Play Faster

[iacas]

It's my understanding that the rules of golf allow that once a player begins putting (meaning that is the guy who is away from the hole on the green) they have the honors to finish putting into the hole even if their subsequent putt no longer leaves them away.

It's a rule, but the only "penalty" comes if one player (or a group of players) repeatedly ignore honors so that one or more players can gain some sort of advantage.

In Match Play, the opponent can force you to re-hit, but it shouldn't be an issue on tap-in putts because those should be conceded most of the time. So "honors" really only applies to tournament golf. 95% of the rest of the time, "ready golf" should rule the day. Half the time that might happen to be "honors" or "farthest from the hole" but that's just because the longer tee shots take longer to walk to, and nobody in the group is slow, and players who birdie tend to be done with the hole before players who have to finish out their bogeys. :)

[DrGolfMan]

The biggest key to playing at a reasonable speed is to be ready to hit when it is your turn. I see too many golfers attempt to emulate the tour players and not begin their process until it is their turn. At our club, we have many fivesomes who play in 3 1/2 hours or less.

[kfowler]

Stop Ball Hawking!!!! If you can't find your ball in less than two minutes, drop the another one and move on. This one drives me crazy.

As a rule change, I'd suggest dropping the OB as stroke plus distance. This would avoid the provisional.

[Fat Slice]

Stop Ball Hawking!!!! If you can't find your ball in less than two minutes, drop the another one and move on. This one drives me crazy.

OB as two strokes but played like a lost ball in a hazard would speed up the game for sure. It might be fair, too, and might not affect scores that much. Not to threadjack, but...would it be that much different?

[Fourputt]

as a teacher myself, this seems pretty condescending, IMHO being a history teacher is much more important to society than being a golf coach. someone needed to take the job, so he did. it seems like he is learning just as much as the kids might be.

I was NOT being condescending. All I meant was that part of the problem is that the players are not being taught proper etiquette and pace of play even in organized high school golf, and in part that is because the coaches don't know anything about it themselves. He may well be a great history teacher, but that doesn't make him qualified to coach a golf team.

It's my understanding that the rules of golf allow that once a player begins putting (meaning that is the guy who is away from the hole on the green) they have the honors to finish putting into the hole even if their subsequent putt no longer leaves them away. It is at the player's discretion whether or not they continue to putt out or relinquish the honors to another player (who now is away) so that they can take more time to access their line to the hole.

The Rules do not require a player to mark and lift his ball in stroke play. If his ball interferes with another player's shot, he always has the right play first unless he would be interfering with another player's line or ball by doing so.

22-2. Ball Interfering with Play Except when a ball is in motion, if a player considers that another ball might interfere with his play, he may have it lifted. A ball lifted under this Rule must be replaced (see Rule 20-3). The ball must not be cleaned, unless it lies on the putting green (see Rule 21). In stroke play, a player required to lift his ball may play first rather than lift the ball.

[wannabe]

(sorry this is lengthy, I got on a roll, timed out my login - must learn to type faster :P)

Check out these stats (btw, first time I've ever looked at these myself):

For 18 holes:
Average
10 mins/hole = 180 mins = 3 hrs.
11 = 198 = 3.3 hrs.
12 = 216 = 3.6
13 = 234 = 3.9
14 = 252 = 4.2
15 = 270 = 4.5
16 = 288 = 4.8
17 = 306 = 5.1
18 = 324 = 5.4
19 = 342 = 5.7
20 = 360 = 6.0

Stated another way, every average minute increase per hole adds 18 mins, or nearly 20 mins (!) to a round of golf.

Add some 'social lubrication' to the equation, and it's easy to see why round times can leak out of control.

If speed of play is really the #1 issue on courses, then basically every course should force recreational players to be on a clock. Get timers/punchcards on the carts, tee boxes, greens, clubhouse, etc. Clubhouse staff, starters, signs posted should all reinforce minutes per hole requirements. Oughta be added to every gps gadget out there.

It's just too easy to get slowed down. It's already a methodical sport, what with all the analysis, pre-shot routine, reading greens, etc.

Add in the 'time-leakers' of:

1. Looking for lost balls

2. Provisionals/mulligans

3. Honor system

etc.

Other options -- think about if some of these rules/fees were in place only on certain days/times (think about specials at bars like 25cent draft on Tuesdays, etc.)

>> Imagine a golf course with $10/round greenfees, but you're forced to play your round in 3 hrs, or 10 min./hole. Imagine if every 10 mins, finished or not, you pick up & move to the next hole. Goof off, snooze, look too long for a ball, line up your 4th putt, sorry. Card a double-par and move on.

