3565
Journeyman Pro
Really Rick? He's culpable himself.
(Sorry this has been done to death) The solution to slow play is slow play
- Thread starter dufferman
- Start date
Really Rick? He's culpable himself.
Norrin Radd
Tour Winner
nobody likes slow play ,and of course everyone that is a member of this site isnt a slow player.
but that is the problem ,we are all slow players and we are all not going to admit it .we like to think we are getting on with the job ,that we are always ready to play when its our turn ,that we dont dally on the green adding up our score for that hole ,that we have never held the group behind up .that we have always allowed them through when pressured from behind.
yeh right,slow play is now the norm and we are not going to get away from it in the club level games we play .the pro game might just get something done about it ,but dont bank on it filtering through to the likes of us .
i play with a bunch of lads who each end every one of them has parts of their play that slows a round down ,i dont of course co im a member of this site and none of us are slow are we.so when added together playing with my mates each with their little foibles the game becomes a slow round .i get narked when my usual pp marks his card on the green instead of teeing off .i get narked when another has to go thru the routine of the grass throwing and the yardage book and the range finder ,and then thinks about putting his glove on before taking another tuft of grass before getting his club out of the bag and then go into his preshot routine. i get narked when on the green the player nearest the pin dosent tend the flag for the player furthest away ,no its always the player who is second furthest away and he then has to go through all of his putting routine ,lining up from all sides of the hole before putting his ball down ,and then spend more time making sure the line he has drawn on his ball is perfectly in line with where he wants to putt. this can be done upwards of three or four times before they are satisfied with it .
but each and everyone of them will tell you that because they walk fast between shots that they are not slow .
i have given up saying anything to them as im seen as a moaner and always bitching that they are slow. remember im not slow cos im a member of this site.
slow play ,......its here to stay.
but that is the problem ,we are all slow players and we are all not going to admit it .we like to think we are getting on with the job ,that we are always ready to play when its our turn ,that we dont dally on the green adding up our score for that hole ,that we have never held the group behind up .that we have always allowed them through when pressured from behind.
yeh right,slow play is now the norm and we are not going to get away from it in the club level games we play .the pro game might just get something done about it ,but dont bank on it filtering through to the likes of us .
i play with a bunch of lads who each end every one of them has parts of their play that slows a round down ,i dont of course co im a member of this site and none of us are slow are we.so when added together playing with my mates each with their little foibles the game becomes a slow round .i get narked when my usual pp marks his card on the green instead of teeing off .i get narked when another has to go thru the routine of the grass throwing and the yardage book and the range finder ,and then thinks about putting his glove on before taking another tuft of grass before getting his club out of the bag and then go into his preshot routine. i get narked when on the green the player nearest the pin dosent tend the flag for the player furthest away ,no its always the player who is second furthest away and he then has to go through all of his putting routine ,lining up from all sides of the hole before putting his ball down ,and then spend more time making sure the line he has drawn on his ball is perfectly in line with where he wants to putt. this can be done upwards of three or four times before they are satisfied with it .
but each and everyone of them will tell you that because they walk fast between shots that they are not slow .
i have given up saying anything to them as im seen as a moaner and always bitching that they are slow. remember im not slow cos im a member of this site.
slow play ,......its here to stay.
If Specifics are facts, then yes!
And Ask away, unless you just want to call me a liar, but Kenny also mentioned what the marshal said to us all in our group in the Woburn thread but nobody decided to comment on it, I wonder why, it's not like you miss anything on here!
Not sure what relevence the back 9 has, we waited on every shot from the 2nd, so are you blaming the 2nd group, which if you say you turned in 4hrs 15mins and took a bit of time in the hut due to the gap behind you, they must have been more than a hole behind and turned in well over 4.5hrs!
The point I'm making here, is, it's never them or anyone commenting in these threads, everyone sings from the same hymn sheets and yet we experience constant 4.5-5hr rounds!
My round in my last B-team was a bit long, if not too long, but it was identifiable, in that, we played off the back stones and shouldn't have due to the conditions, age groups and mixed inexperience, couple that with some tough pin positions on a tough course and having to clean your ball on every shot and it obviously took too long, but it's the deniability and its always some else syndrome I don't like to read or hear on here, and yet when your behind these groups and watching them, the classic elements of slow play unfolding in front of you as you wait to take your shot is frightening, and yet all those groups won't believe they are doing anything wrong!
We all said in our group that if we videod what we could see it would possibly surprise them all, but would that be enough to change them, or is everyone just in their own bubble once out on a course?
Too late, you need to edit quicker!
Yep, I agree, we are all ambassadors and are the perfect role models for everything that is good in golf, all hail the GM forumites 👍😎🏌
Norrin Radd
Tour Winner
S
Snelly
Guest
3 ball today in testing conditions - 3 hours 10 minutes. Not racing round. Just sensible play.
It can be done.....
It can be done.....
chrisd
Major Champion
I can only remember about one hole when we were able to walk on to the tee and bat straight off, I know Pokerjoke was in the group in front and I suspect they waited in a similar fashion. It was a brutal day and I'd have been suprised if it had been any quicker!
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
Nothing worse than coming to a par 5, seeing the group in front just putting their clubs away and walking off the tee yet the group in front of them are already on the green!
Doesn't matter how you flower it up, that isn't keeping up with the group in front.
