"Hey! While we're young!" - USGA Pace of Play

[DestinTiger]

It's never good for someone to play golf slowly.  But, when a 25 handicapper takes four practice swings then stares at his target six times then remains over the ball an additional 30 seconds it drives me crazy.  When he finally takes the swings he hits it fat and advances the ball 50 yards up the fairway.

You can take as much time as you like on the practice range, if you know what I mean. ;-)

[saevel25]

Originally Posted by DestinTiger

It's never good for someone to play golf slowly.  But, when a 25 handicapper takes four practice swings then stares at his target six times then remains over the ball an additional 30 seconds it drives me crazy.  When he finally takes the swings he hits it fat and advances the ball 50 yards up the fairway.

You can take as much time as you like on the practice range, if you know what I mean. ;-)

Notice, this rarely happens, its a small percentage of players, but they just stand out :p

[DestinTiger]

Originally Posted by saevel25

Notice, this rarely happens, its a small percentage of players, but they just stand out :p

Talk about driving you crazy because of slow play, try coaching middle school boys and girls golf.  WOW!

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by DestinTiger

Quote:

Originally Posted by saevel25

Notice, this rarely happens, its a small percentage of players, but they just stand out :p

Talk about driving you crazy because of slow play, try coaching middle school boys and girls golf.  WOW!

If I did that, the first lesson would be pace of play.  And the second.  And third.  And it would be stressed as part of every lesson and round they played.

[DestinTiger]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

If I did that, the first lesson would be pace of play.  And the second.  And third.  And it would be stressed as part of every lesson and round they played.

You absolutely have to teach them that speed of play is just good manners.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by DestinTiger

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

If I did that, the first lesson would be pace of play.  And the second.  And third.  And it would be stressed as part of every lesson and round they played.

You absolutely have to teach them that speed of play is just good manners.

The course I worked at as starter hosted a lot of local high school matches, and they were some of the slowest players we saw.  If that's an example of the upcoming generation of players, the game is in trouble.

[newtogolf]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

The course I worked at as starter hosted a lot of local high school matches, and they were some of the slowest players we saw.  If that's an example of the upcoming generation of players, the game is in trouble.

I think that is partially do to all the mental coaching that is being used in the sport.  I see the pro's taking a practice swing, closing their eyes to visualize the ball landing etc.  When kids see this and read all the books on mental golf it brings pace of play down to a crawl.

Keegan Bradley has so many steps in his pre-shot routine today that I'm waiting for his brain to freeze up and for him to just fall over.

If the ground isn't level or the ball is sitting in a tough lie I'll take a practice swing.  If I'm in the fairway I don't take a practice swing.  Maybe if I took practice swings on every shot, spun my club 6 times, cha cha before I address the ball, closed my eyes and visualized the ball landing where I wanted it to I'd be a better golfer.  Hmm.....

[BugDude]

I played today, 6400 yards, par 71, rating 71.2, slope 125.  And again today I only got through 11 holes before the storm started.  +3 through 11.

I hit the ball better today, but the pace of play was horrendous!!!  3 hours to play 11 holes and 2 groups let me play through and I finally joined a 3-some.  There was a 2-some holding up the entire course, and another 2-some behind them that was just as slow.  At one point there were 3 groups of 4 waiting on the same tee (a par 5) while the 1st slow 2-some was on the green and the second slow 2-some was in the fairway.  The entire course population was piled up on this single hole.  I should have just left or skipped a couple holes ahead.

This course has rangers, but they don't say anything or do anything about pace, so I've got to lay some of the blame on the course.

I think I'm through trying to play this course.  I enjoy it because it is the most challenging for me in the area, but the pace of play is killing me.  In Florida in the summer, you have to play fast for 2 reasons:

1)  It's miserably hot and humid.  Try to get out of the heat asap.

2)  Every afternoon it rains.  Try to finish before it hits.

[RC]

I recently enjoyed reading about Muirfield, the host of this year's British Open.  Slow play is considered dishonorable there -- and they play fast as a matter of tradition.  At one of my old clubs, the expected rule was every round had to be completed in or under 4 hours.... it was great.  Slow play was simply not permitted.  Golf teams were not allowed access to the course.  Indeed now at a different course, the slowest players we encounter is when we are playing behind high school golf teams -- truly dishonorable pace of play.  At least where I play most of the time today the marshals will go forward and ask slow players to stand aside and allow faster groups to play through -- not as good as a firm 4 hour limit but better than nothing.. Those that do not support faster play are hurting the sport.  Pace of play is the number one issue for golfers.

[Ryan Murphy]

Great campaign for opening up golf to a wider audience! The ads are done well and funny, giving the golf community a sense of humor while promoting an idea that will open the game up to a younger audience when it catches on. I love it!

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

I know it's been said many times in this thread already, but I need to continue the trend....the players on here who are actually arguing that walking the course is faster than riding, are clearly out of their minds. I played yesterday on a relatively short (6000yds), very flat golf course. There were 2 of us riding in a cart playing with 2 guys who were walking the course. On EVERY single shot, the two of us in the cart would be waiting for at least a minute if not more for the other 2 guys to reach us in the fairway. Most of the time, I would go directly to my ball and hit my approach shot, even though I was closest to green, while the 2 walkers made their way up the fairway to their tee shots. The 2 of us in the cart were much faster going from tee to fairway. We were also much faster going from green to next tee. The only way walking is faster than riding is if the course is soaked and there's a strict cart path only rule. Other than that, the people claiming walking is faster are out of their minds or just plain delusional.

