The Definitive Pace of Play Thread

[newtogolf]

1 hour ago, Lihu said:

Now my BS meter is pegged.

People should play like they have 3 hours a round and slow play will cease to exist. If they play to a 4 hour pace it will be slower than that, and not by a little.

The issue is the golfers who look at their watches or whatnot and decide that they are moving fast enough are severely guilty of slow play. I've met and played with my fair share of these folks who have no idea they are holding up groups behind. Meanwhile, I'm watching the party in front of us disappear for the last time on the 3rd hole or thereabouts.

Slow play belongs to everyone who do not have the ability to go from tee to hole in a hair over 9 minutes as a 4 some on average or less.

Why should I play faster, to meet your personal expectations of how long my rounds should take, sorry not doing it.  I keep pace with the group in front of me, I finish most rounds in 3:45 - 4 hours and it's an enjoyable pace.  If there's room and someone is playing faster we let them play through but I'm not changing my game to suit yours, sorry.  

I see how you practice on your swing thread, golf is a social game, it's not about how fast you can hit golf balls down the course.  If you want to play 3 hour rounds get the first tee times or find a course that that only speedsters want to play.  If the course posts a pace of play of four hours and you want to play in three, you're the one that has the problem.  

[David in FL]

5 minutes ago, newtogolf said:

Why should I play faster, to meet your personal expectations of how long my rounds should take, sorry not doing it. 

And there you go.

Pace of play issues clearly explained....

[newtogolf]

8 minutes ago, David in FL said:

And there you go.

Pace of play issues clearly explained....

No it's not, I play at a good pace, I have no time constraints so there's no reason for me to race to my ball, shorten the time I look for a ball, not purchase a beverage from the cart girl, rush to make a swing or to not properly read a putt because someone thinks we should play in 3 hours.  

If a course wants me to play in 3 hours then they should post that as their pace of play and I'll either conform or take my business elsewhere.  

[Lihu]

59 minutes ago, CR McDivot said:

OK on the carts IF you can get away with it. Not the way I like to play; if riding (which I only do on courses that are too rough to walk) I prefer a partner. I know of no course in this area that would ride 1 per cart unless teeing as a single or threesome (2 in one and 1 in the other).

The monthly (Players Club) you see there is an excellent deal, the best I can get here is Preferred Player at 5 plays for $100 (cart fees extra). Course is longish (couple of good jaunts from green to tee) but walkable even for seniors like me.

Buffalo Run Scorecard

What do you mean by IF? I just told you the normal thing is to get one cart per person. At this point your argument is getting really weak at best...

[Lihu]

53 minutes ago, newtogolf said:

Why should I play faster, to meet your personal expectations of how long my rounds should take, sorry not doing it.  I keep pace with the group in front of me, I finish most rounds in 3:45 - 4 hours and it's an enjoyable pace.  If there's room and someone is playing faster we let them play through but I'm not changing my game to suit yours, sorry.  

I see how you practice on your swing thread, golf is a social game, it's not about how fast you can hit golf balls down the course.  If you want to play 3 hour rounds get the first tee times or find a course that that only speedsters want to play.  If the course posts a pace of play of four hours and you want to play in three, you're the one that has the problem.  

No argument from me on this one. That's not slow play. It's only when there's a gap in front of you.

 

40 minutes ago, newtogolf said:

No it's not, I play at a good pace, I have no time constraints so there's no reason for me to race to my ball, shorten the time I look for a ball, not purchase a beverage from the cart girl, rush to make a swing or to not properly read a putt because someone thinks we should play in 3 hours.  

If a course wants me to play in 3 hours then they should post that as their pace of play and I'll either conform or take my business elsewhere.  

Sure, if you need to sacrifice your game to play fast enough, don't. There are a multitude of options for slow players other than playing a regulation course, but it doesn't sound like you play slow. You're just arguing in favor of slower play for some odd reason?

[Golfingdad]

51 minutes ago, David in FL said:

And there you go.

Pace of play issues clearly explained....

Why didn't you quote his second sentence where he said he keeps pace and finishes most rounds in under 4 hours?

He's going 60 on a one lane road with a speed limit of 50 and you're blaming him because you want to go 70.  Does not compute.

[Fourputt]

1 hour ago, CR McDivot said:

OK on the carts IF you can get away with it. Not the way I like to play; if riding (which I only do on courses that are too rough to walk) I prefer a partner. I know of no course in this area that would ride 1 per cart unless teeing as a single or threesome (2 in one and 1 in the other).

The monthly (Players Club) you see there is an excellent deal, the best I can get here is Preferred Player at 5 plays for $100 (cart fees extra). Course is longish (couple of good jaunts from green to tee) but walkable even for seniors like me.

