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

[newtogolf]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

And now we find the root cause of your cart hostility.

I prefer carts when I'm not golfing alone because then it becomes more of a social sport, you can BS with friends you don't see that often. I also finish a round pretty quickly though, so I doubt you'd complain about me if I was in front of you.

This is why pace of play will always be an issue for golf.  We are the minority, most people play golf for fun, to catch up with friends, or entertain a business partner or customer.

Those that golf for fun or business entertainment don't place pace of play as their top priority.  They don't game plan the most efficient way to use their cart to maximize pace of play.  While not efficient, it seems more courteous to assist a friend or customer in looking for their ball in the woods or rough compared to handing them a bunch of clubs and wishing them look while you go play your shot.  Also, splitting up the entire round doesn't provide much quality time which is the primary reason they are out there.

On this site we're all preaching to the choir when it comes to pace of play.  The people that need to hear the message aren't here, they are on a course somewhere, drinking beer, taking mulligans, smoking cigars, having some laughs, hacking up the course and taking 6 hours to do it without any concerns about how long it's taking.

[rehmwa]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

The people that need to hear the message aren't here, they are on a course somewhere, drinking beer, taking mulligans, smoking cigars, having some laughs, hacking up the course and taking 6 hours to do it without any concerns about how long it's taking.

Oh....that sounds like it really sucks.

you mean, GASP!!  they are having fun ?

How horrible.  Won't someone PLEASE think of the children....?

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by rehmwa

Oh....that sounds like it really sucks.

you mean, GASP!!  they are having fun?

How horrible.  Won't someone PLEASE think of the children....?

Six hours is horrible. Have that much fun on your own time...you may be having fun, but you're ruining everybody else's fun.

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

Six hours is horrible. Have that much fun on your own time...you may be having fun, but you're ruining everybody else's fun.

Well put. There is nothing wrong with any of that EXCEPT the part about holding up MY round and turning it into a 6 hour round.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

Well put. There is nothing wrong with any of that EXCEPT the part about holding up MY round and turning it into a 6 hour round.

If I'm playing for 6 hours, I expect to be playing AT LEAST 27 holes. If not 36...

[rehmwa]

I don't like slow rounds either, but that doesn't sound like a terrible afternoon at all.  nothing more, nothing less, that that

If it's nutty slow, I usually just let my wallet to the talking - I'll go somewhere else and the let the club know why.  but I suspect the effort will back up of people present their 'issue' in such uptight manner.  Courtesy goes a long ways.  Self righteous griping and pushy behavior really will make the problem worse.  And I see a lot of that entitled attitudes on the posts here.

My favorite way to play - My last 18, I played alone, drove a cart, it took just under 3 hours, I had a great time.  I caught one group and waited on 9 for them to putt out.  They let me through on 10 and it was seamless.  Plenty of time leftover for a beer at the clubhouse and good conversation.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by rehmwa

I don't like slow rounds either, but that doesn't sound like a terrible afternoon at all.  nothing more, nothing less, that that

The problem is, it's terrible for everyone else. If I spent 6 hours playing 18 holes in a foursome, 3 of it would be drinking and BSing. Doesn't make sense. You can get in plenty of drinking, BSing, and mulligans in 4 hours. Trust me, I've done it.

[rehmwa]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

The problem is, it's terrible for everyone else. If I spent 6 hours playing 18 holes in a foursome, 3 of it would be drinking and BSing. Doesn't make sense. You can get in plenty of drinking, BSing, and mulligans in 4 hours. Trust me, I've done it.

agree - But my main option, when put in that situation, short of pulling a gun, is pretty much to note the issue and plan better next time (go elsewhere, or a less peak time).  For this time, suck it up and have fun anyway and not even try to let it get to me.  There's a lot worse things to do than be outside with friends and hitting a white ball that hates me.

That, and behave in the manner that would want others to behave.  Cheerful, friendly, courteous,.....and efficient.

