Stepping away from the ball, slow play.

[ScienceBoy]

I am guilty of quite a bit of "slow play" at the moment.

I am struggling with my shot alignment and stance, I probably have to step away and go through my routine on at least every other shot, its not wasting loads of time, 10 seconds each time.

I don't mind doing it, I never stall over the ball but I can only settle over the ball right before I am ready to hit, if I am set up wrong I have to step out of it or I know its not going to be pretty.

I don't think I have annoyed anyone yet but if it gets any worse before it gets better it might! I know I have to do it though, its either that or spend 5 mins in the jungle searching for yet another lost ball.

So far taking the extra time is working, I am finding more fairways doing it!

No one has pulled me up yet but after my round I wondered when someone might!

To keep my game I am putting that thought out my mind, I firmly believe its OK to do so, as long as you are keeping up with the group in front etc.

BTW we actually caught up and went through a group then got over 3 holes ahead of the group behind who also got let through.

SO my question is, do you tolerate a little extra time on the shot if a person ends up knocking it round in a decent score (like my 77) or do you pull them up for taking too long on every other shot?

 

[duncan mackie]

there's the underlying routine, and then there's other things.

the first is about the actual time committed every time - the other includes an incidence factor to be able to make any judgement.

interestingly the teaching pro's have realised their role in all this because they were teaching pre-shot routines without recognising the implications. they now advocate 'sustainable' pre shot routines!

 

[HawkeyeMS]

No problem with someone doing it if they aren't comfortable as long as they don't have a ridiculous routine. The fact you are aware of i tells me you aren't unduly holding things up. It's those who are oblivious to it that are the issue

 

[Foxholer]

If someone I'm playing with does that and apologises, I tend to state "It costs a lot less time than an extra shot!".

I often wish that I had reset, as the "Stuff it, I'll just adjust" approach never works!

 

[Mr A]

I've been doing this a bit too recently. It only adds a extra 10 or 15 seconds like you say, but if I am uncomfortable I know it will be a bad shot. So it seems daft to carry on anyway. I offer an apology then start again.

 

[palindromicbob]

10 secs every second shot with 77 adds about 7 minutes to your round. Doesn't seem unreasonable. If it helps prevent 2 lost balls then it's more than "paid" for itself. Different if it's someone who has a routine with no obvious positive effect on their game if you get me.

 

[Evesdad]

I wish I had done this a couple of times on Sunday. I wasn't comfortable and I didn't feel right the shots were bad. The first time I did it again tonight I said to myself don't do it again. I didn't and the shots came off as intended. Lesson learnt.

 

[Big D 88]

I can recall countless times i've hit a shot and straight away turned to my PP and said ,'i knew i wasnt set up correctly'

If only i stepped away and began the set up again i would not only take less time in the round, i probably score better

 

[ScienceBoy]

My routine is pretty quick thankfully.

Based on G.A.S.P and I hit the ball as soon as I am settled. My first competition round stepping back if its wrong I shot 77 so it must be working.

I will continue and not worry, hopefully the more I do my routine the better I will get at it.

 

[Fish]

If you hit the ball anyway knowing you weren't right and had to look for them on no less than 2 occasions, your round would take longer than the routine you are now adopting, so it can only be positive.

The casing point is that you are still up with the groups in front, what's the point of rushing only to wait behind them!

 

[Doon frae Troon]

OP

No problem at all so long as you know that when you take a six that adds up to a minute!!

Slow play is generally caused by groups of four men walking extremely slowly between shots.

Did anyone notice how quickly the pros walked between shots at The Open.

 

[Fish]

Did anyone notice how quickly the pros walked between shots at The Open.

I did, I mentioned to the wifey that they were almost marching down some fairways as the caddies were skipping and running along behind them at times!

 

[One Planer]

Sgtepping back is something I've started to do recently, on the advice of my pro.

My pre shot routine isn't the longest, and I get most of it done while the other member of my group play there shots.

If I don't feel comfortable over the ball, for whatever reason, I'll step off and start again.

I don't do it every shot, or every other shot for that matter. If I don't feel comfortable over the ball I will step away.

I don't think this contributes to slow play either. Not feeling comfortable, not stepping back, them chomping it into the bushes, because of the former, adds to slow play IMHO.

 

[Pin-seeker]

Think I need to start doing this,during my backswing if it doesn't feel right I tend to just go with it. Don't even know why

 

[mcbroon]

I wish I was better at doing this. Like so many others, I've tried to adjust over the ball hundreds of times and I could probably count on one hand the number of times I got away with it.

 

[Curls]

First off - good man for admitting that you might be the cause of slow play - potentially a forum first!!!

Secondly, I don't think you are, not with those scores, it wouldn't irritate me unless you did that and then topped it every time (I've seen that too!).

Thirdly what we are talking about here is something Joseph Parent refers to as "Anyways", and there's a simple instruction for getting them out of your game.

If you are just about to hit a shot and think to yourself "somethings not right" (could be alignment, wrong club, winds picked up etc) and hit it anyway, that's an "anyway". The results are rarely good.

Next time you play have a column of your scorecard for Anyways. Every time you do one, put a tick in the box. Don't judge yourself, its only human, move on and hit the next one well. At the end of the round you might have 5 or 6 anyways. Next round you might be surprised to only have 2 or 3. What your doing is retraining your mind to be aware of Anyways, and by doing that changing your behaviour towards them. A few rounds in and you'll never stand over a ball not fully confident of pulling the trigger again, because if you feel something isn't right you'll know youre about to it an Anyway and step off, fix the issue, and commit to the shot.

Trust me it worked for me! Science boy is doing it, for the others on the thread who said they have trouble I hope it works for you. Even reading this paragraph has put the word "Anyways" in your mind, you might be surprised to hear your subconscious say it and step off a potential disaster soon.

 

[julsk10]

I don't think its the time people actually spend over the ball that causes slow play, more all the faffing about that happens, ie not ready to play, marking scorecards when its their turn to tee off,etc. As others have said if you're not hiiting it into the rough every hole it shouldn't be slowing you down.

 

[Swinger]

'Kevin Na' would be a better name than 'Bin Juice'!

 

[Jack_bfc]

No problem with anyone stepping away, changing clubs ar just resetting.

Its all the other messing about that causes slow play as stated above somewhere.

Not being ready to play when needed, on the tee or on the fairway. Not playing provisionals and then looking for a ball for far too long.

All slow play....

Stepping away a couple of times does no harm at all. As long as the original set up doesnt take 5 min

 

[Fader]

Need to train myself to step away most of my bad shots lately come from being uncomfortable over the ball and not walking away

As long as your ready to go when its your turn and no bumbling along between shots can't see the issue with this.