Why the hurry?

[NM Golf]

Let me start by saying I am certainly not a fan of 5 1/2 hour rounds of golf, but I also don't see a need as a foursome to jog around the course in order to play in 3 hours. I see it at the course where I work, there is a group that plays there all the time, the only thing they are concerned with is how fast they play. You ask them, "How did you play today?" One of them will give you the time it took to play 18. Not a score, not a story about a great shot they hit or a putt they missed, just the amount of time it took to get around. I also see it on this forum sometimes, people seem to equate a good round to how fast they can get done. 

My question is, what's your hurry? People must like to play golf, why do they want to be finished so fast? I can and have played in less than 3 hours, but a good 4 hour round is perfect. I have time to think about each shot, actually read putts, take a practice swing if I need one, and I don't have to jog to my next shot. I don't really want to be done in 3 hours, I like being on the golf course, plus it just gives my wife an extra hour to put me to work after I get home. Thoughts?

Edited January 11, 2018 by NM Golf

[AlDena]

I'm known as a fast player, but don't know why I play fast. I'm just ready to go, regardless of the shot. Maybe it's that mentality of being prepared, paying attention all the time, as opposed to someone like my son when he want's to drive when we take the boat to the lake. It seems like he's not paying attention and planning ahead, which are critical tasks when towing, so he's constantly lagging and reacting. I do enjoy being out there, so I'm trying to slow myself down a little.  

Edited January 11, 2018 by AlDena

[Lihu]

40 minutes ago, NM Golf said:

Let me start by saying I am certainly not a fan of 5 1/2 hour rounds of golf, but I also don't see a need as a foursome to jog around the course in order to play in 3 hours. I see it at the course where I work, there is a group that plays there all the time, the only thing they are concerned with is how fast they play. You ask them, "How did you play today?" One of them will give you the time it took to play 18. Not a score, not a story about a great shot they hit or a putt they missed, just the amount of time it took to get around. I also see it on this forum sometimes, people seem to equate a good round to how fast they can get done. 

My question is, what's your hurry? People must like to play golf, why do they want to be finished so fast? I can and have played in less than 3 hours, but a good 4 hour round is perfect. I have time to think about each shot, actually read putts, take a practice swing if I need one, and I don't have to jog to my next shot. I don't really want to be done in 3 hours, I like being on the golf course, plus it just gives my wife an extra hour to put me to work after I get home. Thoughts?

They might be just saying that they enjoyed the round because they didn't have to wait a long time between their shots?

There are a few things that I often hear with the locals at my course(s). "Why do people take so long to putt?", "Why are they waiting for the green to clear from 250 yards when they consistently hit it 200 yards off the tee?" and similar things to that.

5.5 hour rounds would be nice. Rounds here can't be finished in under 7 or 8 hours because of all these "tiny delays". When parties are moving along at a decent clip, we never see any bunch ups and 4 hour rounds are possible like in then early mornings. Most people I know on my home courses play very fast, so it's pretty obvious who are the yahoos who are backing up the course to 7+ hour round times. We often have between 30 to 32 parties on both courses on the weekends, and the round times are over 6 to 7 hours because various people either "take their time" or shouldn't be on the courses.

I'm actually contemplating leaving my players club and doing the monthly membership to play first group in the mornings.

 

10 minutes ago, AlDena said:

I'm known as a fast player, but don't know why I play fast. I'm just ready to go, regardless of the shot. Maybe it's that mentality of being prepared, paying attention all the time, as opposed to . . .

Exactly, most of us regular local Pasadena area players are pretty efficient.

[Patch]

---

Amateur golfers play at different speeds. Some faster, some slower, others in between. I think it has to do with individual genetics, metabolisms. 

I think if a golfer A is faster than golfer B, golfer A is also faster at other parts of their life than golfer B. Examples might be golfer A talks faster than golfer B. Golfer A drives 15mph over the speed limit, while golfer B is happy at 5mph under the speed limit. 

