Story for Slow Players

[Smallville]

I thought for a while that minus meant we were ahead of the pace, but when it hit an hour, I know we weren't on a 3-1/2 hour pace!

 

[MO_Hacker]

I thought for a while that minus meant we were ahead of the pace, but when it hit an hour, I know we weren't on a 3-1/2 hour pace!

We probably could have played in 3.5 but Duey's group was holding everybody up. LMAO

 

[Smallville]

We probably could have played in 3.5 but Duey's group was holding everybody up. LMAO

I knew we should have gone out ahead of them! lol

 

[JPsuff]

My life is filled with obligations and so are many other people's. To say that someone shouldn't play because of that is misguided at best and selfish at worst. I appreciate that you have the time available to be at the course as much as you do, but your situation is not typical in any way. Courses have a pace-of-play policy for a reason. Very few people have the time or desire to spend half of their day at a golf course. Again, I'm not saying that I expect to fly through a course. But, there is no reason that a round of golf should take longer than 4-ish hours.

Whoa, whoa whoa!

Hold on there Quincy, I'm not asking people to give up golf. All I'm saying is that if golf is something that has to be squeezed in and rushed then either that person needs to budget their time better or stop playing until there IS time.

When I started my business, I stopped playing golf for SIX YEARS because I simply didn't have the time to play the game the way I'd like to play it; to be able to put the practice and playing time in a way that would make it worth my while. During that time, I never considered just "rushing out" to play a quick round because I saw no point in it.

Nowadays, like most people, I can maybe get out once a week, so I allocate a day to do that and do so in a way that isn't rushed or isn't forced. Everyone has schedules and obligations and other demands on their time, but if someone has the time to play a round of golf then it seems to me that common sense would dictate that they allocate enough time to play as if they're not trying to break a speed record.


-JP

 

[Hawk]

Whoa, whoa whoa!

Hold on there Quincy, I'm not asking people to give up golf. All I'm saying is that if golf is something that has to be squeezed in and rushed then either that person needs to budget their time better or stop playing until there IS time.

When I started my business, I stopped playing golf for SIX YEARS because I simply didn't have the time to play the game the way I'd like to play it; to be able to put the practice and playing time in a way that would make it worth my while. During that time, I never considered just "rushing out" to play a quick round because I saw no point in it.

Nowadays, like most people, I can maybe get out once a week, so I allocate a day to do that and do so in a way that isn't rushed or isn't forced. Everyone has schedules and obligations and other demands on their time, but if someone has the time to play a round of golf then it seems to me that common sense would dictate that they allocate enough time to play as if they're not trying to break a speed record.


-JP

You are contradicting yourself. You say that you aren't asking me to give up golf, but then you say that I should because I don't have time. I do have time to golf, FYI. I just don't have time to sit behind inconsiderate people that don't want to follow established pace-of-play policies.

Just because you chose to quit playing due to your schedule does not in any way mean that is the logical solution for the vast majority of people. Should every person with a family and a house to take care of quit golfing? It really just doesn't make sense at all. Instead, if slow golfers would adhere to basic rules of etiquette, everybody could enjoy the game.

Again, I'm not saying I want to rush through a round. I play quickly naturally, but I am well aware that a weekend round may take longer than a slow weekday.

 

[willybilly]

Nothing fires me up more than somebody hitting into me. Happened the last two times I was out. On Sunday, I was out with my daughter (five years old) and father. We were keeping up nicely with the people ahead of us; as a matter of fact, the people ahead of us were very, very slow and holding us up. But we did nothing about it. I hung out with my family and talked with them while waiting. As soon as people ahead of us were off green, we hit our shots. No big deal. Oh, my daughter didn't golf. She just likes to ride along. SO the three of us were doing a great job with keeping pace and remaining patient. Then the jackasses behind us decided to keep driving into us. It's like, we cannot move until the group in front of us moves. SO the group behind us continued to do this for three holes. And on the last hole, it was a 155 down hole par 3. We're literally on the green putting and the group hit into us. The idiot missed the green and hit into people who were on the first tee. The dude on the first tee got really mad, pointed to my kid, and let him have it. The group behind us got into their cart and drove off somewhere. And then I was out yesterday, and the same thing happened. I was without daughter so I really didn't care. My friend did. So he took the idiots ball who hit into us.

Eerrrr. People like this make me want to give up golf.

