Slow Play!!

[redmike]

Fancied a game yesterday, so rang the club where i am an associate member but it was LAdies' day so couldnt play, so decided to play the local municipal - the same one that hippygilmore was talking about.

Got there and there was a bloke on his own in front of me and then two blokes playing together in front of him, and no-one infront of them. they were not what you would call typical golf club types - were wearing tracksuits and one was on his mobile between every shot. Any way, they were painfully slow and would not let anyone play through. The other single player managed to get in front of them after 9 holes, but I had no such luck and as I was now directly behind them could see exactly why they were so slow. The younger was, as said, on his mobile between each shot, and the older would take 3 practice swings for every shot, before topping the ball ten yards. Now we all have to start somewhere, and I do still play my fair share of bad shots, but i must have seen him hit about two decent shots all the time i was there. In between shots they would amble about without a care in the world.

On the back nine it got ridiculous. I waiting for 15minutes on the tee at the par 3 15th hole for them to finish - they walked off the green, I played the hole, got to the 16th tee to see them just teeing off, i could not believe it. I played the 16th and when I got to the 17th tee they were still there, clearly retaking any shots they didnt like. AT this stage I walked off as I was getting extremely frustrated and losing my rhythm.

Should i have said something to them? Probably, but they clearly ahd no clue about even the basic etiquette and didnt look like the sort of blokes to take advice well!

Am i right to be fuming about it?

 

[Fyldewhite]

Not a lot you can do really, it is up to the owners to police the course. Our club is attached to a muni and the council have been running a promotion recently making the course busy and with loads of out and out beginners. We've asked for each player to be given a very brief 'basic etiquette' sheet staples to the scorecard. In fairness most have been fine but we too have had the odd group taking 5 hours etc. If you get in an argument on the course it is usually counter productive and you end up so wound up you can't play anyway.

 

[Billysboots]

Yes, you are! I contribute to other golf forums, and this one topic causes more consternation amongst regular golfers than any other.

Whilst the problem of slow play is not confined to municipal courses, the fact that they attract "occasional" players and beginners far more than other tracks does mean that slow play can be a headache. But golfers are there not just to learn how to negotiate their way round 18 holes, it is also incumbent upon them to learn the etiquette that comes with it. It is all part of the game after all.

I think that pro shops have a major part to play here - the staff should be cute enough to distinguish an occasional (and particularly new) player from an experienced one, and friendly advice should be given, drawing particular attention to the pace of play issue.

My big bug bear, and I suspect you may well come across this yourself if you play regularly on your own, is the excuse "single players have no standing" - whilst a number of clubs still have this as a local rule (inexcusably in my opinion), it disappeared from the Rules of Golf several years ago. It is astonishing the number of golfers (and frequent, experienced players are often the worst culprits) who are ignorant of this fact and cause misery as a result.

Club staff should draw it to the attention of every new visitor to their courses.

 

[redmike]

The course is municipal but they do have a club attached and a vets society. Normally people from both are quite happy to let the single player through. the only time anyone has been stuffy was a fourball ladies group who let me and my mate play through once. 3 of them were great but one was clearly not happy about it - moaning that they were in a competition. They let us ahead on the tenth tee - she was moaning even though one of the 4 was still in the clubhouse getting a drink! By the time we finisihed 18 they were on 14!

 

[grumpyjock]

Played behind a couple of young kids last week, after the second it was sheer murder not to put one down there little backs.
the couple playing behind caught up with me and were surprised that we were not being let through.
on the 4th they played 3 balls off the tee as each went in the trees, tlak about frustation I then skipped to the 6th.
But the worst bit was when they started to argue about the number of strokes taken while standing in the middle of the green, you could tell by the arms waving and the head shaking. Thought I was stuck at the Open.

 

[clubchamp07]

I'm not sticking up for beginners here, but I have noticed that guys who have been playing golf for years are as slow as anybody. They seem to think if we're not on the golf course for 4+ hours we're doing something wrong. I was behind a 4 ball one day and the ranger spoke to them, on the next firway I said something to one of the guys and he was in a mood because the ranger had "picked" on them. He told me that they were going to get round the front 9 in just under 2 hours. I replyed whats keeping you from making the 9 holes in 1h 45minutes. There was nobody holding them up. This guy is a long standing member of our club and he clearly was surprised by what I had said. He really beleived that 2hours for 9 holes was the done thing. NOBODY in front, you go as quick as you can. So it's just not NEW people to golf, its the other guys who think they know it all but know ----- all.

