What's the rush? Golf's obsession with slow play.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

A friend and I played a couple of years ago on a late fall weekday when the course was nearly empty.  We played 18 holes in just over 1:30

Gee, I thought my wife and I play fast (just a little over 3 hours while walking 6500 yard course up and down the hills).   The fasted we played was 2 hours and 30 minutes with cart.  1:30 is hard to imagine.   Was there anything to the course which made 1:30 pace possible or were you just making hole in ones at will ?

We were both 11 handicaps and we were riding and know how to use a cart properly.  We can go from tee to near the green on a typical par 4 in 4 minutes or less.  10 x 4 = 40 minutes.  4 minutes to play a typical par 3 times 4 holes is 16 more.  That's 56 minutes.  That leaves more than a 1/2 hour to play 4 par 5 holes, putting out and extraneous short delays.  When I said just over 1:30, that could have reached 1:45... we weren't really timing the round, we were just surprised when we were back in the restaurant after having finished the round and put our clubs back in our cars, returned the cart, walked up the stairs and ordered a beer and it was still under 2 hours since our tee time.

[newtogolf]

Thank you for your feedback. The lever is spring loaded and with one downward motion, the cart is detached. But this just sets you up to make a faster progression on your next shot. If you chunk, slice, hook, or hit into sand, you can progress on your own to that shot without going back to the cart. If you hit a great shot, walk back to the cart and hitch a ride further down the hole. But if we hit great shots all the time, slow play wouldn't be an issue.

And I totally agree it could abused by drunk golfers. But If the group is drinking/drunk, odds are they won't be playing a fast round anyway. I saw a guy roll a golf cart on the course before. Anything can be abused.

Please continue to ask any questions or comments about this system I would be glad to answer. And check out my pics in my profile. Thank you again for the input

Do you and your grandfather have a financial interest in selling these devices  or are you just fans of them?

[Golfingdad]

Train people how to use a cart and this is completely unnecessary.  The issue isn't engineering, it's education and enforcement.  You either have to have a modified pull cart or a modified riding cart, and I can't think of a golf course anywhere which will make an outlay for such modifications.  And if a player isn't even willing to make a minor change in his playing habits to get around the course more efficiently, he sure isn't going to buy or pay for the use of such a gadget. A friend and I played a couple of years ago on a late fall weekday when the course was nearly empty.  We played 18 holes in just over 1:30, by the rules, without rushing.  When a cart is used properly the delays you seek to fix with your invention don't even exist. We drive to the first ball (doesn't matter who is away, we just drive to the most convenient one), Player A looks at his GPS, grabs a couple of clubs, and player B heads for his ball.  By the time he gets there Player A has played his shot and is starting to walk up the fairway or back to the cart, whichever makes the most sense.  Player B hits, hops back on board and picks up Player A and they are off.   Time taken?  Less than a minute for the whole process.  Doesn't matter if Player A mishits his shot because he is reconnected with his clubs on the cart faster than he could walk to the ball.  (And, by the way, we played through two slower groups during the round.) That's how a cart is supposed to be used.  If isn't happening like that, then the carts don't need re-engineering, the players need retraining. :doh:

Holy crap! I think we must have different definitions of the word "rushing." I played 9 holes, by myself, at first light, never waited once or hesitated on any shot, wasted no time searching for balls, felt uncomfortably rushed, and finished in 1:15. And, again ... I was hauling ass and playing 9 holes. Were you guys playing polo? ;)

[rkim291968]

Holy crap! I think we must have different definitions of the word "rushing." I played 9 holes, by myself, at first light, never waited once or hesitated on any shot, wasted no time searching for balls, felt uncomfortably rushed, and finished in 1:15. And, again ... I was hauling ass and playing 9 holes. Were you guys playing polo? ;)

I feel rushed just reading fourputts post.  18 holes in 90 minutes, 5 minutes per hole.   If someone like that is playing behind me, I'd insist on letting them through.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Holy crap! I think we must have different definitions of the word "rushing." I played 9 holes, by myself, at first light, never waited once or hesitated on any shot, wasted no time searching for balls, felt uncomfortably rushed, and finished in 1:15. And, again ... I was hauling ass and playing 9 holes. Were you guys playing polo? ;)

I feel rushed just reading fourputts post.  18 holes in 90 minutes, 5 minutes per hole.   If someone like that is playing behind me, I'd insist on letting them through.

