Slowest golf I have ever seen!

[ScienceBoy]

End of last week I headed out for 18 holes. A GroupOn lot preparing to head to the 1st tee, 6 guys with a buggy for each pair. Nothing out of the ordinary there... I was prepared to tee off on the 1st but the pro lets me go off 10 as its early and the course is not busy.

I play 9 holes on my own, come in and have a coffee and a cooked breakfast, all again still normal as I head out for my second 9 from the 1st. Playing bogey golf all day meant I was quick but not rushing, as I teed off on 2 I saw a 6 ball playing down 7...

Now before I continue, 7 is a par 5 (SI 1) with a tight landing area, lots of trouble and a ditch to carry for the second, if played sensible its an easy 6 and a good 5, if not its a big number as the green is well guarded and the 2nd toughest on the course! Big numbers are frequent for any level.

Now back to the 6 ball, they had all clearly teed off and were beginning to take their 2nd shots. I played the rest of 2, then 3, 4, 5 and 6 in bogey golf. I came to the tee of 7 and what I saw amazed me, the 6 ball were only just crossing the bridge of the ditch that you hit your 2nd shot over! I had played nearly 5 holes in the time it took them to all play a shot each! I followed them up, seeing 6 people stab, duff and top it to and around the green was a sight to behold! I have never seen 5 players crowd around 1 as he misses a short putt. They all then trot off to the next tee...

Not surprisingly the pro met them on the 8th to sort this out. They were in the process of letting me through and the explanation was they set off with a 4 ball ahead of the last 2 and all 6 players were having a bad day.

So in the time it took me to bogey my way round 15 holes, including a lunch break after 9, they progressed just 6 and a half holes.


Good thing it was a not-so-busy mid week morning! Anyone else had experiences like that?

 

[Callum]

A few things wrong here.

1. why the hell did the pro let a 6 ball go out?
2. WTF
3. OMG
4. What else can I say?

 

[Kellfire]

Not quite so bad as you but here's my recent experience.

Get to the first tee and see a four ball of hackers in front... no problems there, they stopped and waited at the par three second and let us through. Thanks very much.

We tee off on three and are walking down the fairway when we see that they've let another two ball after us through on the second, bit strange we thought but ho hum.

We play three, then the par 3 fourth, the dog leg par 4 fifth and then onto the par 5 sixth. We drive off and walk to our balls.

The sixth runs parallel to the third and sure enough we look over and see that same hacker four ball just beginning their walk up the third fairway with at least two more groups having played through them. In the time it took us to play 2, 3, 4, 5 and halfway down the 6th, they have done one short par 3 and taken their drives on the third.

All very odd, but they're letting people through so no harm done I guess.

We finish up our front nine (it's only a nine hole course) and as we walk off for a bacon sandwich before our second loop, we see that the four ball are walking off the course behind us. At most they've played five holes, if even.

Asked in the clubhouse afterwards and was told they had a taxi waiting so they had to go without finishing nine.


So they'd booked a taxi, estimating a roughly two hour time period to play and then let at least four or five groups...

Very, very strange.

 

[ScienceBoy]

A few things wrong here.

1. why the hell did the pro let a 6 ball go out?

Their explanation was they let the 4 ball tee off 1st, followed by the 2 ball. Then they tried to let the 2 ball go ahead of the 4 ball after a couple of holes as they thought they were playing too slow.

I have no idea why they just didn't go off in two followed by a four... Buggies stopped it being two 3 balls I guess.

The pro would never have let a 6 ball go out, but they cannot control what people do once outside the view of the pro shop, ie once they get over the rise on the 1st hole...

 

[ventura]

Do you think they've finished 18 yet?

Gladly not experienced anything as bad as that sounds!

 

[Hobbit]

Playing in a 3 ball, behind a 4 ball. 3hrs to the turn, and after asking on several occasions if they'd let us through, and getting a no, we walked a hole whilst they were searching for a ball. We finished in nearly 5hrs, courtesy of being held up early on. Had a beer, a burger and some banter and had left the clubhouse. There was still no sign of them 6hrs after they'd first teed off... might still be out there.

 

[Joff]

Playing in a 3 ball, behind a 4 ball. 3hrs to the turn, and after asking on several occasions if they'd let us through, and getting a no, we walked a hole whilst they were searching for a ball. We finished in nearly 5hrs, courtesy of being held up early on. Had a beer, a burger and some banter and had left the clubhouse. There was still no sign of them 6hrs after they'd first teed off... might still be out there.

Time to ring the pro shop.

 

[CMAC]

never heard of a 6 ball before- ludicrous!

