Rushing Because of Faster Players Behind

[CR McDivot]

Played 18 today walking as a single. Teed at 11:30 am and finished at 3:02 pm for a total of 3:32 on a course that lists playing time at 4:30. Generally had a good round with one single directly ahead for 9, and a twosome ahead of him for 9. Even though the twosome was a might inexperienced they played at a decent pace leaving us ahead of pace through the front.

When I reached the tee at 10, I could see a clear green in front, and no one for 4 holes behind. By 12 I caught sight of a twosome in a cart on the 11 green, and when I teed on 13 they were on the second shot of the par 5 twelfth.

I stepped up my pace, and cleared every green before the twosome behind hit tee shots, but by the time I was on the par four 18 green the speedsters hit into me!

Now I was a bit perturbed. I had felt rushed since 13 and dropped a good 3 or 4 strokes through 18 because of this, even though I was NOT anywhere near behind pace . And then the speed golfers hit into me before I cleared the green on the last hole of the round.

I cleared the green and when the young (teen to twenty something) culprit came towards his putt I approached and politely explained that I had played nearly an hour ahead of pace and did not appreciate being hit into. I noted that etiquette is also a part of the game.

The young fellow was very polite and apologetic and we parted as gentlemen, but I am convinced that the concept of "Speed Golf" is even more detrimental to the spirit of the game than slow play!

Good etiquette is basically consideration of your fellows on the course. Play at a proper pace and NEVER hit into another player especially if you are only trying to set a land speed record!

Rant over, it's my own fault I felt rushed. Should have just played my own (ahead of pace) round and let the rabbits rant about the slow old man instead.

[Pretzel]

Rant over, it's my own fault I felt rushed. Should have just played my own (ahead of pace) round and let the rabbits rant about the slow old man instead.

Or you could have let them play through if the course was open ahead of you as well, avoiding any possible confrontation and resulting in a happy ending for all parties involved.

[Big C]

Or you could have let them play through if the course was open ahead of you as well, avoiding any possible confrontation and resulting in a happy ending for all parties involved.

Right. You always have the option to let someone else play through, especially when you are feeling rushed and the course is open. I will say that 3.5 hours as a single does seem like a slow pace. Even walking the course, I would expect to finish in well under 3 hours as a single. It does not surprise me that a swift twosome would be on your tail. Of course that is never an excuse for hitting into somebody....

[Kenny Lee]

For me and me son walking, we will play a 6,600 yd course in around 3 hours. We simply hit, watch our ball come to a complete stop, walk to the ball, then repeat. We don't do anything particularly fast. Our scores will typically be between 75-85.

I can't imagine how we could possibly slow it down enough to make it a 4-hour round. Perhaps if we took 20 minute naps on tees 5, 10, 15?

If the pace of your course is 4.5 hours, we'd have to stretch our 3 naps to 30 minutes each.

I'd never hit into you, but I'd wish you would let us play through.

[CR McDivot]

Played 18 today walking as a single....

When I reached the tee at 10, I could see a clear green in front, and no one for 4 holes behind. By 12 I caught sight of a twosome in a cart on the 11 green, and when I teed on 13 they were on the second shot of the par 5 twelfth...

I stepped up my pace, and cleared every green before the twosome behind hit tee shots, but by the time I was on the par four 18 green the speedsters hit into me!

Gentlemen, this was a mid day round on a Tuesday. One would expect to play a low pressure comfortable pace. I finished an hour ahead of pace. I hit my approach as they reached 18 tee. Then they hit their approach into me on 18 green.

Really, some of these replies simply make my point.

[MrDC]

I agree, and shows like Altered Course are not helping one bit, fast play is obviously not a big problem like slow play, but would hate to see it progress to that crap.

[RiddleMeThis]

Nothing more annoying and round-ruining than being rushed.  And being on the 18th hole, you'd think they would be a little patient, no?  Not going to let someone play through on 18 in my mind.

[DeadMan]

Or you could have let them play through if the course was open ahead of you as well, avoiding any possible confrontation and resulting in a happy ending for all parties involved.

This x100. If you really felt rushed, just let them play through. It sounds like the course was open enough that you could have easily let them play through on 13 and continued with nobody bothering you.

There is absolutely no excuse for hitting into you. And good on you that you talked to them about it. It sounds like you handled it pretty well. But the fact that you played an hour faster than the pace of play is completely irrelevant to that.

The thing I'm most struck by in your post is:

Good etiquette is basically consideration of your fellows on the course.

Rant over, it's my own fault I felt rushed. Should have just played my own (ahead of pace) round and let the rabbits rant about the slow old man instead.

If they want to play faster than you and there is space to let them through, consideration of your fellows on the course would suggest letting them play through. And it would be a win-win. You get to relax more, they get to play at their pace. Not sure why you didn't do that.

[18rounds]

Played 18 today walking as a single. Teed at 11:30 am and finished at 3:02 pm for a total of 3:32 on a course that lists playing time at 4:30.