Doesn't matter how you flower it up, that isn't keeping up with the group in front.
and getting to a par 3 with 2 players still yet to tee off from that 4-ball and having to wait for them to completely finish the hole, standing on the tee for ages when we should have been let through as an obvious faster group or at the very least allowed to play down simultaneously as the group behind in the other society was now also walking to the tee area putting more pressure on us, or, when they were all eventually on the green, call us down, but none of that happened and yet we read of these situations constantly being exercised, maybe they do it in their heads as they certainly don't do it practise!
irip
Head Pro
I was not at Woburn so only trying to gather info.
What was the time difference between the tee times.
I personally think that is what causes a lot of problems, some clubs allow 7-8 minutes in my opinion this is not enough.
You have 4 players tee off walk to their balls all play their second shots and then the group behind goes as soon as they can.
This happens all day meaning anyone who has to look for a ball is holding up the whole course behind them and this has a knock on effect for the whole field
What was the time difference between the tee times.
I personally think that is what causes a lot of problems, some clubs allow 7-8 minutes in my opinion this is not enough.
You have 4 players tee off walk to their balls all play their second shots and then the group behind goes as soon as they can.
This happens all day meaning anyone who has to look for a ball is holding up the whole course behind them and this has a knock on effect for the whole field
Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
Agree and not right in the opinion of the R&A either, I read on there that they recommend 11 (or even 12) minutes for a 4-ball 1st tee spacing
Yes there will be the courses where that's too long (short par 3 opener maybe) but any club running 7-8 minutes should be able to easily explain to its members the reasoning why they would use shorter spacing given the damage to pace
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
It was 8 min gaps to allow two societies to play 36 holes in one day.
The problem is nobody looks at the clocks and goes off in correct intervals, they go when they believe the group in front is no longer in range, so even if it was a par 3 the 10 minute or more intervals should stand or otherwise you just get a bottle neck very quickly on the first par 4. Even starters at Woburn in the afternoon called you down once the group in front was clear, interval times didn't come into it IMO.
PhilTheFragger
Provider of Entertainment for the Golfing Gods 🙄
in my opinion, 8 minutes gap isnt enough, not for a 4 ball, maybe altering the search time for a lost ball to 2 minutes to compensate might be worth considering, lets face it, if you cant find it in 2 minutes, then you probably dont want to find it.
I like society golf, but 4 people on a new course who dont really know where they are going and it will be slower than 4 members who play there regularly, i've also let faster groups through on society days, especially if a single or 2 ball.
Re last week at Woburn, it is pointless trying to point the finger at any particular group or person, It sounds like there were simply too many people on the course at the same time and if one group stops to look for a ball, the whole thing backs up, the only answer is to space things out and if that means societies cant play 36 holes till mid April then thats how it should be.
I like society golf, but 4 people on a new course who dont really know where they are going and it will be slower than 4 members who play there regularly, i've also let faster groups through on society days, especially if a single or 2 ball.
Re last week at Woburn, it is pointless trying to point the finger at any particular group or person, It sounds like there were simply too many people on the course at the same time and if one group stops to look for a ball, the whole thing backs up, the only answer is to space things out and if that means societies cant play 36 holes till mid April then thats how it should be.
irip
Head Pro
Great that they tried to get everyone 36 holes but its obvious that the 8 minute gaps were not enough to allow play to flow at a decent pace.
In hindsight would everyone that went to Woburn have enjoyed it more if you had only played 18 holes but had 12 minute gaps and been allowed to play at a pace where you could play your shot when ready as opposed to when you could.
I am not having a pop at Woburn or anyone who went along or organised just commenting on what i have read.
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
I believe Society days at away Unknown courses is always going to cause issues. I can't remember a society day where at times people have been held up or waited. When it comes to those days - I fully expect it tbh.
I know last week at Woburn there was going to be times where it was going to a time issue and it's exactly as you say - lots of people on unknown course which isn't the easiest in testing conditions - there was no doubt lots of searching for balls. In comparison I have taken over 5 hours before on the Marquess in both invitation days and Pro Am's - it's not a short course and it's not a short walk.
If we had ten minute gaps then we would have lost one tee time and so would have the group behind us.
I will be looking to book it again next year at the same time and it will be the same as this year in regards the timings
Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
Phil, picking you because your club is actively pushing an initiative at the moment (I'm sure other clubs are too)
With all the communication with members etc taking place what are the planned pace of play initiatives concerning the green-staff, committee etc that will be pushed at the same time?
I.e tee spacing, comp format, pin placements, green speed, rough length, choke-points, tee selection etc
And do you think they'll meet any kind of resistance for any reason
irip
Head Pro
Without doubt you should book again next year with the same format you could see how popular it was by the waiting list, but i am sure everyone would of enjoyed it more had it not been so slow.
I feel for the last group as they have to play every shot with a group of blokes they dont know watching and no doubt moaning about the pace of play.
And of course the weather didnt help either, its a lot easier to wait with the sun on your back rather than being huddled up freezing cold trying to stay dry.
I for one will be putting my name down and accept its not going to be quick
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
So far we are stick with 8 min gap and 3 balls - there was a call to introduce 4 ball at that gap
More stablefords have been introduced.
Rough length has been reduced but thickened
Lots of areas of bramble has been cleared out to help players find balls quicker
Only in the club champs , Capts day and Presidents Day will the full length course used and greens quickened up but that will be 10 min 3 balls.
Looking at possible introducing call up holes on two par threes.
