What Constitutes Slow Play?

[Billy Z]

Our 4some played this past sunday at our fav local muni, and teed off at 2:30. We never had to wait at all, except the very last hole for a few mins. We finished in 3:40 mins. Our 4some consists of 14 to 30 hc individuals, so it isn't necessarily about handicap, but about attitude and understanding. 

[Double Mocha Man]

15 minutes ago, Billy Z said:

Our 4some played this past sunday at our fav local muni, and teed off at 2:30. We never had to wait at all, except the very last hole for a few mins. We finished in 3:40 mins. Our 4some consists of 14 to 30 hc individuals, so it isn't necessarily about handicap, but about attitude and understanding. 

However, playing under the exact same "ready golf" pattern/pace the guy who averages 4.5 strokes per hole will play faster than the guy who averages 5.5 strokes per hole.

Edited April 28, 2021 by Double Mocha Man

[Billy Z]

1 hour ago, Double Mocha Man said:

However, playing under the exact same "ready golf" pattern/pace the guy who averages 4.5 strokes per hole will play faster than the guy who averages 5.5 strokes per hole.

Granted, but this group can't score much better than we did. We try, but you know.

[Double Mocha Man]

1 minute ago, Billy Z said:

Granted, but this group can't score much better than we did. We try, but you know.

That was an excellent time for your handicaps.  Get your caps down to scratch and you guys will finish in 2:40!  No you won't.  In general, you can only play as fast as the slowest group.  Unless you are graced to play through a lot.

Edited April 28, 2021 by Double Mocha Man

[Zippo]

7 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

However, playing under the exact same "ready golf" pattern/pace the guy who averages 4.5 strokes per hole will play faster than the guy who averages 5.5 strokes per hole.

Maybe but maybe not. The 4.5er might be a walker while the 5.5er might be riding. The 5.5er riding might, accidentally, run the cart over the 4.5er's ball and then, accidentally, of course, back over it while looking for his own ball.

[Esox]

Anything over 3:30 is slow. Anything over 4 hours is BS,

[saevel25]

10 hours ago, Esox said:

Anything over 3:30 is slow. Anything over 4 hours is BS,

Yea, just no. Maybe for three golfers. 

 

[Shorty]

10 hours ago, Esox said:

Anything over 3:30 is slow. Anything over 4 hours is BS,

Don't be ridiculous.

A round of 3.30 is reasonable for two in a cart who are hitting it straight. If they're the only people on the course.

If they are walking and are the first group out, 3.0 3.5 hours is very  good going.

4 hours for  a group in normal conditions is very good if not excellent.

Unless of course you are someone who picks up after two shots on every hole and calls any putt inside 20 feet "good".

On 4/28/2021 at 9:21 AM, darthweasel said:

 

When i caught the twosome on hole 8 I was 32 minutes into my round.

4-5 minutes per hole? Is it a par 3 course? My guess is that you were slower than half the speed of this guy.

From 2008 - "Christopher Smith set the world speed-golf record three years ago at a tournament in Chicago. On a regulation course, he shot a six-under-par 65 in 44 minutes and 6 seconds, carrying only six clubs and sprinting between shots."

Edited May 1, 2021 by Shorty

[Sandy Lie]

Haven’t read 100% of the posts but I find that early morning golfers play faster. Reason being that mid morning golfers may on average be older and tend to start later.  My typical tee time is no later than 8:00am, and now with summer it’s around 7:15.  If I’m playing courses 2, 4 or 8 here at Pinehurst resort tee times have priority most of the time. They start at 6:50 when Spring arrives and if your lucky to get an early Member time on those courses under those circumstances it’s guaranteed a 4+ hour round will occur.  I used to think that caddies speed up play but find more often than not it doesn’t.  But if we’re out first on the courses I mentioned we scoot around in less 3 and 1/2 hours walking. 

[Double Mocha Man]

13 minutes ago, Shorty said:

4-5 minutes per hole? Is it a par 3 course? 

Miniature putt-putt golf course with no windmills to slow him down...

