Slow / Unskilled Golf

[wils5150]

common sense is a novel idea lol. I had a foursome in front of me sunday that waited on every par 5 for the green to clear. every shot was between 240 to 280 into the wind. these guys didnt have a prayer to get home in 2 yet the waited. more often then not they rolled it over there left foot lol.

[JonMA1]

You should also try to play a few times with more experienced players who could give you tips on playing faster (when to pick up, when to not look for a golf ball, etc.).

I've always liked this idea. The OP and his buddy hopefully did this for the kids.

Being unskilled isn't necessarily synonymous with having a lack of common courtesy and respect for others. Last Sunday the temps were in the 40's and I had the course to myself as i walked the first round of nine. On the second round, a guy in a cart caught up to me. I immediately waved him to play through. He asked if I cared to finish the round with him. I assured him that it might be painful for him to endure but he was cool about it. As it turned out, this guy had to have been a single-digit HC and was playing from the tips. He played very fast and despite him telling me he was in no hurry, I felt obligated to haul ass since I was walking. I had been playing the forward tees but he encouraged me to tee off from further back. Even asked if I minded a little advice on my swing. Was probably one of the most enjoyable and best rounds of golf I've ever played. Of course, it was a bit humbling having to use a 4hybrid where he only needed an 8 iron, but that's another thread...

My point is, I'm a poor golfer but I don't hold others up. I'd say most people do this. This guy was talented, played at a fast pace but was still patient enough to play 5 or 6 holes with someone at my level. He didn't have to as there was no one in front of us. Most people won't do that.

People who do hold others up are either ignorant of course etiquette or are simply selfish b# @^ards. As far as segregating based on skill, c'mon. That's a great idea until the scratch players start telling you 11 handicappers you can no longer play on "their" course.

[MS256]

I consider myself very lucky that when I first started playing a couple of low handicappers asked me to join them every day.

They had the patience to put up with my wild shots and actually acted excited when I pulled off the good shots, especially the shots that they couldn't hit that I seemed to have a knack for.

If I got in too much trouble and was out of a hole I just picked up and tried to beat them on the next hole.

For that I owe. Any golfer that plays at any level is welcome to play with me.

[Nutter]

No, there should not be.  Public courses are for everyone to enjoy, not just skilled players.  As far as I am concerned, as long as they let faster groups play through, which you said you did, then I am fine with it.

Whether or not you want to endure it is a personal matter and it is obviously up to you whether you play with them or not.

There are ways to speed up slower groups that you may recommend such as the +3/+4 rule.  Basically, if they aren't in the hole by the time they are 3 or 4 over, they just pick up.

Or maybe you can recommend playing best ball instead of 4 individual balls, which will reduce back and forth time.

Either way, I don't care about a persons skill level as long as they let me play through.  They paid the same money I did and I also can remember when I was really bad too!

If he said "a mandate" I would say no, but he's talking about a mere recommendation here.  In that case, I completely agree with the OP.  A complete beginner would not only help the flow of legit courses by not playing there, but they would also have a lot more fun at an executive course.  I know from experience that I didn't move up to a full length course until I felt comfortable doing so, otherwise you're bringing a lot of complicating factors into a game you already suck at.  Trying to hit it a distance you know you can't hit it and playing with a sense of hopelessness when you compare your skill level to the 430 yard par 4 you're staring down isn't going to help you progress.  Do I think that person has every right to play on a full length course?  Absolutely... But I also think them playing an executive course would help them cultivate the right attitude towards the game by giving them goals that they are closer to reaching.

[GangGreen]

Agreed, when I first started playing many many moons ago, their was a golf course not too far from my parents house that I used to go to all the time. 4,503 yard, par 65 (62.1CR/104 slope), it wasn't a dump by any stretch, but it was just challenging enough relative to my skills at that time that I didn't get frustrated or, on the flip side, bored for that matter. Not to say I didn't enjoy and/or benifit from playing tougher courses at that time, I just think development wise it was better for me to have spent the majority of my time on a short/easier course when I first started out.

[Meltdwhiskey]

I think Nutter, GanGreen and a few others are getting what I was trying to say.  I honestly think it is just kind of better for everyone involved.  And I think execs / par 3's are great.  If you don't practice a little here and there, a full course with water and bunkers and 390 yard par 4's is a bear.  It seems to me that a full course is designed for those who can break 120 or so.

