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Because there are never posts about pace...

Playing early morning as a single walking I can bang out 9 in 1:20 to 1:30 and while moving along I don't feel like I am rushing per se, but certainly not "casually" walking.

Playing 9 or 18 on the weekends with my wife on public courses is a 2:15-2:30/9 hole proposition most weeks. Some holes back up due to course design when you have shorter Par 4s that are more "target golf" with risk reward elements. Like a tight 325yd Par 4 followed by a Par 3 and another shorter Par 4. People wait on the tee on those Par 4's and treat them like Par 3's and almost wait for the greens to clear to avoid the one person in the group that has a chance of hitting into the carts/group in front.

I have also made the decision to change my game plan to keep pace of play going......instead of "going for it" on 2nd shot on Par5s I will lay up just to keep things moving along, or on Par 4s where I could go driver to "chip-able" distance, I will take long iron to PW distance instead.

At the new club we joined, things move along fairly well, but people are also more laid back as they "didn't pay $150 to play this 18holes today" and they can play "anytime" so there is also less urgency in every group. But so far 9s have been quick and I have yet to play a full 18 there just due to scheduling the past couple weeks, but I suspect it is a 3.5hr proposition.
 
I’ve seen a couple of posts about there being an issue with the dynamic of “Slow play/ growing the game”. That shouldn’t be an issue as far as I’m concerned.
At any given time on any given course you are limited to the number of tee times available. Expand that for EVERY COURSE- it isn’t like they can just make 5 minute times or put out 6somes as a regular operating procedure. (Although I think in Asia and a course in HI routinely put 6somes, but that’s an outlier)

more people wanting to play just means getting a tee time is a bit harder. There are only (approximately) 144 slots available rotating through 18 holes. Those 144 at any given time, no matter their talent level set the pace.
 
So this is a combination pace/etiquette question. A group of 4 teed off 15 minutes ahead of us as the first group out. We were 3, and according to shot scope the front took 1:51 after we caught them on the second hole.
We are now waiting 2-3 minutes on every single shot on the back. We have played two par 3s where they could have easily waved us through.
Sure, we're naturally going to be quicker than a foursome, but as the first group out with nobody ahead of them should they not allow us through? We are not going to hold them up in any way, and conversely they are slowly reducing the pace for the day.
Thoughts?
 
Junkyard said:
So this is a combination pace/etiquette question. A group of 4 teed off 15 minutes ahead of us as the first group out. We were 3, and according to shot scope the front took 1:51 after we caught them on the second hole.
We are now waiting 2-3 minutes on every single shot on the back. We have played two par 3s where they could have easily waved us through.
Sure, we're naturally going to be quicker than a foursome, but as the first group out with nobody ahead of them should they not allow us through? We are not going to hold them up in any way, and conversely they are slowly reducing the pace for the day.
Thoughts?
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Yup! Easily should have let you play through. But, some folks have to be "first", no matter what it is.. Hold up the course the rest of the day.. 15 minute tee time gaps are nice. Something left over from the "Covid" year. A lot of courses reverted back to 8-10 minute gaps after the threat was over.. If I send one into ball limbo, look quickly, if no one spots it, drop, play on. I don't play tour like balls, so I'm not losing a $4.50 ball...
 
Junkyard said:
So this is a combination pace/etiquette question. A group of 4 teed off 15 minutes ahead of us as the first group out. We were 3, and according to shot scope the front took 1:51 after we caught them on the second hole.
We are now waiting 2-3 minutes on every single shot on the back. We have played two par 3s where they could have easily waved us through.
Sure, we're naturally going to be quicker than a foursome, but as the first group out with nobody ahead of them should they not allow us through? We are not going to hold them up in any way, and conversely they are slowly reducing the pace for the day.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
My thoughts are based on my belief that 1:51 for nine is a good pace. Maybe it's a very slow pace in your playing situation.

I think playing through in this situation (ie you're going faster than a group that is already playing at a good pace) could potentially start a log jam IF you're not sufficiently ahead of the group behind you. If you play through, the group in front of you has to stop to wait for you to catch up to them and get ahead enough that they can hit again. Unless there's a big enough gap behind you, the group immediately behind you now has to stop and wait for all that to happen (when they weren't previously), and so on going back.

So in this situation, playing through could certainly benefit your group specifically, but would potentially play a role in starting a log jam for everyone in back of you.

