A cure for slow play

[JonMA1]

For what it's worth, I've learned a lot by reading what others have to say about slow play (mainly there's a lot of anger on the golf course). I'm lucky that I don't normally have people waiting for me but I now have some idea what many may be thinking when they are. So if I practice the following steps, I should be moving as fast as possible without having to not finish a hole:

1) Try to plan ahead (which club, type of shot...).

2) Have a simple pre-shot routine.

3) When in doubt of where the shot landed, always hit a provisional.

4) When looking for a lost ball, keep it to a minimum - maybe a minute or two.

5) If no one is in front of me and the folks behind are waiting for more than one or two holes, simply let them play through. They are obviously faster players.

6) Here's the one I'm a bit uncomfortable with - go ahead and tee off if there's no chance of the ball reaching the folks still playing that hole. I always thought that was rude but it seems to be common practice.

7) Clear the green before marking the scorecard.

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

For those who get frustrated by the slow play of us lesser skilled players, please realize that we are often playing as quickly as our ability allows. For now, I take more strokes than many. I also take the time to fix my divots on the fairway and ball marks on the green. When I'm putting, I'm going to try and read the green - that sometime takes a bit of time. I'll often sprint back to the cart after I complete a hole and clear out as fast as I can.

I'm on the waiting end at times so I understand the frustration. But if the guy in front of me has his kids out learning to play, or it's simply a couple who are not very fast, I'm going to try my best to be ok with that.

As far as a cure for slow play, maybe it's simply educating people about what's acceptable. At my club, there's no "marshall" so maybe a reminder (by whoever is at the desk) to try and keep the pace up. Part of the problem will always be the a-holes who won't even try. I don't think that can be cured.

[RayG]

As far as a cure for slow play, maybe it's simply educating people about what's acceptable. At my club, there's no "marshall" so maybe a reminder (by whoever is at the desk) to try and keep the pace up. Part of the problem will always be the a-holes who won't even try. I don't think that can be cured.

Problem with "educating people" or reminding them about slow play: "I'm not slow!". And they will play exactly how they always play. Then complain about everyone ELSE being the slow pokes.

[rehmwa]

Originally Posted by clarkgriswold

Thank you GolfChannel and NBC for this fun new golf routine.

If the weekend golfers can't differentiate between their own play vs a pro where one stroke means the difference of a tens of thousands of dollars for the difference of a sole 2nd place vs tied for 3rd with 20 other pros........

Sergio is welcome to mark that 1 footer (amongst other examples) and take a moment.  I'll keep playing ready golf despite the incredible pressure of TV's example...

[zipazoid]

Lots of good suggestions on what causes slow play...along with some hilarious posts. But my experience has been that the courses where slow play is a problem are the ones that don't have marshals out there making sure the pace of play is keeping up. Which I know opens up a whole new can of worms ('The marshals at my course are worthless' etc), but basically, they gotta be traffic cops out there, and if the country-music-listening Jaegerbombs-foursome is holding up people, they have to be instructed to: 1) Step aside and let other groups through, or 2) Instructed to skip a hole.

But, if a course doesn't have someone out there monitoring pace of play, then everyone's round will only be as fast as the slowest group.

[AmazingWhacker]

Originally Posted by JonMA1

For what it's worth, I've learned a lot by reading what others have to say about slow play (mainly there's a lot of anger on the golf course). I'm lucky that I don't normally have people waiting for me but I now have some idea what many may be thinking when they are. So if I practice the following steps, I should be moving as fast as possible without having to not finish a hole:

1) Try to plan ahead (which club, type of shot...).

2) Have a simple pre-shot routine.

3) When in doubt of where the shot landed, always hit a provisional.

4) When looking for a lost ball, keep it to a minimum - maybe a minute or two.

5) If no one is in front of me and the folks behind are waiting for more than one or two holes, simply let them play through. They are obviously faster players.

6) Here's the one I'm a bit uncomfortable with - go ahead and tee off if there's no chance of the ball reaching the folks still playing that hole. I always thought that was rude but it seems to be common practice.

