What To Do About Slow Play

[Foxholer]

I think more signs could be helpful. Encourage people to accept the pace of play as it is. Remind people that they are there to enjoy, the game, the company, the exercise, and the pleasant surroundings. Put signs at the tee benches asking people to take the weight of their feet for a few minutes if they are waiting to play, and rather that give in to stereotype bitching about the group ahead, just realise how lucky they are to be playing such a fine game with their friends, and that a while more on the course really doesnt amount to a hill of beans. And play your part. Tell a joke, a story, or whatever chit chat you favour and help your more excitable companions from getting too het up about not being able to play speed golf. It it comes up at committee meetings, explain that pace is not the be all and end of of being on a golf course. The anti slow play bandwagon has gotten up a steady head of steam in the last couple of decades, but attitudes can be changed. Be part of it.

Post of the year!

If you want guaranteed times, go play another sport/find another pastime - I bet all 'true golfers' will be back within 1 season!

That doesn't/won't stop anyone from being frustrated by slow play - and what it does to your game - but hey, that's life! The alternative (no golf) is much worse!

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Hit it, try and find it, hit it try and find it, hit it ............. You get the picture!

Yup, but some people take longer than others between the hitting, finding and hitting again

Has Nurse given you your complan this evening yet?

 

[Robobum]

Yup, but some people take longer than others between the hitting, finding and hitting again

Has Nurse given you your complan this evening yet?

Some people do a lot more hitting & finding than others 👍

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I think more signs could be helpful. Encourage people to accept the pace of play as it is. Remind people that they are there to enjoy, the game, the company, the exercise, and the pleasant surroundings. Put signs at the tee benches asking people to take the weight of their feet for a few minutes if they are waiting to play, and rather that give in to stereotype bitching about the group ahead, just realise how lucky they are to be playing such a fine game with their friends, and that a while more on the course really doesnt amount to a hill of beans. And play your part. Tell a joke, a story, or whatever chit chat you favour and help your more excitable companions from getting too het up about not being able to play speed golf. It it comes up at committee meetings, explain that pace is not the be all and end of of being on a golf course. The anti slow play bandwagon has gotten up a steady head of steam in the last couple of decades, but attitudes can be changed. Be part of it.

Great, let's make the game even slower

 

[USER1999]

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............

Who sets the time? I had this discussion with a twenty something in front of me during a medal earlier in the year. We waited on every shot, the full 18 holes. They lost two holes to the guys in front. They wouldn't have it that they were slow, because they were round in less than 4 hours. 3.45 in fact. But the pace of the course, on that day was 3.25. So less than 4 hours is meaningless. It's a nonsense. They then accused the guys in front of running round. Seriously? Three 20 somethings out run by two guys in their 80s and a 70 year old.

Who ever decided that 4 hours is the target? This is part of the issue to me. 4 hours is an arbitrary number. It's not the time a round should take.

 

[SammmeBee]

2 balls play quicker than 3 balls Murph......

 

[chrisd]

Has Nurse given you your complan this evening yet?

Yes, but I've been over 4 hours and haven't finished it yet!

 

[USER1999]

2 balls play quicker than 3 balls Murph......

We were all 3's?

 

[USER1999]

2 balls play quicker than 3 balls Murph......

It also depends if the 4th is an hour late to the tee?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I agree with Murph, that four hours seems arbitrary and if fields in comps can get round in three and a half or just over, without pressuring anyone, then why not aim for that as a norm

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

2 balls play quicker than 3 balls Murph......

That should be the case but often it isn't.

 

[Crazyface]

I like to play walk at a normal pace, 3-4mph
Nowadays many players waddle along at about 1.5mph.


10/12 minute starting times helps as does marked time in and out cards.

Best action by far is slow play penalties.
Most clubs are too scared to bight that bullet.

I was thinking of having a player from each group call in to the pro shop on completion of play and the pro to log this, instead of players writing on cards, they could fiddle them.

 

[Crazyface]

And there is certainly an area under some trees that a lot of players hit into that should be kept mown that would help speed of play, i'll investigate that possibility for next season.

Some good suggestions, thanks.

 

[Capella]

At our club we have expected through-times for every hole printed on the scorecard in comps. There are no penalties for falling behind (even though we do have a marshall who likes to drive up to groups falling behind and rattle them up some), it is more of a gentle reminder. It also gives players who do want to give the others in his groups a little push an argument to prove that they are really falling behind and it's not because the group in front had jet fuel for breakfast. It does not work wonders, but it helps to raise awareness.

 

[hovis]

the big one for me is marking putts from gimme distance. to add to that this obsession with standing on putting lines. in the dryer months i can hand on heart say standing on a line makes no difference to your putt what so ever. after all, 5 minutes prior 4 people where walking all over it

 

[ScienceBoy]

Are you for real? What effect does playing fewer holes have on the pace of play? The pace will be slow irrespective of how many holes you play if people dick about.

I think it has to be considered, they may have had it about right first time when the game was played over 12 holes.

I would say 14 is a good happy medium.

 

[Imurg]

I think it has to be considered, they may have had it about right first time when the game was played over 12 holes.

I would say 14 is a good happy medium.

But if attitudes don't change then the pace of play around those 12/14/18 holes will be the same, the same problems will occur and instead of a short round taking 1 1/2 hours it will take 2 1/4.....so no real change except you're on the course for less overall time...

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think it has to be considered, they may have had it about right first time when the game was played over 12 holes.

I would say 14 is a good happy medium.

Totally disagree. Slow players will be slow regardless of the number of holes played.

 

[patricks148]

I think it has to be considered, they may have had it about right first time when the game was played over 12 holes.

I would say 14 is a good happy medium.

so we are making the game shorter for the people that spoil it for others. less holes doesn't help with the slow ones they still take too longer regardless. what next one hole comps????

 

[Reemul]

I played Bulbury Woods today, 2 ball tee off at 15.30 and finished at 18.40. There was a 2 ball behind who had a buggy and we let them though on 13 and that added 10 minutes as they had a mare on the hole they passed us on and even offered to let us go ahead again.

The fact it was getting dark seemed to spur us and everyone else on. Loads of leaves on the ground didn't help either but if I could play at this pace every week it would be superb