 

[JPsuff]

You are contradicting yourself. You say that you aren't asking me to give up golf, but then you say that I should because I don't have time. I do have time to golf, FYI. I just don't have time to sit behind inconsiderate people that don't want to follow established pace-of-play policies.

Just because you chose to quit playing due to your schedule does not in any way mean that is the logical solution for the vast majority of people. Should every person with a family and a house to take care of quit golfing? It really just doesn't make sense at all. Instead, if slow golfers would adhere to basic rules of etiquette, everybody could enjoy the game.

Again, I'm not saying I want to rush through a round. I play quickly naturally, but I am well aware that a weekend round may take longer than a slow weekday.

Look, my biggest gripe with fast players or those who wish to get through a round as quickly as possible isn't the idea of playing fast. I've played many rounds over the years in under three hours and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

What my gripe is are either people who I'm playing with who have to "be somewhere" and spend the entire time out on the course tapping their foot, drumming their fingers and generally whining about how slow everything is, or people who are playing behind me who have to "be somewhere" and are constantly hitting into us (or very close) because they somehow think that doing so is going to magically get the other 200 people in front of us to move faster.

It is to THOSE people I ask: "If you don't have the time to be here, then why the hell did you come out here?"

I had a friend who was in our regular threesome and we played together for about three years. Over that time, I can point to at lest a half dozen occasions where he "had to" leave after just fourteen holes because he had to "be somewhere". I asked him if maybe we could change days or play at a different time, but that wasn't the problem. The problem was that he typically overbooked his weekends. Again, I had no serious issue with his having to leave early, but it was annoying for myself and the other guy as well as whomever was teamed up with us to have to listen to him going on and on about how slow it was and "Why can't these idiots move any faster?"

So what I'm basically saying is that I don't care how quickly anyone wants to move around a golf course just as long as they don't make everyone else's day miserable in the process. These otherwise intelligent people ought to have enough sense to realize that golf is not a "quick" game and that if they choose to come out and play on a tight schedule, they have to accept the reality and the possibility that they may not be able to play each hole in under ten minutes.


-JP

 

[MO_Hacker]

willybilly that pissed me off just reading it, I would have snapped on them.

 

[Hawk]

Sounds like they had a case of misplaced anger WB. Nothing good about that either. There is never a good reason to hit into somebody.

 

[Hawk]

Look, my biggest gripe with fast players or those who wish to get through a round as quickly as possible isn't the idea of playing fast. I've played many rounds over the years in under three hours and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

What my gripe is are either people who I'm playing with who have to "be somewhere" and spend the entire time out on the course tapping their foot, drumming their fingers and generally whining about how slow everything is, or people who are playing behind me who have to "be somewhere" and are constantly hitting into us (or very close) because they somehow think that doing so is going to magically get the other 200 people in front of us to move faster.

It is to THOSE people I ask: "If you don't have the time to be here, then why the hell did you come out here?"

I had a friend who was in our regular threesome and we played together for about three years. Over that time, I can point to at lest a half dozen occasions where he "had to" leave after just fourteen holes because he had to "be somewhere". I asked him if maybe we could change days or play at a different time, but that wasn't the problem. The problem was that he typically overbooked his weekends. Again, I had no serious issue with his having to leave early, but it was annoying for myself and the other guy as well as whomever was teamed up with us to have to listen to him going on and on about how slow it was and "Why can't these idiots move any faster?"

So what I'm basically saying is that I don't care how quickly anyone wants to move around a golf course just as long as they don't make everyone else's day miserable in the process. These otherwise intelligent people ought to have enough sense to realize that golf is not a "quick" game and that if they choose to come out and play on a tight schedule, they have to accept the reality and the possibility that they may not be able to play each hole in under ten minutes.


-JP

JP -

I don't disagree with anything that you are saying here. I do not expect to play in sub 3 hours when the course is packed and I certainly am not a fan of people that act childish when things aren't moving at a break-neck pace. Basically we agree. Follow the rules and respect other players by showing proper etiquette. Seems like it should be a no-brainer, but too many people are wrapped up in themselves.

If I want to get a quick round in, I leave work early and go. It's just very frustrating to sit on a tee-box for 10 minutes each hole while you wait on somebody (usually a few groups ahead of you).

 

[Hawk]

I'll also add that it's very frustrating to have a toe-tapper and sigher glaring at you when you've been keeping up with group ahead, but the problem lies a few holes up. Childish and annoying as well.

