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Is pace of play (or slow play) a real problem?


Jakester23
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Pace of Play  

129 members have voted

  1. 1. Is slow play a real problem?

    • Yes
      101
    • No
      28


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It doesn't mean one can't play at a deliberate pace. It doesn't mean one has to play speed golf. It doesn't mean that you have to keep up with the group in front if that group is playing speed golf. It means.... No lollygaggin'. 

Julia

:callaway:  :cobra:    :seemore:  :bushnell:  :clicgear:  :adidas:  :footjoy:

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Hybrids: Cobra BiO CELL 22.5 degree Project X R-flex
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Wedges: Cobra BiO CELL SW, Fly-Z LW, 64* Callaway PM Grind.
Putter: 48" Odyssey Dart

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Played 9 this morning as a single. Played behind a twosome in a cart. They were the first group off. One guy was marking, cleaning, and squatting down behind putts that were barely 6 inches past his left foot. I was walking, and waited on every shot. They barely broke the 2 hour mark, with nobody holding them up. When I play with my regular foursome, we walk, and play the front 9 faster.

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2 hours ago, Kalnoky said:

 

I disagree.

The garbage receptacles on the golf course contain more empty beer cans than they do water bottles. People joke about drinking on the golf course all the time.

I don't mean falling down, slurring and peeing themselves drunk, but people are definitely drinking and becoming warm inside. And by that I mean people are drinking alcohol and it affects their judgment.

I read through the slow play stories in this thread and I am willing to bet alcohol was a contributing factor in many of them.

Nobody is going to convince me that having a few beers is speeding up the game. 

Of course there's going to be more beer cans than water bottles in the trash, people refill water bottles on the course. I didn't see anything in this thread that even suggested alcohol was responsible for slow play. Maybe your experiences have been different from mine but I don't think I've ever seen slow play that was caused by people being drunk on the course.

my get up and go musta got up and went..
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I serve as our Pace of Play leader at my club. The largest contributing factor to slow play is not being ready to play. Meaning you wait to get a distance for a shot or debate what club. 

Message..play ready golf. 

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28 minutes ago, jetsknicks1 said:

Of course there's going to be more beer cans than water bottles in the trash, people refill water bottles on the course. I didn't see anything in this thread that even suggested alcohol was responsible for slow play. 

Well, I suggested it as a contributing factor. And if we're going to have an open minded brainstorm about slow play then let's not be so dismissive. This is hardly a radical notion, that alcohol slows people down. If people aren't playing ready golf, then is it all due to incompetence and inexperience? Or is it also possible the foursome in front of you has been steadily drinking beer for the last two hours, having a good bull session and not paying attention?

 

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Is slow golf a problem? Yes, a first world problem.

It's one thing to educate new golfers to the benefit and ease of playing at a faster pace. It's quite another changing the minds of those who are perfectly fine with a leisurely pace. Those who run or own the course are the only ones who can tell slow golfers to speed up. Anyone else who approaches them is likely to get a hearty "go ^#$@ yourself".

I played a few times with a group last year. One of the guys would make comments about "how much of a hurry" I was in. I laughed it off at first, but at some point he said something and I fired some over-the-top comment back. Can't remember exactly what was said, but I haven't heard from any of them since. Lol.

People like that won't change. They've paid their money and unless the course tells them otherwise, will play whatever type of golf they want. In my world, we are the minority.

Edited by JonMA1

Jon

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3 hours ago, Kalnoky said:

Well, I suggested it as a contributing factor. And if we're going to have an open minded brainstorm about slow play then let's not be so dismissive. This is hardly a radical notion, that alcohol slows people down. If people aren't playing ready golf, then is it all due to incompetence and inexperience? Or is it also possible the foursome in front of you has been steadily drinking beer for the last two hours, having a good bull session and not paying attention?

 

In my experience, this would be one of the least likely causes for slow play.  Some of the worst offenders I've played with are complete teetotalers on the course.  I've known some pretty experienced players who have simply developed bad habits over the years and can't seem to modify their behavior.  

I've said it before - I worked in the starter booth at my home course for 5 years.  Part of the job was noting and recording the turn and finish times for every group on the course.  The only thing that stood out for slow players was simply that they were never ready to play when it was their turn.  They were slow because they did everything slowly.  There were a variety of reasons for that, but rarely would I be able to point at drinking as a significant cause, aside from the number of times they would stop the beverage cart.  

When you've watched 1000's of players playing out on 1 and 10 and coming in on 9 and 18, you can often tell right from the first tee who is likely to a problem, and that's long before they've had anything of significance to drink.  When I'd tell a group that they were up to hit on the first tee, if it took them more than 2 minutes to exit the teeing ground, then the odds are that they would keep falling back on every shot.  I was in radio contact with the ranger, and when I had a slow group off the first tee, I'd watch them all the way to the green.  If I felt it was warranted, I'd call the ranger and let him know that we had a group of snails and he'd have to keep an eye on them.

Rick

"He who has the fastest cart will never have a bad lie."

