Is pace of play *actually* hurting the game?

[kevin81002]

I used to accept the mentality that golf took time then a friend who�s a member at a local club had me out as a guest and we played 18 holes in 3:15 walking and my life changed.


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Public golf where they book as many 4somes as they can 8 minutes apart is a completely different animal than a country club.

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[ntanygd760]

For sure my course is alternating 7 and 8 minute tee times and slows everything down compared to 10 min time at longer courses.

It is a metroparks run course so there isn't a person at the course who even has a say in such things.

 

[kevin81002]

For sure my course is alternating 7 and 8 minute tee times and slows everything down compared to 10 min time at longer courses.

It is a metroparks run course so there isn't a person at the course who even has a say in such things.

There's a course down the street from my old house that's a 5400yd par 70 from the back tees. It's probably the easiest course I've played, yet I've never finished a round there in under 5 1/2 hours because it's always so backed up. They book times 7 minutes apart and allow groups to play as 5. It's absolutely maddening to play there.

 

[ntanygd760]

Oh man that is so short that one long hitter has to wait on half the par 4s.

 

[Acesteve]

If anything avg pace is faster in 2019 than 2000. Is it good? NO

i did not see people quitting in 2000

 

[Et Tu Brute?]

Instead of complaining about pace, why don't you play through? If I catch a group on a tee box I ask to play through or join. Pretty simple fix.

Posted by my thumbs.

Sure, if it's one particular group playing slow, with the course open ahead of them I will play through if given the opportunity. But most times, seems like even if a slow group has fallen a little behind there's another group just a hole or so ahead who are also slow.

I'd rather either stop and practice chipping on each hole or just walk in if the only alternative is trying to play through one group after another. That slows the slowpokes down even more and is stressful for me.

 

[rollin]

I used to accept the mentality that golf took time then a friend who’s a member at a local club had me out as a guest and we played 18 holes in 3:15 walking and my life changed.


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Honestly if (as a 4some) I played in 3:15 I would feel that was too quick. id feel like that's rushing the golf enjoyment (or better said much of its pleasant experience as a whole) away.

 

[dduarte85]

There's a course down the street from my old house that's a 5400yd par 70 from the back tees. It's probably the easiest course I've played, yet I've never finished a round there in under 5 1/2 hours because it's always so backed up. They book times 7 minutes apart and allow groups to play as 5. It's absolutely maddening to play there.

My course is 5 mins apart on weekends... ie I never play on weekends!


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[rollin]

My course is 5 mins apart on weekends... ie I never play on weekends!


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is that even possible? I mean what the heck is wrong with these people making these decisions? Honestly....I hope a course with that kind of tee time interval isn't then going to try to imply anything at all about keeping pace to anyone at all cause they truly have no right to do so.

 

[Johan185]

This is interesting, Johan. Pace of play may not be hurting the game, but on any given weekend, it may be hurting your game as an individual. But does that have a lasting effect?

Definitely hurts my game. I get bored. And lose my focus. I don't care what score I get. I just want to get to the club house for Beer.

After 2 or 3 beers. My score card always looks great.

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[ntanygd760]

The asking to play through can be an issue. Half the time it takes a group 3 shots before they are out of range of my tee ball. From there it is really hard to catch them by the next tee even though they add an hour or so to a round for me.

This leads to me hitting the second they are out of range which some people seem to hate.

 

[wubears71]

I am going insane here. We have a foursome in front of us. 2 of the guys have college team bags and the other 2 seem decent. They are playing from the tips. Okay. All is good.

Except they are playing for $1/point and are so slow after they get off the tee. They are now early 2 holes behind and oblivious to then backup behind them.

I’m about to walk off the course.

 

[DG_1234]

I am going insane here. We have a foursome in front of us. 2 of the guys have college team bags and the other 2 seem decent. They are playing from the tips. Okay. All is good.

Except they are playing for $1/point and are so slow after they get off the tee. They are now early 2 holes behind and oblivious to then backup behind them.

I’m about to walk off the course.

They are 2 holes behind the group in front of them ?
Your group should play thru , problem solved.

