Slow play

[Trueblue]

Is there anything more annoying than slow play on the golf course?

I played on Friday and it took us nearly 6 hours to get round...that's ludicrous!! Was so angry just couldn't enjoy the round, which is a massive shame when you play once a week.

What would be a suitable punishment for such people?...hung, drawn and quartered too extreme?!

 

[USER1999]

Slow play really gets on my nerves. I am one of the fastest players I know, and so I am always held up. Drives me nuts. Especially seeing some idiot spend 10 minutes lining up a putt, having looked at the line from every conceivable angle, dangled his putter, had fifteen practice strokes, gone into a trance over the ball and then finally struck it half way, only to do the same thing again. I am getting annoyed just thinking about it.

Other annoying thing which seems to be on the increase is litter from abandoned drink bottles and chocolate wrappers. This on a members course too.

 

[Up_Point_1]

What would be a suitable punishment for such people?...hung, drawn and quartered too extreme?!

Buy one of those Odyssey White Hot XG Number 7 putters and shove it up their a*&e

 

[OOB]

I often wonder whether there is a problem with the rules in golf with regards to the phrasing of how fast you should play. -The idea of "keeping up with the game in front" is one that I sometimes find odd. If I arrive on the first with 3 holes ahead empty, the phrasing of the laws suggest to me that I should be attempting to chase and catch the group in front. Should the rules be phrased "to keep ahead of the game behind" this places the onus on the game ahead to stay ahead, and might push on a few of the slower people around.

When I have to wait around for ages, club in hand for a doddery old fourball to clear a green it is a surefire way to duff it, especially if I am on my todd with no-one to natter to while waiting.

 

[birdieman]

All people have to do is let faster groups play through - of course they never do.
Some courses have a sign which reads "if you have taken more than x hours to reach here please play faster" etc, again largely ignored.
Clubs don't care as long as they get their fees -I'm afraid we are in a no-win situation lads.
Can only suggest if it's an important scoring game for you play early or lunchtime -unsociable hours when the course is quieter.

 

[holein1]

I hate it
I was behind a guy who stood behind the ball like tiger for about 10 minutes them duffed his drive into the trees then took another 15 minutes looking for his ball before dropping a new one.

 

[Trueblue]

It's weird though isn't it because you never actually come across anyone who admits to playing slowly and in fact everyone riles against it yet there are so many people who do it!

Weird

 

[RGuk]

I think clubs do care....but it's hard to start demanding faster playing from a group of otherwise good members just 'cause they are hackers!!

Part of it comes down to players not wanting to play out of turn. In all but matchplay we just hit it when ready unless it's a sunday medal then we avoid the busy times and the less good members.
Some really hard courses let players on with almost any handicap.....can you imagine!!!

Dave

 

[Marko77]

A topic most clubs probably have a few debates about during the season. Earlier this year we handed out timing sheets during some medals - time after 7 holes, time after 12 holes and time completed.

This did help speed up play as before some were probably ignorant to how long a round of golf should reasonably take but now we're all singing from the same hymn sheet.

 

[rgs]

Slow play is a curse-we can blame the pros who take four hours to play in two balls-thats a joke. As we like to copy/mimic the pros we are all guilty of playing slightly slower than we should.
However i also hate fast players who want to play a fourball in less than three hours.

In my experience, depending on the course, 4-4.5 hrs is the speed for a fourball.

 

[madandra]

i played at a course where you HAD to enter the exact time you tee'd off and the exact time you walked off the 18th green, this would give the committee all the ammo they need to clamp down on the bu66ers.

 

[Junior]

Good topic !!

This thread is quite timely, I upset one of my playing partners last weekend when I mentioned that we should get a move on (meaning he should hurry up!)as we were holding up the group behind. He took an age on the green and on the tee. I don't mind players having a pre shot routine but this guy was taking the p*ss talking when it was his turn to tee off.

We have timing sheets to and they work a treat.

What frustrates me is when I see people take longer than the allocated 5 minutes to look for a ball.

