How do you cope w/ slow play in your group?

[joshtpa]

I take my phone onto the course. Dont take any calls, but txt once in a while or return emails if it gets slow. I have to, what if there is an emergency at home.

[Mr Eagle]

If there is an emergancy at home ,and I mean a real emergancy you could be contacted via the clubhouse.If you realy "HAVE" to make txt or check e-mails I think you need to employ someone.
It got so bad in England with people useing their phones that a lot of clubs have now banned there use on the course,something I strongly agree with.

I am of the opinion that there is nothing that cant wait for 4 hours while I enjoy a round of golf free of phones ringing

[whip_it_out]

I have one friend who plays at an excrutiatingly slow pace. My solution is simple: I don't play golf with him.

No better solution than that. I'm not effected by slow pace in the group, becuase walking I can squeeze up to my ball while theyre hitting, around the greens I just spend a little time looking at the shot, and putting I just walk off the green when I'm done, though only if I notice the pace needs to be picked up. Or I drop out of the group if it gets in my head.

[AlCzervik]

If im with friends and theyre taking long i say "cmon tiger, hit the damn ball"

[kregan]

I played in a really slow game on Friday. Got paired with a 3 some and they looked the part! I was a little worried that I might hold them back but on the first tee one guy toped it, another sliced, and the third guy actually missed the ball on the tee 2 times and then toped it. Poor guy was swing so hard I thought the head was gonna fly off the driver.

I really felt bad for the guys and did not have the heart to ditch them on the third hole when I suggested that we let a 2 some behind us play through. We started at 2:15 and ended just at dusk around 7:30.

Really nice guys but it was a little painful, I tried to pick up the pace whenever I could without being an ass. They just didn't understand ready golf at first but I got them going a little.

I ended up shooting 90 but made 3 penalty strokes and 34 putts. I cost myself a few strokes when I rushed my own shots to hurry us along.

[joshtpa]

If there is an emergancy at home ,and I mean a real emergancy you could be contacted via the clubhouse.If you realy "HAVE" to make txt or check e-mails I think you need to employ someone.

Where I play it is not a problem, but I am sorry to say that if my better half needs to get a hold of me, I am taking her call. I never said I was txting and emailing while playing normally. Only when the course is so slow I am left sitting waiting for 10 minutes while I cant go anywhere. I am guessing that you are not married, because to say "nothing can wait for 4 hours while on the course" is crazy in a married relationship. Also crazy in the world of business. I TRY and not take calls. But there are time when it is necessary. I still always finish in under 3 and a half hours.

[J_Bone]

Depends on my day. If I'm having a terrible day and the group ahead is a hole behind, then I hit into them. (I call four though) If not. I just call the pro shop to have an ambassador come over.

My buddy and I were paired up with a twosome and one of the guys in the twosome held us up pretty good. But we actually stayed pace with the group ahead of us(not faster nor slower), BUT there was this Moronic group behind us that though hitting balls into the group ahead of them was the best thing to do to speed them up. If only they had a clue, they could see the group ahead of us was putting while were waiting in the fairway and they were on the Tee Box. Duh. So on the second time they hit into us, they started to lose balls. Nice ones I might add. Same as I play...

One guy hit this great shot that had a nice draw around the bend and was square in the middle of the fairway. By the time he got to his ball, it wasn't in the fairway. He thought it was in the bushes but could never find it there so he had to take a drop. I was laughing so hard watching them I could barely putt my ball in. BUT after they did it 3 holes later I called the Ranger and he talked to the two groups ahead of us to speed them up and KICKED the morons behind us off the course! Woot. I think they wanted to say something to us when they drove by, but thought other wise when I waled to the cart path to see what they had to say. Nothing... AS for slow players. Either you don't let it get to you, ask them to speed it up and then if they don't, call the Ranger and have him take care of it. While hes there you can ask him if you may go ahead of the slow group, which more than likely he will will say "yes". The clearer head will prevail!!

[tm22721]

Here' the solution to slow play.

Give every person a satellite beeper. The marshall gives them two warnings. On third violation, they are kicked off course but can come back during designated 'slow' hours at the end of the day.

[joshtpa]

At my home course we have GPS on each cart. It times your round. If you start playing too slow, the marshalls will ask them to speed it up.

[thepiratedoc]

I only play with slow players once. Hasn't let me down yet.

