Random idea to speed up play?

[JB]

I wonder if this problem is exacerbated at country clubs where people feel entitled, because they paid a membership due, to do whatever they please.

Not exactly what goes on at country clubs.

 

[TRyan]

Not exactly what goes on at country clubs.

I would agree. At most every country club I have been fortunate enough to play at the rounds are MUCH faster than public courses. Might not be true everywhere, but at the half dozen or so I have played at, that has been the case.

 

[Tadashi70]

I think if people played ready golf instead of waiting and trying to decide on shots, it would speed up play. Most aren't prepared to hit their shots when they reach their ball

 

[ddec]

Spacing out tee times helps, but it still only takes one group of idiots to slow up everyone behind them.

agreed. Last year our tee times were made at 8 minute intervals. This year they are trying 10. Yesterday afternoon there was no group that teed off behind us for 30 minutes. They caught up to us on the 6th hole, where we were backed up. The group 3 in front of us was just horrible and it slowed everything down.

As for the country clubs, I've played a good number of private CC's in my life and I've only had 1 really slow round 1 time. Most of the ones I've played they have better management of pace of play.

 

[IceyShanks]

I think if people played ready golf instead of waiting and trying to decide on shots, it would speed up play. Most aren't prepared to hit their shots when they reach their ball

This is quite true freddie, I usually pull a club while pushing my cart as I'm walking up to my ball as my guess club, I'm usually about 80% correct on what I pull, it saves me a ton, and if the rest of my group played similar ready golf it could get us moving even that much faster.

 

[deuce]

Not exactly what goes on at country clubs.

I would agree. At most every country club I have been fortunate enough to play at the rounds are MUCH faster than public courses. Might not be true everywhere, but at the half dozen or so I have played at, that has been the case.

I have never been to a private CC before, so could only guess*. My now retired boss is a member of one, and I have heard from other members that no one wants to play with him because he is beyond slow. It might not be from an entitled point of view, but from what I've heard he goes beyond methodical. It's why, even though I am dying to get on that course, I find an excuse to not play with him there when he asks. I guess I could just suck it up and play once with him ... just hope I don't kill one of us if the round goes as horribly as others have described to me.

*I take that back, I played Orangeburg CC back in October 2013, but it wasn't particularly crowded and we played around a 4 hour round and didn't see any issues.

 

[mikedean441]

I'll save you all the hassle of trying to figure this one out, there is 1 simple solution that while it may not solve all of the slow play problems it would certainly help

Tee it Forward

 

[Tadashi70]

Two things that we can't manufacture more of ... time and space. There are only so many hours in a day, and a golf course is only so big. If a course really wants to maximize profits, it's in their interest to get as many golfers on the course as possible. That means they need golfers to play at a decent pace so they don't have a logjam which will create dissatisfaction and could hurt future "sales". At some point golfers must start realizing they need to hurry it up.

I wonder if this problem is exacerbated at country clubs where people feel entitled, because they paid a membership due, to do whatever they please.

I've never run into an issue at a private club only public where people feel entitled because they paid a fee. Private clubs usually have members that like to play golf and get off the course.

 

[JB]

I have never been to a private CC before, so could only guess*. My now retired boss is a member of one, and I have heard from other members that no one wants to play with him because he is beyond slow. It might not be from an entitled point of view, but from what I've heard he goes beyond methodical. It's why, even though I am dying to get on that course, I find an excuse to not play with him there when he asks. I guess I could just suck it up and play once with him ... just hope I don't kill one of us if the round goes as horribly as others have described to me.

*I take that back, I played Orangeburg CC back in October 2013, but it wasn't particularly crowded and we played around a 4 hour round and didn't see any issues.

I was speaking more about the "entitled and do whatever they want" comment.

 

[Sanzabar]

I have noticed the faster courses in my area are the ones that have GPS units on the carts.

I believe that speeds up play due to people knowing the distance alot quicker. Rather than walking around looking for a marker.

 

[robmypro]

I have enough things on my mind without worrying about the time it is taking to play a round. I would not want to feel rushed.

 

[robmypro]

I think part of the problem is how the tees are presented. If instead of Gold, Red, White, Blue, Black, whatever they were based on player level (Level 1 is up front, Level 2 is a bit further back, etc.), and you can graduate from one level to the next based on your play, that might get everyone thinking properly about it.