 

[wubears71]

They are 2 holes behind the group in front of them ?
Your group should play thru , problem solved.

They won’t let us and I am not skipping a hole. Why should one group bring everyone else behind them to a grind because they choose to play slow?

 

[DG_1234]

They won’t let us and I am not skipping a hole. Why should one group bring everyone else behind them to a grind because they choose to play slow?

It is hard to believe they are 2 holes behind and will not allow you to play thru.

 

[wubears71]

It is hard to believe they are 2 holes behind and will not allow you to play thru.

You are right. I am lying. Go f**k yourself.

 

[OldandStiff]

You are right. I am lying. Go **** yourself.

Lol Okay. Misplaced aggression - I believe you.

Call it in. Have someone from the course tell them to move their *ss or let you play through. ?

 

[wubears71]

Lol Okay. I believe you.

Call it in. Have someone from the course tell them to move their ass. ?

Haha. Sorry. I am just getting so pissed off about this. Unfortunately this scenario is becoming the norm instead of the exception. The marshals don’t have enough balls to actually do anything about it.

 

[wubears71]

Sorry. I am just getting so pissed off about this. Unfortunately this scenario is becoming the norm instead of the exception. The marshals don’t have enough balls to actually do anything about it.

 

[Space Bandito]

Haha. Sorry. I am just getting so pissed off about this. Unfortunately this scenario is becoming the norm instead of the exception. The marshals don’t have enough balls to actually do anything about it.

I agree that the course marshals need to put their foot down on slow play. One could suggest that if a course has a pace problem, it should be up to the course to handle it. After all it's their loss if people choose not to play there.

 

[OldandStiff]

That is frustrating. Hang in there.

I usually touch base with the course manager after a situation like that. Calm and respectful. Sometimes you don't hear what you want in return, but they're no different than anyone else doing a job - if people get in their ear about something often enough, they'll eventually do what they can to be left the F alone. Lol

 

[FreddieMac]

Did you ask to play through or just fume?

 

[KEV]

Yesterday I had a situation where our total round time wasn't terrible (4 1/2 hours) but my playing partners were pretty slow and we were constantly a hole behind the group ahead of us and the group behind would often be waiting on us.

I watched one of them pull a Bryson and take 2 minutes to Aimpoint, stalk all angles and back off the 8 foot putt before missing it. Several times two of the guys also weren't ready when it was their shot and backed off multiple times.

I've learned that nothing will throw me off more than slow play and I'm not sure how to adapt to it.

 

[DG_1234]

Yesterday I had a situation where our total round time wasn't terrible (4 1/2 hours) but my playing partners were pretty slow and we were constantly a hole behind the group ahead of us and the group behind would often be waiting on us.

I watched one of them pull a Bryson and take 2 minutes to Aimpoint, stalk all angles and back off the 8 foot putt before missing it. Several times two of the guys also weren't ready when it was their shot and backed off multiple times.

I've learned that nothing will throw me off more than slow play and I'm not sure how to adapt to it.

If your group is a hole behind, you are obligated to wave the group behind you to play thru.
Or, another option is for you to split off from the offending slow players . For example, two weeks ago my son and I were paired with a two strangers , and we enjoyed their company. However by the 5th hole were were a hole behind the group in front of us, By the 7th hole we were a hole and a half behind. While these two guys were very pleasant and did not delay playing their shots, one of them was an elderly senior who walked very slowly. On the 8th tee I told the two guys our group was behind, that groups behind were waiting on us, and that my son and I would be leaving them and going on as a twosome. They understood and there were no hard feelings.

 

[DG_1234]

The asking to play through can be an issue. Half the time it takes a group 3 shots before they are out of range of my tee ball. From there it is really hard to catch them by the next tee even though they add an hour or so to a round for me.

This leads to me hitting the second they are out of range which some people seem to hate.

If you are consistently waiting on the group in front of you, and there is a hole or more open ahead of them, but you cannot get their attention to ask their permission to play thru, then telephoning the pro shop is an option you can use. At that point the shop should send someone out in a cart to tell the slow group to step aside and let you play thru.