Me, I am never in a hurry to do anything, but I do have a comfortable pace that I do things.  I can walk 18 holes, shoot a low 80 score in around 3.5 hours on average. (If not slowed by other distractions) I also walk with 3 other golfing friends, and we can play 18 holes in around 4 hours. 

How much in a hurry one might be in, is an individual trait. 

[baller7345]

Why the hurry to get off the course? No idea, but if it's why do you play so fast in general then I guess I can answer that one.

I tend to play quickly and play best when I get get into a rhythm.  Constantly stopping to wait for the green or the fairway to clear tends to cause a stilted experience.  HIt a shot, chase it, and sit for 10 minutes then hit another shot.  I can play well in those conditions, but I'm much more likely to play well if I hit a shot, chase it, and then hit another shot. 

[WUTiger]

Our course is a Nicklaus sig design, made uber challenging at the request of the developer. Turf conditions and hole design can be major contributors to slow play.

A major influence on speed of play for us is the conditions of the turf. In a rainy week,the greens crew doesn't take the mowers into the rough on the lower spots on the course: tractor weight might leave ruts in the mud. Tee shots that drift into the bushy rough are very difficult to find. Combine that with hole designs that are extremely challenging even in dry weather, and play can really slow down

Throw in a couple of fun-house greens, and play can really slow down.

Also, two of the holes have elevated greens, and you may not be able to see the surface from even 50 yds. out. I have suggested that the greens keeper get a pair of 12-foot high alpine flagsticks for these greens. With alpines, people can get an idea of where the cup is without having to run uphill to the edge of the green.

[Piz]

It took me some time to realize that I'd been introduced to the game by people who played efficiently.  As such; I don't feel like I play at anything other than a "normal" pace.  A round of golf, unimpeded, takes no more than 3 hours.  When it stretches out beyond 4 hours...I feel like I'm mostly standing around gossiping and playing a shot once in a while.  In other words: the pace of play is going to seem too slow, about right, or too fast, depending on your internal clock.  

[shanksalot]

To me it is not so much playing fast as it is being able to hit when I get to my ball. If I have to wait every time before hitting, I lose my tempo/rhythm. I find it harder to keep my mind in the game. If we can play in four hours as a threesome or foursome that is nice, but more than that I usually fine it hard to enjoy my round. 

Edited January 11, 2018 by shanksalot

[Missouri Swede]

1 hour ago, NM Golf said:

My question is, what's your hurry?

The sun is going to set in a while. Would be nice to finish (9 or 18, depending on the day) holes by then. 

[NM Golf]

31 minutes ago, Missouri Swede said:

The sun is going to set in a while. Would be nice to finish (9 or 18, depending on the day) holes by then. 

Obviously if there is a time constraint that is a reason to want to play fast. 

I am just talking about a normal round on the weekend with 3 friends when there is nothing pressing to do afterwards. I don't understand why someone wants to fly around the course as fast as they possibly can. Golf is fun, enjoy your round.

[cmj3212]

1 hour ago, WUTiger said:

Our course is a Nicklaus sig design, made uber challenging at the request of the developer. Turf conditions and hole design can be major contributors to slow play.

A major influence on speed of play for us is the conditions of the turf. In a rainy week,the greens crew doesn't take the mowers into the rough on the lower spots on the course: tractor weight might leave ruts in the mud. Tee shots that drift into the bushy rough are very difficult to find. Combine that with hole designs that are extremely challenging even in dry weather, and play can really slow down

Throw in a couple of fun-house greens, and play can really slow down.

Also, two of the holes have elevated greens, and you may not be able to see the surface from even 50 yds. out. I have suggested that the greens keeper get a pair of 12-foot high alpine flagsticks for these greens. With alpines, people can get an idea of where the cup is without having to run uphill to the edge of the green.

OT but where in the STL area do you play @WUTiger? Looking for some potential day trips this summer from Central Illinois.

[Denny Bang Bang]

@NM Golf I get what you’re saying (I think).  Seems the group you’re referring to cares more about how fast they play vs the game itself.  I think people have things they like to identify themselves with, for whatever reason (ego related reasons usually).  We don’t always understand why (nor do they).  Maybe in this  case they just really want to be identified with not being a part of the slow pace problem.