[DestinTiger]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

I think that is partially do to all the mental coaching that is being used in the sport.  I see the pro's taking a practice swing, closing their eyes to visualize the ball landing etc.  When kids see this and read all the books on mental golf it brings pace of play down to a crawl.

Keegan Bradley has so many steps in his pre-shot routine today that I'm waiting for his brain to freeze up and for him to just fall over.

If the ground isn't level or the ball is sitting in a tough lie I'll take a practice swing.  If I'm in the fairway I don't take a practice swing.  Maybe if I took practice swings on every shot, spun my club 6 times, cha cha before I address the ball, closed my eyes and visualized the ball landing where I wanted it to I'd be a better golfer.  Hmm.....

"Mental coaching".......so true!  And what is the deal with young golfers being taught to line up their shots by addressing to ball then moving and standing behind the ball leaving the club at the address position?  Then they move back and address the ball normally and hit the shot.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Then I give a quick check where my ball should be, and if there is no chance to find it, or to hit it if I do find it, I go continue with my provisional ball.  The rule has been followed

I hate to break it to you...but I think you may be incorrect. If you find your original tee shot, as long as it isn't OB, you can no longer play your provisional. Even if your original tee shot is unplayable.

Rule 27-2

c) " If the original ball is neither lost nor out of bounds , the player must abandon the provisional ball and continue playing the original ball."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe I am...

[saevel25]

Originally Posted by MyrtleBeachGolf

I know it's been said many times in this thread already, but I need to continue the trend....the players on here who are actually arguing that walking the course is faster than riding, are clearly out of their minds.

I played yesterday on a relatively short (6000yds), very flat golf course. There were 2 of us riding in a cart playing with 2 guys who were walking the course. On EVERY single shot, the two of us in the cart would be waiting for at least a minute if not more for the other 2 guys to reach us in the fairway. Most of the time, I would go directly to my ball and hit my approach shot, even though I was closest to green, while the 2 walkers made their way up the fairway to their tee shots. The 2 of us in the cart were much faster going from tee to fairway. We were also much faster going from green to next tee. The only way walking is faster than riding is if the course is soaked and there's a strict cart path only rule. Other than that, the people claiming walking is faster are out of their minds or just plain delusional.

They can be and they can't be, the problem with carts is in the dispersion of shots. 99% of the time most golfers in carts sit and wait for the person to hit, before both get into there cart and go find the other ball. If players are erratic, then walking is more beneficial because you can overlap actions.

So when you see 4 guys standing around, all waiting for 1 guy to hit, because there all in carts, they waste time, and a group of 4 people can easily keep up with carts. If your talking about group 1 on the course, first out, being carts, i doubt they would catch them. But if your talking middle of the round, it doesn't speed up things that much due to waiting. Its like seeing someone speed down the road to just be stuck at the next red light.

It depends, a good percentage of the time, carts are faster, but there not that much faster. Honestly i've walked rounds in under 4 hours before, and i have carted rounds in under 4 hours. Not that big of a deal.

[Ernest Jones]

I hate to break it to you...but I think you may be incorrect. If you find your original tee shot, as long as it isn't OB, you can no longer play your provisional. Even if your original tee shot is unplayable.  Rule 27-2 c) " If the original ball is neither lost nor out of bounds , the player must abandon the provisional ball and continue playing the original ball." Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe I am...

That's why he stops looking for it if he suspects it will be unplayable or stymied. You are correct that if he finds it he has to play it but the rules don't say he has to find it. Know what I mean? ;-)

[Ernest Jones]

They can be and they can't be, the problem with carts is in the dispersion of shots. 99% of the time most golfers in carts sit and wait for the person to hit, before both get into there cart and go find the other ball. If players are erratic, then walking is more beneficial because you can overlap actions. So when you see 4 guys standing around, all waiting for 1 guy to hit, because there all in carts, they waste time, and a group of 4 people can easily keep up with carts. If your talking about group 1 on the course, first out, being carts, i doubt they would catch them. But if your talking middle of the round, it doesn't speed up things that much due to waiting. Its like seeing someone speed down the road to just be stuck at the next red light. It depends, a good percentage of the time, carts are faster, but there not that much faster. Honestly i've walked rounds in under 4 hours before, and i have carted rounds in under 4 hours. Not that big of a deal.

Agree. People who play fast walking will play faster in carts, people who play slow walking will play even slower in carts. It all boils down to the player IMO.

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

That's why he stops looking for it if he suspects it will be unplayable or stymied. You are correct that if he finds it he has to play it but the rules don't say he has to find it. Know what I mean? ;-)

He doesn't even have to look, but his opponent can.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Then I give a quick check where my ball should be, and if there is no chance to find it, or to hit it if I do find it, I go continue with my provisional ball.  The rule has been followed

I hate to break it to you...but I think you may be incorrect. If you find your original tee shot, as long as it isn't OB, you can no longer play your provisional. Even if your original tee shot is unplayable.

Rule 27-2

c) "If the original ball is neither lost nor out of bounds, the player must abandon the provisional ball and continue playing the original ball."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe I am...

You misread what I wrote.  What I said was that if I got into the area and saw that I wouldn't be able to play the ball even if I found it, then I don't bother to look.  I just go and play my provisional ball.  I know that if I find the original ball, the provisional ball is abandoned.

Originally Posted by MyrtleBeachGolf

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

That's why he stops looking for it if he suspects it will be unplayable or stymied. You are correct that if he finds it he has to play it but the rules don't say he has to find it.

Know what I mean?

He doesn't even have to look, but his opponent can.

Fortunately, I don't play with that kind of jerk.  When I say "Don't bother to look", they take me at my word.