The end of slow play??

[HomerJSimpson]

Hate foursomes. Can never get a rhythm and like SILH I always feel like its half a game so I avoid like the plague. I'll play greensomes at a push but to be honest not a fan of alternate shot formats

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

True but bound to cause friction and doesn't stop it happening in competitions and matches either. The thing is they know they are slow but seem unable and unwilling to change. I don't see what the club can do to re-educate them and surely imposing restrictions only runs the risk of losing them as members. It's a tough one to strike a balance

In comps we have to enter our finish time on our card before submitting it. Our tee time is known.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Hate foursomes. Can never get a rhythm and like SILH I always feel like its half a game so I avoid like the plague. I'll play greensomes at a push but to be honest not a fan of alternate shot formats

Other way round - I love foursomes ?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Have you lost members due to slow weekend play thanks to these two?

If they are causing problems and holding the course up on a regular basis the club should be addressing it as it is affecting everyone behind them. There is no excuse if they know they are slow but doing nothing about it.

Not lost members to my knowledge but the guy that freezes over the ball can often be at least a hole (if not more) behind the group in front so it does have a knock on effect with pace of play. I am pretty sure the club are burying their heads in the sand to a degree although pre-Covid I think the captain and vice may have been prepared to have had words. The guy from the roll up group that plays ahead of us though is perhaps the biggest issue as he really doesn't see he has a problem even when it's pointed out how it only his group each week out of position. It is a tricky one and to be fair the guy we play with (aside from being a director which would probably explain the clubs reticence to tackle it) is popular (he runs supper club, his brother plays etc) and aside from his slow play is a nice guy to play with (if you have the time and the course is empty!)

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Not lost members to my knowledge but the guy that freezes over the ball can often be at least a hole (if not more) behind the group in front so it does have a knock on effect with pace of play. I am pretty sure the club are burying their heads in the sand to a degree although pre-Covid I think the captain and vice may have been prepared to have had words. The guy from the roll up group that plays ahead of us though is perhaps the biggest issue as he really doesn't see he has a problem even when it's pointed out how it only his group each week out of position. It is a tricky one and to be fair the guy we play with (aside from being a director which would probably explain the clubs reticence to tackle it) is popular (he runs supper club, his brother plays etc) and aside from his slow play is a nice guy to play with (if you have the time and the course is empty!)

Something needs to be done it's unreasonable for the rest of the membership trying to play on the day.

The fact that one of them is a nice guy should be immaterial.

Every club have them, they just need educated and sorted out.

 

[KenL]

To take less time, as well as all the obvious stuff, courses need to be shorter or people need to be playing off tees that meet their needs.

If the weather is windy, I would love to turn up for a medal and have the option of playing off the yellows. Windy is 20mph plus, regular occurrence at my course.

 

[inthehole]

Most courses aren't too long , its only the newer ones.

Course set up / rough where balls can be found easily.

To help speed of play
1) Rough to be managed, ideal is that it hampers shot but ball is found relatively quickly
2) Ready golf
3) If you hit your ball in the rough, other players go and play their balls first before helping you look
4) Everyone looks where players hit their shots so that they can help if needed
5) Walk off the green promptly , get to the next tee and play before marking card

Having said that , you shouldn't feel its a race. Its really a question of awareness and the old adage "more haste less speed".

 

[inthehole]

Re foursomes

Its a shame that its not played and appreciated more ( good game, very sociable, very quick) but I guess it was more appreciated more when lunch was an important part of your experience and that drink driving wasn't an issue ! It relies on their only being two ball games on the course and that people understand how to play it.

Oh yes, and players don't knob it 10 yards off the tee when their partner has already walked 170 yards down the fairway !!