Must be a typo, imagine a 5 minute par 5?

[Golfingdad]

Holy crap! I think we must have different definitions of the word "rushing." I played 9 holes, by myself, at first light, never waited once or hesitated on any shot, wasted no time searching for balls, felt uncomfortably rushed, and finished in 1:15. And, again ... I was hauling ass and playing 9 holes. Were you guys playing polo? ;)

I feel rushed just reading fourputts post.  18 holes in 90 minutes, 5 minutes per hole.   If someone like that is playing behind me, I'd insist on letting them through.

Must be a typo, imagine a 5 minute par 5?

OK, good, then its not just me. @Fourputt ... perhaps you meant to say 2:30, and not 1:30??

[David in FL]

Must be a typo, imagine a 5 minute par 5?

Actually, he said 30 minutes to play 4 par-5's.  That's nearly 8 minutes each.  It's quick, but certainly doable.

1:30 is a smokin' fast round though.......even by my standards.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

Must be a typo, imagine a 5 minute par 5?

Actually, he said 30 minutes to play 4 par-5's.  That's nearly 8 minutes each.  It's quick, but certainly doable.

1:30 is a smokin' fast round though.......even by my standards.

Did you read my second post which modifies it somewhat?  As I said, we were riding on a nearly empty course, and a course which we both know well.  I also said "just over 1:30", which likely could have been closer to 1:40 or 1:45.  Like the rule book, you need read all of the words in my post. However, CW and I are both fast players, rarely lose a ball, and don't bother with much of a search before just going to our provisional when we do send one off into never-never land.

[David in FL]

Did you read my second post which modifies it somewhat?  As I said, we were riding on a nearly empty course, and a course which we both know well.  I also said "just over 1:30", which likely could have been closer to 1:40 or 1:45.  Like the rule book, you need read all of the words in my post.   ;-)   However, CW and I are both fast players, rarely lose a ball, and don't bother with much of a search before just going to our provisional when we do send one off into never-never land.

As I said, smokin' fast, but doable. I absolutely believe you! :beer:

[MS256]

As I said, smokin' fast, but doable. I absolutely believe you!

Since I've seen the 12:30 money game at a nearby country club (multiple groups of 4) be completely done by 2:30, I believe him too.

Too fast for my liking when I play in that group and I usually drag them down to getting done between 3:00 and 3:30. They don't like it and when they ask me why I am playing so slow I tell them it's because I like to win.

[shihtappens]

Holy crap! I think we must have different definitions of the word "rushing." I played 9 holes, by myself, at first light, never waited once or hesitated on any shot, wasted no time searching for balls, felt uncomfortably rushed, and finished in 1:15. And, again ... I was hauling ass and playing 9 holes. Were you guys playing polo? ;)

I play a dawn patrol round in the summer, before work, and there is usually a member twosome in a cart that start a hole or two behind me. I walk, and if I dawdle on a hole, they will catch me. It's amazing how efficient you get - same course, same club for the same shot, etc. I usually cover 2886 par 35 in 1:05 or 1:10. Try as they might, fast visitors (even those from Dover) will seldom be able to stay ahead of fast locals.

[nevets88]

It's all relative. My normal, a tad brisk walking on a golf course pace is like twice or more than most golfers's average pace. A 1 hour and change 9 holes (3000-3400 yds very hilly at sea level) on my own - I am a happy happy camper.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by David in FL

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

Must be a typo, imagine a 5 minute par 5?

Actually, he said 30 minutes to play 4 par-5's.  That's nearly 8 minutes each.  It's quick, but certainly doable.

1:30 is a smokin' fast round though.......even by my standards.