 

[Cherry13]

Playing in a 3 ball, behind a 4 ball. 3hrs to the turn, and after asking on several occasions if they'd let us through, and getting a no, we walked a hole whilst they were searching for a ball. We finished in nearly 5hrs, courtesy of being held up early on. Had a beer, a burger and some banter and had left the clubhouse. There was still no sign of them 6hrs after they'd first teed off... might still be out there.

Why would they not let you through? Seems a bit petulant!

 

[duncan mackie]

Anyone else had experiences like that?

nope - the 6 balls are only permitted if they can keep up with course pace....

 

[rob_golf1]

Funny old game. Don't you all think?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We have a group of three or four 4 balls that go out first thing on a Saturday and therefore set the pace of the course. Notoriously slow and will refuse to let anyone through despite requests every weekend, discussions in the bar and threatening to put it in writing. They seem to think they have a right to play at their own pace despite the fact there can be two groups queueing by th short par 3 6th. Surely it doesn't take much to work out you may be holding people up. As I said same culprits every week. They are usually a hole down behind within 5-6 holes and never budge

 

[Mungoscorner]

I had to endure similar yesterday, in freezing conditions as well.
Group in front of us were a complete hole behind after 2 holes,yet never offered to let us through.2h,35m for 9 holes on a shortened course !!!!
I played really well on the front 9,but lost the will to live,and the feeling in my fingers on the second 9.

 

[rob_golf1]

Guys, quick question for you all.

When you approach the ball you have just hit. How long would you then spend deciding what club to hit, and then, how many practice swings?

The Charlie's that are the culprits that this thread is all about, probably watch too much golf on the telly, and treat every round they play as the final day in a major championship...

 

[JustOne]

5hrs is a perfect round for me when playing in a 4-ball on a busy course. No point in rushing as there's nowhere to go, let a few groups through if they want, enjoy the sun, shoot a good score - job done.

People going out and expecting to be home in 3hrs are more annoying that slow players... people who moan about slow play (when you're playing) are by far the most irritating people on the planet.

I have this evil idea that the next time someone says "God it's so slow, I can't stand it like this, it really puts me off..." I'm just going to say "Well GO HOME THEN!!!!"

 

[williamalex1]

nope - the 6 balls are only permitted if they can keep up with course pace....

At a 4bbbb invitation comp, our game was made up to a 6 ball , because 2 players from the previous t/time didn't turn up.
We tried our best to keep up with the games in front , and waved games through when possible . But its near impossible for a six ball to keep up, i will refuse to play in one ever again. Even if it is ,pals of the council that don't turn up.

 

[fundy]

5hrs is a perfect round for me when playing in a 4-ball on a busy course. No point in rushing as there's nowhere to go, let a few groups through if they want, enjoy the sun, shoot a good score - job done.

People going out and expecting to be home in 3hrs are more annoying that slow players... people who moan about slow play (when you're playing) are by far the most irritating people on the planet.

I have this evil idea that the next time someone says "God it's so slow, I can't stand it like this, it really puts me off..." I'm just going to say "Well GO HOME THEN!!!!"

each to their own james but that sounds like purgatory to me, 5hrs means waiting on every shot, no rhythm etc at tadmarton on friday as a 4 ball we were round in 3 1/2 hrs, short course yes but tyhere was no faffing about but also no rushing, just a decent pace of play. if a course i was at thought 5hrs for a comp round was acceptable id be finding a new course

 

[williamalex1]

5hrs is a perfect round for me when playing in a 4-ball on a busy course. No point in rushing as there's nowhere to go, let a few groups through if they want, enjoy the sun, shoot a good score - job done.

People going out and expecting to be home in 3hrs are more annoying that slow players... people who moan about slow play (when you're playing) are by far the most irritating people on the planet.

I have this evil idea that the next time someone says "God it's so slow, I can't stand it like this, it really puts me off..." I'm just going to say "Well GO HOME THEN!!!!"

Your watching far too much golf on the telly THEN

 

[dandpl]

We have a group of three or four 4 balls that go out first thing on a Saturday and therefore set the pace of the course. Notoriously slow and will refuse to let anyone through despite requests every weekend, discussions in the bar and threatening to put it in writing. They seem to think they have a right to play at their own pace despite the fact there can be two groups queueing by th short par 3 6th. Surely it doesn't take much to work out you may be holding people up. As I said same culprits every week. They are usually a hole down behind within 5-6 holes and never budge

Homer

If it is the same group every week why do'nt you or someone else do something about it?

dandpl

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We try but they steadfastly refuse to call you through. We've asked politely on the course, discussed it in the bar raised it I officially with the captain but no-one interested and hey don't see that they are doing anything wrong.