 

[USER1999]

Sorry rgs, but anything over 4 hours is painfully slow, what are you doing out there that takes so long? If it is your home course, or one you play often, you pretty much know all the putting lines, you know what club it is from pretty much anywhere, a quick check of wind direction, and whack it. To me, 3.5 hours is about right for a four ball.

On another topic though, my course has put loads of notices up about slow play, and that medals must be speeded up, but have now left the rough so long, that 1 foot off the fairway, the ball is invisible. Not sure how the club feel this is going to speed up play.

 

[Junior]

4 hours is right, My longest round ever was at Royal Benidat in Mallorca, It took just over 6 hours. There was a party of 20 Japanese golfers in front.

Whats the longest time anyone has taken to complete a round ?

 

[viscount17]

I wish it did take 4-balls a mere 4 hours to get round, my local isn't that long though has lots of potential problems and it often takes up to 6 hours following 4-balls. Some will let you through, others are too full of themselves.
I like to play briskly even if I'm still struggling (which will inevitably slow things down a bit as I take more shots).

What really bugs me? Those who have to go through a blow by blow of the previous hole either while still on the green or standing on the next tee. People who dawdle between shots, take an age to get from tee to ball.

 

[stevelockie]

I like the idea of logging tee time and finish time, although if you get stuck behind some slow players you might be tarred with the same brush.

Rosemount GC has ideal times to play each hole on their scorecards.

Been held up quite a bit in recent games, main problem seemed to be lack of etiquette/course craft e.g. Leaving bags at front of greens, marking cards on greens, general lack of consideration/awareness of the group behind.

The first thing my Dad really hammered into me when I was first allowed on a golf course was to be aware of the pace of play and move quickly/efficiently between shots. That's what's missing with a lot of players, but I don't know how you would get around that.

In an ideal world I would suggest a wee etiquette test when you apply to join a club, but clubs are struggling to attract members as it is without making them sit exams!

 

[muttleee]

Here's my list of bugbears when it comes to slow play (all the ones I can think of off the top of my head anyway):

Not bothering to consider your next shot till it's your turn to play. Too many players stand around chatting and then only start thinking about what club to hit when it's actually their turn. Think ahead!

Hitting a shot and then getting out the brush and towel to clean the club before putting it back in the bag. Get a carry bag and you can do that as you walk along.

Standing on the green counting up how many shots were taken so you can fill in the scorecard. The place for this is on the next tee!

Taking any more than 2 practice swings. If your swing is so dodgy that you need that many practices, you should be on the range, not the course.

Leaving your bag beside your ball when you have a chip to the green and then having to run back and get it once you've holed out.

Equally, walking to the back of the green to leave your bag in a "sensible" place when your ball is actually at the front of the green and the pin at the back. In that situation, it would be far handier to leave the bag down at the front of the green, hit the putt and then pick the back up and take it to the back of the green where the pin is. Doing it that way would save a trip round/across the green and back. The only excuse is if you check the line of your putt while you're behind the pin.

Refusing to call the group behind through even when your ball is in grass a foot long and it's going to be a needle in a haystack job finding it.

Waiting for the group in front to clear the green before you play your approach shot when you're 250 from the green and even your Sunday best drive only goes 220.

 

[madandra]

Waiting for the group in front to clear the green before you play your approach shot when you're 250 from the green and even your Sunday best drive only goes 220.

This is one I see every Saturday where some fella has knocked it 210 OFF A TEE with the driver and waits til the green clears 255 yards away ???????? and the best bit is when he chuffs it into the bonsai HE BLAMES THE GAME IN FRONT FOR RUINING HIS MOMENTUM !!!!!!!!!!

PI5H
PI5H
AND THRICE PI5H

 

[HTL]

Was almost a fight on my course earlier today between two coffin dodgers and a husband and wife,
It was about slow play! (very bizarre!) the husband and wife two ball decided to replay and analyse their puts, much to the dislike of the elderly ladies playing behind, who screamed putting me off my shot "get the Fcuk off the green!!"
Fair play to the two the old girls! drives me nuts trying to fit in a round during a long lunch break! Just really didn't expect it!