Two words that spell the end of mankind!

[Parmo]

Morning All,
Friday at last, as we start planning our weekend rounds in our heads and thinking of the first tee or plan for the round to come, I want to have my end of week rant.

I have noticed not just on the forum but in the club house we are all laying the blame due to it on the economy to the down fall of Che Guevara, no I am not talking capitalism but the dreaded slow play!! When I step up to the plate at my home courses first tee I see a sign warning of slow play, I constantly hear people getting irate due to it, I listen to the anger of a rushed shot aimed at the group in front and the danger of being hit and the winces of the golf insurers.

Slow play, by means of definition is when a player plays slow holding up follow players. My first question is if a player has a high handicap he will generally play slower than a low handicapper, so due to this is that classed as slow play or just part of the game? Secondly if the group behind are playing too fast why do we mostly not look upon this in the same light? Thirdly why are we constantly trying to find new ways of rushing around the course and blaming anything on slow play, as the rules state "If you have a clear hole in front then you have to let the group behind play through" so on a busy day its unlikely to happen, why do we then ruin a great day by screaming slow play and nothing else, like the course is busy and I have the pleasure of an extra 30mins on the course?

End of rant and good golfing to you all this weekend and I hope lady luck be with you.

 

[brendy]

Human nature shows that we are never happy. Its too cold or too warm, too fast or way too slow. Its too expensive or its suspiciously cheap. Indifference doesnt seem to be in our make up.
So on the golf course some people set aside 4 hours to get their game of golf in simply because they can do it on a weekday so why not on a saturday, Ill tell you why it simply cant happen.
Imagine the golf course being likened to a stretch of road and a set of traffic lights. The cars move off at a uniform pattern, but when one car slows for a passing lorry or approaching obstacle the uniformity changes to the caterpillar effect where gaps are then seen and have almost an elastic effect where they are left behind then are right up behind those in front again.
Does this help : I see this happen every week where someone sees a gap in play and complains that they arnt keeping up, even if they were to skip past that 4ball, they wouldnt be long free before they hit the brick wall of pla in front again.

 

[OldWindy]

Human nature shows that we are never happy. Its too cold or too warm, too fast or way too slow. Its too expensive or its suspiciously cheap. Indifference doesnt seem to be in our make up.

Brendy for President!!

The other reason is perhaps that reason itself escapes us. Common sense also has a habit of passing us by.

 

[grumpyjock]

Always thought the object of a round of golf was to relax you, if you want to rush around get a sports car and drive.
I play at my pace and as long as I dont doddle along i keep up with the state of play.
As have a problem with walking and use a buggie it is normally me waiting while the fourball in front tack across the fairways in search of balls and clubs.
Remember its only a game.

 

[Parmo]

I agree, if there is someone in front of me (not often as we are usually out first) I try and keep up with the group in front.

 

[Ken_A]

Common sense also has a habit of passing us by.

I think this is it - I played on saturday, while looking for a ball the group behind us cought up. We never let them through because we may have been looking for a ball but we where not yet capable of hitting our second shot - yet we still got a remark of slow play on the next par 3.
When we found the ball - we had to wait another few mins before the group in front where off the green. As Brendy said people just like to complain. As long as you can keep position you play at a suitable pace.

Out tee times are 7 mins apart which does not help much.

 

[brendy]

7 mins, ouch, ours is down to 10 mins which is tight but workable.

 

[OldWindy]

7 mins is too tight. We're on 10 which is working (for now).

 

[USER1999]

I don't really care what speed I play at in the weekend, as I have all weekend to play, and it is obvious the course will be busy.

When speed is an issue is evening rounds after work, where the idea is to have a quick knock round, get some air, have a laugh and get home at a sensible time for dinner. Getting stuck in a 3 1/2 hour 13 hole round is ridiculous, especially when the course isn't that busy, then get home at 9 30 and find my dinner in the cat.

As for the comment 'if you want speed, buy a sports car' - have you ever driven inside the M25? Believe me, there is no difference between a ferrari and a micra.

 

[GB72]

I vote for more courtesy holes on courses. Since joining a club where there are 2, nobody presses the group in front for holes 1-7 and 8-13 as they know that they are entitled to be called up on these holes. Seems to work very well and I have never had a group behind accept an offer or ask to play through nor have I felt the need to push up on a group ahead.

 

[Ken_A]

I vote for more courtesy holes on courses. Since joining a club where there are 2, nobody presses the group in front for holes 1-7 and 8-13 as they know that they are entitled to be called up on these holes. Seems to work very well and I have never had a group behind accept an offer or ask to play through nor have I felt the need to push up on a group ahead.

Sorry for the hijack but please explain, how do the courtesy holes work?

 

[grumpyjock]

You use the car on a circuit designed for the purpose as you use the golf course for what it was designed for a nice gentle walk and fresh air.
If groups catch each other up then you may be playing too fast so slow down and enjoy the daisies.

 

[GB72]

These are holes, on my course it is a long par 3 and a short par 4, where the local rule is that you play your ball as far as the green then mark the ball and invite any group behind that are ready to tee off to play their shots. You then putt out whilst the group behind walks to the green.

 

[Parmo]

We have that rule but the danger of it is that many big hitters can hit the back of the green where said person stands.

 

[minty18]

We have a few "call up" holes at our course..... no ones calls anyone up though!

 

[Parmo]

We used to have a bell on the 8th and the bell has gone missing, so its a case of waving like hell and hoping the group behind notice.

 

[viscount17]

the one area where I take issue with some golfers is their pace, or rather lack of it, between shots. even on a busy day, walk briskly - it's healthier - and evaluate the next shot as you approach it, don't wait for each of your partners to play before even considering what you should do.

 

[shanker]

the one area where I take issue with some golfers is their pace, or rather lack of it, between shots. even on a busy day, walk briskly - it's healthier - and evaluate the next shot as you approach it, don't wait for each of your partners to play before even considering what you should do.

This really gets on my wick. The player who watches his partners play and THEN starts selecting his club!

 

[GB72]

I agree with that. I used to play on a course where I got stuck behind the same 4 ball every week. They would all walk to one ball, play the shot, then the next and so on. Some of them also had some of the longest pre-shot routines I have ever seen and would take an age over a putt then leave it 2 ft short. Would never let anyone through either. Complained many times but not once were they brought to task over it. Used to give up after 9 if they were in front of me.