We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Pace of play - what do you think?

What do you think about the time this/he was taking?

  • That guy is what's wrong with golf.

    Votes: 16 26.2%

  • I like playing all day in the sand, too.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Seems reasonable if he was just about ready to hit.

    Votes: 1 1.6%

  • Seems a little long. Speed it up.

    Votes: 32 52.5%

  • If I'm ready, I'm going.

    Votes: 7 11.5%

  • Everyone needs more time on some shots. Have a heart.

    Votes: 2 3.3%

  • You just wanted to show off your birdie.

    Votes: 3 4.9%
  • Total voters
    61
If that is his normal routine I would say it's a bit long. But, I always lean towards having fun. I don't want my playing partner to feel rushed. If the course marshall puts us on the clock I would say something. If we are keeping pace with the group in front of us then I say take all the time you need.
 
Good putt! :)
 
Just film him next time and tell him you're putting it on the web so people can make fun of him.
 
I figured without even looking that you were the better and quicker player, lol. Nice putt btw.

As far as the slow play, I understand everyone is trying to do their best. I just wish more people knew a) how it effects other players and b) usually the slower you play and the more time you take does not improve your own play, although this is situation dependent and obviously somewhat subjective.

I have a little semi-rant about playing from the tips for mid-high handicaps.

Those who play the tips do so for one of two reasons, usually...


1. They want the biggest, true challenge to themselves. I enjoy playing many rounds from the tips on my own, because I know I'm going to get the toughest this course has to offer. (I'm a +1 for reference) There is a good chance it will expose certain areas of my game that I might not see from the white tees. Also, it's the closest to an amateur event for me. I like playing the tips the month of a tournament and in the summer.

2. They are playing the tips for reasons outside themselves-
"All good players must play from the tips"
"I don't want to look like less of a man playing from the white's"
"I want to show my buddy how big and tough I am"
This is probably the most seen reason. People play the tips for reasons other than a true challenge and the ability to self-diagnose game flaws. They want to be the big and bad tough guy. They are the 18 handicap that "averages 300 yards" and "just shot 78 yesterday" despite taking 7 mulligans.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you are a mid-high handicap looking to improve, you are better off playing the middle set of tee's. From here, the obvious benefits are enjoying the game more, scoring better, playing quicker, improving the pace of the whole course, etc.
But the big thing is if your looking to improve you can start off with a narrower list of things.
You will, if you decide to look, find many weak areas in your game inside 100 yards because your starting off closer to the hole.
This is what I did for the longest time. Heck, I'll go to an executive par 3 course from time to time and work more on my < 100 yard game.
Once you improve those skills, then expand out and play the tips.
You will continue to work on those skills while expanding other advanced skills presented to you from playing the tips, such as...
  • More long iron, fairway wood approaches
  • Longer fairway bunker shots
  • Longer greenside bunker shots
  • Longer, more demanding tee shots
  • Tournament-Style preparation
When you are a mid-high handicap, these things aren't primarily important for skill-development. You should be working on <100 yards, putting, avoiding penalties, etc.
When you get to a more advanced level, playing tee's further back presents a new and exciting challenge while exposing more flaws in your game.
 
*update


20200602_152139.jpg

I feel like we've been heard! Hahaha

THANK YOU for your assistance.
 
Last edited:
Wow, that's quite the response. Playing in a timely fashion is part of the game as well. You can't just take every second you want. Remember when basketball games were 9-6? It wasn't fun, just like playing with Bryson isn't fun either.
 
MattyD-MPLS said:
Wow, that's quite the response. Playing in a timely fashion is part of the game as well. You can't just take every second you want. Remember when basketball games were 9-6? It wasn't fun, just like playing with Bryson isn't fun either.
Click to expand...

He's not being serious. Well, mostly. He's like family, and he knows it's all from love. He will probably drink beer while his kids ride/drive the mower though.


Actually, there is a brand new member in this thread with an interesting response or two.... Is that you?
 
Last edited:
pdt816 said:
I need a WTF is that guy doing on the green when his playing partner is trying to get up and down option.


Sent from my Moto Z2 Play using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Had that been the case they’d still be playing.
I would’ve done the same and so would anyone else, if I’m not in their line and out of the way I’m lining up my putt. End of story..
 
I would have putted also. Probably would not have made it though. Lol. I go ahead and play quite often when playing partners are taking entirely too long to hit a shot or get to their ball.
 
I know I'm slow, but not that slow. The more I think about a shot the worse it becomes.
 
M_Monty23 said:
If you are a mid-high handicap looking to improve, you are better off playing the middle set of tee's. From here, the obvious benefits are enjoying the game more, scoring better, playing quicker, improving the pace of the whole course, etc.
But the big thing is if your looking to improve you can start off with a narrower list of things.
You will, if you decide to look, find many weak areas in your game inside 100 yards because your starting off closer to the hole.
This is what I did for the longest time. Heck, I'll go to an executive par 3 course from time to time and work more on my < 100 yard game.
Once you improve those skills, then expand out and play the tips.
You will continue to work on those skills while expanding other advanced skills presented to you from playing the tips, such as...
  • More long iron, fairway wood approaches
  • Longer fairway bunker shots
  • Longer greenside bunker shots
  • Longer, more demanding tee shots
  • Tournament-Style preparation
When you are a mid-high handicap, these things aren't primarily important for skill-development. You should be working on <100 yards, putting, avoiding penalties, etc.
When you get to a more advanced level, playing tee's further back presents a new and exciting challenge while exposing more flaws in your game.
Click to expand...
Firstly.....it depends what yardage the tips are. I mean there are 7300 yrd courses and there are 6300 yard courses. So tips doesnt always mean the same thing at all.
Secondly......tee choice (within reason) is about the least detrimental thing there is towards problematic slow play while for many folks greens play and antics around or on the greens are among the most detrimental towards being problematic slow. There are also many other things but too much to get into here. Point being tees are a the bottom of the list if even on it.

