What To Do About Slow Play

[SonicBoom]

I can agree with most of what GB72 said. I've heard low handicappers at my club say "what do they want? Good golf or fast golf?"
Er, both please! I've also seen players in comps who insist on finishing the whole when they can't score "just for the practice".
I think it needs to be highlighted to every player at the start of a round. I also think my club could do with a marshall who drives from 18th back and identifies gaps and tells groups to close them. This rarely happens.
Or maybe a hotline that you can call if you are held up by the group in front and the marshall immediately comes out to them.
Also for courses where a lot of people play for the first time (such as hotel courses), much clearer signs near the greens as to where to leave bags for the next tee.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

(incidentally a wider 1st cut means a narrowing of the fairway not an elimination of rough)

We'll agree to differ

Does it?

 

[craigstardis1976]

Developing a culture of ready golf would be a great start, I feel. As would ensuring people tee off at the correct time. I love the idea of a bar special.

Another aspect to consider is policing each other...for example...I rarely take a practice swing unless it is with a short game shot. Usually, I just pull my club, take a little half swing, aim the club, align the body and pull the trigger before I can think of anything else.

Not saying everyone should be like be like that but if a playing partner is taking forever lining up or preparing just a little reminder: "John, we have got to keep the pace of play up. Please be ready to hit when it your turn." Does no harm.

Craig.

 

[patricks148]

Proper Marshalls is the only way in my opinion. Slow players never think they are slow and always ague the toss when challenged after the fact.

With a marshall pointing it out to them when on the course and the course behind backed up... no way to deny it.

 

[Craigg]

I agree that course set up can have a detrimental effect on the pace of play but educating people to do the right things will have a much bigger impact on how long it takes to get round.

Elaborate pre shot routines, looking at putts for double bogey from every side of the green, not being ready when it's your turn, leaving bags at the wrong side of the green etc etc etc.

Playing quickly really isn't difficult!!!!

^^^
This, and yet we still see it time and time again.
I was out on my own this afternoon for a knock. Course was pretty quiet. Our 12th green is within easy earshot of the 4th tee, so out of courtesy and not wanting to rattle a tee shot off while the fourball on the 12th green were putting, I waited...and waited...and waited some more for them to finish. I timed them at over 6 minutes for them all to hole out! (They then proceeded to chatter all the way past me behind the tee whilst I teed off....Some people eh!)

 

[duncan mackie]

There are those who wish to play 'quickly' (its in commas because it this means different things to different people) and there are those who don't see this as a priority.

The starting point is to decide what your club aims to be; until you do that it's ridiculous to even start considering what to do about anything.

In this case this can be focused on the question "do we lose more members by doing something, or by not doing something?"

This can be a harder question than most clubs admit.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It's about education but many of the habitual offenders, and each club has them, will refuse to accept to they have a problem and a causing issues for those behind. They simply won't change their ways. Ready golf won't change this. Penalties in comps won't change this and they'll simply stop playing in them but will still go out and hold the course up. I cannot see a simple long term solution. Slow play has been an issue since I started playing and nearly forty years later it's still here

 

[SammmeBee]

Is there a place where you can get a internet map of your course then using GPS mobile tracking you can place each group on the course?

You need the following:

1 x Man (or Lady)
1 x Start Sheet
1 x Pencil
1 x Clock
5 x Cups of Tea

 

[SammmeBee]

Out of interest - if playing a competitive medal competition, what do people consider a reasonable/acceptable pace of play:

I'll chuck in the following:

2-ball - 3.15/3.30
3-ball - 4 hours

Or is that unreasonable?

4-ball medal/competition is 4 and half hours at best btw............

 

[Liverbirdie]

Our handicap committee recently sent out an email on the monthly newsletter with a link to the R and A's pace of play directive.

As they felt that not many would read this, they also did a 10 bulletpoint shortened version, iirc.

Not all may read it, but would give some a little help.

 

[chellie]

It's always horrendously slow on a Saturday following the men's competition. The other week I watched an 8 hcp do this: Ball not too far off green which is on an uphill slope. Go down on one knee to get read. Repeat this three times. Take eight practice swings. Hit shot. Doesn't make it into hole but is on green. Next step is to lie down like Villegas etc etc

 

[duncan mackie]

It will depend on the course, then the course conditions.

