Is slow play at your course choking the fun out of the game?

[Chief Broom]

I agree low cappers can be slow too.  One guy in a league I'm a member of is a good mid single digit capper and he's a noticably slower player.  Very slow and very methodical.  You know when you get selected to play with him that it's going to be a good 30 minutes longer for your group to finish.  In spite of that though he really doesn't fall off the pace by much (playing with him your group will finish in ~4 hours on a short 6k yrd course), and he is a good golfer so you know that him taking his time does produce a very specific result, so everybody cuts him some slack.  When I play I don't focus on the clock so much as to whether or not I'm having to wait to hit.  That's what starts to bug me when I play.  If I'm having to wait unduely to hit that begins to make me want to cut out on the round early.  I'm all for relaxing and enjoying being outside and in the company of others, but as a guy with a family if I'm spending as much time, or more, waiting as I'm golfing, well I'd rather just do that at home and hope that the next time I play things will be moving along.  I think a lot of this has to do with knowing when to go out to the course you're going to play in order to play at a pace you enjoy.  I play 95% of the golf I play at the two courses I'm a member of and I play most of those rounds at set tee times that I also know that pace of play won't be a problem.  For me that means those standing tee times are early in the morning where the other early tee times are usually taken by other regular players who you know are going to maintain the pace.

[jeffhale08]

I hate slow play...did I make that clear enough...I hate slow play.  It is not only the high handicappers, but it is the money game players as well.  Those guys playing for their $5 skin and reading a putt like it's for the US Open title.  Just play.  Me and a buddy try to be the first ones off on the weekends and after about the 2nd hole, we never see anyone again.  Occassionaly the pro will have sent a few off the back and we catch them around 15, no problem, we will still finish in less then 2 1/2 hours.  I think all courses should put a triple bogey rule in play, or at the very least a double-par rule (our local high schools do that during regular tourneys).  I know not everyone will follow it, but it might help.  I mean, isn't 126 shots in one day enough?

[walk18]

Yeah it kind of is choking the fun out, at least sometimes.

[RFetters]

We played behind a foursome today, that couldnt keep up with a fivesome.  On one green, with 3 of them standing fairly close together, the 4th player skulled a sand shot about head high inbetween the other three,,causing all 3 to do a merry dance,,very funny to watch,,as the round proceeded, and as we watched the two carts criss cross fairway after fairway, we began to wonder if their batteries would make it all 18 holes.

About 4 hours 45 later they actually finished,,so the relevant question is,,did we enjoy our round,,and the answer is yes,,although we waited nearly every shot, even though we were walking.  We just slowed our pace, spent a bit more time on greens and etc, and had quite a few laughs watching the group in front of us,,all in all ,,a very fun day,,

As the old saying goes,,a day on the golf course beats working,,

[Doctorfro]

Slow play sucks, bottom line.  But I have come to expect it on the weekends and when there is a break in the weather after a long bad weather hiatus.  Keep in mind that a majority of players....well....(how can I say this?)...are less than skilled players.  And when they are taking over three hundred swings a round (100+ shots along with 2 practice swings per shot) it's going to take a long time to play.  I hate slow play but I've come to get used to it.  With no traffic I can play 18 with my son in about 3 hours, and that's not rushing at all.  But with the majority of players ball hunting and taking many swings, it just makes it a marathon.  My wife is the fastest bad player there is.  She plays ready golf, she doesn't dawdle.  She hits it and moves on.  If she's first to the green but not farthest away she putts.  She's not very good but she can get around nine holes in less than two hours.  It can be done but many of the guys I see out on the course are doing all the other stuff I described plus they are drinking beer and text messaging.  Makes for a long day.  But they have paid their money and doggone it, they are going to take as much time as they want!

[DoGolf Rob]

I try and not play courses where its going to be excessively slow. I live in LA so there are courses that I just flat out avoid. Recently I played a 6 hour round with an hour and a half in traffic each way. I love golf but that is not worth it for me. I still play regularly but am very conscious about the time and course I play. I used to just take up every offer of a round but I definitely don't anymore. When the round is slow I am not relaxing as I am thinking about other stuff. I find myself in my cart, on my iPhone answering emails and focusing on other things just waiting for the tee to free up.

Slow play in all forms is bad etiquette.

[tx_basser]

yes, it is what caused me to stop playing years ago, and only seems to have gotten worse.  I think too many players want to "Act" like they are pros and walk off each shot, measure yardages, walk to the green to check slopes, etc...  good grief.  Hit the ball and lets keep moving.

[Divotmaker77]

The biggest thing I notice is that those who are not good golfers tend to be the ones with the shortest tempers when it comes to slow pay. I can stand waiting some, but that guy who is either playing really bad or simply is not a good golfer, they are always the ones fussing about hurrying up.  Bad golf (a lot of times) can be contributed to playing and swinging too fast. Those players should take advantage of slower play and learn how to relax and slow down themselves.

Wish every course would have a huge sign outside the clubhouse that gives tips on faster play. Encourage having fun but also respecting other golfers.