My $.02
 
2nd one out on the course today, walking. Had a single in a cart behind me but he couldn't keep up... until I got stuck behind a slow threesome in carts on 12.

FFS. There's deliberate, slow, clueless and then there's just being a prick. I stayed back, didn't push, let the single behind me go ahead (I think they let him eventually play through or he got tired of waiting and just left). On the 18th, I'm waiting for this group to clear the green. The first cart finally left but the guy in the 2nd cart was still fiddle-farting around on his phone or whatever. Finally, as he drove away - very slowly - he stared back at me with kind of a f-you buddy look on his face.

Ok, so some of that may be perception, but these guys weren't even trying. When I got to the car and looked at my phone, I'd still finished the round in just under 3 hours - which many folks would kill for. They only cost me an extra 30 mins off my pace... but that was only 7 holes. And I'm not lightning fast as a high-capper walking the course.

Slow play wasn't as much of the issue today as it was a lack of desire on their part (or maybe even more than that). I mean, these were younger, able-bodied adults standing around on the green or hanging out in their carts after finishing every hole. That's far more maddening than someone learning the game or older folks who are at least making the effort, which I'm pretty ok with.

I'm bitching here on a forum, but I didn't go up to them and say anything. Nor did I go to the manager and complain about it. I can either accept it, join a private club, or not play golf.
 
There are basically three types of golfers: Those who can, those who can't and compensate by playing fast, and those who don't care.
 
In these pace of play discussions, it's kind of comparing an apple to an albatross without taking the course itself into consideration. If you play a relatively easy course that's laid out efficiently with close transits from green to the next tee, it's a lot different than a difficult course that's more spread out with long distances between greens and tee boxes. Different courses also have a different culture or tolerance to pace of play too - some are very conscious of it and police it, while others couldn't care less as long as you paid your money.

A 3.5 hour round in the morning on my home course is on the average to slow-ish side for a foursome, even playing behind leagues that are 90% senior citizens. On some courses, a 3.5 hour round would be considered lightning fast. I've played other courses where a 4.5 - 5 hour round is the norm and doesn't feel that slow - that would be an absolute death slog at my course.
 
I'll admit I do tend to get impatient. My wife says I have ADHD. I just want to walk up to my ball and hit it. I've gotten a little too antsy at times when I want to get to my ball and someone hasn't hit yet. I've been told a few times "Hey, stop walking you're gonna get hit by the ball".
 
I play one league where the league in front of us absolutely sucks. We have had 9 holes come very close to 3 hours a few times. Ridiculous.
 
1860VS said:
I play one league where the league in front of us absolutely sucks. We have had 9 holes come very close to 3 hours a few times. Ridiculous.
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When things are moving slow the course marshall will tell everyone to play ready ball. I love ready ball. I get impatient when I have to wait my turn.
 
I don't get too fired up about pace as I try and not play when the moon and sun align (weekend mid morning to mid afternoon).

BUT, when I have been hit with the prospect of a 5-6hr+ round, I do get a little pissed if I have say $200+ into the round with my wife and I and the course can't even be bothered to provide some marshals to move things along......of course, from their perspective each 4some paid their $400.....but still.....
 
robrandalgz said:
You also make a fair point. The whole paralysis by analysis syndrome. I played with someone who wouldn't hit a shot before he went through every calculation of his ARCCOS data. It was maddening. It turned me off on the entire system (which was the opposite effect he was trying to have). To be fair, I've seen others that have used that system very efficiently. I think, when it comes down to it, slow players are just slow. 🤷‍♂️
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One of the main reasons I didn't renew. I got WAY to into it during the round and if it switched holes on me (tee and green too close) it would throw me off completely. Love the stat tracking but a main reason I went to Shot Scope, buzz the H4 and worry about it after the round.

I'm in the camp of 3.5-4.5 is fine. I don't like feeling rushed and not good enough to not hit a wayward shot that takes some searching for. Played with two guys this weekend who were decent golfers but extremely methodical in their distances/preshot prep. Even though we all were shooting 78-85 it took us just over 4 hours and not one in front or behind. I enjoyed the pace and it worked out ok but definitely had to wait while the guy stalked his putt from every angle of the green to leave it 6' short....
 
So many old threads on this, didn’t know which one to dredge up.

So we just opened for the season. You would have thought we were giving it away. Filled up every tee time the first 4 days. Apparently people thought the world was ending. Each day was 45-55 degrees, cloudy and windy. Anyway..