Personally, my goal is to enjoy the round and play well... (and of course, I don’t enjoy the 5 1/2 rounds either)

[Shooting29]

Its not a hurry, its a dislike of watching people be inefficient. 

Never hit a drive over 200? don't wait for the green to clear from 250.

first one to putt out grabs the flag and stands ready to replace it when the last person putts out. 

Go to your ball and get ready while your buddy is hitting, don't wait until it's your turn to start getting your yardage.

if the flag is on the right and you hit it left, carry your chipping club with you so you don't have to walk back across the green to get your clubs.

don't piddle around when you finish a hole, go to the next tee to write down scores, we can't hit while you are parked beside the green air counting or chatting.

watching someone take 15 practice swings then duff it is annoying. same as watching a person grind over a 2 footer like its to win the US Open. 

poor play isnt what slows rounds, its the above kind of stuff and its why faster players are aggravated at slower players. It can be but rarely is the fault of a person who no matter what just moves at a sloth's pace.

[chris3putt]

4 hours ago, Lihu said:

5.5 hour rounds would be nice. Rounds here can't be finished in under 7 or 8 hours because of all these "tiny delays

Wow! I would seriously consider not playing golf at all during weekends if this was the case here. 

[Lihu]

37 minutes ago, chris3putt said:

Wow! I would seriously consider not playing golf at all during weekends if this was the case here. 

Exactly! LA golfers are so used to traffic many of them play angry birds*** on their phones or something...

 

***I don’t play angry birds any more because some people in front of us got pissed off at me even with the sound muted.

[dbuck]

I don't like to feel like I am racing the clock or shooting for a time, but I don't like to drag around either. I like to smell the roses a bit, But 3 .25-3.5 is kind of a par time for me with a buddy, more like 3 hours though if I am by myself.

[David in FL]

The title of this thread says it all...

People assume that those of us who play efficiently, and consequently quickly, are "rushing".  Nothing could be further from the truth.  

My group is extremely competitive.  We want to play well, and we want to win.  I've always said, I'd rather win $5 from one of my golf buddies than find a $100 bill on the ground.  I mention that so you understand that no one is going to rush a shot, fail to read a putt, or get an accurate yardage, just to save a minute or two.  The golf is what's important.  But, and it's a big but, we play ready golf, we use carts efficiently, we take anything we might need to our ball, and we're not afraid to have 2 people on opposite sides of the hole playing pretty much simultaneously.  We generally play four-ball, and if someone's out of the hole, they pick up, and tend the pin, rake a bunker, whatever.

It's not rocket science, and it's certainly not rushing.  But if I'm going to be on the course for 5 hours, I'd rather play 27 holes in that time.  I'll say it again.  Any 4-some of reasonably competent, unimpeded golfers, who can't get around in 3:30 or less, are slow.  I'm not saying they're necessarily contributing to slow play, but they are inefficient, and slower than they should be.

[NM Golf]

2 hours ago, Denny Bang Bang said:

@NM Golf I get what you’re saying (I think).  Seems the group you’re referring to cares more about how fast they play vs the game itself.  I think people have things they like to identify themselves with, for whatever reason (ego related reasons usually).  We don’t always understand why (nor do they).  Maybe in this  case they just really want to be identified with not being a part of the slow pace problem.

What I am getting at it is I want to understand why people want to play at a pace where you finish so quickly. I like to spend some time on the course. When I play at that pace and finish in 3 hours I am often like, "Okay what now?" I will then go wander around the pro shop or maybe go chip or putt, because I like to play golf and I like to be at the golf course. Again I hate 5 1/2 hour rounds because waiting on every shot can get old in a hurry, but there is a nice medium at a 4 hour pace. 

There is a post I just read here on here where the OP talks about some rounds of golf he played recently on his vacation. His score is not mentioned once yet he listed the time it took to play each round as well as a comment about the pace of play. I mean you're on vacation what's the rush?