7) Clear the green before marking the scorecard.

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

For those who get frustrated by the slow play of us lesser skilled players, please realize that we are often playing as quickly as our ability allows. For now, I take more strokes than many. I also take the time to fix my divots on the fairway and ball marks on the green. When I'm putting, I'm going to try and read the green - that sometime takes a bit of time. I'll often sprint back to the cart after I complete a hole and clear out as fast as I can.

I'm on the waiting end at times so I understand the frustration. But if the guy in front of me has his kids out learning to play, or it's simply a couple who are not very fast, I'm going to try my best to be ok with that.

As far as a cure for slow play, maybe it's simply educating people about what's acceptable. At my club, there's no "marshall" so maybe a reminder (by whoever is at the desk) to try and keep the pace up. Part of the problem will always be the a-holes who won't even try. I don't think that can be cured.

All that is good - but you should also play some version of equitable stroke control.  Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) says there is a maximum number of strokes you can take on any one hole - say, for example, triple bogey.  Once you've hit your 7th shot on a par 4 and the ball isn't in the hole - you mark your score a 7 and move on.

I think new golfers just don't understand this . . but it does not matter at all if you shot 110 or 130.  You can still play, have fun and mark your progress using ESC.

[JonMA1]

Originally Posted by AmazingWhacker

All that is good - but you should also play some version of equitable stroke control.  Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) says there is a maximum number of strokes you can take on any one hole - say, for example, triple bogey.  Once you've hit your 7th shot on a par 4 and the ball isn't in the hole - you mark your score a 7 and move on.

I think new golfers just don't understand this . . but it does not matter at all if you shot 110 or 130.  You can still play, have fun and mark your progress using ESC.

I will definitely do that from now on (at least a quadruple bogey as max). Thank you! I'd seen "ESC" on another post or thread but didn't know what it was. Is this something that just high handicappers do for the most part? I'll google it to learn more.

I think a solution for slow play, for me at least, is to really work on staying out of the woods. Not only does that kill my score, it takes up by far the most time.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by JonMA1

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Those are all good suggestions.  I find that there are some other steps that help that require some foresight.

Example: Teeing off on #1.  Golfer A hooks their drive into the 18th fairway.  Golfer B slices their drive into the 9th fairway.  Both golfers have to be aware of the players on those respective holes, so they may have to wait a few seconds even after getting to their balls.  Or maybe it takes a while to look for them.  One of the golfers has to get their butt out of the cart and walk to their ball, and take a few clubs in preparation for different types of shots depending on what they find.  Not doing any of these things can result in several additional minutes per hole.

Same thing when one guy hits his approach on the green and the other person is 20 yards short and right.  Make plans while driving to their ball to drop them off with a few clubs and let the other guy go pull the cart up and start preparing for his putt or whatever.  Multitask with the carts!

Originally Posted by rehmwa

If the weekend golfers can't differentiate between their own play vs a pro where one stroke means the difference of a tens of thousands of dollars for the difference of a sole 2nd place vs tied for 3rd with 20 other pros........

I played a pretty casual practice round of 9 holes last night.  I expected to be waiting every hole and hitting several balls because I went off as a single and there were multiple groups ahead of me, so that wasn't the problem.  What irritated me was a twosome was directly in front of me, and they were getting left in the dust by a foursome.  Why?  Because one of the golfers (looked like the son of a father-son combo) was delusional.  He was hitting from the tips.  And on this course there are real tips.  They are anywhere from 10-25 yards further back from the blue tees that I play from, and on a couple of the par 5s they are as many as 40-50 yards back.  Problem is the guy was horrible, but apparently because he can swing hard he thought he should play from as far back as possible.  Nearly every tee shot was in the trees, and then he took forever in his pre-shot routine before advancing it 50-100 yards every other shot.  Couldn't believe a foursome was leaving them behind...and then a foursome behind me caught up to me by the third hole so I couldn't hit as many practice shots as I wanted.