 

[USER1999]

Some players are just slow. They know, and can't see the problem. Education won't help. Same as people who are always late. They are late because to them, punctuality doesn't matter. It is the way they are wired, they won't understand.

On here there will be someone along in a moment saying, slow down and smell the roses. 5 hours for a round of golf is fine, and anything less is indecent haste.

In my opinion, the Pro's have a lot to answer for, with their 6 hour rounds.

Say 1 minute per shot, 72 shots, 72 minutes. That leaves 3 hours 48 minutes of walking, for about 4 miles. ie: 1 mile per hour. Now I walk at 4 mph plus, so 1 hour walking, and a bit over 1 hour playing, 18 holes in just over two hours.

Why not?

 

[Basher]

Everybody plays differently. Some are naturaly slower, some play quickly.
I hate rushing a game, it puts pressure on me leading to rushed bad shots. That's not to say I'm a slow player. I do my best to keep up with the group ahead at all times. If there's nobody ahead or behind, sure I'll take my time but always keep an eye out for anyone coming up.

 

[JustOne]

He told me that they were going to get round the front 9 in just under 2 hours. I replyed whats keeping you from making the 9 holes in 1h 45minutes. There was nobody holding them up. This guy is a long standing member of our club and he clearly was surprised by what I had said.

If you'd have said that to me you don't even want to know what I'd have said back..... it would start with an F.

Race round the course if you feel like it, that's your perogative, but don't judge anyone else on their play. Yes 1 hour 45 is quicker but 2 hours is hardly slow.

Out of interest do you RUN everywhere you go?

 

[bobmac]

I guess just under 4 hours for a 4-ball isnt too bad these days.
There's a 9 hole near me where they have their normal monthly medal, twice around the 9 holes.
One particular group (which contained a well known snail) had dropped behind the group in fron by a hole and a half by the 10th tee.
The starter politely asked them to try and catch up with the group in front. Mr Snail eventually became utterly volcanic.
Anyone would think he had accused him of being a multiple murderer and rapist.
By the time he had finished his round, he was fuming stormed off, and wasn't seen for weeks.

 

[Billysboots]

Race round the course if you feel like it, that's your perogative, but don't judge anyone else on their play. Yes 1 hour 45 is quicker but 2 hours is hardly slow.

I would tend to agree that 4 hours for a 4-ball, with everyone holing out, is about the benchmark.

But we can't base pace of play on benchmarks! All the circumstances have to be looked at - difficulty of course set up, weather conditions, whether it's a competition or not - before anyone can truly decide whether the pace of play is slow.

If I'm playing on my own and the course is quiet, I can get round in two hours. I don't rush the way I play, but walk briskly between shots, and assess the next shot as I am walking to my ball, rather than waiting until I get there. Similarly, if I'm playing in a group I am always ready to play when it's my turn, and will often play out of turn (with agreement, of course) if I am ready and a playing partner isn't.

If people concentrated on the small things like this, the age old problem of slow play could be eliminated overnight.

 

[moonraker]

my pet hate as to slow play is when it comes to putting people seem to take forever over putts walk around the green studying this that and the other unless there is a definite slope must puts are straight ish,

 

[grumpyjock]

The thing about golf is its ability to bring people together, those for and those for the other.
I always know which club to take out of the bag at each shot without having to spend 5mins reading the card and strokesaver.
we normally have buggies and it still takes 5 hours waiting behind 2 and 3 balls.
golf is to teach you how to hold your temper in check and those that explode need to keep practicing.
As I say there is no hard and fast rule about how long it should take, its waht is comfortable.

 

[viscount17]

don't start me off on buggies! people get buggies forget they know how to walk.

rules against slow play
- if it's gone, it's gone (much of the time you know within 2 minutes if you're going to find it.)
- don't follow each other all over the course, get to your ball and get ready to play. You don't have to hold hands.
- forget 'honours', just hit the thing
- there is no excuse for knee deep rough

 

[Herbie]

I see just as much slow play from golfers of all standards of play and experience, slow play to me is a frame of mind thing, I have played with enough to know this.

