The real cause of slow play.....

[Airlie_Andy]

Apologies for the link but the article is very interesting with regards to slow play.
http://www.golfdigest.com/blogs/the-loop/2014/11/the-real-cause-of-slow-play-is.html

Personally I've always thought the set-up of the course is as much to blame as anything else.

 

[woody69]

Makes an awful lot of sense and I completely agree. However, I think the problem with most people on slow play isn't what causes it, but rather how people deal with it, i.e. letting faster groups through, or not.

A lot of valid points though.

 

[Maninblack4612]

Course setup has an effect for sure. I have played a few times at Rockliffe Hall, at one time the longest course in Europe off the black tees. The trouble is that, even if you're playing off the yellows, on every hole you have to walk past the black & then the white tees to reach the yellows. On very few occasions do you have to walk back over to get to the white or black tee, which means that, whichever tee you use, you're still walking a 7,200 yard course. It's tiring as well as time consuming.

 

[bozza]

I

Course setup has an effect for sure. I have played a few times at Rockliffe Hall, at one time the longest course in Europe off the black tees. The trouble is that, even if you're playing off the yellows, on every hole you have to walk past the black & then the white tees to reach the yellows. On very few occasions do you have to walk back over to get to the white or black tee, which means that, whichever tee you use, you're still walking a 7,200 yard course. It's tiring as well as time consuming.

I play it quite a bit and while it does take a long time due to the distance between greens/tees I wouldn't say I've ever really experienced "slow play" I think it helps space people out a little better as your aren't walkjng off a green straight to a tee or having to wait for someone to putt out on the previous before you tee off as it's so close.

 

[Foxholer]

Lots of factors, with 'Tee Time Intervals Too Short' certainly being a recognised one!

One 'benefit' of having a Par 3 to start is that the intervals cannot be any less than the time it takes to play that hole! Dean Knuth (the Pope of Slope) even recommends that, with a Par 4 start, a group should be held on the 1st tee until the one in front are walking on the Green to mark/putt.

There are plenty of other causes too though!

 

[Ethan]

The US has some different issues, though. I have played a 6 hour round at Torrey Pines. Six. Hours. It was because the course is rather difficult, many of the players were rubbish, many had complicated and lengthy setup routines which they would only start when it was their turn to play. Carts with cartpath only rules are also a curse. It isn't really a surprise that the first group of the day is invariably faster than the average pace of play later. For a start, the first slot(s) is/are often taken by fast players who want to speed round. Flow theory explains why 3 buses come along at once, and why variable speed keeps the M25 moving (sometimes). It also explains why the pace of play inevitably slows later. Slow groups hurt pace more than fast groups help it.

Decently spaced tee times is an obvious idea, though. The idea of making courses easier just to speed up play is terrible one. You could make every hole 60 yards wide, with a bowl green and the flag in the bottom of the bowl, and remove bunkers and hazrads. That would make for the dullest game of golf possible. Still, all the people who then give up the game might help the others get round faster.

 

[Smiffy]

A lot of the time it's people just not thinking.
We had a slow round last week at West Hove.
There was a fourball in front of us, got to a long par 3 and they were standing on the path around the tee gassing to each other.
Fourball in front of them was on the green putting and faffing around.
They finished putting out, strolled off the green to their trolleys and then proceeded to the next tee.
It was only then that the four in front of us stopped chatting, stepped onto the tee, and decided on which clubs they were likely to want to hit.
They all then strolled back to their bags, pulled a club out, and then had a 2 minute discussion on who's bloody honour it was!!
This should have been sorted while the other guys were putting out.
And eventually when these four old gits do finally tee off, they stroll past without a care in the world and comment "slow today mate, going to be like this all the way round".


I could have quite easily rammed my hybrid up his Khyber (especially as I was hitting it like a knob).