By your logic (and is not any new logic but imo very wrong) so many folks would never play a tee that suits their capable distance. Many would spend too many years and even decades before becoming efficient enough at everything before ever being able to move back. Many folks can have just as a hard time becoming efficient enough at anything and may never get consistent enough. You must remember as a scratch player you are one the lucky ones. Not at all can anyone get decent at golf not at all can anyone become even a 10 cap (im not even talking close to scratch) but still ant ever get to low/mid. Regardless the efforts and practice and lessons and time and money not at all can anyone get to even shoot in the 80's consistently. So with that,........ you cannot imply a player who can hit long enough (with his better half decent golf shots) that he then put his driver and likely 3 wood away via moving him up until such a time he gets much better improved at everything else. Thats not fair to all folks nor is it practical for all folks.

One needs to be able to play the game for what it is. And what the game is? is playing from tees based on his capable distance. Not for his best shots but for his well hit basic good tee shots. You cant place someone up to tees that force them to bag thier driver and 3w just because they struggle with consistency. When someone has the distance , and you move them up you will take the longest clubs out because they cant risk hitting through doglegs or etc if they hit a good one. And so what it does is take the longest clubs out of their bag.

You dont move folks up due to inconsistencies, you move them up due to lack of distance even when they are hitting well. Tee choice is distance based , not cap based. At least within reason. Skill plays 'some" role but its 80 to 90% distance based.
I diont play the tips at my courses. They are all about 7000 and I am just about long enough to play them but i dont because Im not consistent enough and I play the whites at about 6400 where i do not use driver on every hole but can on most. But with my cap and by your logic i should play the golds and probably even the reds. I can basically go and leave my driver, 3w, and even 5w, in the car cause i wont ever need them. The ideology imo is very flawed. Folks who are not long enough? where as even after a good tee shot they are still too far away is another story and those folks could (if they want) move up. But either way most ammateurs can spray balls from any tee. And very many us can shoot a 98 and still play in a very respectable pace and do so regardless the tee (within reason). I say within reason cause we need some litle bit of common sense. I mean we shouldn't play 7100 yards while even are decent to good tee shots are 210 yrds. But even then if one understands how to move along they still would not be a problem.
 
One needs to be able to play the game for what it is. And what the game is? is playing from tees based on his capable distance......
You don't move folks up due to inconsistencies, you move them up due to lack of distance even when they are hitting well. Tee choice is distance based , not cap based.
Click to expand...

I would argue that it's not just about distance for tee selection, but also skill level/consistency. Although anyone can play the tee's they wish.

I diont play the tips at my courses. They are all about 7000 and I am just about long enough to play them but i dont because Im not consistent enough and I play the whites at about 6400 where i do not use driver on every hole but can on most.
Click to expand...

It sounds like what your saying is that, you are a long enough to play the tips, but not quite consistent enough. And that possibly... when you become more consistent, you would then move back to the tips?
 
Last edited:
I’m sorry, but you haven’t experience slow play until you’ve played with my father in law. Walks up to the ball. Analyses the shot. Takes out his club. Analyses the shot again. Sets up to the ball. Takes 2 of the slowest practices swings you’ve ever seen and then hits...........unless one of his many anecdotes pops into his head, where he’ll step away from the ball, regale you with his tale then start the process all over again. Great guy, but AAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
 
Last edited:
I had a work partner (more like my boss) who played very slow, although he insisted that he didn't. One weekend, our Saturday foursome fell apart due to work issues with our two other company guys so we played as a twosome. Nothing but foursomes behind us and in front of us.

By hole number 6 there was a complete open hole ahead of us, and a foursome back on the tee waiting for his slow ass. I got to the point where I would hit a tee shot and grab and 2-3 irons along with my putter and just meet up with him on the green. He got really pissed off at me by hole 9 asking WTF was my hurry?

I made up some excuse and quit at the turn. From that day on I made up every excuse in the world to avoid his Saturday tee times.
 
M_Monty23 said:
I would argue that it's not just about distance for tee selection, but also skill level/consistency. Although anyone can play the tee's they wish.



It sounds like what your saying is that, you are a long enough to play the tips, but not quite consistent enough. And that possibly... when you become more consistent, you would then move back to the tips?
Click to expand...
yes is sort of what Im saying although id really have no reason to move back. But the point being is that tee selection is a tad ability based and is why i said "within reason" as for distance.

It imo is (lol "within reason") capable distance based and a small percentage ability based. Again...it is not fair nor practical to tell folks they should leave their drover , 3w and perhaps also 5w in the car just because they struggle to stay consistent. We can suggest it and if they are comfy with that then ok, but if one ever begins to dictate it imo would be an issue and is imo wrong.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top