I think everyone who is a critic of slow play should step back and think about their stance on the whole thing--we're talking 20 to 40 mintues that differs between good pace and bad pace.

We're talking about 60 to 90 minutes. A round of golf shouldn't take more than four hours.

The "would you rather" argument doesn't hold water, because some guys can't get away for six+ hours on the weekends to golf, so it's not a matter of "golf or traffic" but rather "golf or no golf."

Brad, PGA Professional

I would not have joined a golf club had I read posts like this first. They don't have any hesitation accepting our membership dues and golfing fees, and selling us equipment, though there really doesn't seem to be a place for beginning golfers on the golf course.

That being said, I play in several Senior Golf groups. With a 12 Index I am in the First Flight in most groups. There are some with single digit indexes and the Low Gross score is often par or better, but with 80 players often only 10-15 will break 100, and they play at least once a week. They hit the ball lots of times, they don't take lessons, they don't practice, and they emulate the guys on TV with their pre shot routines. It's always from carts, and they almost never take a club when they go to their ball. They size it up, and then go back and select a club so they can allow for all conditions -- after several practice swings they hit it 30 feet. These are are guys who don't break 100! They also stroll, and I mean amble, when they walk off the green to their cart.

It's maddening! Words fail me when it's "Cart Path Only".

A philosophic fellow golfer told me that some of us are golfers who are serious about playing golf, but most people aren't that serious about golf and are out playing for social reasons. They see no problem with a 51/2 hour round.

It's just maddening! It also makes me feel like a meanie.

I've always believed there are two types of slow players: that small minority who believe that, having paid their green fees, they are entitled to take as much as they please without regard to others, and those who simply don't realize that they play at a glacial pace... The only thing that will help is for people to wake up.

Michael summed up well what I was trying to say in the first post. This isn't an American culture problem! It's an ignorance problem.

I often play as a single during the week or in tournaments on the weekend and have therefore hooked up with hundreds of different golfers in my two years of play. I've NEVER met a single golfer w/ a so-called American attitude of entitlement. I have however, met many slow golfers who just don't know that they're slow. They're ignorant about all the ways they could speed things up. They wait for another golfer to take their shot, then pick their club or line up their putt, etc.

I always make a point to tell someone they play too slow when I see someone being stupid. They usually appreciate that someone pointed this out. They were simply unaware.

Sorry... "climate" was obviously a poor choice of words. What I meant is that the culture of golf in the U.S. is different than what you describe in Australia.

"Finally, avoid slow play, which seems to have become the bane of the game of late. Five- and six-hours rounds would not occur if players (1) saved much of their conversations for the clubhouse; (2) thought out their next shot and were prepared to play it when their turn came; (3) cleared their equipment and left the green as soon as the last player holed out, replacing the flagstick immediately and (4) studied their putts as much as possible while awaiting their turn but without interfering with another player."

So remember, kids - think to yourself, "What would Arnie do?"