 

[JB]

I have enough things on my mind without worrying about the time it is taking to play a round. I would not want to feel rushed.

I understand this process, but do you worry at all about the people that are behind you? Taking time during a round is fine, but what happens when the foursomes are backing up and playing slower because one group does not want to feel rushed?

 

[ddec]

I think part of the problem is how the tees are presented. If instead of Gold, Red, White, Blue, Black, whatever they were based on player level (Level 1 is up front, Level 2 is a bit further back, etc.), and you can graduate from one level to the next based on your play, that might get everyone thinking properly about it.

I know of one course in my area that offers 5 different tees. On the first tee box they have a sign recommending which set you play based solely on handicap. They don't enforce it, but it's just a simple recommendation.

 

[mikedean441]

I know of one course in my area that offers 5 different tees. On the first tee box they have a sign recommending which set you play based solely on handicap. They don't enforce it, but it's just a simple recommendation.

I saw 3 guys play the whites yesterday instead of moving up to the shorter golds.

First 2 guys each hit it about 45 yards forward

The 3rd guy was playing from the OB side of the OB stake a mere 50 yards off of the tee

#LongDay

 

[ns1189]

I like the theory of this but, as many have stated before me, the logistics are too complicated. We have all played rounds where we could just cruise and finish well under 4 hours but we run into that one or two groups that slow everyone way down.

I know people have mentioned that the marshals should do their job but there aren't really any consequences for slow play, at least at the courses I have played.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

 

[robmypro]

I understand this process, but do you worry at all about the people that are behind you? Taking time during a round is fine, but what happens when the foursomes are backing up and playing slower because one group does not want to feel rushed?

Hi JB,

Of course I do. And if I see people behind me waiting I'll pick up the pace. So far both rounds I have played have been completed in less time than the course shows for pace of play. What if the group behind me is just playing fast? Is that my fault? Play according to the pace of play for the course, or better.

I guess it is about being considerate. Some people are. Some people are not. I was playing by myself, and I come up to a hole and two guys walk right past me. This wasn't the group playing in front of me, so I wasn't sure where they were coming from. Turns out they just tee'd off on the hole I was walking up to. How hard would it have been to wait for me to tee off, and then we could play together? And they sucked. So I am a single waiting every shot for them. I am putting two holes later and they are teeing off. I have the wife ask them to wait while I putt. What is there answer? No, we are almost done. It was the 5th hole.

I don't know what the answer is, but if I get held up behind a slow group am I supposed to pay more too?

 

[rollin]

I know of one course in my area that offers 5 different tees. On the first tee box they have a sign recommending which set you play based solely on handicap. They don't enforce it, but it's just a simple recommendation.

I just dont buy this misguided logic that keeps poping up. Its much the same logic that too many good players have where they think the poorer player is the cause for slowness. I am sorry but tee boxes (just like poor play) is not the cause of 5 hour rouds. And also handicaps should not be the judge of tee boxes. What if one can drive the heck out of the ball but has no short game ? Tee boxes have to do with distance and only a tad with handicap. If one is the cause of a 5 hour round he will =be the cause no matter where he plays from and no matter whether he is a good player or poor player. Pace is all about knowing how to move along, being aware of the pace and doing what is necessary to get it done resopectfully. This can and is often done by many people regardless of tee boxes. There are reasons for proper tee box choice and except for handicap i am all for those reasons but thinking this is the reason for the 5 hour round is so far off. That person will take his sweat time anyway from anywhere because he either just doesnt get it or he just doesnt care or he honestly doesnt know better..

 

[baldguy]

with regards to pace at private clubs, I can say without a doubt that the private clubs I've played are faster. At my home club, the slowest non-tournament round I've ever played was 4.5 hours, and it was on the first really good weather day of the season. Most rounds are 4 or less, and I once walked 18 by myself in under 3 hours. it's rare for me to get off a public course in 4.5.

 

[JB]

Hi JB,

Of course I do. And if I see people behind me waiting I'll pick up the pace. So far both rounds I have played have been completed in less time than the course shows for pace of play. What if the group behind me is just playing fast? Is that my fault? Play according to the pace of play for the course, or better.