We didn’t allow carts and pace of play was Sooooo Goooood. It’s amazing. Happens every year. For some reason even when we let carts out early in the year, a lot of people will walk, maybe they have “illusions of grandeur “ That quickly disappear and then come in and claim they can’t play without a cart. Selling out every tee times shows people can walk if they have to.

But getting back to pace of play. Middle of the summer, same amount of tee times, front 9 is 2.5 hours and back 9 is 2.5 - 3 hours. This past weekend, front 9 was 1.5 hours and back was 2 hours. Walking. Mid summer, not a sole walks. People look at me in disbelief when I tell them but then when I tell them the reasons, ( driving all over the place for no reason, drinking, smoking, sitting). Then they say ..” ohhhhh”
 
Typhoon said:
So many old threads on this, didn’t know which one to dredge up.

So we just opened for the season. You would have thought we were giving it away. Filled up every tee time the first 4 days. Apparently people thought the world was ending. Each day was 45-55 degrees, cloudy and windy. Anyway..

We didn’t allow carts and pace of play was Sooooo Goooood. It’s amazing. Happens every year. For some reason even when we let carts out early in the year, a lot of people will walk, maybe they have “illusions of grandeur “ That quickly disappear and then come in and claim they can’t play without a cart. Selling out every tee times shows people can walk if they have to.

But getting back to pace of play. Middle of the summer, same amount of tee times, front 9 is 2.5 hours and back 9 is 2.5 - 3 hours. This past weekend, front 9 was 1.5 hours and back was 2 hours. Walking. Mid summer, not a sole walks. People look at me in disbelief when I tell them but then when I tell them the reasons, ( driving all over the place for no reason, drinking, smoking, sitting). Then they say ..” ohhhhh”
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Interesting. Early season, cold weather golfers are probably a more serious group than the summer, fair weather folks. Just a guess.
Any idea what the breakdown was between carriers and trolleys? A guess? Just curious...
 
Typhoon said:
So many old threads on this, didn’t know which one to dredge up.

So we just opened for the season. You would have thought we were giving it away. Filled up every tee time the first 4 days. Apparently people thought the world was ending. Each day was 45-55 degrees, cloudy and windy. Anyway..

We didn’t allow carts and pace of play was Sooooo Goooood. It’s amazing. Happens every year. For some reason even when we let carts out early in the year, a lot of people will walk, maybe they have “illusions of grandeur “ That quickly disappear and then come in and claim they can’t play without a cart. Selling out every tee times shows people can walk if they have to.

But getting back to pace of play. Middle of the summer, same amount of tee times, front 9 is 2.5 hours and back 9 is 2.5 - 3 hours. This past weekend, front 9 was 1.5 hours and back was 2 hours. Walking. Mid summer, not a sole walks. People look at me in disbelief when I tell them but then when I tell them the reasons, ( driving all over the place for no reason, drinking, smoking, sitting). Then they say ..” ohhhhh”
Click to expand...
Yeah, it's a little chilly, so they play to get done. Middle of summer, no one is in a hurry, as its light till almost 9:00pm. Walking, "most" folks just go to their ball, as long as they are not in line of sight of the next player to swing. A lot of folks just want to get their season started this early to work out the kinks now...
 
DaBuckBoys said:
Interesting. Early season, cold weather golfers are probably a more serious group than the summer, fair weather folks. Just a guess.
Any idea what the breakdown was between carriers and trolleys? A guess? Just curious...
Click to expand...
No idea on pull carts. But again, it’s just people playing golf the way it’s supposed to be done. Golf first…
 
I often play with a group that has the first tee times booked on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. We will typically play as foursomes with carts in under 3 hours. Since we have so many members that own our own carts, we will most often have 4 carts per group. This allows each of us to proceed directly to our balls (unless one is directly in line with another), so we are ready to hit our shots as soon as it’s our turn.

Now, we aren’t racing, and we don’t have anywhere to go when we are done (typically). We just don’t like screwing around. We are there to play golf. When we get to the clubhouse, we sit and figure out bets, socialize, have a beer or coffee or something, and generally hang out.

Those are very enjoyable rounds. Especially in the summer when we can get our round in, and even get home and mow the lawn before the real heat of the day hits.
 
I agree, I love a perfectly paced round. You're not rushing, you're not moving slow. The group ahead is moving away just as you're ready to hit, and the group behind is never pressing.

Of course that happens about 1 round in a year, so I enjoy it when it comes.
 
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