>> Imagine other lesser financial incentives or rules on courses to help incentivize/penalize, or speed up play. Maybe things like:
-- only allowed 1 min. to look for a lost ball, then drop & play from where lost
-- no provisionals or mulligans allowed
-- ready golf only
-- ready putt
-- punch a timecard along the course from tee to fairway to green. times under 10 min/hole get a discount back at the clubhouse.

Ideas are plentiful.

Question really is do we really want sped up rounds overall? Would this really benefit the game overall and attract newcomers more quickly (pun intended)? Would it increase our enjoyment? Make us play more? Make us better? Increase revenues? Or do we really like our 6-hour buddy&beerfests; disguised as golf outings? :D

[HSip]

Interesting post wannabe. After reading that I'm almost surprised rounds don't take longer.

[HarrowGolfer]

Check this out

http://www.thestar.com/article/624297

[ryohazuki222]

I'm all for ready golf, but sometimes I wonder where the line between rude and being ready is drawn.

1. Is it ok or not ok to keep walking ahead while someone is hitting their shot?? I generally do what the others in my group do, as I'm usually a single tagging along with a pre-formed two/threesome.

2. When taking practicing strokes while the other player is taking his real stroke... how far away do you need to be??

3. I always tend to hurry off the green when I'm done. Especially when I'm a walker playing with cartdriving guys... it's a pet peeve of mine to loiter on the freaking green.... but I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that it's rude to leave the green before the rest of the group. What's the general opinion on this? Most times I'm leaving to get a head start to the next hole since I'm on foot.

[PiKapp23]

I'm all for ready golf, but sometimes I wonder where the line between rude and being ready is drawn.

Sometimes there is a fine line between 'ready golf' and good etiquette.

1. It's fine to walk ahead as long as you are not in the players eyeline at all. When I am on the other side of fairway I typically start walking just when the player starting his downswing. If I am a long way off (like in trees or rough a good distance) I'll start walking earlier. If you are close to the player, wait until they have completed their swing. One thing to consider in these cases, though, is if you carry your clubs they make noise which can distract. Sometimes a push/pull cart can also make enough noise to distract. 2. I don't think there is necessarily a specific distance. The main thing is that you are in no way distracting the player hitting. This means out of the eyeline and earshot. Hearing the practice swing is also distracting. How far may depend on just how sensitive your partners are to this. 3. As far as leaving the green, that is considered to be a breech of etiquette. The best thing to do is the first person to hole out should get the flag and be ready to return it once everyone has putted out (but stay out of line of sight). Other players should wait toward the edge of the green closest to the carts/bags (and always remember to put your cart/bag on the side of the green closest to the next tee). It doesn't matter that you are still on the green since people can't hit into you until everyone has finished anyway and the last person off green should typically be the person who replaces the flag. Basically, just be quiet and out of sight as much as possible when someone else is hitting and you'll be fine.

[nevets88]

All these tips are great and I agree that informing people and making people aware of ways to play faster helps, but I think part of the problem is more of a societal, discipline issue. It's like losing weight. If you want to lose weight, there are many methods and all sorts of ways to aid in this, in research, organizations, clubs, etc... The problem is many people lack the discipline to do so. There is no self-control.

Same for slow play - if people don't want to play faster, all the techniques in the world won't help. In the UK, I noticed a different attitude, not in everyone, but much more prevalant, in speed of play that I just don't see in the US.

[lumpuckeroo]

I agree with nevets88, I have an aquaintance that I used to play with, noticed the used to, he had an attitude, I paid my money and I will take as long as I please. He used playing as practice, would hit multiple balls off the tee, practice his chipping plus he was just slow in general. Of course he was the first to complain if people were playing slow in front of him.

Needless to say I haven't golfed with him in years, and will never golf with him again.

[iacas]

1. Is it ok or not ok to keep walking ahead while someone is hitting their shot??

30 to 45 degrees. Maybe a bit less if you're on the back side, able to hide behind a tree, etc.

Basically, if a player ever looks over at you during his alignment (behind the ball) or pre-shot routine, you're too close. But you can also be a hundred yards ahead if you're 50 yards to the side. It varies by player of course, and whether they're a righty or a lefty (and which side you're on), and how good a golfer they are. I only care if someone's in around the 15 degrees range.

2. When taking practicing strokes while the other player is taking his real stroke... how far away do you need to be??

Far enough away so that they can't hear or see you when looking at the target or their ball.

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that it's rude to leave the green before the rest of the group. What's the general opinion on this?