[AmazingWhacker]

Originally Posted by JonMA1

I will definitely do that from now on (at least a quadruple bogey as max). Thank you! I'd seen "ESC" on another post or thread but didn't know what it was. Is this something that just high handicappers do for the most part? I'll google it to learn more.

I think a solution for slow play, for me at least, is to really work on staying out of the woods. Not only does that kill my score, it takes up by far the most time.

No - it's for golfers of all skill levels - the lower your handicap, the less your ESC is . .for example, a 2 handicap has a maximum of double bogey but a 25 handicap has a maximum of 8 stokes.  The actual rule is only used for players with usga handicaps posting rounds that count towards thier handicap . .it's to keep that 12 on hole 14 from blowing up your handicap.

BUT . .I personally think all beginners and high handicappers should use it - or some form of it - to take some of the brutality out of learning to play . .and to help play a little faster.   I know some will feel like it's part of learning the game to take those 15 strokes when you've lost the ball twice then hit it into a drainage ditch, etc .. but I personally feel like there is little value in that and it takes a lot of the fun out of learning to golf.

Even now that I'm a little better, I still use it sometimes when I play against my buddies (we agree on the first tee if we're going to use it) .. it keeps the matches closer and more fun vs having somebody get blown out of the match early by a disaster hole.

[JonMA1]

Good examples bp. Taking multiple clubs makes sense as opposed to getting to the ball only to discover you need to punch it under a branch then running back to the cart to swap you're gap wedge for a 5 iron.

From most of the posts, it sounds like common sense and the desire to comply may be all that's needed to maintain a decent pace.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by JonMA1

Good examples bp. Taking multiple clubs makes sense as opposed to getting to the ball only to discover you need to punch it under a branch then running back to the cart to swap you're gap wedge for a 5 iron.

Yeah, and I've been in that situation before, which is how I know it.  You have an idea of the distance, take 2 clubs and walk to the ball only to realize you're blocked out by a tree or branch, or have such a horrible lie that either of the two clubs won't be able to advance the ball far enough, etc.

Originally Posted by JonMA1

From most of the posts, it sounds like common sense and the desire to comply may be all that's needed to maintain a decent pace.

Absolutely!  Of course, if you combine both of those with a better golfer, you have the chance to maintain a good-to-great golfing pace.  But even poor golfers can maintain decent pace with some common sense and awareness/desire.

[saevel25]

I hate a maximum score, that is absurd. Golf is a game til you get the ball in the hole. Well except for unfair pin placements, then that is absurd. But on standard golf course, there shouldn't be a limit to the score. There isn't that many people out there that slow down play like that. That's just fishing for excuses to change something that can't be enforced and wont work. I played golf yesterday, one of our guys had an 8 on a par 3. Another had a 7 on a par 4. Guess what, it didn't slow us down, we still smoked the group behind us by 2 holes. I didn't notice those 7 or 8's, by the time we were all on the green, they were just hitting on as well. So i don't get the whole, limit the max score on a hole.

Also, to say a max score for a good golfer to be a double bogey. I've shot +11 for 18 holes, with three 7's, two of which were triple bogeys. Guess what, we finished the round in under 4 hours, BOOYAH!!!

Here's my way to fix slow play. Don't let the fast players who bitch about slow play, play golf. Guess what that does, it stops the complaining about slow play. Why, because slow play is subjective and opinionated. If you get rid of the opinionated people, hey, everything is ok again.

[zipazoid]

Originally Posted by saevel25

Here's my way to fix slow play. Don't let the fast players who bitch about slow play, play golf. Guess what that does, it stops the complaining about slow play. Why, because slow play is subjective and opinionated. If you get rid of the opinionated people, hey, everything is ok again.

Well, there goes this site then.

[Dave2512]

Slow play isn't an opinion. If a course publishes a pace of play and you're just getting to the 16th tee in the amount of time they say you should be done something or someone caused a delay.

