMES. Early morning
You must complete your front nine before a certain time because after that they use a two tee start.

 

[greenone]

I must be one of the very few people who actually enjoy playing golf. Could not care how long it takes.

Keep you place on the course, try and enjoy your favourite pastime?

I enjoy playing golf, what I don't enjoy is waiting to play golf 2 or 3 times every hole.

 

[sunshine]

My experience over the years does lead me to believe that it is the lower handicappers that are the slowest. They want perfection and if they don't hit a perfect shot seem to spend ages afterwards trying to repeat the swing they've just made and "tweak" it, in the hope that it doesn't happen again.
And if they have a bad round will normally blame the fact that they felt "hurried" as the reason.
Sorry low handicappers.

I think there's a difference between perception and reality.

It's true that a low handicap player may take longer to hit the ball. Spend longer thinking about club selection and on pre-shot routine. But the result is 50 yards further up the fairway than you, or a green in regulation instead of a bush or bunker. This means that overall they can play the hole quicker. I've never been stuck behind a group of slow scratch players.

If I take my time lining up a putt but then hole it, I'm going to be much quicker than your rushed three putt

 

[USER1999]

I think there's a difference between perception and reality.

It's true that a low handicap player may take longer to hit the ball. Spend longer thinking about club selection and on pre-shot routine. But the result is 50 yards further up the fairway than you, or a green in regulation instead of a bush or bunker. This means that overall they can play the hole quicker. I've never been stuck behind a group of slow scratch players.

If I take my time lining up a putt but then hole it, I'm going to be much quicker than your rushed three putt

I have been stuck behind them loads. Often their handicaps combined don't add up to mine, but wow are they slow. Not all, obviously, but they are more than represented in the slow category.

 

[USER1999]

As an aside, I played in a 4bbb knockout a few years ago. One of our oppos was off 1. It took him 30 minutes to play the first. He got a 6. No lie, no exaggeration, and yes, my partner and I timed it.
There was around £1000 on the match, but even so, that is painful.
The hole was halved in 4s. Eventually.

I don't play in that comp anymore.

 

[Boomy]

This thread perfectly highlights the problem...

Younger people say older people are slow.
Older people say younger people are slow.
Low handicappers say high handicappers are slow.
High handicappers say low handicappers are slow.
Old school sweater wearers say lycra clad golfers are slow.
Lycra clad golfers say old school sweater wearers are slow.
Women say men are slow.
Men say women are slow.

The list could go on... we need to just share the course, be courteous and polite, exercise patience and if there is a real problem raise it sympathetically. Enjoy the game, soak in the scenery, enjoy the banter and the fresh air.

Hurry up 29th March I say!