 

[AmandaJR]

We're at 10 minute intervals, 2 balls only. Got to the car park today and guy said "we're in front of you" (my heart sank) "my partner is a bit slow but I'll try to speed him up...last week the guys behind must have teed off early as they were right up behind us" (heart sinks again). Partner nowhere in sight "he's not here yet"...we move to the putting green at 11.28 (they were due to tee off at 11.30) and he comes past with his pal a couple of minutes behind. I said "the starter will have you" thinking surely he'd say for us to go in their slot and they follow us...but no "it's not 10.30 yet" he says. They finally tee off about 5 minutes late and after duffing his tee shot his partner stands on the tee doing up his shoelaces and then drives his trolley down the tee box to his ball. On the 6th they use the light system (blind tee shot) and hey presto they leave it on - creates a gap after all! They did the same on the 12th but we teed off when we could see they were out of range. Thankfully they finished on the 12th but stood there looking at their watches, I think winding us up as if they might carry on after all. Once they were gone it was bliss and stopped us being peppered by the two behind!

Reminded me of one of my pet hates with golf - ignorant gits that you have to stay behind for hours and be constantly aware of their ignorance

 

[jim8flog]

Re Foursomes my partner and I were playing at Burnham and Berrow, he had never played there before. I had gone forward on one hole which is blind tee shot. I was stood at the top of the hill looking back and I could see he was aiming in totally the wrong direction I was unable to get his attention and the ball finished behind one of the dunes.

When he caught up with me I asked him why he was aiming in the direction back came the reply " I was given that direction by the Burnham player". I then pointed out to him that the Burnham player drew the ball and he faded the ball. Result on the hole triple bogey. We missed out on the prizes by 2 shots.

 

[jim8flog]

Must have been the 10th.
The big marker post on the hill could have given him a clue ?

This was back in the days when the pill box was there, so long ago I do not remember if there was a marker post back then.

 

[sunshine]

The purest form must be individual scratch stroke play surely? Count all your shots and compare to everyone else, can't get any purer than that.

Followed by scratch individual matchplay?

I do enjoy foursomes. Sometimes ?

Wholeheartedly agree. Purest form can only be playing your own ball and counting how many shots you take!

I like foursomes when playing with a partner who is a good friend and similar standard.

 

[sunshine]

Remember once being overtaken by a group of seniors playing foursomes. They were racing around like a relay. Walking off the green, two headed back to the tee and the other two headed up the fairway. By the time they had taken their tee shots the players up the fairway were almost level with the balls and ready to play. Didn't look much fun.

 

[clubchamp98]

Remember once being overtaken by a group of seniors playing foursomes. They were racing around like a relay. Walking off the green, two headed back to the tee and the other two headed up the fairway. By the time they had taken their tee shots the players up the fairway were almost level with the balls and ready to play. Didn't look much fun.

That’s ok until you knob one off the tee or hit one OB .
Your partner isn’t to pleased then.
It’s only half a game ,it would not be my first choice to play.

 

[North Mimms]

Could be worse.
Mixed foursomes when my husband hits his tee shot out of bounds and I have to play the third shot from the white tees on the longest hole on the golf course!

 

[clubchamp98]

Could be worse.
Mixed foursomes when my husband hits his tee shot out of bounds and I have to play the third shot from the white tees on the longest hole on the golf course!

My mate won’t play with his wife for that reason.
It just makes dinner nicer if they only play social golf together.

 

[sunshine]

Could be worse.
Mixed foursomes when my husband hits his tee shot out of bounds and I have to play the third shot from the white tees on the longest hole on the golf course!

I didn't know it worked that way!

We have a 185 yard par 3 over water, at least 150 yard carry, and the further right you go the longer the carry. Lots of balls in that lake! Mr Mimms would be a little nervous knowing that if he found water you would have to take on that shot next! The red tee plays from a different angle with no water to carry.

 

[North Mimms]

I didn't know it worked that way!

We have a 185 yard par 3 over water, at least 150 yard carry, and the further right you go the longer the carry. Lots of balls in that lake! Mr Mimms would be a little nervous knowing that if he found water you would have to take on that shot next! The red tee plays from a different angle with no water to carry.

In that case we would have planned that I teed off on that hole, so that if I plonked it in the water, he would replay the shot from the ladies tee!