I also don't mumble and grumble at other drivers on the road much any more either.  I'm much healthier as a result.  Life's short.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by rehmwa

agree - But my main option, when put in that situation, short of pulling a gun, is pretty much to note the issue and plan better next time (go elsewhere, or a less peak time).  For this time, suck it up and have fun anyway and not even try to let it get to me.  There's a lot worse things to do than be outside with friends and hitting a white ball that hates me.

That, and behave in the manner that would want others to behave.  Cheerful, friendly, courteous,.....and efficient.

I also don't mumble and grumble at other drivers on the road much any more either.  I'm much healthier as a result.  Life's short.

I have a side game for this type of day.

You and your friend(s) line up at one of the tee box markers with your ball. You each smack the ball toward the other tee marker...once you hit it, you smack it at the other tee box marker. Once you hit both markers, you smack it at the other ball(s). If you hit the other ball, that player is eliminated from the game...last man standing.

You alternate shots UNLESS you hit the tee marker...if you hit, you get to go again.

To better explain, here's a sample of how one would go with 2 people:

Player A hits ball, misses 1st marker

Player B hits ball, nails 1st marker

Player B hits ball, misses 2nd marker

Player A hits ball, nails 1st marker

Player A hits ball, nails 2nd marker

Player A hits ball, misses Player B's ball

Player B hits ball, nails 2nd marker

Player B hits ball, nails Player A's ball

Player B wins

We play this sometimes 50 times in a round waiting on people. Haha. The only rule is, you have to use the club you're teeing off with...no putters!!!

[rehmwa]

Good game - You could turn it into a drinking game (shots) pretty easy.

Here's one - Actually set up a card table and start playing cards.

When the marshall see's that, he's sure to get the message that it's SLOW up in front of you.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by rehmwa

Good game - You could turn it into a drinking game (shots) pretty easy.

Here's one - Actually set up a card table and start playing cards.

When the marshall see's that, he's sure to get the message that it's SLOW up in front of you.

Hahaha that would be hilarious!

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by trackster

The problem is most people don't use a cart out of necessity or because it's faster.  They use a cart because they are a lazy pile who couldn't even imagine walking a course.  While your scenarios are text book on how it should be done.  More often it goes like this.

Player B slices his ball into native grass.  Player A hits his on to fairway.  The cart is driven over to native grass.  The cart is then driven up and down the line of grass with both men trying to find the ball.  After they can't find it the cart is parked, A and B get out and do a couple of 360 spins trying to eye were the ball could be.  After a hefty wait B decides to just drop a ball and play on.  Oh crap, The cart is parked in the line of player B.  Player A gets in and swings the cart around behind Player B.  Player B takes a vicious hack and advances the ball 30 yards.  Player B gets in the cart and they drive to Player B's shot.  Player B hits his shot up to where player A's is, however he is in the rough 50 yards to the left.  The cart is driven to A's Ball.  A gets out and hits.  A gets back into the cart and is driven to player B's position.  This continues for 18 holes, you get the picture.

I would say that my scenario is the norm and yours is the exception.  Since the majority of cart players play like I have described, yes I can play much faster than 2 people in a cart walking, it isn't even close.

Actually the norm is somewhere in between.  And the fault lies with the course not providing instruction in the proper use of carts.  This is just one more area where education is the key to improving pace of play across the board.  We aren't born with this knowledge, and unfortunately, not all of us are able or willing to figure it out for ourselves, especially if the course doesn't seem to care about it.  You can't enforce a nonexistent policy, and you also can't enforce one without teaching the players how to achieve the intended goal.

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

I have a side game for this type of day.

You and your friend(s) line up at one of the tee box markers with your ball. You each smack the ball toward the other tee marker...once you hit it, you smack it at the other tee box marker. Once you hit both markers, you smack it at the other ball(s). If you hit the other ball, that player is eliminated from the game...last man standing.

