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Tips for Speeding Up Play

mrvandelay

mrvandelay

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Location
Saint Augustine, FL
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10.3
https://twitter.com/hackersparadise/status/413314143668547584

In addition to buying a rangefinder, what else do you folks do to keep your pace of play up?

Here's a few of mine:
  • When not in competition, play ready-golf. Doesn't matter who is away - just hit the ball when you're ready. (Assuming you aren't in anyone's way).
  • Record your score at the teebox for the previous hole rather than next to the green. This allows those behind you to hit into the green.
  • Take multiple clubs with you to your chip or pitch so you don't have to walk back to the cart to change clubs. Take your putter too!
  • Lay your clubs on the flagstick when on the green so you don't forget them and have to go back!
 
If you're riding, drop your partner off and go get ready to hit your ball. Hopefully he'll be able to handle the long walk back over to the cart.
 
Play the proper tee's, the "I paid so I am going to play where ever I want" is total BS. I played behind some guys last week it was slow so we watched them tee off quite a bit, on every hole one guy was hitting ground balls, right into the water, it was crazy i had no idea how that was enjoyable for him, his playing partners were ok, but still could have easily moved up to a tee box
 
Get your yardage in the fairway while others are hitting their shots, and read your putts while others are putting. Don't wait until it is your turn to go through your entire routine.

Also, if you are walking, put your bag in the direction of the next tee when you get to the green. Same applies for clubs other than your putter around the green, put them in the direction you are going to walk off the green whether you are walking or in a cart. No point in having to walk away from the next hole just to retrieve your bag or stray clubs.
 
Tips for Speeding Up Play

Don't waste time looking for lost balls. Take a penalty and drop as if it's in a unplayable lie or take a free drop and pretend it went in a gopher hole.

If you're absolutely dead-set on playing by the rules perfectly, then you need to hit a provisional if your ball is in question.

I give myself 1 minute to look, max.
 
jhstew1 said:
Play the proper tee's, the "I paid so I am going to play where ever I want" is total BS. I played behind some guys last week it was slow so we watched them tee off quite a bit, on every hole one guy was hitting ground balls, right into the water, it was crazy i had no idea how that was enjoyable for him, his playing partners were ok, but still could have easily moved up to a tee box
Click to expand...

My last round my girlfriend and I got partnered with a random and his girlfriend. At the number 1 tee box I asked which tees he played from. " I'm a long hitter so I play from the blues" ... so since my handicap is borderline white/blue I elected to play the blues with him to make it easier. He was right about being long..omg he crushed the ball. Problem came in when it came to aiming his shots.
 
Don't act like you're playing in the masters and your 30 ft putt matters, putt it close and 2 putt it, then go to the next hole and do it again.
 
Trout Bum said:
Don't act like you're playing in the masters and your 30 ft putt matters, putt it close and 2 putt it, then go to the next hole and do it again.
Click to expand...

I like this one. See people, oh to often, trying to read it like they're going to make it 20-30% of the time.
 
I agree with most of these. I think the biggest thing is people trying not to be superman and play within their capabilities, Whether that be tee boxes, laying up when needed or just hurrying whenever possible


KG

Just Tapping Away
 
mrvandelay said:
In addition to buying a rangefinder, what else do you folks do to keep your pace of play up?

Here's a few of mine:
  • When not in competition, play ready-golf. Doesn't matter who is away - just hit the ball when you're ready. (Assuming you aren't in anyone's way).
  • Record your score at the teebox for the previous hole rather than next to the green. This allows those behind you to hit into the green.
  • Take multiple clubs with you to your chip or pitch so you don't have to walk back to the cart to change clubs. Take your putter too!
  • Lay your clubs on the flagstick when on the green so you don't forget them and have to go back!
Click to expand...

Trout Bum said:
Don't act like you're playing in the masters and your 30 ft putt matters, putt it close and 2 putt it, then go to the next hole and do it again.
Click to expand...

Hawk said:
If you're riding, drop your partner off and go get ready to hit your ball. Hopefully he'll be able to handle the long walk back over to the cart.
Click to expand...

all above is good and things I do. The putting situation can be the worst of them. Alot of time killed on greens by too many people imo.
I will add dont spend much time looking for balls. Take your loss after a couple minutes (not the whole 5 minutes) and move on.
 
jhstew1 said:
Play the proper tee's, the "I paid so I am going to play where ever I want" is total BS. I played behind some guys last week it was slow so we watched them tee off quite a bit, on every hole one guy was hitting ground balls, right into the water, it was crazy i had no idea how that was enjoyable for him, his playing partners were ok, but still could have easily moved up to a tee box
Click to expand...

