What Do You Do When Play Is Slow?

[Osnola]

Assuming you can't play ahead, I generally look for a convenient hole to make an exit and head back to the truck, unload the clubs, return the cart, then head to the house, hook up the boat and go fishing...

[Grinde6]

If it is not a tournament and there are holes open in front of this slow group, I will usually skip forward a couple holes and come back to the ones I missed later.  If I am with people I am usually enjoying my time so we play $.50 games of Poison on the tee boxes.  Kills time and keeps us from complaining about slow play and even keeps us loose I suppose. 

[CyboNinja]

Practice my chipping and check on my fantasy baseball teams.

[Jeremie Boop]

Look for golf balls, given my propensity for losing them it's always good to avail myself of some free ones while waiting. I'm sure to give a few back later in the round. Plus, it's a great way to try out different brands and models of ball. 

[mcanadiens]

Mostly, I just cry like a little baby.

[Rip62]

I bid on a set of irons on eBay once. Play was slow enough I bid three more times. 

[Strandly]

Since I've had a season pass the last couple summers I just go home if it's slow.

[shanksalot]

 It depends on how slow the pace is that day. If I am on say the 14th hole and it has already been close to five hours I would just leave the course. I love this game, but I am there to play golf and waiting and waiting to hit each shot to me is not playing golf. Playing 5 1/2 to 6 hour rounds is not my idea of having a nice day. When I was working and had to play on the weekend and the courses were always crowded play was between 5-6 hours. My wife and I stopped playing golf and took up tennis until we retired. Then we played during the week and the play was at most 3 1/2 hours and less than three hours if no one was slowing us down. 

[jkelley9]

I'll sit on the green and practice putting/chipping (which I'm pretty sure is legal even in tournament play?).

Or I'll do what I did yesterday: I finished hole #4 (as a walker), said "%^&* it," and walked back to my car. Aint nobody got time fo dat.

[ZappyAd]

After a particularly bad experience this last Saturday we went to the pro-shop for some guidance on this very topic.  Their advice was take out your phone and give us a ring, and we will send out the course marshal to move things along.

We were the third group out at 7:10 am but unfortunately in-front of us were two four balls who were 'regulars' that allegedly 'always' play at that time.  They must have held up the entire course that day (we walked off at 12).  And the good news is they will be back again next week at the same time!  

 

[pganapathy]

Mostly just chat with the group and try to wait for 5 minutes extra on a tee box if we are not holding up people behind us so that at least for the next two or three holes we will be playing normal paced golf.  Nothing more irritating than waiting on almost every shot or every hole

[Slice of Life]

I hit into the group in front of me and then pretend like it was an accident.

 

(Joke based on another thread )

[Dave2512]

If I can't get around the jam and it's unbearably slow I leave, yep I'll head for the clubhouse and leave.

[kuyarey]

I call the clubhouse to send a ranger to light a fire up the behinds of the group in front of us.... 

(I didn't actually do that but I have seen someone who did) 

[NJpatbee]

Sometimes we have to play when our schedule allows and face a 5 hour round, for which I have learned to grin and bear it, but it does take away from the day.  For my current home course I have learned the times when the play will be at a good pace if at all possible I play then.  It is forecasted to be very hot this coming weekend and I will likely tee off on Saturday or Sunday around 1PM, and with lots of hydration and shade seeking, have a 3 hour round.  NFL Sundays in the afternoon are also a great time to be on the course. 

[Natural Patrick]

I mostly just get pissed off. Funny how that never really works out in my favor.

[CyboNinja]

11 hours ago, pganapathy said:

Nothing more irritating than waiting on almost every shot or every hole

For this very reason I'll wait until they at least finish the hole. That way I can play the whole hole (haha) at my own pace. Then its back to sit and wait again at the next tee. 

[Natural Patrick]

20 minutes ago, CyboNinja said:

For this very reason I'll wait until they at least finish the hole. That way I can play the whole hole (haha) at my own pace. Then its back to sit and wait again at the next tee. 

Often that is not an option, when you have people behind you waiting as well.