[rehmwa]

Originally Posted by Dave2512

Slow play isn't an opinion. If a course publishes a pace of play and you're just getting to the 16th tee in the amount of time they say you should be done something or someone caused a delay.

if you are two holes out, that's only about 15 minutes off time - good job

not a great job, but good job

[AmazingWhacker]

Originally Posted by saevel25

I hate a maximum score, that is absurd. Golf is a game til you get the ball in the hole. Well except for unfair pin placements, then that is absurd. But on standard golf course, there shouldn't be a limit to the score. There isn't that many people out there that slow down play like that. That's just fishing for excuses to change something that can't be enforced and wont work. I played golf yesterday, one of our guys had an 8 on a par 3. Another had a 7 on a par 4. Guess what, it didn't slow us down, we still smoked the group behind us by 2 holes. I didn't notice those 7 or 8's, by the time we were all on the green, they were just hitting on as well. So i don't get the whole, limit the max score on a hole.

Also, to say a max score for a good golfer to be a double bogey. I've shot +11 for 18 holes, with three 7's, two of which were triple bogeys. Guess what, we finished the round in under 4 hours, BOOYAH!!!

Here's my way to fix slow play. Don't let the fast players who bitch about slow play, play golf. Guess what that does, it stops the complaining about slow play. Why, because slow play is subjective and opinionated. If you get rid of the opinionated people, hey, everything is ok again.

It's fine if you don't choose to use a maximum score - although I am not sure what the rule is if you're posting handicap rounds . .it seems like it's required.  My point is, if you're shooting 110 . it doesn't really matter if you're shooting 110, 120, 130, etc.  You're playing some stinky golf - that's enough detail.  If you really feel like grinding out that 130, then I don't mind as long as you do it within 4 hours.

I didn't say the max score for a good golfer is double bogey . .that's what the USGA says.  They have a chart on thier site for ESC and a 0-9 handicapper's ESC is double bogey.

As for your logic on how to fix slow play, I guess that could be applied to almost anything and solve all the world's problems.  If people would just stop complaining about pollution, for example, then we could keep dumping stuff in the river and everything would be fine.  right?

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by AmazingWhacker

As for your logic on how to fix slow play, I guess that could be applied to almost anything and solve all the world's problems.  If people would just stop complaining about pollution, for example, then we could keep dumping stuff in the river and everything would be fine.  right?

Correct.  And if cops stopped complaining about how fast I drive, I'd stop getting speeding tickets.

The logic of his post fails.

[rehmwa]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Correct.  And if cops stopped complaining about how fast I drive, I'd stop getting speeding tickets.

The logic of his post fails.

Actually, your analogy is true.  - like the other comment.  But not a fail - it's a logical win.

what's odd is that it's clear that his post was a humorous post but people seem to take it seriously.....

[RickK]

Originally Posted by RayG

Problem with "educating people" or reminding them about slow play: "I'm not slow!". And they will play exactly how they always play. Then complain about everyone ELSE being the slow pokes.

A very good friend of mine tends, on occasion, to be extremely slow and he doesn't think he is.  I printed out the deal I found on the USGA site about how many seconds the first player is allowed to execute a shot and then the subsequent players.  Then while we were playing, I timed him.  He was amazed at how slow he actually was.  But, the thing that is really funny, if you are prepared and don't screw around, the amount of time you have to execute the shot is more than ample.  You can shoot your yardage with range finder or GPS, select a club, maybe even change clubs, line up and then hit the ball with time to spare.  It is not that difficult.  The problem is the amount of screwing around, not being ready to play, everyone moving to each others ball together instead of going to your own ball...and so on.

On occasion, everyone is going to hit a shot and have trouble finding the ball.  It is not that one single, or maybe even 2 or 3 times, in a round that make for a slow round.  It is that time added on to all the other time that has been wasted that make is sometimes unbearable to be on the course.

Someone else mentioned no one walking off the course because of slow play...I have.  More than once.  It was just worth sitting in the heat backed up on a tee box (3 groups and I'm in 3rd group back), group in fairway, group on the green.  I just was not going to sit there any longer after I had been there 6 hours already.