Slow Play

[Happy_Gilmore]

Apologies if this has already been covered in previous posts....

Have just read Iain Carter's column on the beeb. He states that the final pairing at the Masters took 5 hours 10 minutes to get round, I find this astonishing that a 2 ball, no matter to what level you play, can take an excess of 5 hours.

Slow play is not generally a problem at my club and our Sat 4/3 ball can get round comfortably in just over 4 hours.

Has anyone been in the 5 hour bracket before? Is Slow Play an issue at your club?

 

[benny]

Took almost 6 hours 2 weeks ago....showed up in the middle of The Famous Grouse 4 balls competition. I wasn't down to play so I had to nip in between groups on the proviso that I couldn't play through anyone and I had to let anyone through who requested. Spent about 30 minutes on some tee's just waiting, sweating, contemplating. Broke 80 for the first time tho so maybe i should have more marathon rounds - the pressure was multiplied by 10 from a normal PB attempt as I had to wait for ages to complete my round hole by hole, had loads of time to talk myself out of going for certain plays but I won the mental battle in the end and collapsed in the club house afterwards!

 

[Parmo]

I am planning a 5hr round when I play with my dad in Spain in a few weeks, the courses over there are great but get so busy.

 

[forefortheday]

Got stuck behind a womens comp the other sunday.......

Tee of 10;45am finished 4;30pm!

I hated it no rhythm to the round at all!

 

[benny]

Thats the hardest thing - the loss of a consistent flow can really screw a round up. Well done for persevering though

 

[barb]

Thats the hardest thing - the loss of a consistent flow can really screw a round up. Well done for persevering though

Hit the nail right on the head there Benny
TBH and I can only speak for myself, being of the female gender I too find it very difficult to get some momentum going if playing too slow and I know ladies in general are known for their slow play but I, myself prefer playing at a good pace, 18 holes - 3 1/2 hours is I feel a good pace for a 3 ball, on the other hand I don't want to be running around the course either, I do play in the ladies comps and get togethers and enjoy it (most of our ladies are of the Senior range) but I prefer playing with the men in our club as they do keeping the game moving and I seem to preform slightly better.
Barb
Sorry if I've waffled abit

 

[medwayjon]

Sorry to bash the ladies here but at my club there are ladies who take 2 woods and an iron to get to the par 3's, it really is that bad, it gets frustrating but the thing to remember is that they have the same right as the gents to be on the course.

 

[benny]

Christ how long are the Par 3's in Gillingham?

 

[OldWindy]

Only a couple of times and hated every long unnecessary wait, particularly as my 2-ball gets round in 3 1/4 hrs normally. Benny hit the nail on the head about continuity; even worse if you start to cool down too much.

 

[Parmo]

I agree when you cool down you have lost it, I once played the first 9 too fast as the mars bar seller advised and so had to wait for the OAP board members to play infront of us, we waited 40 minutes for the back 9 (9 hole course) and let 2 groups of women and countless coffin dodgers (no offence meant) and by the second hole it was a 20min wait and then having some plonka right up are behind, we walked off after the 3rd.

 

[shanker]

I've never thought that lady golfers were slow. In fact, I'd say that juniors and the ladies were the members most likely to call you through if need be.
Maybe we shouldn't generalise BUT I reckon these are the worst slow play culprits.
1 The old fart (been a member for 35 years and thinks the rest can ''bloody well wait'')
2 Japanese golfers.
3 The cocky young guy who watches golf on TV and mimics his heroes.
4 Korean golfers.
5 Ignorant, selfish b******* of all ages, nationalities and both sexes who couldn't give a toss about others.

 

[benny]

I always get paranoid that people see me as a cocky young golfer. All my clubs match, I have a quick pre-shot routine too but hopefully the big Deidre Barlow glasses make people feel a little sorry for me and don't lump me in with the yuppies at the club. And there are some who think its the PGA tour live on Setanta.

 

[Happy_Gilmore]

Wow......I seemed to have touched a nerve with a few of you on this....

Maybe I'm blessed at my club and come to think of it, in most courses I've played in Scotland and in and around Dublin. I've never had to wait longer than 5/10 minutes at any hole.

