Slow play?

[Sats]

I played with a good friend of mine today and was behind a four ball - Again not really in a rush but we were waiting a good 5-7 mins on the tee from the 4th on-wards. However, when we got to the 10th we were waiting for 5-7 mins then one of the group made a 180 yard or so walk of shame back to the tee having not played a provisional, he did not give a single word and hit another shot. This then set the tone for the back nine, as we got to the 11th 100 yard (but still challenging) par 3 as we walked up to the tee they hadn't even taken their 2nd players tee shot, again ignored. In the end my friend and I began chipping and doing challenges to take up the time. I wasn't particularly mad or angry as we had no time constraints, if I was on the clock then it would've been different. I did consider saying something, but then wondered if that would've solved anything save a silly argument with no real winners, only losers.

The round took 5 hours.

I then had a chat with the assistant pro in the clubhouse - not about the group but just in general and asked if he still competed in the local pro events - he then told me not anymore as it was taking 6- 6.5 hours per round, and it wasn't worth the time!!!!!!!

It put what had happened into perspective - is it slow play on the pro circuits that are the problem? Are we mere mortals who do this for a hobby not the culprits for slow play but the professionals? Don't get me wrong the group mentioned above should have let us through on the 10th

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I assume the group in front were in some sort of competition to walk back to the tee and play another. If not I'm afraid I'd have asked at that point to come through as its unacceptable to play another off the tee and hold a quicker moving group for the sake of a roll up game. I'd also, were it to happen again, make the club aware

 

[bobmac]

5 hours for a 2 ball is just unacceptable.
Was the course busy, maybe a society?
If not, I would have had words at the first opportunity

 

[patricks148]

would have challenged them, 5 hours for a two ball is a joke, its people like this ruining the game

 

[Sats]

There was earlier that day, that’s why we went out at 2pm.

 

[bobmac]

If they weren't being help up then I would definitely had had a word.
There's no excuse

 

[Tashyboy]

The other day I was having a Jimmy riddle. In out toilets there is a A4 size poster that talks about how long it should take to play a round of golf as stated/suggested by none other than England golf. In essence a par 3,4,5 has a different length of time for how long it should be played. Our course has 4 X par threes, 4 X par fives and 10 X par fours. In essence a fourball should take 4 hours and 15 minutes at our place and not the four hours as some have stated previously
However a two ball is gonna smash that time, the thing for me is. If a fourball is not even gonna contemplate letting you through. Without falling out with folk, there should be a quick phone call to the club and said pro or whoever should be on a buggy and instruct the four ball to let said two ball through. If said fourball is keeping up with other groups, differant situation.

 

[Lazkir]

I can't imagine anyone doing the walk of shame except for a comp, even then I'd have to be on a good score otherwise it's an NR for me.
They probably thought that as they're in a comp they have priority on the course, I've come across this type before.

 

[Marshy77]

This kind of slow play is avoidable though isn't it by simply asking to play through. If you're stood for at least an hour and 10 minutes waiting on the tee you have to do something about it imo. The fourball should realise they are holding you up but it's obvious that they didn't or didn't want you to play through.

 

[Bxm Foxy]

5 hours for a 4 ball is a joke, let alone a 2 ball.

 

[Orikoru]

Even aside from the slow play, to walk all the way back to the tee in front of you an hit another one without saying a word is just plain rude.

 

[albie999]

I agree on slow play, I am fairly new to the game (well 2 years, but not playing that often), and I know I am not the quickest on the course. I played a 2 ball last night, and we completed it in 4 hrs (few balls lost, etc etc) however, I do believe on letting people through. 3 ball behind us, could see they were so much better, so called them through ... by the end of the course, they were 3 holes ahead of us

I sometimes feel bad, that I am playing slower than other people, and as I am a new member at a club (not joined before) I still feel the pressure of being the new boy (in my head, not from attitude of people), so I sometimes take on shots that I really should not play, which then don't work as planned, which then makes the game last longer. Hopefully, with improvement, I will be able to play these shots ;-)

 

[TheJezster]

I dont understand why you didnt tee it up as he was walking back towards you and ask him to stand to the side?