There os too much diofferent opinon with this and a lot of misconception just what it means. I can come up with a hundred scenarios as to why it doesnt have to matter. I believe in playing the correct tees but it does not at all have to be the reason why things are slow. That guy can hit those same grounders from any tee.
 
Some great suggestions. I'm going to echo a few on ready golf, not taking forever on the green and, when riding, drop your playing partner at his ball. Also, if you have another group waiting, just a short 1 or 2 minute search for your ball.
 
All of these are great tips for playing faster. Ready golf is my favorite! And, please, please, please don't plumb bob those 30 footers. I actually saw an idiot plumb bob fifty yards off the green! He barely got it on the green 20 feet away! Caught that break, eh?
 
Ready golf and playing a yardage comparable to how far you hit it. If you only hit it 180 off the tee don't play the dang 6500 yd tees...you need to play the women's tees...suck it up and enjoy yourself.
 
For the most part, I play ready golf. Doing so rarely results in a 4 hour round, more around 3 hours, with a 4some unless it's busy. You waste a lot of time looking for balls that are in in tall grass where it's unlikely to find. Fast golf is fun golf.
 
If you are a "spray and pray" player, take 2 balls to the tee box.
Play ready golf.
Don't read the putt from 4 angles and then plumb bob and then remark your ball
Write the score on the next tee
Don't take 4 practice swings
 
Don't stand around to finish a long conversation or joke before moving to your ball to hit - "talk and walk," or piece it out on the tee between shots. We've got a buddy notorious for this and we have to always remind him to get moving, and finish his story on the next tee while we're waiting to tee off.
 
There's a ton of good guidelines here already but a couple more that come to mind for the common round:
If it's inside 3ft, it's a gimmie. Don't even think about putting (I personally like to finish out, but if the course is packed, this is an easy way to cut 15 minutes from a foursome round)
Triple bogey max. Regardless of where you are, if you get that number pickup and move on (If I'm not mistaken, many handicap indexes stop counting after that for individual holes anyway)
 
I usually play at sunrise because I go golfing alone (I know I need friends)
I also prefer to walk the course and strangely am often waiting on folks in a cart

One thing I do is carry my bag, even at our one local course that requires a cart be used. Thus I'm not walking back and forth from cart to ball.
I too like many here have said fill out my card at next t box not after the puttings done...

Since I golf alone primarily, I'm often paired out with other golfers :) this is fine
Anyone have suggestions on how to handle these two situations?

- being paired with a group that is beginners (I like that people are learning the game but I'm not a golf pro or coach) any suggestions about how to handle this and possibly speed them up

- this one I struggle with the most being grouped with someone or people who are super competitive. I play tons of golf but play it to relax. The other issue with these situations is it often becomes super slow because of the as previously mentioned "playing like at the Masters". I'm super quiet and shy by nature... Any suggestions of how to tone down the competition and get the round moving?

For the most part everyone I ever play with is amazing these are just two things my youth makes me struggle with handling


and then my Dad said, "well aren't you just buckets of fish guts"
 
I play ready golf....When it's my turn, I'm ready to hit. I'm just a quick player in general. I think one thing that really helps speed up play is putting out on a hole. Folks need to take their time and putt out, but don't mark it at 2 feet. Knock it in. I always see guys marking at 2 feet when they could have taken a second to get up to the ball...do their thing and knock it in. I also carry an extra ball marker for when someone forgets theirs. walking back to get one takes a while.
 
Don't live in denial. If you play golf, somewhere at some point in time, you were a slow player. Point is, if you ask a million players about slow play, all one million would point the dirty end of the stick at everyone but themselves. We have all been held up on the course and we all have held up someone on the course.

I've been playing for nearly 40 years. Rounds today take just as long as rounds did in then. Life is what has changed. We have gone and gotten in one big arse hurry.
 
I'm not sure about blaming everyone else , but I e said this before and I'll say it again. I might be a little scared to play with some of you..lol. By no means am I looking at every angle of e very putt. I generally know my distances so I'm not guessing clubs to take with me. I however have a routine on every shot. Every driver , iron , chip, wedge and putting although its different . Granted most of the time the ball goes forward and I don't hold others up. However, I pay to play and stick to what I have engrained...just me.
 
If you walk then move with a purpose between shots. I can walk and pretty much keep up with a cart at my local - because you are waiting between shots anyway.

If you ride get your stuff set up so you can grab what you need when you need it. Drive up to where you can shoot your distance before you get out and grab your club.
 
1. If your tee shot isnt perfect, just pick up the ball and move to the next hole.
2. and this is the most important. Don't worry about having fun, just get outta the way.
 
1. Always play ready golf.
2. Drop your partner off at his ball and then proceed to prepare for your shot. Walking across the fairway won't hurt. We all need a little exercise.
3. Limit the amount of practice swings.
4. Play only one ball.
5. Don't re-putt after the hole is over.


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