Whats The Rush

SwingsitlikeHogan

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With nobody holding you up 4hrs is easy and pleasant for a four ball as long as you stroll between shots and don't dawdle. Even without the faffing around that can go to make things take longer than they should, players dawdling between shots just drags everything out.
 

Papas1982

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Four hours for a fourball is fine in my book.
I’ll get a little frustrated is I can see people flapping about. For me, the actual issues or stress at least of pace has as much to do with slow players as it does fast players.
 

Hammertoe

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I’m totally with you on this John, I have 2 young girls, one still a baby, have just turned 40, never get the chance to practice and only get out once a week, when I’m there I want to relax and enjoy it, not be rushed by someone who’s sole purpose in life is to great around a golf course in 3 hours, I just don’t get it.

I’m on a golf course cause I love playing golf, I could be knee deep in nappies or in Tesco on a Saturday and want to enjoy it while I’m there
 

User 99

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Our club adopted READY GOLF at the start of the season, notices were posted on line and on the boards. But sadly some still play the old way in competitions.

To be fair, ready golf in match play isn't correct or should I say, I wouldn't in matchplay.
 

Rlburnside

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No I'm completely with you. I've got a busy life and don't have all day for golf, and quite frankly even if I had time I wouldn't play all day, I have other things I'd like to be doing as well.

I'm a really fast player. If I'm on my own without anyone in front I can play 18 in 2h for me that won't be rushing, I just don't faff about. But I'm OK with slower rounds. 4h for 18 if I'm playing with others is fine by me. It's when it starts getting near over 4:30 hours I start to get frustrated. I just don't like waiting 5-10 mins between shots.

I don't want to rush other people but there has to be reasonable balance in pace of play to suit all.

Unfortunately 4.30
Too many people start a round with a finish time in their head, round then becomes a race against the clock.
There’s a thread in the “Ask the Experts” area were someone is asking how long a round should take.
England Golf have done a lot of research in to this and have found the most time is spent/lost around the green and people faffing about.
Our weekend comps normally take 3:15-3:45 depending on format etc, personally I always allow 4hrs minimum and that way never get bothered with odd hold ups on odd holes.
One other point England Golf have found, 8 minute tee offs cause problems, they suggested 10 minute gaps at a minimum.

10 min. Spaces does make a difference but some clubs won’t adopt this because they want to get as many green fees as possible.
Think it was mentioned that HFH meets take around 4 hours 30 min. and this with decent players that know what their doing.
 

Jamesbrown

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There’s a lot of “I want to enjoy my round” , “I want to relax”.

All well and good, but most of us want to get round at a reasonable 4 hours or less. Spare a thought for everyone else. No need to take any longer.
 
D

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For me it’s never the time you take to play the round , it’s the actions whilst playing.

Everyone on the golf course is there for varying reasons , some for the competitions , some for the fun , some just to spend some time with mates etc - some want to fly round some want to take their
Time


The issue I find is people are only concerned about themselves on a golf course - they don’t care about the people in from or behind

If someone wants to go round in 5 hours then no problems as long as good pace of play etiquette is followed and the quicker group is let through at the earliest opportunity

It’s the same with divots , pitch marks and bunkers - keep the course in the condition you expect to see it

Unfortunately it’s way of the world now that some just want things done quickly and it’s only ever about them

Ready golf is what people should do anyway as a common sense and also in Matchplay where appropriate
 

Grant85

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Sub 4 hours should be the norm. However some courses flow better than others and if you have a lot of walks from greens to subsequent tees, you’d be amazed how that adds up.

I agree that it’s not nice to rush or feel rushed, but I don’t think people should have to rush for sub 4 hours.

There’s things you can do:

* pick up the ball! If you are running up a big number, and already well over your handicap, just pick up and move on. Yes, you will NR but you aren’t going to win anything anyway and can still hold your handicap by scoring well the rest of the round.

I’ve played at clubs where NRing was common and at others where people simply didn’t so it. You can guess what the quicker course to play was.

* ready golf. Be ready to play and just play. Especially on tees. Having the honour in a friendly or medal play is nonsense. Just get on with it.

* the starter leaving better gaps between groups on the 1st tee. Believe it or not, groups going off at 8 minute intervals will take longer to complete a medal than groups going off at 10 minute intervals.

* trolleys - I actually think their use delays play a lot more than you would imagine. Players have to take different, very wide routes around greens or rough areas and may have to circle around raised tees, only use certain bridges, stick to paths etc.

Would be interesting to see a club have ‘carry only’ tee times for the 1st half dozen tee times each medal. I think it would save 20 minutes with 3 carriers v 3 trolliers.

All in all, nothing that leads to rushing or not being able to enjoy your golf. Just being respectful of all course users and making good progress.
 
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User 99

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If someone wants to go round in 5 hours then no problems as long as good pace of play etiquette is followed and the quicker group is let through at the earliest opportunity

I here and read that a lot but all that happens is they then become the group in front, if the course is full letting a group through you really serves very little purpose, fair enough if your lot are in the trees haking about but just letting a quicker group through cause they are quicker only speeds them up though you, not through the whole course.
 
D

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No correct answer, as everyone is different and have different speed, priorities and patience.

On an ordinary course I find that more than 4.hr 15m - 4hr 30m hours I lose interest and then my golf is a write off.
 

Slime

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A golf course is a wonderful place to be, especially with my mates.
I'll take as long as I can, we put the world to rights, I take the mick out of my mates, we chew the cud about anything and everything whilst looking forward to a pint after .......................... nowhere else affords me this opportunity.
Obviously we endeavour to hold no-one up and we're always aware of people behind us.


I'm in no hurry, I spend too much time off the course as it is.
 

williamalex1

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To be fair, ready golf in match play isn't correct or should I say, I wouldn't in matchplay.
Match play is different , play in the correct order, the honour should still be observed.

People can take as long as they want to play, as long as they wave the players behind through, as soon as they've have lost ground [ a full hole ] to the game in front.
 

drdel

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I'm with the OP - for me and the guys I play with its a bit of fun and exercise in the fresh air.

It annoys us when the 'rushing' crowd constantly hits their drives while we're on our second shots with other players in front. Wrong - I know - but their chances of getting let through is inversely proportional to how close they hit their shot !! If its clear in front we'd be delighted for them to play through so these speed merchants would rush past and annoy someone else.
 

HomerJSimpson

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I think there are always going to be issues when someone sets a pre-determined time to play a round. I get having other committments and so time can be tight and I get the OP saying he doesn't want to feel rushed as he plays. In my mind at my course four hours is a standard time for a four ball on a weekend morning. Sometimes we get round quicker and other weeks it can be 4.15. I'd rather take my time, focus on playing as well as I can, taking time to rake bunkers and repair pitch marks and not be looking at my watch all the time. It's still an ongoing issue and some players are simply slower but how do you educate them to improve the pace of play. Most won't accept they have a problem in the first place
 
D

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Unfortunately 4.30


10 min. Spaces does make a difference but some clubs won’t adopt this because they want to get as many green fees as possible.
Think it was mentioned that HFH meets take around 4 hours 30 min. and this with decent players that know what their doing.
Using the England Golf rough guide and the scorecard from Liphook, they would suggest 4hrs 6 minutes is the start point for a 4 Ball, obviously it’s a guide and the point of the Forum day is to enjoy the company and raise plenty of money.
Another point raised was that you should only be concerned with the players ahead of you and keeping up with them, if you’re doing that, then that’s all that can be asked.
 
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