A few tips I would put on that board that I see a lot of is:

1. Play ready golf.  Unless you are in a tournament, if you are clear, go ahead and play your ball.

2. If your partner is at their ball or is riding towards it, have them take you to yours or walk to your ball while they are doing their thing.  Take a few clubs with you in case you need a different one. By the time they bring the cart to you, you would have saved some time by analyzing your situation and possibly playing your shot.

3. Don't try cleaning your clubs or organizing your bag after finishing a hole. Do it when you get to the next tee box and quietly do it while others are ready to hit.

4. Get a range finder.  Laser or GPS.  Saves time from trying to find the yardage markers and helps your decision making process quicker. I got one a few years ago and compared using it to not and I figured I save at least 15 minutes using one (tend to play more accurate shots hence spending less time in bad spots due to hitting too far, too short, etc. etc.).

5. Lost balls.  If you are a high handicapper, buy a bunch of cheap balls and have a 1 minute find rule. If you canot find it, drop somewhere and play on. You are not playing for the Masters.  High handicappers only objective on a course should be to have fun and get experience. Use lessons and the driving range as the place to work on your fundamentals.

I am sure there are more things one can do to get quicker, but just minding the things I listed above would really help pace of play.

[Gresh24]

  Divotmaker77 said:

Originally Posted by Divotmaker77

I am sure there are more things one can do to get quicker, but just minding the things I listed above would really help pace of play.

A couple of the things you mentioned will also cost golfers hundreds of dollars...

[Divotmaker77]

Golf is not a cheap game. Anyone who thinks otherwise probably should find something else to do with their time.

[Gresh24]

  Divotmaker77 said:

Originally Posted by Divotmaker77

Golf is not a cheap game. Anyone who thinks otherwise probably should find something else to do with their time.

I'm not saying golf is a cheap game.  I'm saying not everyone can afford range finders and not to look for balls.  Why not make lessons part of your tips?

[jeffhale08]

There is something to be said for playing behind a bad group and getting to enjoy some amusement from them, but they are the ones who do not have a clue when it comes to etiquette.  You know the ones who have 3 holes open ahead of them and don't know to let you play through.  The only saving grace sometimes is they have to run to their truck after nine to load up more beer and we get to jump ahead of them.

[johnclayton1982]

Honestly, I really think that those who constantly complain about wanting to play faster are good golfers who also want to play *when they want*.  On my course, the weekend mornings are absolutely packed and the pace of play glacially slow.  However, when we tee off with my group, Saturday around 2:30pm, the course is wide open and it takes about 3 hours 15 minutes. We have timed our tee offs the last four weeks with the starting times of LSU games and we are the only people out there. Its just like traffic on the roads: the more golfers, the higher chance that a slow group will be there.  You play on weekend mornings, there is an almost 100% chance with all the groups on the course several will be slow.

There are times when your course plays extremely fast.  You cannot expect a course chock full of golfers to be fast unless the course can afford rangers all over the place.  Its an absolute pipe dream.  You can play when you want, or you can play as fast as you want.  It is greedy to expect to be able to tee off whenever you want AND play at the pace you want.  Its an "or".  You can always play as fast as you want but you have to accept tee times that let you do that.  IMO, it is greedy and expecting too much to tee off WHENEVER you want AND play AS FAST as you want.

[WWBDD]

  Stewie007 said:

Originally Posted by Stewie007

Myself, I could really care less how long it takes to play. If some groups ahead are slow I've got to wait, its as simple as that. Sometimes it is annoying when its a group of folks who are being obnoxious, but if they're just bad golfers who are really trying I'll cut em some slack. Who cares?

I think overly fast play squeezes the fun out of my golf game. Something about people playing a leisure sport like their ball landed on the track during the Daytona 500 and they've gotta get out there and hit it before the cars round the corner and kill them. Chase Golf I like to call it, because that it what it is. Everybody bitching about a 4 some ahead of them who isn't as good as they are, or at least isn't playing as fast.

And somebody here was wondering why old timers tend to NOT like younger golfers. Maybe its because once again, us youngsters are ruining the sport with our ideas of speed and efficiency.

Relax, you aren't at work; the boss isn't going to fire you from your game! Nobody is coming after you with a 50 cal. Relax, have a beer, and enjoy your game. When you've gotta wait, enjoy the scenery.

Sooner or later, golf courses are going to be pushing the 1 hour turn because of these shenanigans. Not like I am in love with slower play, but honestly, what is so pressing on the course that you've gotta hurry hurry hurry? Don't play golf like you drive. ;)

*steps off his soap box*

Yeah ... what he said.

[WWBDD]

  walk18 said:

Originally Posted by walk18

choking the fun out

If you were doing less of that, you'd be golfing faster ... sheesh.

[WWBDD]

Quote:

If you canot find it, drop somewhere and play on.

You just made some heads explode on the rules thread.

[WWBDD]

Quote:

I'm saying not everyone can afford range finders ...

Don't need to buy one ... everyone else has them.

Sometimes multiple skycaddycallawayiwhatsits don't agree on yardage. That makes for some fun theatre ... you know, while you wait for the group in front buying drinks from the beer cart girl.

Someone should start a beer cart girl thread.

[WWBDD]

I seem to be posting in a vacuum here ... (wanders off to google beer cart girls) ...