Wow! Are there actually courses that list playing time as 4:30?  I know it happens, but to set 4:30 as par....

[Slowcelica]

I think 3 1/2 hour pace for a single on a course that takes 4 1/2 hours to play is just fine personally. If no one is in front of me I can play 9 in about an 1 hour and 30 minutes. but 3 1/2 hours is not all that unreasonable. I think it depends on how good you are playing and how many shots you take, I currently play anywhere from 90 - 100 depending on how well I am chipping and putting that day. Slow play doesn't bother me usually as long as it is not terrible, for example I played Saturday and it was just as slow as it gets, 2 1/2 hours to play 9 holes, there was a 4 some and 3 some holding everyone up.

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

Wow! Are there actually courses that list playing time as 4:30?  I know it happens, but to set 4:30 as par....

If you can play a round of golf here in 4 hours 30 minutes, you should consider it your lucky day. And yes, 2:15 per 9 is the standard pace of play.

[MrFlipper]

I don't have an issue with a course that sets a pace of 4:30 for 18 holes.

But that's for a foursome, on a busy day. A single with no one in front of them should be able to play in 3 hours or less. In this case 3:30 isn't bad as long as you don't hold up fast players behind you, like a twosome in a cart. But it's sure not fast by any means. And I'm a 58 year old who walks and has carried all his life.

To think that because the course says 4:30 is the target, that you have the right to go around in 4:30 as a single, and anything faster than that is "speed golf", I don't buy that for a second. A single has the responsibility to play faster than a full group.

This is like going 57 mph in the fast lane and saying you are driving fast because you are over the speed limit. And then getting upset when folks are honking at you to get over.

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

I don't have an issue with a course that sets a pace of 4:30 for 18 holes. But that's for a foursome, on a busy day. A single with no one in front of them should be able to play in 3 hours or less. In this case 3:30 isn't bad as long as you don't hold up fast players behind you, like a twosome in a cart. But it's sure not fast by any means. And I'm a 58 year old who walks and has carried all his life. To think that because the course says 4:30 is the target, that you have the right to go around in 4:30 as a single, and anything faster than that is "speed golf", I don't buy that for a second. A single has the responsibility to play faster than a full group. This is like going 57 mph in the fast lane and saying you are driving fast because you are over the speed limit. And then getting upset when folks are honking at you to get over.

Well of course a single with no one in front of them can play 18 holes in under 3 hours. I could easily finish 18 holes in 2:15 by myself on an empty course. But when and how could that ever happen?? Where are you guys playing golf that you get an empty golf course? Seems unheard of.

[CR McDivot]

...The thing I'm most struck by in your post is:

If they want to play faster than you and there is space to let them through, consideration of your fellows on the course would suggest letting them play through. And it would be a win-win. You get to relax more, they get to play at their pace. Not sure why you didn't do that.

I admitted that it was my own fault that I felt rushed. You are correct that I should have sat down for 15 minutes and invited them to play through.

There was no confrontation, I simply felt that it would be a good thing to remind the young men that it is not acceptable to hit into someone. They responded politely with an apology, and we each parted wiser.

[bkuehn1952]

Rant over, it's my own fault I felt rushed. Should have just played my own (ahead of pace) round and let the rabbits rant about the slow old man instead.

So your position is that as long as you or a group you are in play within the time/pace guidelines, any group playing faster must slow down and play at the pace you have set?

I can understand that position when there is no clear hole ahead of you. In this instance, however, you were able to pickup your pace which would seem to indicate you were not right behind the group or player in front of you.

Next time just let them play through.

[Hatchman]

Got to weigh in on this. I like a pace that plays faster. When a tee is full, 4 golfers, the pace is suggested, not a speed limit. But I never hit up into a golfer due to safety, unless he/they calls me up. When someone is cold trailing you to the point of effecting your game, why continue playing that way is my thought. It also works the other way when I'm sitting waiting for them to slow play and not pull over. 50/50.

[CR McDivot]

So your position is that as long as you or a group you are in play within the time/pace guidelines, any group playing faster must slow down and play at the pace you have set?

I can understand that position when there is no clear hole ahead of you. In this instance, however, you were able to pickup your pace which would seem to indicate you were not right behind the group or player in front of you.

Next time just let them play through.

No, my position is that if someone catches me on the tee and there is a clear hole to the green ahead... I will invite them to play through. The twosome behind never reached the tee before I cleared the green till 18.

Your position is that one should expect someone to wait for the group 2 or 3 shots behind to pass?

My point was that the emphasis on speed by some encourages disregard for those who do not meet the standards set by the speedsters.

[Moppy]

Gentlemen, this was a mid day round on a Tuesday. One would expect to play a low pressure comfortable pace. I finished an hour ahead of pace. I hit my approach as they reached 18 tee. Then they hit their approach into me on 18 green.

That is just BS. If they are so ADD that they can't wait a minute or  three to finish a round on the last hole, they should have just walked off on the 17th if they had something so much more important than golf to get to that day that they would endanger a fellow human being.