I see the R&A have this on the agneda to look into the next meeting but is it a case of people copying what they see on the TV? a la Premiership footballers etc etc??

 

[Parmo]

Funny you mention people wanting to be top golfers. I was in AG last weekend with the wife looking for some summer gear, then this lad and his girlfriend came in to, if he said "tiger wears this" or "cool I will look like tiger in a comp because he wears a red top" I could have quite easily have grabbed a FT5 and wrapped it round his neck, not only that but he spent a good 20 minutes with this lass trying to look like tiger woods and she was encouraging him.. grrr... I only got a Ping t shirt as well and the wife asked why I didn't get anything else afterwards... what a waste of guilt free shopping.

 

[wilf_74]

I played on Saturday in a 2 ball and got stuck behind 2x 4 balls in carts on a society day, they were the slowest players i have ever seen all over the place and didnt let anyone play thru, ironically we had the club pro playing behind us, he just laughed and did nothing, very annoying.

the most crazy thing is that 2 of them in front even LAYED UP on a 152 yard par 3 which has water 30 yards in front of the teebox then 80 yards of water then the green, i am sure the extra 30 yards helped them get over it, if you cant hit a shot 150 yards then you should be on a par 3 nine hole.

We walked off on the 16th!

 

[TonyN]

I have a pre shot routine that takes about 20 seconds, I do it before every shot. is that too long, classed as slow play? Helps me to keep a nice flow going.

I only ask as 2 of the 3 guys i played with yesterday mostly didn't have a routine and i felt like i was taking ages compared to them.

My putting routine is a quick read and 2 quick practice strokes.

 

[Parmo]

Its something I need to stick with, my pre routine on the first tee is always the same and I usually get a nice tee shot, then the pitch to the green is fine but then the driver is out with a wide open fairway and it generally goes down hill from then onwards, but I shall try and get my routine back on all shots, its the only way to get consistancy.

 

[benny]

20 seconds is nothing mate, mine is a quick stand behind the ball, choose my spot, get in there and swing. Takes maybe 10 seconds. If anyones got a problem with people having a pre-shot routine then maybe they should compare scorecards at the end of the day - anyone with half an idea of what they want to do with the golf ball will have just a quick check and think before hitting the ball. If anything a PSR saves time during a round. I don't mind people copying this off PGA golf from the telly. Its the club throwing, endless delays over club selection, consulting jumbo jotter sized yardage books, fannying around and looking to the heavens after a crap shot that gets my goat.

Great point about the Tiger wannabe's. I NEVER wear red on a sunday out of respect haha. My Grandmother in law gave me a cup for my birthday last year - one of them ones that gives you alsorts of facts about yourself based on your Name - anyway it said that for those named Benjamin (or Benny, Benson, Benoir and Benedict) the lucky colour is green, So I wear Green on competition days. 1 win and 3 top tens in my last 7 has me thinking the old Sow might be onto something!

 

[USER1999]

TonyN - just walk faster to make up for it. I don't think that 20s is too long at all. Slow play is not just about pre shot routines, it is a lifestyle thing. People who are slow are slow at everything.

Leave your clubs on the exit side of the green.
Walk at a reasonable pace.
Be ready to play when it is your turn.
Don't mark your card on the green if you are last to putt out.
Wave people up if you lose a ball, not after 5 minutes of looking.
Don't lie on the green dangling a putter from 15 different angles, and then leave the putt 8 ft short and do it all again.
First to putt out puts the pin back.
Walk directly to your ball, not your partners.

etc.

All help to speed up a round, without rushing your time over the ball. You don't need to speed up this bit, if you don't want to.

 

[TonyN]

Mine is basically two or 3 practice swings, trying to get the right speed/rythem. Also nipping the top of the grass.

Once i am happy with the swings i walk behind my ball, picture the flight i want and then choose somethin on the ground to line up my shot with.

Back behind the ball, good old GASP and then take the shot. I used to put it off if people where watching or waiting thinking i was taking to long, but then i would just duff it and have to play another. Now i do that i am more relaxed and confident with each shot. I stucj to it like glue monday and tuesday and it resulted in my two best scores to date!