Imaginary Mulligans

[AmazingWhacker]

Originally Posted by bkuehn1952

Let's face it, a large part of the issue is that the rest of us don't deal with the problem.  If your golf buddy is as slow as indicated, there are a lot of people playing behind him that are suffering, too.  The group owes it to the golfing world to figuratively slap some sense into this friend or leave him at home.  Many of us are too nice to these laggards and I include myself in this indictment.  We have to stop worrying about hurting someone's feelings and politely remind the sloths among us to maintain pace.  We have to stop hustling and taking short cuts in our own game in order to make up the time lost waiting for Waldo to hit.

Studies have shown that slow players are typically unaware that they are slow.  A large part of that disconnect is that the playing partners enable the tortise to creep through a round by playing their own game at a faster pace.  Further, the partners never tell the tortise that he (or she) is slow.

As Pogo once said, "We have met the enemy and he is us."  Let's all start taking some responsibility to assist slow players to become more aware of their problem and how to fix it.

Very true - but there is also another common type of slow player . .the player who rationalizes slow play . .thinking and saying things like "everybody expects to wait".  I haven't been terribly hard on him .. but I have let him know how I feel about slow play . .but he doesn't really think it's a big deal.   Not too long ago we were playing 9 holes.  The course was wide open ahead and there were several groups stuck behind us.  I said "hey. .let's let this group (the one behind us) go through".   He said "No - if we do that then we'll have to let all the groups go through".  The other 2 in the group just kind of said nothing .. so we trudged on frustrating, ultimately, about a dozen golfers stuck behind us.  None of this effected him in the least . . .he kept up with his various routines and genuinely seemed not to notice.

It's not like I'm going to stop golfing with the guy ..but I doubt he'll change.  I actually prefer to go golfing with him on Saturday or Sunday morning ..when I know the course will be all backed up anyway . .and then he can pretend he is Tiger Woods all he wants.  Otherwise ..as you mentioned. . I start rushing and taking shortcuts in my own game to compensate for his slowness.

[Mac62]

Originally Posted by AmazingWhacker

Very true - but there is also another common type of slow player . .the player who rationalizes slow play . .thinking and saying things like "everybody expects to wait".  I haven't been terribly hard on him .. but I have let him know how I feel about slow play . .but he doesn't really think it's a big deal.   Not too long ago we were playing 9 holes.  The course was wide open ahead and there were several groups stuck behind us.  I said "hey. .let's let this group (the one behind us) go through".   He said "No - if we do that then we'll have to let all the groups go through".  The other 2 in the group just kind of said nothing .. so we trudged on frustrating, ultimately, about a dozen golfers stuck behind us.  None of this effected him in the least . . .he kept up with his various routines and genuinely seemed not to notice.

Being a high handicapper, I'm very conscious about keeping up the pace of play - to the point that it starts messing with my head if we're not keeping up with the group in front of us.  If I'm in a slow foursome and we start losing our position on the course, it screws my game up badly because I start rushing my shots in an effort to speed things up - even when I'm not the cause of the slow play.  A few friends I occasionally golf with are utterly unconcerned by it, and I'm always the one to speak up and say "Guys, we need to pick it up - we're falling behind".  Not only do I dislike being in the group that's holding everybody up, I dislike even more what it does to my concentration and my game.

As to the OP - the vast majority of guys I golf with are all good friends and we're very comfortable with each other.  We joke and talk a lot of trash to each other on the course, so I'd be comfortable speaking up about the "imaginary mulligans" if they were slowing the pace of play.  I'd probably phrase it as a sarcastic joke - something like "hey, when your practice session is over, do you mind if the rest of us hit?!?".

[inthehole]

Furyk always does this after a poor shot - definitely annoying coming from a pro - would drive me crazy coming from a playing partner

[jimmyc]

Mac62

I couldn't have said it better myself. I get real anxious when we have a guy slowing us down. My buddy and I can play 18 in a little under 3 hours, and I shoot mid to high 90's.

[David in FL]

Originally Posted by jimmyc

Mac62

I couldn't have said it better myself. I get real anxious when we have a guy slowing us down. My buddy and I can play 18 in a little under 3 hours, and I shoot mid to high 90's.

You can play in my group any time Jimmy!