Pace of play---better keep it going

[georgeshot]

The foursome (and sometimes fivesome) that I play with on Sunday mornings is usually the first off and we can play the round easily in 3 to 3 1/2 hours for the following reasons:

* We play ready golf. No standing around waiting for anyone. I realize that you can't always play this way (with strangers you are paired with) but you could ask at the start of a round.

* We are familiar with the course. (This is significant because we know the yardages from location "X" & when someone duck hooks a tee shot on 14 we know where the ball is going to end up resting, etc. I think if more people played ready golf it sure would help the pace of play out there.

* We don't as many have mentioned belabor putts. Yes - on the green,  I like to mark my ball, clean it, line it up, find the line, then get the feel and put it in the hole. Too much thinking can be detrimental.

Happy Golfing,

George

[ay33660]

Originally Posted by georgeshot

The foursome (and sometimes fivesome) that I play with on Sunday mornings is usually the first off and we can play the round easily in 3 to 3 1/2 hours for the following reasons:

* We play ready golf. No standing around waiting for anyone. I realize that you can't always play this way (with strangers you are paired with) but you could ask at the start of a round.

* We are familiar with the course. (This is significant because we know the yardages from location "X" & when someone duck hooks a tee shot on 14 we know where the ball is going to end up resting, etc. I think if more people played ready golf it sure would help the pace of play out there.

* We don't as many have mentioned belabor putts. Yes - on the green,  I like to mark my ball, clean it, line it up, find the line, then get the feel and put it in the hole. Too much thinking can be detrimental.

Happy Golfing,

George

I belong to a private club that allows fivesomes even on the weekends.

My regular Saturday group is a fivesome with a 2, 8, 9, 12 and 18 handicaps (I'm the 18).

We are often the first group off and we can get around in under 3:45. This is even counting at least 10 mins at the turn getting food and flirting with the server.

Yesterday we were followed by a threesome and they were at least 1 and 1/2 holes behind by the time we finished.

The pros keep track of the times of the first few groups in order to keep the pace of play going for the day.

We know that we are one of the few fivesomes allowed so early in the morning.

We don't feel like we are rushing.

1. We don't walk around in a mass waiting for each other to decide on the distance, grab a club etc. We walk directly to our own balls and often we will walk ahead (to the side) as far as possible to our balls.

2. We usually continue putting thru instead of marking and waiting.

3. We play ready golf.

4. The first player to hole out will go to the next tee box and tee off.

5. We don't have all five of us looking for the same lost ball.

Now it does help that I belong to a mature old style golf course where the holes are close to each other, the greens are tiny and there is not a lot of deep grass between the holes. Rather the hole are separated by mature stands of trees so it is easy to find errand balls.

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by ay33660

I belong to a private club that allows fivesomes even on the weekends.

My regular Saturday group is a fivesome with a 2, 8, 9, 12 and 18 handicaps (I'm the 18).

We are often the first group off and we can get around in under 3:45. This is even counting at least 10 mins at the turn getting food and flirting with the server.

Yesterday we were followed by a threesome and they were at least 1 and 1/2 holes behind by the time we finished.

The pros keep track of the times of the first few groups in order to keep the pace of play going for the day.

We know that we are one of the few fivesomes allowed so early in the morning.

We don't feel like we are rushing.

1. We don't walk around in a mass waiting for each other to decide on the distance, grab a club etc. We walk directly to our own balls and often we will walk ahead (to the side) as far as possible to our balls.

2. We usually continue putting thru instead of marking and waiting.

3. We play ready golf.

4. The first player to hole out will go to the next tee box and tee off.

5. We don't have all five of us looking for the same lost ball.

Now it does help that I belong to a mature old style golf course where the holes are close to each other, the greens are tiny and there is not a lot of deep grass between the holes. Rather the hole are separated by mature stands of trees so it is easy to find errand balls.

I never understood why people think that to play in under 4 hours you have to rush.  I can't imagine what they are doing with all that time, assuming they aren't being held up, in which case the notion of rushing shouldn't even enter the discussion.

[5ironkid]

i was playing last week as a three some behind a foursome. we went out about 2 holes behind them. by the time we got to the third hole we had caught up to them, and we realized the problem. each person took about 8 practice swings, rested a couple in between each swing, and since they werent that good they would hit 3 balls per shot. we gritted our teeth and stuck with it. anyways we got fed up by the 10th and just went to the next hole. anyways what i say is 1 or 2 practice swings and just hit the ball. if im on the green with a put i know i can make in one i always putt out if people arent ready to putt.