What Constitutes Slow Play?

[Double Mocha Man]

3 hours in 96 degree heat.  Very good.  I'm playing tomorrow in 90 degree heat and expect the round to go 4 hours plus.  Do you have room in your group on #2?

[Sandy Lie]

…are you here in NC? LOL! But sadly no.

[Double Mocha Man]

1 minute ago, Sandy Lie said:

…are you here in NC? LOL! But sadly no.

I am here in coastal Washington state.  I can fly out tonight.  Pencil me in. 😁

[ncates00]

2 hours ago, Sandy Lie said:

Soaking wet, went through 3 gloves, all 3 were soaked by the 12th hole.

Gotta get rain gloves, my dude! They’re a blessing. That’s all I wear. 

[boogielicious]

8 hours ago, Sandy Lie said:

Played Pinehurst #4 this morning. One rider (not me) two walkers.  1st group out at 7:00 at 74 degrees, finished in 3hrs flat at 96 degrees with a feels like of 105!  Soaking wet, went through 3 gloves, all 3 were soaked by the 12th hole. Shot 40/37.  2 birdies, 4 bogies, one a 3 putt. Tomorrow we are 2nd group out on #2. Expect same weather conditions, can’t wait! 🥵🥵🥵

I wear rain gloves as well. I just keep them on the whole round. In the spring and fall, I don’t wear gloves at all.

6 hours ago, ncates00 said:

Gotta get rain gloves, my dude! They’re a blessing. That’s all I wear.

[Effington]

Hey guys, apologies if this scenario was already asked/replied, but I didn't see it.

Was out recently with 4 riding, and we paced at 4:30.  We had just finished the 16th hole right at 4 hours.  Ranger came by and said we were playing slow.  Is he right?

There was a two-some behind us that skipped a hole to get in front of us.  It was twilight.

We did have one beginner in our group who was not always ready at his turn that probably cost us about 15 minutes, but it didn't seem like we were slow.

[mohearn]

4 minutes ago, Effington said:

Was out recently with 4 riding, and we paced at 4:30.  We had just finished the 16th hole right at 4 hours.  Ranger came by and said we were playing slow.  Is he right?

All else equal, the ranger probably has a better view as to what's going on, so maybe a tad slow,  Depends a bit on what else is going on, if you were close to the group in front, I wouldn't worry.  Disregarding the twosome, were others waiting on all y'all?

 

[Effington]

1 minute ago, mohearn said:

Disregarding the twosome, were others waiting on all y'all?

 

Nope

[mohearn]

Rangers job is to help move people along, some are volunteers who get free golf, so just take it in stride and not personally.  Be polite and courteous.  Sounds to me like you are just fine, hopefully everybody had a good round!

 

[darthweasel]

12 hours ago, Effington said:

Hey guys, apologies if this scenario was already asked/replied, but I didn't see it.

Was out recently with 4 riding, and we paced at 4:30.  We had just finished the 16th hole right at 4 hours.  Ranger came by and said we were playing slow.  Is he right?

There was a two-some behind us that skipped a hole to get in front of us.  It was twilight.

We did have one beginner in our group who was not always ready at his turn that probably cost us about 15 minutes, but it didn't seem like we were slow.

if there was an open hole and they were faster, idly curious why you  would not wave them through?

[reidsou]

On 3/15/2021 at 5:26 PM, StuM said:

The key phrase is "there WAS a guy", this year I am running the league and he was a sub, not a regular player.  I am moving him to the bottom of the sub list and simply will not call him.

I hope you gave him feedback and a chance to clean up his act before ghosting him. 

[reidsou]

In our club tournaments, slow play is defined as a round taking >4:30 and finishing more than 15 minutes behind the group in front. Taken from Committee Procedures model rule 8K-1. We give penalty strokes. 

I think 4:30 should be reduced to 4:00, as that is still slow. Unfortunately groups treat the 4:30 as some sort of standard and don't bother keeping up if they are still ahead of that pace. Predictably, round times expand to 4:30 in every tournament. 

[Big C]

15 hours ago, Effington said:

Hey guys, apologies if this scenario was already asked/replied, but I didn't see it.

Was out recently with 4 riding, and we paced at 4:30.  We had just finished the 16th hole right at 4 hours.  Ranger came by and said we were playing slow.  Is he right?

There was a two-some behind us that skipped a hole to get in front of us.  It was twilight.

We did have one beginner in our group who was not always ready at his turn that probably cost us about 15 minutes, but it didn't seem like we were slow.

A couple comments

- 4:30 is about the maximum expected pace for 4 golfers riding carts. At some courses, it might be 4-4:15. Without having more information about the course, you were either on pace or slightly slow. 

- You should have let the twosome play through in the circumstances you described. Unless they simply jumped around you without ever giving you a chance to offer, that was somewhat poor etiquette

- I have no idea why a ranger would call attention to your pace of play on a course that is mostly empty. I suppose he might want you to know for future reference, in case the course was more crowded next time. But if that were the case, I would expect him to say something like "you guys are fine for now, but I wanted you to know that the expected pace here is 4 hours for 18. Enjoy your round fellas."

[Double Mocha Man]

22 minutes ago, Big C said:

I have no idea why a ranger would call attention to your pace of play on a course that is mostly empty. I suppose he might want you to know for future reference, in case the course was more crowded next time. But if that were the case, I would expect him to say something like "You guys are fine for now, but I wanted you to know that the expected pace here is 4 hours for 18. Enjoy your round fellas."

Big C... I am forthwith appointing you as a marshal... you have the people skills.

[StuM]

59 minutes ago, reidsou said:

I hope you gave him feedback and a chance to clean up his act before ghosting him. 

H

[colin007]

15 hours ago, Effington said:

 Ranger came by and said we were playing slow.  Is he right?

Yes.

[saevel25]

52 minutes ago, Big C said:

4:30 is about the maximum expected pace for 4 golfers riding carts. At some courses, it might be 4-4:15. Without having more information about the course, you were either on pace or slightly slow. 

Sounds about right. Most difficult courses expect play to be 4:15. I think most rangers would try to say complete it in under 4:00 but expect 4:15. 

53 minutes ago, Big C said:

I have no idea why a ranger would call attention to your pace of play on a course that is mostly empty. I suppose he might want you to know for future reference, in case the course was more crowded next time. But if that were the case, I would expect him to say something like "you guys are fine for now, but I wanted you to know that the expected pace here is 4 hours for 18. Enjoy your round fellas."

Yea, to harp on a group, where the course is not filled is a bit much. If the course is empty that the group behind them doesn't reach them even if they play a 5 hour round, so what. The group started so much later that even at a quicker pace they still didn't catch up. 

 

 

[dennyjones]

I've not played Arcadia Buffs but have older friends that filled their bucket list there.    They were playing with nobody in front of them or behind them and the ranger made them skip a whole.   They aren't very good golfers but when I play with them it's always under 4 hours.   They play ready golf.