 

[NST]

A lot of the time it's people just not thinking.
We had a slow round last week at West Hove.
There was a fourball in front of us, got to a long par 3 and they were standing on the path around the tee gassing to each other.
Fourball in front of them was on the green putting and faffing around.
They finished putting out, strolled off the green to their trolleys and then proceeded to the next tee.
It was only then that the four in front of us stopped chatting, stepped onto the tee, and decided on which clubs they were likely to want to hit.
They all then strolled back to their bags, pulled a club out, and then had a 2 minute discussion on who's bloody honour it was!!
This should have been sorted while the other guys were putting out.
And eventually when these four old gits do finally tee off, they stroll past without a care in the world and comment "slow today mate, going to be like this all the way round".


I could have quite easily rammed my hybrid up his Khyber (especially as I was hitting it like a knob).

Off subject, but I was very impressed with the condition of West Hove when I played it last week.

 

[GB72]

I can see some benefit in the spacing out of tee times. We have no booking system and so the next group on the 1st tee start when the group in front are out of range. Invariably that would mean that they will be waiting on every shot until things space out a bit. This normally happens at the first par 3 hole when the groups spread out and the course moves smoother. Perhaps if the instruction were to wait until the group in front reached the green on the first hole then the groups would be better spread out. Strangely it was the half way hut at my old club that was great for pace of play. The rull was that you had to be on the tee after the hut once the group ahead reached the green. This put nearly a full hole between groups and the back 8 holes were always quicker than the first 10 (I know they should be as it is less holes).

Not convinced with the argument of making a course easier to speed up play. Yes, bring down the level of the rough so as a wayward shot is penalised but not with a lost ball but significantly changing a course just to up the place of play does not seem a good way forward.

 

[chillicon]

One of the problems we have at my course on a Saturday is the halfway house, which by the time I get there involves sitting around waiting for 15-20 minutes to get on to the 10th tee.

That and all the blokes with electric trolleys who should be carrying.

 

[Smiffy]

Off subject, but I was very impressed with the condition of West Hove when I played it last week.

If you think that was good, try East Brighton. We're playing their tomorrow.
It will be immaculate.

 

[Rooter]

One of the problems we have at my course on a Saturday is the halfway house, which by the time I get there involves sitting around waiting for 15-20 minutes to get on to the 10th tee.

We have a rule where as if you stop, you must offer the group behind the opportunity to play through (if they are there obviously and not planning on stopping)

Another course I play have a mandatory 10 minute stop at the 1/2 hut! doesnt work as its mostly ignored and hell from the 10th onwards!

 

[Slab]

I think the biggest obstacle is getting the courses to collectively accept & implement a way forward and to acknowledge they are much more part of the problem (& therefore the solution) than they currently admit to

 

[muttleee]

When the guy said "slow today mate", you should've said, "Yes, you are".

 

[FairwayDodger]

Funny thing often happens at my course with 10 min gaps....

One group goes off slightly early and the next is a bit tardy getting to the tee. You show up and it looks like nobody is going off even though the booking sheet is full.

 

[patricks148]

Funny thing often happens at my course with 10 min gaps....

One group goes off slightly early and the next is a bit tardy getting to the tee. You show up and it looks like nobody is going off even though the booking sheet is full.

same thing at my place Karen, except, in this case it usually means half the buggers don't turn up....

Same every sat

 

[FairwayDodger]

same thing at my place Karen, except, in this case it usually means half the buggers don't turn up....

Same every sat

That too Patrick - especially at this time of year.

 

[Up_Point_1]

Here's my (publishable) two penneth:

A: course set too tough i.e. Tough pins and penal rough which coverts ultimately into lost time searching for balls.
B: tee times too tightly spaced,
C: too much "sky sports" - members fannying around unnecessarily during a round,

UP1.

 

[JCW]

Long grass is good for slow play

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Lots of interesting points in the link but it doesn't hide the biggest cause of slow play.........inconsiderate people.

You should walk between shots, not amble.
You should be ready to play when it's your turn (glove on, distance measured, club selected etc)
You should leave your bag at the correct side of the green.
You should line up your putt when everyone else is doing the same, not wait till it's your turn
You should NOT think it's OK to play slowly as long as you call groups through, that causes bottlenecks!