I guess it is about being considerate. Some people are. Some people are not. I was playing by myself, and I come up to a hole and two guys walk right past me. This wasn't the group playing in front of me, so I wasn't sure where they were coming from. Turns out they just tee'd off on the hole I was walking up to. How hard would it have been to wait for me to tee off, and then we could play together? And they sucked. So I am a single waiting every shot for them. I am putting two holes later and they are teeing off. I have the wife ask them to wait while I putt. What is there answer? No, we are almost done. It was the 5th hole.

I don't know what the answer is, but if I get held up behind a slow group am I supposed to pay more too?

Interesting. I agree about the entire "considerate" thing, but wouldnt it also be considerate to let the faster players play through? Or should it be because the course sets a "designated" pace, and you are on or under it, playing through is not an option?

Pace in my opinion means very little in the grand scheme of things, unless a course is properly spaced and only has 4somes going out. What if after the round you found out that twosome that would not wait for you to putt, played at proper pace?

In the old days twosomes had no rights, but that has long since changed.

 

[robmypro]

Interesting. I agree about the entire "considerate" thing, but wouldnt it also be considerate to let the faster players play through? Or should it be because the course sets a "designated" pace, and you are on or under it, playing through is not an option?

Pace in my opinion means very little in the grand scheme of things, unless a course is properly spaced and only has 4somes going out. What if after the round you found out that twosome that would not wait for you to putt, played at proper pace?

In the old days twosomes had no rights, but that has long since changed.

I would definitely let anyone behind me play through if they caught me! No worries. If they had less than 4, I'd ask to join them. I am really easy about that. I am going to try to play at a reasonable pace, but if I am holding anyone up, please go ahead. I am out there to have a good time. I wouldn't want to ruin anyone else's time. The problem I saw was when I was just not fast enough to catch the group ahead at the tee, and they didn't want to let me join them. That slowed me down, but I had nobody behind me (I am slow, but with a 4some behind me I am not THAT slow) so it worked out okay I guess.

 

[Wake]

Interesting. I agree about the entire "considerate" thing, but wouldnt it also be considerate to let the faster players play through? Or should it be because the course sets a "designated" pace, and you are on or under it, playing through is not an option?

Pace in my opinion means very little in the grand scheme of things, unless a course is properly spaced and only has 4somes going out. What if after the round you found out that twosome that would not wait for you to putt, played at proper pace?

In the old days twosomes had no rights, but that has long since changed.

It's the same attitude you see on the interstate, I'm driving/playing fast enough, they should slow down.

 

[Smallville]

I thought about this point last night. If you are playing slow, and marshal's forced you to let faster players play through, this would only slow you down even more ... costing you more. One way to counter this problem would be to have your cost be determined strictly by the time you are on the actual hole.

Carts equipped with an RFID chip, and when you drive up to the tee box, it gets logged and you start getting charged for play. When you finish up and drive past a waypoint after the green, it is also logged and your time "off the clock" is recorded.

What if you are sitting on the tee box for 10 minutes, or waiting to hit your second shot for ten minutes?

 

[deuce]

What if you are sitting on the tee box for 10 minutes, or waiting to hit your second shot for ten minutes?

You don't drive past the detector until you know you are ready to tee it up. As for waiting for a second shot ... that's where well trained marshal's, given the proper equipment (which tells them the speed of play of each group coming up to the hole they are policing), hold up the slow group and let the faster one's play through.

The way to maximize profit is probably for the course owners to view the course as an assembly line, and then take the steps necessary to ensure that it flows smoothly. I think it's pretty darn obvious that if you leave it to the people on the course, it won't happen. Especially when everything you see from the PGA tells them that slow golf is acceptable. Only thing is, it shouldn't be acceptable to those who own/run a golf course, and it shouldn't be acceptable to those who get stuck behind slow players either. If the course wants more players out there, and in turn make more money in the process, they need to take a proactive stance on ensuring that everyone players quicker golf.

 

[TripleBogieTim]

We actually had a Marshall at Herman Park in Houston try to make us pick up and jump ahead of 2 groups a few weeks ago because they were so slow and there was 2 holes open in front of them.

I told him that we preferred to play the full course since we PAID for the full course and if the problem was the 2 groups in front of us then he should make them skip holes not us.

First time I have ever had a Marshall tell me something like that.