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

[Dave2512]

New GD has an article praising the slow play campaigns but voices one complaint the commercials have failed to mention. In the writers opinion the biggest problem contributing to slow play is errant shots and the time lost trying to find potentially lost balls. He mentions why the campaigns have seemingly omitted this, nobody wants to hear they are playing bad golf. Fortunately he doesn't leave it at that, he proposes a solution. Forget rangers that do little more than cruise around the course doing a thankless job that is more often than not avoiding conflict and does little good but give those jobs to youngsters that are forecaddies and ball spotters. He's thinking they'll do it for as little as a range pass.

Can't say I think that is the way to go but I definitely agree the errant ball and the time to find it is a big time waster. He described it as being stuck in traffic behind an accident 3 miles ahead. Just takes one group of ball chasers to jam a course up and you may not even see them. Certainly makes the long pre-shot routine guy stand out if the course is already playing slow. He may seem like the problem when he really isn't simply because he's out there waiting too. I don't know too many guys that want to go through their routine 2 minutes before they are clear to hit. Anyway if you read GD be sure to check it out.

[iacas]

He's thinking they'll do it for as little as a range pass.

I wouldn't have when I was a kid. I could make $5 mowing a lawn and that took 30 minutes.

Plus, what kid wants to sit in one place all day and watch for golf balls and deal with the golfer who is probably in a foul mood? And what if one gets conked on the head?

[Dave2512]

I wouldn't have when I was a kid. I could make $5 mowing a lawn and that took 30 minutes.

Plus, what kid wants to sit in one place all day and watch for golf balls and deal with the golfer who is probably in a foul mood? And what if one gets conked on the head?

Yeah I didn't think it was a great idea but I agree errant balls are an issue.

[Slice of Life]

Yeah I didn't think it was a great idea but I agree errant balls are an issue.

We have a hole at a course near us that has a "spotter". He stands down by the green with a helmet. lol

[Blitz28179]

my local course has got the rough to long where the ball sits down and is almost invisible unless you walk up on it..problem is i noticed that since they done this that the rounds have gotten longer because of people trying to find their balls.never understood why they let the rough get high.i guess they want thier courses like the pga tour..well the pga tour comes with spotters

[ckp160]

People just need to regulate themselves.  Spend a minute or 2 looking for your ball, if you can't find it, take the drop and MOVE OUT.  Also, if you've 3 putted and STILL haven't holed it.... MOVE OUT.  Seems like I get stuck behind the guys that spend 20 minutes on the green chasing their ball back and forth.  I'm a super high handicapper who walks and I rarely feel like people are waiting on me.

[Fourputt]

People just need to regulate themselves.  Spend a minute or 2 looking for your ball, if you can't find it, take the drop and MOVE OUT.  Also, if you've 3 putted and STILL haven't holed it.... MOVE OUT.  Seems like I get stuck behind the guys that spend 20 minutes on the green chasing their ball back and forth.  I'm a super high handicapper who walks and I rarely feel like people are waiting on me.

Actually, if you can't find it without delay, then you continue with that provisional ball which you surely played when you saw your ball headed toward the junk.