[kfowler]

If the guys in my group are people I know, I have no problem telling them we need to keep up with the group in front of us. This assumes the groups are the same size. If I don't know the guys then I just mention that we're falling behind a little. Ball hawking is my biggest pet peave. I seem to run into the too many practice swing guy less often. I also try and play ready golf which will generally set the pace.

On busy days, you just have to accept it.

BTW, there are many rangers that could take some lessons on how to tactfully approach slow players. Storming up on people and immediately starting to yell at someone about pace of place doesn't help. I agree that on the third time something else has to be done.

[Chief Broom]

If there is an emergancy at home ,and I mean a real emergancy you could be contacted via the clubhouse.If you realy "HAVE" to make txt or check e-mails I think you need to employ someone.

While I agree with the spirit of your post I personally can't comply with it. I always have my phone on me, but on the course I set it to vibrate so that if I do get a call it won't disturb anyone else. If I need to take the call (usually I end up having to call them back) I wait until I'm able to move a discrete distance away to make the call so that again I don't bother anyone. I wish I didn't have to do this, but the nature of my business and the fact that I've got a wife and family makes it necessary. Yes prior to cell phones people got by without being in constant touch, but that's the price we pay today. I wouldn't change the functionality and added productivity of cell phones just for a few hours of freedom at the expense of my affairs. Still though I make sure that my remaining in touch doesn't bother other people on the course.

[merklitl]

I went on a round during vacation with my sister's boyfriend. He went through two dozen balls on a wide-open links type course with a little bit of water (of course, if there was water, he found it).

Anyway, he took 8-10 practice swings for each shot he had (sometimes 8-10 shots per hole) AND he was making full-on practice swings in the sand traps.

Finally we were getting caught from behind, so I told him he was violating etiquette by grounding his club in the sand, and every time he set up for a practice swing I told him to move it along.

It was kind of nice to vent on the guy, since I didn't really like him, and luckily my sister realized a few weeks later and gave him the boot as well. Good thing I won't have years of golf with a slow brother-in-law in my future!

[Mr Eagle]

While I agree with the spirit of your post I personally can't comply with it. I always have my phone on me, but on the course I set it to vibrate so that if I do get a call it won't disturb anyone else. If I need to take the call (usually I end up having to call them back) I wait until I'm able to move a discrete distance away to make the call so that again I don't bother anyone. I wish I didn't have to do this, but the nature of my business and the fact that I've got a wife and family makes it necessary. Yes prior to cell phones people got by without being in constant touch, but that's the price we pay today. I wouldn't change the functionality and added productivity of cell phones just for a few hours of freedom at the expense of my affairs. Still though I make sure that my remaining in touch doesn't bother other people on the course.

Do your playing partners wait for you while you make the call Chief? Are you sure in "moving a discrete distance away" you are not holding up the game behind you?

If you realy arnt affecting the normal process then fine but having played with guys who like to keep in touch I see it differently,

[Mr Eagle]

Where I play it is not a problem, but I am sorry to say that if my better half needs to get a hold of me, I am taking her call. I never said I was txting and emailing while playing normally. Only when the course is so slow I am left sitting waiting for 10 minutes while I cant go anywhere.

Ive been married for 28 years THATS WHY I LEAVE THE BLOODY PHONE AT HOME

[joshtpa]

I dont think myself or Chief were talking about chatting while on the course. But the fact is we live in a day and age where family and business need to get a hold of you. To say that people should leave phones in the car and if someone needs them to have them call the clubhouse and the clubhouse will find them seems a little over the top.

[Jamboboy]

I was playing yesterday and two kids were in front of us, and firstly they weren't wearing collared shirts or trousers which isn't allowed, but secondly I didn't see either one of them hit a ball further than 10 yards.
I mean they were awful, you could see that they were embaressed but they never apologised. After the third time we caught up with them on a tee I just said to them 'look we're playing through now ok?' They both immediatly agreed and watched us tee off.
But the point is that if you can't play golf, you shouldn't be on a course, that's what the range is for.

[joshtpa]

I was playing yesterday and two kids were in front of us, and firstly they weren't wearing collared shirts or trousers which isn't allowed, but secondly I didn't see either one of them hit a ball further than 10 yards.

He was speaking more about slow play in your own foursome...But I know what you are talking about, it can be frustrating as heck.