Beginners need education and this is often what is missing in todays golf, both by clubs officials and golfing individuals.

One camp will always argue their corner whilst condeming another camps phylosophy of the game.
Balance is what is needed, and having balance improves a golfers game far more than many other aspects.

All golfers when on the course should get on with playing the game first and find non-invasive ways to indulge in golfer interaction, but sadly so many lose themselves in the golf coccoon, lose sight of the objective, become forgetful, indecisive and selfish. Thats just those who have played the game for years let alone beginners.

It will always be a problem because there is little effort to make golf fair for all users regarding pace of play.
Why should a slow player play quicker to satisfy a quicker player? Why should a quick player have to play slow to satisfy slow players? It will always be contencious, which is why a more concerted effort is needed to establish a rate of play at each club, that all must make efforts to abide by. likewise , greater effort to instil etiquette into golfers and more policing.

But, even this will not prevent the hardened plonker who simply does not care, like the two ball I came up behind when no one else was on the course, I had just played 7 holes in the time it took them to play the next TWO!
Did I get waved through???? err no!But even when walking off and politely pointing out to them what they could have and should have done, being met by foul mouthed abuse and a couldnt care less attitude is common place these days.

Now after all that, it is still only a minority that hold everything up, in just the same way its only a minority that causes all congestion on our roads.

 

[bobmac]

If anyone has run a marathon, they will know that all the fast runners go out first, followed by the club runners with the foam telephone boxes and Jimmy Saville out last.
Could clubs introduce a speed rating for each player, say
1-5.
This wouldn't always be based on handicap as I know some pretty slow good players.
That way, in theory, eveyone behind you would be slower than you.
Welcome to planet Bob

 

[toonarmy]

This will always be a problem as some people are slow, some want to sprint round and the rest are somewhere in between.

What's the 'need' for a sub 3 hour round? Does it really matter if you go round in 3h40 or 4h?

For me, slow play can be very annoying, particularly if you've got someone up your Harris. However, give me a choice between a screecher behind or a snail in front and I think I'd have to go with the latter.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of hosting Mark Jessop (the guy in a GM article that played all the courses in W Yorks and is now halfway through N Yorks) at my club. We teed off at 7.30 (ungodly, but this is what happens with a Seniors match on!) and neither of us played well over the 1st 3 holes with a bit of ball searching on one hole and some tree-based jiggery-pokery on another. However, we were not remotely slow.

On the 4th (a par 3) we were both by the greenside off the tee. Mark played his chip and I prepared to play my bunker shot but had to wait for him to mark his ball. While we did this, we continued our chat about his quest. Before I was even clear to play my shot, some ignorant (and I feel I must add short and old) oik hollered across from the 3rd fairway "get a move on, you're holding everyone up, play faster".

So how long did our round last? 5 hours? 4.5 hours? 4 hours? No, just over 3.5 hours.

I had to apologise on behalf of my club for my guest being shown this behaviour (I have no idea if the oik was a member or not) and this is why I detest the sprinter mentality.

Do we think Mark will look back fondly on this course now? Maybe, but it will be tainted.

And to top it all off, the same group who shouted at us were stood jabbering on at the 8th tee (right next to our 9th green) as we tried to putt.

Sprinty golfers are the golf equivalent of the BMW driver on the road. Loud, obnoxious and impatient to the detriment of all those around them.

One polite request to be let through (if valid, none of this 'just because I'm quicker than you despite having nowhere to go or you not losing ground') should make everyone happy, assuming those in front are equally sensible.

Above all else, try and enjoy the game and your surroundings - and let others enjoy it too.

 

[grumpyjock]

Agreed with you, take time to smell the roses and enjoy the game.

 

[DMC]

what really annoys me is the player who waits for the green to clear when its 230 yards+ and they have just hit there drive 100 yards,see it almost every week.

 

[Robobum]

what really annoys me is the player who waits for the green to clear when its 230 yards+ and they have just hit there drive 100 yards,see it almost every week.

Would it annoy you any less if the same person chose to play and hit their best shot ever that hit you in the back of the head as you putted out?