Buffalo Run Scorecard

So, Buffalo Run is where you get to kick back and lollygag around the course?  Good to know.  I don't like the course much anyway, so I guess if that's how it's run these days, I'll just play elsewhere.  Good thing that Colorado has plenty of choices.

I played in a tournament the last 2 days, yesterday near the back of the field of 140 golfers and played in 4:23.  Today we were second group out and played in 4:01.  That includes playing 100% by the Rules of Golf, playing in foursomes, and each group I was in had 1 walker and 3 riders.  Yesterday we were paced by the group in front (we were right on their heels all the way), today we were paced by the one walker in our group.  We'd have played at least 10-15 minutes faster if he had been willing to ride with me.  The group in front of us, which was the first group out, with all 4 players riding finished about one hole ahead of us.  Having just one walker with us definitely held us back a bit, even though he walked at a good pace. 

[gregsandiego]

Wow! 

This many posts devoted to arguing back and forth about how fast to play?

 

[Lihu]

3 minutes ago, Golfingdad said:

Why didn't you quote his second sentence where he said he keeps pace and finishes most rounds in under 4 hours?

He's going 60 on a one lane road with a speed limit of 50 and you're blaming him because you want to go 70.  Does not compute.

I think he meant to quote the keeping up part...which negates any argument for slow play. Unless, pace of play is 6 hours, in which case you'll see me playing Angey Birds at every tee box.

 

 

1 minute ago, gregsandiego said:

Wow! 

This many posts devoted to arguing back and forth about how fast to play?

 

Oh yeah! That's one of the reasons for the decline of golf!

 

 

 

Just being dramatic here.

[WUTiger]

I joined a husband-wife pair for a 7:18 AM tee-off time on Friday. We got around in 3:50, with a 10-minute break at the turn. This included us guys having to search for a ball every couple of holes. (His wife hit it 150 yards down the middle all day). 

We were out in front of everyone, and didn't have to wait. Most of all - no lost momentum from having to wait.

 

[gregsandiego]

2 minutes ago, Lihu said:

 

Oh yeah! That's one of the reasons for the decline of golf!

Just being dramatic here.

Actually if so that would help with a kind of equilibrium. As people left the sport due to pace of play the game would speedup. 

 

[Lihu]

1 minute ago, gregsandiego said:

Actually if so that would help with a kind of equilibrium. As people left the sport due to pace of play the game would speedup. 

Logically, only the slow players would be left as the impatient ones would leave first. But people aren't necessarily logical. 

 

[David in FL]

6 minutes ago, Golfingdad said:

Why didn't you quote his second sentence where he said he keeps pace and finishes most rounds in under 4 hours?

He's going 60 on a one lane road with a speed limit of 50 and you're blaming him because you want to go 70.  Does not compute.

It's the attitude.  That he (and so many others) play at the pace they deem to be fast enough, whatever that pace may be, without any concern for what others may think.  

 

[gregsandiego]

Just now, Lihu said:

Logically, only the slow players would be left as the impatient ones would leave first. But people aren't logical. 

 

I think the decline was going on pre-Tiger. He came along and stopped it. Now we are back to the decline.

 

[David in FL]

1 hour ago, newtogolf said:

 

If a course wants me to play in 3 hours then they should post that as their pace of play and I'll either conform or take my business elsewhere.  

Agree 100%.  Too many courses are complicit in slow play because they're unwilling to address the issue.

[Golfingdad]

4 minutes ago, David in FL said:

It's the attitude.  That he (and so many others) play at the pace they deem to be fast enough, whatever that pace may be, without any concern for what others may think.  

 

I don't know what the heck you expect from the guy.  He said he:

1. Keeps pace.

2. Plays in under 4 hours usually.

3. Let's faster groups through when there is room.

You are really picking on the wrong guy here.  He clearly is NOT a part of the problem.  

[David in FL]

Just now, Golfingdad said:

I don't know what the heck you expect from the guy.  He said he:

1. Keeps pace.

2. Plays in under 4 hours usually.

3. Let's faster groups through when there is room.

You are really picking on the wrong guy here.  He clearly is NOT a part of the problem.  

I'm "picking on" on the attitude, that says "I don't give a damn what anyone else thinks".  

And I'm sorry, but I also dispute the belief that 4 hours is somehow fast, or universally acceptable.  I do applaud items 1 and 3 though!

[Golfingdad]

1 hour ago, David in FL said:

I'm "picking on" on the attitude, that says "I don't give a damn what anyone else thinks".  

And I'm sorry, but I also dispute the belief that 4 hours is somehow fast, or universally acceptable.  I do applaud items 1 and 3 though!

If you dispute that 4 hours for a foursome is universally acceptable then you're pretty much disputing facts.

Is there a (full length) course on earth that deems 4 hours for 18 holes to be unacceptable?