Seems fine to me, especially if you don't know the guys and you're walking and they're riding. But don't shirk your "first in puts the flag back in" responsibilities.

[denver_nuggs_15]

Read your putts while others are putting. That way, you don't have to take even more time on the greens. Reading putts from 49 different angles may help Tiger, but for the majority of golfers, it won't. KISS.

Walk off your yardages as you are walking to your ball. Think of what club/shot you want to play as your walking (if possible). Don't put down your bag, walk off the yardage, then take a minute deciding what to play. Walk briskly and play ready golf (if it's acceptable by your playing partners).

For 18 holes:

I think holes should take no more than 15 minutes for a foursome of decent golfers. Par 3s and shorter par 4s could be shorter, but the main time killer IMO is around the greens: chipping and putting and overanalyzing everything.

Add in the 'time-leakers' of:

Why shouldn't you play provisionals? Like isn't that in the rules? Many on here preach following the rules and now, to speed up play, we can just abandon them? Cool your ball is lost, so just drop one instead of following the rules. I don't really get it.

[PiKapp23]

In the UK, I noticed a different attitude, not in everyone, but much more prevalant, in speed of play that I just don't see in the US.

Just as a note, the slowest player I have ever played with in my life is from England and just moved to the US a couple years ago but grew up playing in England. Of course a couple of the other English guys I play with are fast...

[Chief Broom]

I'm all for ready golf, but sometimes I wonder where the line between rude and being ready is drawn.

Yours is a valid concern. Like you I walk a majority of the time and am often paired up with riders. That can make it a challenge to keep up from time to time. As a result I'm always ready to head out as soon as I complete my shot. Often as soon as the last person tees off (assuming it's not me) I'll head off down the fairway toward my ball in order to get a head start. So too will I continue heading towards my ball if it is on an opposite side of the fairway from someone else who is preparing to hit. If I am in their line of sight I will pause as they hit, but as soon as they hit I'm off. On the green I tend to stick around if for no other reason than to replace the pin and make the final sweep making sure no one has left anything behind. If someone else has the pin though I will grab my clubs and be ready as soon as they hole out and head off to the next tee box. I realize that this isn't exactly perfect etiquette but when you're walking and everyone else in your group is riding you have to be able to move quickly. And if the people you are playing with are any good the pressure to keep up is even greater. To me holding up play is a bigger breach in etiquette than not lingering around on the tee or green to congratulate good shot making, but that's me...

[Big_M]

I've noticed this in particular with the younger guys these days. It's like they learned to walk by strolling around the mall, so they figure that's right for the course too... and the

I have seen all kinds of slow players. I have played with high school kids that play nice a quick and have great etiquette and I have played with seniors that are slow as hell and had horrid etiquette... my point is the problem is not with any one group of people. Although I fault a senior more than a child since the child has the excuse that they are still learning while the senior should know better, or at least have the god sense to learn etiquette before they play on the course.

he only coaches the golf team because nobody else wanted the job, so he took it for the little bit of extra money that he gets for it. He's actually just a history teacher.

that's kind of funny because my golf coach was a history teacher, but we were tought properly (at least etiquette).

I was NOT being condescending. All I meant was that part of the problem is that the players are not being taught proper etiquette and pace of play even in organized high school golf, and in part that is because the coaches don't know anything about it themselves. He may well be a great history teacher, but that doesn't make him qualified to coach a golf team.

We're just assuming the coach doesn't know because he only plays 2-3 times a year, but this may be incorrect. If indeed he does not know, then he SHOULD have studdied up before the season, and he would be a jackass for not having done so.

I think this thread is good and all... BUT none of the people that are the problem are reading it. Slow play is all about COMMON SENSE. Use just a little of the aforementioned, and you will not take over 4 hours to play a round of golf, and if you do, you will not hold up others in doing so. Simple as that.

[Leftygolfer]

I like all the points. Slow play sucks. I have a rule:

If you are poor you MUST play quickly, not take alot of time on the greens and not take alot of time before hitting.

But if you are better you have the right to take your time on the greens and take a practice swing or two and practice a good preshot routine.

Last night was the first night of my league. Shot a 39 and this isn't a highly competitive league so I probably beat everyone in my group by at least 6-7 shots.

Anyway, I know I took the most time read and lining up my putts but I I know for sure I was faster than everyone I played with because I didn't duff any and didn't have to look for my ball. I was also the only one walking and I was always ready to hit when it was my turn and never lagged behind. I don't think walking in any way slowed my play as compared if I was in a cart.

I just believe you have to use common sense in regard to how much time you can take based on your skill level.