But the guys I was with would not think that at all.  And no one is saying it.  It isn't part of the golf culture.  Maybe no one agrees with it?

In the planning of the outing, I repeatedly recommended execs.  But they ultimately said the course we played was nice and priced right - which was totally true.  I didn't want to sound like a dick and argue any harder that an exec was more fitting.

And sure, a terrible player can play fast / pick up, etc.  But I'm not sure the twice / year golfer knows about the ongoing discussion about slow play that we see.  And the slow play was only part of it - as we eventually let everyone through. It is just more about a course being a good fit relative to ability.  After posting this, I'm not sure everyone really agrees.

Also, there was only one 12 year old.  The other buddy was 40+.  He might have shot near 120.

[rkim291968]

I think Nutter, GanGreen and a few others are getting what I was trying to say.  I honestly think it is just kind of better for everyone involved.  And I think execs / par 3's are great.  If you don't practice a little here and there, a full course with water and bunkers and 390 yard par 4's is a bear.  It seems to me that a full course is designed for those who can break 120 or so.

But the guys I was with would not think that at all.  And no one is saying it.  It isn't part of the golf culture.  Maybe no one agrees with it?

In the planning of the outing, I repeatedly recommended execs.  But they ultimately said the course we played was nice and priced right - which was totally true.  I didn't want to sound like a dick and argue any harder that an exec was more fitting.

And sure, a terrible player can play fast / pick up, etc.  But I'm not sure the twice / year golfer knows about the ongoing discussion about slow play that we see.  And the slow play was only part of it - as we eventually let everyone through. It is just more about a course being a good fit relative to ability.  After posting this, I'm not sure everyone really agrees.

Also, there was only one 12 year old.  The other buddy was 40+.  He might have shot near 120.

I think you did what you could.   I think/hope your friends are exception and not the rules.  E.g,  I did range practice for 3 months before venturing into a 9 hole course.  I waited another 3 months before trying out an 18 hole course.   I think a simple majority of beginners use their common sense to slowly come up to speed before trying a difficult course.

[BuckeyeNut]

I had an interesting "non-golfer" experience once.......I paired up with three obvious NON-golfers....I was worried about slow play when I watched them all duff from the first tee....I thought to myself.....OH NO!...this round will be painful!

As the round progressed, I knew it was all cool. These guys were hilarious....they'd all chip at the same time!  Balls were criss-crossing as they all played at the same time..hahaha....pace of play wasn't a problem.  They just went to their ball and hit with no concept of who plays first....etiquette.......and I didn't care!!!

The only caveat....I got hit in the back of the head by a stray shot that day.......LOL...but I lived.

[MS256]

I had an interesting "non-golfer" experience once.......I paired up with three obvious NON-golfers....I was worried about slow play when I watched them all duff from the first tee....I thought to myself.....OH NO!...this round will be painful!

As the round progressed, I knew it was all cool. These guys were hilarious....they'd all chip at the same time!  Balls were criss-crossing as they all played at the same time..hahaha....pace of play wasn't a problem.  They just went to their ball and hit with no concept of who plays first....etiquette.......and I didn't care!!!

The only caveat....I got hit in the back of the head by a stray shot that day.......LOL...but I lived.

Something happened to me last week that I've never had happen before. We were on the green and I'm pretty sure I was away but another guy in the group must have thought he was away and we putted at the same time without either of us knowing the other was putting. His putt got to the hole first (and missed) and my right to left breaking putt looked like it was tracking dead center but his ball hit my ball about a foot from the pin.

Luckily we were playing double low ball and we already had two pars so all it cost us was my possible birdie.

[colin007]

I think 3 hours, give or take 20 minutes is the pace that every 4-some can play to, regardless of their skill level.   They just need to have common sense about it (don't look for lost ball too long, play ready golf, ...).  If Europeans can play at 3.5 hour pace without carts (so I hear),

yup.  i completely agree.  hour and a half per nine, is entirely doable for anyone.  people talk about not being slow and they play in 4 hours, well guess what?  4 hours is slow.