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YES

  • Upvote 1

What's in Paul's Bag:
- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha Driver
- Big Bertha Alpha 815 3-wood
- Callaway Razr Fit 5-wood
- Callaway Big Bertha 4-5 Rescue Clubs
-- Mizuno Mx-25 six iron-gap wedge
- Mizuno Mp-T4 56degree SW
- Mizuno Mp-T11 60degree SW
- Putter- Ping Cadence Ketsch

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21 hours ago, Hardspoon said:

There is no possible way I'd enjoy a 5.5-hour round of golf. That sounds miserable.

Depends on how you look at it; I just try to enjoy the day and the company and be thankful that I am able to play.  I just don't let that POP stuff bother me.

Edited by paperclip
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My Weapons of Grass Destruction:

:titleist: TS2 10.5*;  917F2 15*;  818H1 19*;  716 AP2 4-P;  Pro V1x

:vokey: SM7's - 50.12 F, 56.14 F, 60.08 M

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1 hour ago, paperclip said:

Depends on how you look at it; I just try to enjoy the day and the company and be thankful that I am able to play.  I just don't let that POP stuff bother me.

It might bother the group behind you.

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1 hour ago, caniac6 said:

It might bother the group behind you.

And the group behind them, and behind them, and behind them...

In David's bag....

Driver: Titleist 910 D-3;  9.5* Diamana Kai'li
3-Wood: Titleist 910F;  15* Diamana Kai'li
Hybrids: Titleist 910H 19* and 21* Diamana Kai'li
Irons: Titleist 695cb 5-Pw

Wedges: Scratch 51-11 TNC grind, Vokey SM-5's;  56-14 F grind and 60-11 K grind
Putter: Scotty Cameron Kombi S
Ball: ProV1

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15 hours ago, David in FL said:

And the group behind them, and behind them, and behind them...

That may be so, but I don't let that bother me, esp if I am stuck in the middle with no place to go.  I can only control what I can control and that includes my attitude and way of thinking :)

 

My Weapons of Grass Destruction:

:titleist: TS2 10.5*;  917F2 15*;  818H1 19*;  716 AP2 4-P;  Pro V1x

:vokey: SM7's - 50.12 F, 56.14 F, 60.08 M

:odyssey: Black Series 3

  :footjoy:  :oakley: 

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When we visit our boys in Arizona, I try to play a round with one or both of them.  I can tell you, the most enjoyable times for pace of play is in the Summer at mid-day/early afternoon.  There is nothing like 100+ degree weather to thin out a course and make pace issues disappear.

John

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On May 25, 2017 at 7:10 PM, CMartis said:

Yeah, I can see that. I've only played 9 as a single but I was also on a cart. It was kinda disappointing because it only lasted about 45 minutes max and I felt like I didn't have time to enjoy it...

Well walking can certainly remedy that. Its the best way to golf, IMO. 

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Around my area public courses during weekends are to be avoided.  Often they book so tight you will be waiting on the first tee.

what I see is that slower play comes from the less serious groups (most of them are not serious) and overbooking.

I enjoy playing later in the day when most are having happy hour or eating dinner.

 

 

 

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slow players cause pace of play problems....they can be higj or low cap, sober or drunk, cart or walking.  but people that take a long time to hit a shot, people who dont go to their ball and arent ready to play when its their turn are slow...period.  

  also, if your crooked alot in the rough and its tall and thick rough.  that can slow pace because your spending too much time looking for balls all the time.

  we had a long wet winter/spring.  the rough is crazy thick.  2ft off the fairway and the ball was gone.  took forever to find them.  definitely slowed down the last round i played.  multiple times people just gave up when the ball could not have been fae from the fairway.  just couldnt find it in the jungle.

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11 minutes ago, oregongolfguy said:

also, if your crooked alot in the rough and its tall and thick rough.  that can slow pace because your spending too much time looking for balls all the time.

 we had a long wet winter/spring.  the rough is crazy thick.  2ft off the fairway and the ball was gone.  took forever to find them.  definitely slowed down the last round i played.  multiple times people just gave up when the ball could not have been fae from the fairway.  just couldnt find it in the jungle.

Those little white flowers are awful too. Especially in the morning or evening with the sun glare. 

I broke down and re-purchased the Volvik Vivid. There is no mistaking a glowing piece of kryptonite on the ground. I can see it from 150 yards away, no more wasted time searching for balls. 

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  • 1 year later...

And ... in the 2018 Open Championship, Spieth again is put on the clock. Again.

https://www.golfchannel.com/article/golf-central-blog/spieth-and-schauffele-were-put-clock-sunday/?utm_tags=golf1044

Quote

“I took over the allotted time on the tee on 11 to decide on 3-iron or 3-wood, but throughout the day, I think I played the fastest golf I've probably ever played while contending in a tournament,” he said.

 

Craig
What's in the :ogio: Silencer bag (on the :clicgear: cart)
Driver: :callaway: Razr Fit 10.5°  
5 Wood: :tmade: Burner  
Hybrid: :cobra: Baffler DWS 20°
Irons: :ping: G400 
Wedge: :ping: Glide 2.0 54° ES grind 
Putter: :heavyputter:  midweight CX2
:aimpoint:,  :bushnell: Tour V4

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Note: This thread is 1943 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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