Less than 10 mins between start times for a 4 ball field will also slow it down (as will ready golf start times).

After that the course will generally move at the speed of the slowest group - even if they let groups through the course speed for those starting some way behind them will always be compromised.

 

[palindromicbob]

Given some of the scores reported on the worst score thread I'd say teach people about Clause 19.

 

[Smiffy]

Yes, but according to the member who spoke to me, they weren't at fault on this occasion.

Everyday facts of golf No.1....
It's always the slowest players that declare most vehemently "it wasn't me".

 

[bluewolf]

Ok, sorry to say, but most initiatives won't work.

Education won't work because most people either -

A) Know they're slow and don't care (I've paid my money I'll take as long as I want).
B) Don't know they're slow so won't read the literature.

Shaming won't work because it'll just create ill feeling in the club, eventually resulting in falling membership.

Marshalls wont work in the majority of cases because the majority of clubs can't afford to use them.

Just about the only thing that might work is to start from the top down. Speed up the Pro's first. This might then speed up the Amateurs. Not guaranteed, but it's got to be a better idea than turning courses into glorified pitch and putts by taking out the rough.

By the way, there are some courses where slow play will ALWAYS be a problem. No amount of education will overcome poor course design.

 

[Doh]

CF you could ask your county union what they are doing about slow play they may be able to offer you some advice. The results of a resent survey say the biggest culprit of slow play is people not being ready to play when it's their turn.

 

[Beezerk]

It's a part of the game which is never going to go away, it can be frustrating at times but I know where I'd rather be, out in the sunshine (unless you live in Lancashire) doing what I enjoy. Besides, who doesn't enjoy a good moan in the clubhouse over a cold beer afterwards? It's all part and parcel of why golf is great.

 

[Crazyface]

There are those who wish to play 'quickly' (its in commas because it this means different things to different people) and there are those who don't see this as a priority.

The starting point is to decide what your club aims to be; until you do that it's ridiculous to even start considering what to do about anything.

In this case this can be focused on the question "do we lose more members by doing something, or by not doing something?"

This can be a harder question than most clubs admit.

Great response ! This is the tough bit.

 

[Crazyface]

You need the following:

1 x Man (or Lady)
1 x Start Sheet
1 x Pencil
1 x Clock
5 x Cups of Tea

I don't get this. I've contacted a course GPS provider over this idea. It'll be interesting to get a response.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

There are those who wish to play 'quickly' (its in commas because it this means different things to different people) and there are those who don't see this as a priority.

The starting point is to decide what your club aims to be; until you do that it's ridiculous to even start considering what to do about anything.

In this case this can be focused on the question "do we lose more members by doing something, or by not doing something?"

This can be a harder question than most clubs admit.

Agreed with this. When we are a 3 ball played in the evenings or weekend afternoon we are normally round in around 3hrs 30mins or under, as the course is empty and we amble. Recently with closing nights, we have played 9 holes in 1hr 30 mins. I can remember playing with a friend at hainualt once and we had a speed round and got round in 2hrs 15mins, as we were first group out and we did it for fun.

So what is wrong and what is right, even varies for me when I play. However I would say anything over 4hr 30mins on 18 holes is slow and feels very slow, especially if you are playing well and keeping the ball in play, used to hate rounds to be that slow or slower on the sunday morning time I used to play on.

I used to play with some friends a couple of times a year and they would always be messing around, so the round was always 4 hrs 30 mins and sometime plus that, it was painfully slow.

For our comps normally the pace is fairly good, as it is 3 balls. Normally we are play in under 4 hours in a comp and pretty much faster and kind of waiting on the group in front, not that I would class it as slow. At our club we do not have masses of long grass, just trees that you chip out of or the ball is gone(ie into the field next door).

However I can think of one comp Adam/I/A.n.other played, it must have been earlier this year as the rough under the trees etc was still pretty long. We were all having a nightmare and was forever looking for balls in the rough, IIRC the front nine was about 2hrs 15min and we had to let people though, luckily we played quicker on the back nine. I would say as we were hacking it didn't as such feel slow as you were always doing something, but I knew it was, hence why we played groups tho.

Very tricky subject and how you police it.