 

[Canadan]

There are certainly situations where hitting into people is accidental, but it's so ridiculously obvious if it is not intentional. I have lots of patience with people who are quick to apologize, but I generally get pretty heated when people do it and show no remorse for their actions.

 

[Tmex]

Wow. I'd have been really heated. I know there has been a time or two that I thought someone was out of reach on a par 5 and then I absolutely killed my shot. I quickly apologized and learned not to assume I was gonna hit a bad shot. But when kids are present, I just wait until its 100%. I don't know how you stayed calm. My buddy has brought his daughter a couple times and if anyone did that I can't tell you how pissed we'd be. It's not like you had her tee up and hit for 18. Sorry WB. Im pissed for you too.

Nothing fires me up more than somebody hitting into me. Happened the last two times I was out. On Sunday, I was out with my daughter (five years old) and father. We were keeping up nicely with the people ahead of us; as a matter of fact, the people ahead of us were very, very slow and holding us up. But we did nothing about it. I hung out with my family and talked with them while waiting. As soon as people ahead of us were off green, we hit our shots. No big deal. Oh, my daughter didn't golf. She just likes to ride along. SO the three of us were doing a great job with keeping pace and remaining patient. Then the jackasses behind us decided to keep driving into us. It's like, we cannot move until the group in front of us moves. SO the group behind us continued to do this for three holes. And on the last hole, it was a 155 down hole par 3. We're literally on the green putting and the group hit into us. The idiot missed the green and hit into people who were on the first tee. The dude on the first tee got really mad, pointed to my kid, and let him have it. The group behind us got into their cart and drove off somewhere. And then I was out yesterday, and the same thing happened. I was without daughter so I really didn't care. My friend did. So he took the idiots ball who hit into us.

Eerrrr. People like this make me want to give up golf.

 

[Tmex]

I have that problem on this executive I frequent. But only when the course is busy. I usually play as a single so people assume Im just taking 20 minutes a hole.

I'll also add that it's very frustrating to have a toe-tapper and sigher glaring at you when you've been keeping up with group ahead, but the problem lies a few holes up. Childish and annoying as well.

 

[Hawk]

I think, often, a lot of the blame should go to the course and its staff.

The course closest to my house has basically become a big, slow moving train on the weekends. The last time I played I left after playing 14 holes in over four hours. We were waiting two groups deep at every tee. Not a marshall to be seen anywhere. I know they work there, because I see them smoking cigarettes next to the clubhouse when I start and finish.

They send out twosome after twosome when they know the course is packed. The don't enforce pace of play. They allow people to act like they are in a bar on Saturday night. The issue was addressed with the staff, but I doubt it will change. I decided to vote with my dollar and not go back.

 

[bogey_russ]

Nothing fires me up more than somebody hitting into me. Happened the last two times I was out. On Sunday, I was out with my daughter (five years old) and father. We were keeping up nicely with the people ahead of us; as a matter of fact, the people ahead of us were very, very slow and holding us up. But we did nothing about it. I hung out with my family and talked with them while waiting. As soon as people ahead of us were off green, we hit our shots. No big deal. Oh, my daughter didn't golf. She just likes to ride along. SO the three of us were doing a great job with keeping pace and remaining patient. Then the jackasses behind us decided to keep driving into us. It's like, we cannot move until the group in front of us moves. SO the group behind us continued to do this for three holes. And on the last hole, it was a 155 down hole par 3. We're literally on the green putting and the group hit into us. The idiot missed the green and hit into people who were on the first tee. The dude on the first tee got really mad, pointed to my kid, and let him have it. The group behind us got into their cart and drove off somewhere. And then I was out yesterday, and the same thing happened. I was without daughter so I really didn't care. My friend did. So he took the idiots ball who hit into us.

Eerrrr. People like this make me want to give up golf.

wow... your group almost got dirt_guy'd and the ppl hitting into you deserve a good dirt_guying

 

[Sunday_Hacker]

I was thinking the same thing. just cheesy gimmick golf

Pretty lame really...a team of caddies and ball finders? did not keep score? That's not playing golf that's just attempting to set a world record...

 

[Sunday_Hacker]

I would think we all agree we dont want to be rushed and we also dont want to be stuck behind a group taking forever on every hole.

 

[Fourputt]

I don't see how 4 hours for a round of golf is rushing anything. My course standard is 4 hours and 15 minutes.

4.5 hours is 15 minutes per hole. What could possibly make anyone need more time than that?