Did you read my second post which modifies it somewhat?  As I said, we were riding on a nearly empty course, and a course which we both know well.  I also said "just over 1:30", which likely could have been closer to 1:40 or 1:45.  Like the rule book, you need read all of the words in my post.     However, CW and I are both fast players, rarely lose a ball, and don't bother with much of a search before just going to our provisional when we do send one off into never-never land.

Yeah, the extra 50 seconds per hole is pretty critical.

[Dave2512]

Train people how to use a cart and this is completely unnecessary.  The issue isn't engineering, it's education and enforcement.  You either have to have a modified pull cart or a modified riding cart, and I can't think of a golf course anywhere which will make an outlay for such modifications.  And if a player isn't even willing to make a minor change in his playing habits to get around the course more efficiently, he sure isn't going to buy or pay for the use of such a gadget.

A friend and I played a couple of years ago on a late fall weekday when the course was nearly empty.  We played 18 holes in just over 1:30, by the rules, without rushing.  When a cart is used properly the delays you seek to fix with your invention don't even exist. We drive to the first ball (doesn't matter who is away, we just drive to the most convenient one), Player A looks at his GPS, grabs a couple of clubs, and player B heads for his ball.  By the time he gets there Player A has played his shot and is starting to walk up the fairway or back to the cart, whichever makes the most sense.  Player B hits, hops back on board and picks up Player A and they are off.

I am surprised this even has to be mentioned but yes this is how a cart should be used. In fact IMO that is the point of paying for a cart, the convenience and speed. I hope more courses make gps carts mandatory. The courses I play that do are quick. The reason being the carts are geo-fenced, monitored and timed as they make their way around the course. Fall out of position and your cart lets you know it. Take it off path on a path only hole and it shuts down, same if you get too close to a green. Jerk around and the pro shop will shut the cart down and send an escort to pull you from the course. It's a modern pace of play clock and the software replaces the ranger.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Train people how to use a cart and this is completely unnecessary.  The issue isn't engineering, it's education and enforcement.  You either have to have a modified pull cart or a modified riding cart, and I can't think of a golf course anywhere which will make an outlay for such modifications.  And if a player isn't even willing to make a minor change in his playing habits to get around the course more efficiently, he sure isn't going to buy or pay for the use of such a gadget.

A friend and I played a couple of years ago on a late fall weekday when the course was nearly empty.  We played 18 holes in just over 1:30, by the rules, without rushing.  When a cart is used properly the delays you seek to fix with your invention don't even exist. We drive to the first ball (doesn't matter who is away, we just drive to the most convenient one), Player A looks at his GPS, grabs a couple of clubs, and player B heads for his ball.  By the time he gets there Player A has played his shot and is starting to walk up the fairway or back to the cart, whichever makes the most sense.  Player B hits, hops back on board and picks up Player A and they are off.

I am surprised this even has to be mentioned but yes this is how a cart should be used. In fact IMO that is the point of paying for a cart, the convenience and speed. I hope more courses make gps carts mandatory. The courses I play that do are quick. The reason being the carts are geo-fenced, monitored and timed as they make their way around the course. Fall out of position and your cart lets you know it. Take it off path on a path only hole and it shuts down, same if you get too close to a green. Jerk around and the pro shop will shut the cart down and send an escort to pull you from the course. It's a modern pace of play clock and the software replaces the ranger.

One more nice thing with the best GPS carts is that you also get a visual on the display and distances to the groups in range around you.  You know when those guys in front are out of reach - no more guessing and waiting an extra minute for them to get a little further away.  You can also see when someone on a parallel hole is approaching your fairway from the side because of an errant shot.  In this respect, they promote safety too.

[tqcishark]

1:30 is possible under more than supergpscalefragelistic conditions, but you have to be trying to play fast, and you better be good.

What did you 11s shoot that day?

[Fourputt]

1:30 is possible under more than supergpscalefragelistic conditions, but you have to be trying to play fast, and you better be good.

What did you 11s shoot that day?

No idea.  That was about 4 years ago.

[BuckeyeNut]

my fastest round in a cart as a single is 1:40.............this is a flat course with greens and tees close....

the course you play is HUGE.... I do well to finish 18 in 2:40 at my current home course riding a cart.