Blasted iPhone. Was responding to the idea that newbies aren't allowed to play here in Japan. I've played more courses here than in the US and never seen that. Lots of people who say they play golf though actually mean the go to a range. Just my idea but I expect they stick to the range until they are capable of at least doing as well as 140 or so. Loss of face, shame, all that.
But the slow play problem os rampant. Made so not just b/c everything listed here, and in spite of an OB off the tee being dropped in a marked zone on the fairway and playing 4, but b/c of the carts. No key, no reverse, no accelerator. Just push a button and it follows the buried cable very slowly. Always on the path. Which now creates more slow play if a player has a 6 iron but decides a 7 would be better. Or they duff one 25 yards and the person with the remote has moved the cart forward 75+ yards up the path. So now you have golfers with clubs in a cart walking/trotting from spot to spot carrying a half dozen clubs. Because the same gene that makes slow players slow also prevents them from considering the ramifications of moving the cart ahead of the back player when perhaps he should hike forward to his ball and survey his shot while keeping an eye out for an appropriate time to press the remote.
And just pray the gut with the remote gets it right at the pre-set stopping points on par 4 and 5 holes. Accidentally send the cart forward and it promptly heads for the green and stops there with all players clubs. This also means It is impossible to play through as you have no key. (Well, at the course I play weekly I followed the lead of this one pilfer player and pilfered a key, though the cameras can catch you. In areas covered bu cameras drive slower and reduce arm steering movements.
The solution? Actually USE the walkie talkies found in Japanese 4-person carts. Players report slow play, marshals contact them by radio snd warn them. Maybe give them instructions on both what they are doing wrong to make the play go slowly and demand that they rectify s potion of the problem by signaling the group behind them to play through.
They've got clocks at the rest areas set to the tome it should be if your group is on schedule. One member of the group often becomes the Fast Play/Manners Up Marshal. Or many courses have caddies available fir about $120/foursome that is dead on with yardage, knows where you should be aiming, very quickly learns your own capabilities to the point you're thinking 5or 6 and turn around to see those clubs offered, is cart smart keeping it as accessible to all players ad possible, hands you your putter at the green and takes away your approach club, marks your ball, cleans it and gives it back to you and hands out the drivers and takes care of the covers and replacing them in the bag. And of course not only watches where that wayward ball goes, but makes the attempt to locate it. This can slightly speed up play to the point that you are now right behind the forward group with nowhere to go. But you are infinitely more relaxed about the delay.
Bit none of this changes the fact that 5 hours is a very good tempo, you must stop about an hour for linch (or a shower and change of clothes in the summer) of course you are going to rest in the bath afterwards, so golf is basically a 12 hour experience from leaving in the AM and returning in the PM.