I like the 15 minute gauge. It's easy to figure out where you are and where you should be. If you walk off the 4th green more than a hour after you teed off on #1, then you need to pick up the pace, unless you are waiting on the group in front of you. There is nothing wrong with playing faster if that's comfortable for you (I prefer about a 4 hour pace, but on a busy course 4½ is more likely, and I can live with it)

The first hole on my home course is a par 4 and most groups finish that hole in about 10 minutes. Yet by the time they get to the 6th tee (should be 1:15 after they started), far too many groups have fallen off the pace and need to be counseled by the ranger to catch up again. We keep the ranger busy mostly on the front 9... if you haven't fixed what's wrong by the 7th or 8th hole then your pace of play is pretty much shot for the day.

 

[JPsuff]

JP -

I don't disagree with anything that you are saying here. I do not expect to play in sub 3 hours when the course is packed and I certainly am not a fan of people that act childish when things aren't moving at a break-neck pace. Basically we agree. Follow the rules and respect other players by showing proper etiquette. Seems like it should be a no-brainer, but too many people are wrapped up in themselves.

If I want to get a quick round in, I leave work early and go. It's just very frustrating to sit on a tee-box for 10 minutes each hole while you wait on somebody (usually a few groups ahead of you).

No argument here.

When I lived near Bethpage and worked 6:00AM to 2:30PM nearby, I was always making a bee line for the course after work to get in a quick 18 and I often ended up playing alone and I moved along at a nice quick pace. In fact, there was a time when I didn't even play at all on the weekends there because it was a mob scene and I cherished those lonely weekday afternoons. But when I go out on a Sunday (then or now), I have no expectation of playing anything close to a quick round and so I don't get all worked up when things slow down as they inevitably will.

I just wish other people would try to understand the difference between mid afternoon on a weekday and 10:00AM on a Sunday and stop trying to play as if there were no difference between them at all. It's like driving on a highway; I can cruise along at a good clip for miles and then come into an area where there's a lot of traffic and things slow down to a crawl yet there's always some moron weaving his way through everyone and making a general PITA of himself because he can't accept the fact that there is now traffic on the road.

It is what it is and there's nothing anyone can do about it.


-JP

 

[bogey_russ]

i still want the 30mph golfcart

 

[NikeGolf]

Pretty lame really...a team of caddies and ball finders? did not keep score? That's not playing golf that's just attempting to set a world record...

It more or less was just about attempting a world record. Where did the story ever say this is how golf should be played?

Did it have a message to it? Yes, but read between the lines and realize they were doing an extreme act to not only attempt a world record but also make a point about slow play.

I found it more humerous than anything else.

 

[C-Tech]

Pace of play is a constant source of angst for golfers. In my opinion, it is the #1 killer of good times on the course. My pet peeve is people who putt out, spend a few minutes discussing it on the green, drag their feet all the way to the cart, and then screw around at the cart doing God knows what before they get in it. Then once they get in the cart, fill out the scorecard before moving off. That is inconsiderate whether the pace is 2 hours or 5 hours. Once you finish putting, get your behind off the green, in the cart, and on to the next tee box. If you want to dawdle around there, be my guest, you are not holding up the entire course to do that.

I believe if marshals could run these people off the green and on to the next tee box quickly the pace of play would stop being a problem. Even searching for a lost ball doesn't slow up play like it does on and around the greens.

 

[thedue]

Pace of play is a constant source of angst for golfers. In my opinion, it is the #1 killer of good times on the course. My pet peeve is people who putt out, spend a few minutes discussing it on the green, drag their feet all the way to the cart, and then screw around at the cart doing God knows what before they get in it. Then once they get in the cart, fill out the scorecard before moving off. That is inconsiderate whether the pace is 2 hours or 5 hours. Once you finish putting, get your behind off the green, in the cart, and on to the next tee box. If you want to dawdle around there, be my guest, you are not holding up the entire course to do that.

I believe if marshals could run these people off the green and on to the next tee box quickly the pace of play would stop being a problem. Even searching for a lost ball doesn't slow up play like it does on and around the greens.

I have to agree with this. I can take waiting on someone to play out, but if they dink around on the green after the flags back up or sit in the cart a while, I get a bit excited. I fill out the card at the next box and always have because everyone is back together and just makes it easy, not to mention getting off the hole.

 

[bogey_russ]

i wonder how fair the world record is since its on a 6100 yrd course and the dude tried to break it on a 6500 yrd or so course...
i think he could have done it if he bridged that 400 yrd gap