What Constitutes Slow Play?

[Vinsk]

25 minutes ago, Billy Z said:

The same can be applied to the game of golf inre of slow play. 

Not really, no. The vast majority of slow play is not due to physical disability. It’s attitude and/or poor play management. I’m 51 btw. But senior citizens have to be responsible as drivers ( no pun intended as well). If they blow through stop signs cuz their vision is poor...they don’t get a pass.

[Sandy Lie]

Another contributor to slow play here at Pinehurst, specifically #2 and #4 are caddies. Both are walking courses as most everyone knows who has played here. Yes carts are allowed but that’s where they stay on the cart path.  Caddies here are good and they start working their tip at the range. Many caddies carry two bags.  If your following them you can expect a 4 plus hour round.  There’s always the exception but it’s not often.  Let’s use average golfers with caddies carrying two bags. Not many shots are long and straight so the caddies are hustling but a foursome like this will take 20 minutes a hole. Many Members avoid playing Fri, Sat and Sunday because of this unless you can get the almost impossible early tee times before 8:AM.

[Beastie]

I think golf in the UK is different in approach to an acceptable POP. Our 6300 par 69 is a fairly tough track. Decent rough, lots of trees and bushes. Sunday competitions the tee is full from 7.30-14.30 and still mainly full until 1600. Par time is 3hrs 34 (3balls). I usually play 7.30-7.45 and will be round 3hours. 3hrs 20 if someone is having a bad day. Teeing off after 8.30 and it’s likely to take 4 hours. Any more than that and people will be getting warned once then a 1 competition ban. You only have to do this a few times and all of a sudden once slow players will speed up. 
 

Ready golf should make it faster too

[StuM]

5 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

They'll all read it (or skim it) and say, "Eh, that's not me."

Unfortunately, you are very likely correct.

5 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Regarding your story-teller... one of my favorite golfing buddies is the worst at this.  He's usually last up on the tee... now it's time to tell his long, convoluted story.  He's holding down the fort.  He means no harm, doesn't even realize he's doing it.  But man, can he hold forth on the tee!  Talk about filibusters...

"Filibusters"? Getting a little close to politics, aren't you? 😁 

4 hours ago, Sandy Lie said:

Another contributor to slow play here at Pinehurst, specifically #2 and #4 are caddies. Both are walking courses as most everyone knows who has played here. Yes carts are allowed but that’s where they stay on the cart path.  Caddies here are good and they start working their tip at the range. Many caddies carry two bags.  If your following them you can expect a 4 plus hour round.  There’s always the exception but it’s not often.  Let’s use average golfers with caddies carrying two bags. Not many shots are long and straight so the caddies are hustling but a foursome like this will take 20 minutes a hole. Many Members avoid playing Fri, Sat and Sunday because of this unless you can get the almost impossible early tee times before 8:AM.

I've only played with a caddie once and we were a 3-some with two caddies to carry the bags.  Got done in @ 3:45 and that was a hard course I've never played before and included a short stop at the turn. 

[NM Golf]

I am less and less concerned about pace of play these days. I used to complain and get mad at anything over 4 hours. I would even let it completely ruin rounds because I would get so concerned about pace I would forget to worry about my play. I can play 18 as fast as anyone, and there are still rounds when I need to buzz around the course as fast as possible. But  I actually find rounds more enjoyable when the pace is around 4 hours. 

I play every Sunday with buddies, in the summer we sometimes have 3-4 groups. I have nothing else to do on Sunday mornings, so I am absolutely fine when it takes us 4 1/2 hours to get around. We aren't holding anyone up, thats just the pace of play at that time on a busy course. 

I love playing golf, and there are few places I would rather be than at the golf course. So why would I be in such a hurry to get finished? I enjoy the company of the people I play with and we find ways to keep ourselves entertained even when we have to wait a bit between shots.

Edited March 25, 2021 by NM Golf

[Roblar]

On 3/22/2021 at 6:29 AM, iacas said:

You lost 15+ minutes looking for four golf balls?

Yes. Trying to be realistic - probably a bit more than 4 min looking for each ball.  Very frustrating because it seemed like we should have found them, but they hit trees & could have gone any direction. ...And no one was immediately behind us. With a group behind us, I'm sure we would have glanced, dropped, and moved on.  But with no one behind us, we spent an extra minute hoping to save a stroke...

Edited March 25, 2021 by Roblar
clarification

[David in FL]

7 hours ago, Sandy Lie said:

Not many shots are long and straight so the caddies are hustling but a foursome like this will take 20 minutes a hole.

A 6 hour round?  I’d cut my throat with a wedge first...

[Roblar]

On 3/22/2021 at 9:20 AM, Double Mocha Man said:

Roblar... Your playing partner with the long pre-shot routine better be shooting close to par. Or watching a lot more of Matt Jones play golf.

He's usually in the mid to high 70s. 🙂 (Better than I am!)

 

On 3/23/2021 at 11:13 AM, Darkfrog said:

Last Sunday I played (luckily) ahead of what was possibly the slowest foursome I have ever witnessed. My group teed off at 7:10am, and the guilty group at 7:20am. I...snip...

I feel like, if you tee off before 8:00, you should be a quick player.  At least at my home-course, the early morning regulars are all fairly quick (or, at least, not slow).  I would go nuts if I had to wait on slow groups with a pre-8am tee-time!