His rudeness is shocking, in a hurry or not, there's no way I would stand there and wait.

 

[mister v]

i've followed a comp and i can understand why they were taking there time on putts etc, but they were so slow it was bordering on "dechambeaulic" so i skipped a few holes to get by them, i asked in the pro shop what the ruling was and at our place basically if your holding up a group you let them through....... comp or no comp
however they were seniors and they all had individual buggys and looked like the panzer division ........ so that went out the window!!

 

[nickjdavis]

Even aside from the slow play, to walk all the way back to the tee in front of you an hit another one without saying a word is just plain rude.

Sometimes when they do say something it can be equally rude.

Many years ago I turned up to a club to play a practice round ahead of a county singles comp later in the month.

The 7th at this course is a tough par 3 of about 175 yards with the first hundred and thirty yards or so played over knee height heather and rough. I arrived at the 7th tee and found the fourball ahead of me searching for a ball in the rough....as it happened they were searching for everyones ball....none of them had cleared the rough. Three of the players hacked out of the rough, one of them taking a couple of shots to reach ground that was "more playable". The fourth player stoutly marched back to the tee, looked me in the eye and said quite firmly "we cannot let you through because we are playing in an official Suffolk County competition".

Said player then promptly topped their ball back into the rough and heather. Luckily it landed close to one of the other three golfers so it was easily found. The four golfers completed the hole and moved on.

Luckily I had been forewarned about this comp by the pro who, when I arrived had advised me to tee straight off there and then on the 9th, rather wait for my allotted tee time and be stuck behind the comp. So as it happened I only had two holes left to play so it was no great hardship to lounge around in the sun waiting for them to clear off. I recounted the events to the pro when I'd finished...the best he could do was a resigned raised eyebrow of incredulity and a withering comment about certain sections of the Suffolk golfing community.

 

[English golfer in Spain]

I have mentioned on a previous thread about the (new) design of golf courses and the distance between the greens and the tees. When I used to go out with my father in the early 1960’s the next tee would be 30 or 40 yards from the last green. Here in Spain we have tees hundreds of yards from one green to the next tee. One of the courses I played last year, where they hold European Qualifying competitions, the 10th tee must be more than 600 yards from the 9th green.


We try to get a 4 ball round our course in 4 hours 30 minutes, but that can be difficult due to the time walking from one green to the next tee. Plus we have several guys well into their 70’s who still walk around our course in some very high temperatures. Although we do use the first tee times of the day when we do play.

 

[patricks148]

I have mentioned on a previous thread about the (new) design of golf courses and the distance between the greens and the tees. When I used to go out with my father in the early 1960’s the next tee would be 30 or 40 yards from the last green. Here in Spain we have tees hundreds of yards from one green to the next tee. One of the courses I played last year, where they hold European Qualifying competitions, the 10th tee must be more than 600 yards from the 9th green.


We try to get a 4 ball round our course in 4 hours 30 minutes, but that can be difficult due to the time walking from one green to the next tee. Plus we have several guys well into their 70’s who still walk around our course in some very high temperatures. Although we do use the first tee times of the day when we do play.

i don't think that is a factor for the OP, but you are right about new courses. most of the traditional links courses and parkland for that matter all have the tee right next to the last green, but two of the newer courses up here, Castle Stuart and Spey Valley all the tee's are some way from the prev greens which has got to add to the pace of play. for instance Castle Stuart is the same length as my home course, but CS def takes longer to get round, even not stuck behind a load of yank 4 balls

 

[clubchamp98]

Comp or no comp that’s just bad manners and arrogant.

 

[cookelad]

Check the course for other routes, for example, the other day as I saw I was closing in on a slow group, I played 12-15-16-17-14-13 jumped the slow group and was in the clubhouse 10-15mins ahead of them.

 

[Jacko_G]

The dreaded scourge of golf.