3 minutes ago, Sandy Lie said:

Haven’t read 100% of the posts but I find that early morning golfers play faster. Reason being that mid morning golfers may on average be older and tend to start later.  My typical tee time is no later than 8:00am, and now with summer it’s around 7:15.  If I’m playing courses 2, 4 or 8 here at Pinehurst resort tee times have priority most of the time. They start at 6:50 when Spring arrives and if your lucky to get an early Member time on those courses under those circumstances it’s guaranteed a 4+ hour round will occur.  I used to think that caddies speed up play but find more often than not it doesn’t.  But if we’re out first on the courses I mentioned we scoot around in less 3 and 1/2 hours walking. 

Caddies can speed up play (if you don't pretend to be a tour pro and discuss every shot)... caddies carrying double slow down play...

[darthweasel]

On 5/1/2021 at 1:36 PM, Shorty said:

Don't be ridiculous.

A round of 3.30 is reasonable for two in a cart who are hitting it straight. If they're the only people on the course.

If they are walking and are the first group out, 3.0 3.5 hours is very  good going.

4 hours for  a group in normal conditions is very good if not excellent.

Unless of course you are someone who picks up after two shots on every hole and calls any putt inside 20 feet "good".

4-5 minutes per hole? Is it a par 3 course? My guess is that you were slower than half the speed of this guy.

From 2008 - "Christopher Smith set the world speed-golf record three years ago at a tournament in Chicago. On a regulation course, he shot a six-under-par 65 in 44 minutes and 6 seconds, carrying only six clubs and sprinting between shots."

guerss as you wish. I was using golfpad and that is the time it had. 

[Shorty]

5 hours ago, darthweasel said:

guerss as you wish. I was using golfpad and that is the time it had. 

I don't doubt that. What I doubt is the idea that a normal round of golf is played at the rate of 4-5 minutes per hole. When you are actually playing properly -  playing to the green and putting out, not just knocking the ball around in the general direction of the fairway and rushing to the next tee without bothering to putt.

A round of golf is not played in 80 minutes.

[Sandy Lie]

On 5/1/2021 at 4:50 PM, Double Mocha Man said:

Miniature putt-putt golf course with no windmills to slow him down...

Caddies can speed up play (if you don't pretend to be a tour pro and discuss every shot)... caddies carrying double slow down play...

Caddies make more money carrying two bags. It’s just the way it is.  Some don’t, but most do.  

[Double Mocha Man]

33 minutes ago, Sandy Lie said:

Caddies make more money carrying two bags. It’s just the way it is.  Some don’t, but most do.  

Oh, I understand the money angle.  It's just not that good of an experience for the golfer, personally speaking.  I caddied as a kid and could barely carry one bag... I was so scrawny.

[Billy Z]

Our 4some just played this saturday in 4 hours. I never, ever, expect to play under 4 hours on a saturday. I'll take 4-4:15 any day the course has a good amount of people on it. This 3-3.5 hour round is only for those who don't have anybody infront of them. It's impossible on most days when teeing off other than the first group or two.

[Sandy Lie]

Played #8 today in 2:40.  Just a twosome in carts. Played through a Resort Foursome.  Could have played a bit faster but my friend who is 70 can’t seem to find his ball much anymore.  I’ve become his fore caddie!  LOL!  Age has its own handicap on the course.

[mcanadiens]

19 minutes ago, Sandy Lie said:

Could have played a bit faster but my friend who is 70 can’t seem to find his ball much anymore.  I’ve become his fore caddie!  LOL!  Age has its own handicap on the course.

I got a buddy like that. 

We do well when we play my course because I know where all his shots end up.  We are positively glacial on one of his courses. Have the time I don't even know where my ball finished, let alone his.

 

[DrvFrShow]

My last round two of us got paired with a couple of other golfers who just couldn't adapt. The course was backed up. They were *****ing about how slow we were playing. How much time we were taking to get ready to hit our shots. I mean what was the point in rushing when we were having to stand or sit and wait for the group in front to wait for the group in front of them to get off the green and move on so they could hit and move on. You can only go as fast as the course allows. So after I had a double bogey on the 5th hole, they had enough and wanted to split off and play ahead. Fine, but it just slowed the course down even more because we had to wait for them to wait for the group in front etc. There were no open holes. It took 2.5 hrs to play 9 holes. So you either adjust to that pace or you get mad and don't adjust to it. I can't wait for the state to open up full again so people go back to work and the courses aren't as crowded.