You alternate shots UNLESS you hit the tee marker...if you hit, you get to go again.

To better explain, here's a sample of how one would go with 2 people:

Player A hits ball, misses 1st marker

Player B hits ball, nails 1st marker

Player B hits ball, misses 2nd marker

Player A hits ball, nails 1st marker

Player A hits ball, nails 2nd marker

Player A hits ball, misses Player B's ball

Player B hits ball, nails 2nd marker

Player B hits ball, nails Player A's ball

Player B wins

We play this sometimes 50 times in a round waiting on people. Haha. The only rule is, you have to use the club you're teeing off with...no putters!!!

My buddy and I started playing that game 30 years ago.  Not that the course was so slow, just that we were pretty fast.

[Golfer6760]

If the foursome in front of you is 1/2 a hole behind the group in front of them and you are much faster players causing you to wait for every shot, what should you do?

[saevel25]

Or how about the guys who like to drive golf carts right next to the green. Hell, i've seen people drive golf carts over the green. I think there needs to be a golf cart assessment test to weed out the stupid people.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by saevel25

Or how about the guys who like to drive golf carts right next to the green. Hell, i've seen people drive golf carts over the green. I think there needs to be a golf cart assessment test to weed out the stupid people.

Drives me nuts. I yelled at a friend a couple weeks ago for driving on the fringe. Same friend I flipped out at for pulling the pin when I told him not to...right as my ball goes over the center of the cup. Would have been in for sure, instead I'm 6 feet away. My other friend was laughing his ass off...I didn't think it was so funny at the time lol

He's slowly learning proper golf etiquette haha

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by Golfer6760

If the foursome in front of you is 1/2 a hole behind the group in front of them and you are much faster players causing you to wait for every shot, what should you do?

Probably wait.  1/2 a hole isn't a huge gap.  If they fall further behind, you may try and play through or alert the marshal, but 1/2th a hole could just be a temporary thing.

[saevel25]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Probably wait.  1/2 a hole isn't a huge gap.  If they fall further behind, you may try and play through or alert the marshal, but 1/2th a hole could just be a temporary thing.

Agree, half a hole isn't that much difference. That's what, a group on the green while your own the tee. That isn't that big of a deal. That group could have had a good hole, they could go flop the next one and cause you to wait. One hole isn't a trend of slow play.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by saevel25

Quote:

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Probably wait.  1/2 a hole isn't a huge gap.  If they fall further behind, you may try and play through or alert the marshal, but 1/2th a hole could just be a temporary thing.

Agree, half a hole isn't that much difference. That's what, a group on the green while your own the tee. That isn't that big of a deal. That group could have had a good hole, they could go flop the next one and cause you to wait. One hole isn't a trend of slow play.

Got to disagree.  One hole is the start of a backup.  One hole is more than a full starting time behind the pace.  Even a half hole should be a warning that your group needs to catch up.  These are the things that proper training and observation bring to light.  In the last 40 years I've spent too many hours on a golf course, both working and playing, and one thing you learn is that every trend starts small.  This is where the players themselves need to be selfpolicing, and in order to do that they need to know that being a half hole behind the pace is not acceptable unless it's a very temporary condition and they are already working to catch up.

Falling slightly behind is not a crime.  We aren't all perfect golfers and we all have our ups and downs.  But recognizing when you have fallen behind and when an extra effort is required to regain your position on the course is a learned skill which needs to be taught - that information needs to somehow be disseminated and made readily available to the playing public.

Originally Posted by saevel25

Agree, half a hole isn't that much difference. That's what, a group on the green while your own the tee. That isn't that big of a deal. That group could have had a good hole, they could go flop the next one and cause you to wait. One hole isn't a trend of slow play.

What happens when you are a half hole behind, then the group behind you is a half hole behind you, and so on for 4 or 5 groups?  Sorry to wake you up but now you have a problem.