On 3/23/2021 at 2:11 PM, TRUCKER said:

4:15 is a "grinding slow pace of play?" 🙄

Yes. Yes it is.  ...for me and for my home course anyway! 

On 3/23/2021 at 10:01 PM, Darkfrog said:

Those of you playing sub 3:30 rounds, just curious how crowded the courses are?

For me, the courses really clear out during winter. From late Nov to late Feb, it can be cold and windy. I don't mind playing in the 30s as long as it's not too windy.  And I love being able to walk to the ball, hit the ball, walk to the ball, hit the ball...  My home course will start getting crowded soon. 😞

 

Back to slow play... it feels slow to me if I'm waiting on and watching the people in front of me play golf rather than playing golf myself.

Edited March 25, 2021 by Roblar

[GolfLug]

Most rounds (I can only play on weekends) I allocate 4 hours because expecting any less would never see me finish a round around here. I have had to cut short and go home twice last summer coming up to 4 and a half hours and holes to play. I don't know exactly why but some of our blitzes have members who don't seem to wear a watch and the pro shop never truly pressed.

This year we have a new owner, not open to public play (no offense meant to anyone but public play courses are generally slower in my experience) and they have declared making pace of play a priority. I still doubt if we will get through in less than 4 hours on the weekend. 

I am not sure why most courses don't post a pace of play sign. We have suggested to our course. Would go a long way I think. 

Edited March 25, 2021 by GolfLug

[iacas]

7 hours ago, NM Golf said:

I am less and less concerned about pace of play these days. I used to complain and get mad at anything over 4 hours. I would even let it completely ruin rounds because I would get so concerned about pace I would forget to worry about my play. I can play 18 as fast as anyone, and there are still rounds when I need to buzz around the course as fast as possible. But  I actually find rounds more enjoyable when the pace is around 4 hours. 

I play every Sunday with buddies, in the summer we sometimes have 3-4 groups. I have nothing else to do on Sunday mornings, so I am absolutely fine when it takes us 4 1/2 hours to get around. We aren't holding anyone up, thats just the pace of play at that time on a busy course. 

I love playing golf, and there are few places I would rather be than at the golf course. So why would I be in such a hurry to get finished? I enjoy the company of the people I play with and we find ways to keep ourselves entertained even when we have to wait a bit between shots.

Sub four hour rounds isn’t “hurrying.” Not even close. And for many the choice isn’t between a 3:30 round and a 4:15 round, it’s between a 3:45 round or not playing that day.

6 hours ago, Roblar said:

With a group behind us, I'm sure we would have glanced, dropped, and moved on.  But with no one behind us, we spent an extra minute hoping to save a stroke...

How does it save a stroke? Your ball is lost as soon as 3 minutes is up.

[David in FL]

13 hours ago, iacas said:

Sub four hour rounds isn’t “hurrying.”

One of these days, I’m going to have somebody VLog a round with a group playing at a sub-three hour pace.  Maybe just the first three or four holes, because people will surely get bored, but I think the average person would be amazed at how nonchalant and unhurried that pace really is...

[iacas]

24 minutes ago, David in FL said:

One of these days, I’m going to have somebody VLog a round with a group playing at a sub-three hour pace.  Maybe just the first three or four holes, because people will surely get bored, but I think the average person would be amazed at how nonchalant and unhurried that pace really is...

Definitely do that.

[Roblar]

16 hours ago, iacas said:

How does it save a stroke? Your ball is lost as soon as 3 minutes is up.

Really? ...I thought it was 5 minutes. <googles, reads, sighs> Shoot. I've learned something...

[Frank F]

On 3/24/2021 at 11:26 PM, NM Golf said:

I love playing golf, and there are few places I would rather be than at the golf course. So why would I be in such a hurry to get finished?

^^^^^ This sums it up for me.

[Billy Z]

15 minutes ago, Frank F said:

I love playing golf, and there are few places I would rather be than at the golf course. So why would I be in such a hurry to get finished? I enjoy the company of the people I play with and we find ways to keep ourselves entertained even when we have to wait a bit between shots.

 

15 minutes ago, Frank F said:

^^^^^ This sums it up for me.

I like being out on the golf course as well, it's one of my favorite places to be, but it takes away from the enjoyment hitting the ball then waiting 10 minutes hit the ball again wait another 10 minutes after every shot. I don't like to be hurried as well because that can ruin enjoyment, but what is the worst is people taking needless amounts of time to play golf when it could be done more efficiently. All people have lives to live outside of the game and they don't want to spend 8 hours on a Saturday playing golf, or any other day as well. I will not subscribe to the idea that's slow play is appropriate because I enjoy being out on the golf course. Slow play ruins the enjoyment for the majority of golfers.

[iacas]

And again, someone might have four hours to play golf, but if it’s five it’s zero because they can’t justify spending five hours.

[Vinsk]

2 hours ago, Billy Z said:

All people have lives to live outside of the game and they don't want to spend 8 hours on a Saturday playing golf, or any other day as well.

Tell this to the baseball community. 

[Billy Z]

8 hours ago, Vinsk said:

Tell this to the baseball community. 

I don't want to get off topic and discuss that point, just what constitutes slow play for the game of golf. As far as the game of golf is concerned, it is usually insensitive people taking too much time to hit the ball. When I say insensitive, I mean not caring about other people's needs or desires for their enjoyment.