Slow Play Review

[Doon frae Troon]

All of the golf bodies starting to address this big problem.

Best I have heard so far is reducing the time searching for a lost ball to 3 minutes.

 

[fundy]

Reduce that to 3 minutes and you can forget ever being let through when someone loses a ball. If courses are more sensible in their provision of rough it would address this area better imho

Much rather see them clamp down on how long some people take from when they get to their ball until when they hit (and especially the example being set by the pros)

 

[Keeno]

I like the 3 min idea tbh, that's plenty of time and it should be max 3mins for the duration of the hole, if your wild again late in the hole, reload and get on with it.

Having the honour should also but relaxed slightly, unless its in a match play scenario, when getting your shot played first can be an advantage.

On that note though, I don't think slow play is actually that bad. At my club anyway.

 

[bluewolf]

On that note though, I don't think slow play is actually that bad. At my club anyway.

I'm beginning to think that I like Slow Play a hell of a lot more than I like the constant, endless, mind numbingly tedious discussions about it.. If we all promise not to talk about slow play any more I promise I'll never complain again.. Pretty pretty please????????

 

[FairwayDodger]

Agree 3 mins to look for a ball is fine. If you don't find it in 3 mins anyway you tend to know in your heart you're not going to.

Don't think that's going to make a huge difference in the grand scheme of things though.

 

[Beezerk]

Can't see how 3 minutes will make a huge difference, no one times it anyway so it's just a matter of judgement.
I like the suggestion of ditching honours, I never have them anyway!

 

[Crow]

I'm beginning to think that I like Slow Play a hell of a lot more than I like the constant, endless, mind numbingly tedious discussions about it.. If we all promise not to talk about slow play any more I promise I'll never complain again.. Pretty pretty please????????

Agreed!

 

[ShankyBoy]

I do wish Danny Willet would get a move on, he is painful to watch. How can you be that slow?

 

[pendodave]

I do wish Danny Willet would get a move on, he is painful to watch. How can you be that slow?

Him and Rory were on the clock in dubai.

Given how brisk Rory is, I think we can safely assume Willett is glacial.

Seems to be a link between golfers who talk about 'we' (them and the caddy) like Willett and Spieth and super slow play. Get the feeling they've swallowed the whole golfing mumbo jumbo book from the shrinks...

 

[fowlero]

we have pace of play guidelines at our club to encourage groups to speed up.
simple common sense things like if your playing partner is in a fairway bunker and hacks it out, even if it would still be their turn to play (furthest from the hole) then the other players in the group should play their approach shots while the player rakes the bunker etc. This obviously doesn't apply to match play ties though.

 

[Piece]

Can't see how 3 minutes will make a huge difference, no one times it anyway so it's just a matter of judgement.
I like the suggestion of ditching honours, I never have them anyway!

Been bagging that drum for ages. You'll soon find out who's the slowest player in the group!

 

[Lord Tyrion]

When I play with my friends we go with honours if ready but if someone is pre-occupied or marking a group card then another person just steps in. No fuss, keeps everything moving. Not a tough one to change.

 

[User 105]

Honestly how long has slow play been an issue. 10 years or more ?

Can anyone honestly say in all that time that anything a club has done has improved things considerably over the long term ? Probably not because everyone still says it's a No 1 issue in golf.

I honestly believe it's a loosing battle. There are just some people\groups that are slow, they don't care they are slow, don't care if it holds others up and they won't let anyone through. And unless a club is going to actively target them with some meaningful penalty, which they won't, then they'll continue to behave that way.

And it only takes 1 group to behave like this and everything will back up behind them.

Sorry, bit ranty, but it really boils my blood this topic.

 

[patricks148]

Honestly how long has slow play been an issue. 10 years or more ?

Can anyone honestly say in all that time that anything a club has done has improved things considerably over the long term ? Probably not because everyone still says it's a No 1 issue in golf.

I honestly believe it's a loosing battle. There are just some people\groups that are slow, they don't care they are slow, don't care if it holds others up and they won't let anyone through. And unless a club is going to actively target them with some meaningful penalty, which they won't, then they'll continue to behave that way.

And it only takes 1 group to behave like this and everything will back up behind them.

Sorry, bit ranty, but it really boils my blood this topic.

totally agree, It only takes 1 group of inconsiderets to slow the whole course up

 

[Beezerk]

totally agree, It only takes 1 group of inconsiderets to slow the whole course up

At our place it's generally those who should know better, well known culprit is the club captain who's regular 4 ball blankly refuse to let people through.
I don't mind being held up if the course is rammed but when it's just one group, it's way out of order.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Willett has a bad back which is probably why he's slower than usual today

I think for the club golfer, play would be simplified and speedier if courses were set up in a more sympathetic manner. Make the semi lush but findable when the ball goes into it and restrict the knee high jungle for miles off line where you deserve to reload. I know lots of courses where a drive only just off line is in deep rubbish. I'm not advocating making courses defenceless and easy but I do feel there's a balance that can be struck

 

[HawkeyeMS]

The answer is for everyone to just get on with it and stop faffing about.

 

[Simbo]

When was the last time you seen someone get to area where they think their ball went into the rough and them or their playing partner click their stopwatch and shout "right 5 minutes, go"
I take it the results of the R and A survey on slow play have been cast by the wayside???