Slow Play turnaround

[Norm66]

Thursday my wife and I were playing 18 at a local course. We started having to wait about the third hole due to a threesome ahead of us. At first they weren't too bad, but by the sixth hole they were really slowing us down. They had a little girl, maybe 4 or 5 with them that was playing in the bunkers (with no thought given to raking them after), running around, not getting into the cart when they were done etc. By 9 I was ready to go home if we couldn't get out ahead of them. I gave them several opportunities to let us play through but they wouldn't acknowledge us.

So I went to the clubhouse for a bottle of water and the pro told me I'd have some problems on #10. A couple of older guys had teed off 10 minutes before and hadn't made it to the green yet. He told me to tee off on #12 and then go back after to pick up 10 & 11.

Apparently the threesome that was ahead of us didn't talk to the pro and teed off after the slow twosome. As we were coming up 18 (with two holes left to play) we saw them on #12 waiting on the slow guys. I bet they were ticked off getting stuck behind slow players! hehehehe

[sonicblue]

My kingdom for a marshall on every course who ACTUALLY polices pace of play. It's horrible around me.

[Fourputt]

An obvious situation like this would never be allowed on my home course. I don't say that slow play never happens there, but when there is an obvious cause, it is dealt with promptly. It's more of a problem when you have have several groups that get just a shot or so behind the players ahead of them. If that happens to 5 or 6 groups, there isn't any real culprit that can be addressed... and yet it can slow down the pace of play for the remainder of the day.

The ranger's job isn't as easy and cut and dried as most golfers seem to think it is. I work as a starter and I'm responsible for recording the turn and finish times for each group on the course. We use Nextel phones to keep in contact. When I see a problem with a group making the turn, I notify the ranger, and when he has a problem elsewhere on the course, he calls me to keep me updated. A slow group will be "encouraged" to catch up with the players in front of them, at times they will be asked to skip a hole if that is the only way to accomplish this. But this is only a solution if the problem is easy to identify. When it's not as apparent, then there may be nothing that can be done. In the case of foursome who is just slightly out of position, The ranger may just hang around for a hole, and let his presence alone speak for him. Most experienced golfers get the message.

[Shindig]

Thursday my wife and I were playing 18 at a local course. We started having to wait about the third hole due to a threesome ahead of us. At first they weren't too bad, but by the sixth hole they were really slowing us down. They had a little girl, maybe 4 or 5 with them that was playing in the bunkers (with no thought given to raking them after), running around, not getting into the cart when they were done etc. By 9 I was ready to go home if we couldn't get out ahead of them. I gave them several opportunities to let us play through but they wouldn't acknowledge us.

Turnabout is fair play, after all

[gotgolf?]

In Korea, where they have a mandatory caddy tag along, they will "report" you to the clubhouse if you delay play. This can result in the manager coming around and "asking/demanding" that you leave the course. And of course you will not be allowed to return to the course for a certain amount if time.

Although this system sounds harsh, it does require that people gain a certain aptitude to their shots before venturing out onto the golf course.

[Dent]

Haha nice turnaround there. I am never bothered by extremely slow play.

[mjbartow]

I was playing 18 the other day as a single, and get stuck behind a foursome of old ladies on the 4th (where I finally decided to make it apparent I had caught up to them so I teed my ball up on the tips while they were still hitting there drives) -- so they all shank it into the 6th dimension where only God knows where it went, all but one finds it. The one lady proceeds to hunt for her ball for 7 minutes (I kept track) -- and then decides to doddle back over to the tee box, and hit her penalty shot -- apparently the idea of hitting a provisional even if you have a hint that the first one went OB was beyond this lady.

Luckily the ladies realized they belong in the clubhouse to waste their life away because on the turn I stop in the get a water and they are there playing Bridge. After 18 I stop in for a spot of water and they were still there with their stupid cards.

[Arsenal Forever]

I was playing 18 the other day as a single, and get stuck behind a foursome of old ladies on the 4th (where I finally decided to make it apparent I had caught up to them so I teed my ball up on the tips while they were still hitting there drives) -- so they all shank it into the 6th dimension where only God knows where it went, all but one finds it. The one lady proceeds to hunt for her ball for 7 minutes (I kept track) -- and then decides to doddle back over to the tee box, and hit her penalty shot -- apparently the idea of hitting a provisional even if you have a hint that the first one went OB was beyond this lady.

Ugh, that sounds pretty bad.

I have been lucky in most cases of slow play. My dad and I always play every Sunday and we only are plagued on the course by waiting behind slow groups when the course is too busy for it to be avoided. There are several seemingly inept senior groups that play at our course though. They were really nice people, but my dad and I played with a couple who had to be in the seventies, not TOO old. But the guy was probably around a 35 handicapper, so he was bearable, but his wife wasn't. She would take her driver and hack at it off every tee to the point of where I could have put it in my mouth and spat it farther, and then she would take her fairway wood and hit it another heaping 20 yards. she would continue this process, even chipping from <50 yards with her wood, until she found her way to the green. This was a very embarrassing experience for my dad and I, being stuck in a foursome with her. The surprising thing was, she had a complete selection of clubs, it wasn't like she only had her fairway wood besides her driver and putter.

[digger21]

An obvious situation like this would never be allowed on my home course. I don't say that slow play never happens there, but when there is an obvious cause, it is dealt with promptly. It's more of a problem when you have have several groups that get just a shot or so behind the players ahead of them. If that happens to 5 or 6 groups, there isn't any real culprit that can be addressed... and yet it can slow down the pace of play for the remainder of the day.

Hey what course do you work at? I noticed you live in littleton. For awhile I was thinking there was nobody on here from the Denver area.

[Fourputt]

Hey what course do you work at? I noticed you live in littleton. For awhile I was thinking there was nobody on here from the Denver area.

I'm a starter at Foothills Golf Course.

[digger21]

I'm a starter at Foothills Golf Course.

Thats the course over by Pinehurst CC and Raccoon Creek right? Is it a par 72or more like an executive? How does it play? I need to start venturing out into more golf courses.

[Fourputt]

Thats the course over by Pinehurst CC and Raccoon Creek right? Is it a par 72or more like an executive? How does it play? I need to start venturing out into more golf courses.

We have an 18 hole, par 72 course at 6923 yards from the tips (6500 from the mids); a 9 hole, par 31 executive course; and a 9 hole, par 27 par 3 course. Also a grass practice range with a good 100 yards of hitting stations, a chipping practice area with 2 greens and a practice bunker, a practice putting green, a separate lesson tee, restaurant and pro shop. And all this in what is essentially a municipal facility.

[digger21]

Par 72, grass range....im sold. I think ill come play it next week on my days off.