What is the primary reason for slow play?

[robs1964]

I CC I belong too allows 5 somes to play, as they don't want to upset members, and they are usually walkers that play for money and will not let you play through. There will be 3 open holes in front of them and 4 foursomes backed up behind them. They are slow, and to make matters worse they will be lying 6 on a par 4 and line a putt up from every direction like its to win the US Open.
I will simply skip a hole and drive around them, and when I do, they give me the stink eye or say, you can't do that. My simple reply to them: well if you weren't playing so slow backing up the entire course, I wouldn't have too; then I throw a couples old balls to them and say, this way you won't spend 10 minutes looking in the woods for your shanked drives (it pisses them off)

 

[golfinnut]

I love all of the opinions in this thread .... it's an enjoyable read every few days.

 

[Mattattack]

Had a thought this morning, as I rushed my 4ft putt and missed.

We say EVERY shot counts. and that people who dont hole out dont have honest hcs.

YET, we push people to rush their short putts and give them **** for lining them up and slowing down play.

 

[5150]

Had a thought this morning, as I rushed my 4ft putt and missed.

We say EVERY shot counts. and that people who dont hole out dont have honest hcs.

YET, we push people to rush their short putts and give them **** for lining them up and slowing down play.

Yeah...

Lately I have noticed that when I follow my routine - most of which I do unobtrusively while others are putting, so I'm ready when it's my turn - when I get up over the ball, I find my thoughts drifting to "Hurry up; everyone's waiting on you."

Doesn't help my putting to think that way, that's for sure.

I'm working on balance: be ready, don't take longer than needed, but don't rush either.

 

[rollin]

Had a thought this morning, as I rushed my 4ft putt and missed.

We say EVERY shot counts. and that people who dont hole out dont have honest hcs.

YET, we push people to rush their short putts and give them **** for lining them up and slowing down play.

not rush the putt itself at all,....but how about simply finishing up the 4 footer after lagging from 25? And also putting out of turn via whos ever ready? how about letting the player who is already ready to putt go ahead and do so before you walk to your 4 footer just to pick it up. Heck,...depending on angles and distances many times we can almost (i did say almost) sort of multi putt as a group. All that stuff and probably a couple more things can easily be done without rushing the actual putt itself at all. In fact none of it is rushing but is only moving about more efficiently.

 

[InTheRough]

I've played behind groups, and I know our own group. We all move well until someone has a blowup hole. Also if you lose a ball, use the "local rule" for lost balls regardless of whether your course has it implemented - it's a drop two club lengths on the fairway at point of entry no nearer the hole + 2 strokes - just approximate it in casual play and play on.

Know what your net DB score is. If you're one stroke below that score and are still not at least chipping, pick up. Why suffer? Why hold up play? You can't report anything more than net DB anyway. All you're doing is adding to your frustration. Unless of course you're playing in a tournament or league medal. And just because you don't have a HC doesn't mean it's par + 5 strokes as in the rules. If you shoot in the low 90s it's a triple bogey: a 6 on a par 3; 7 on a par 4; 8 on a par 5.

 

[CBaker]

"Usually" unawareness & improper on course knowledge.

Quoting for truth. It's just typically being unaware and not understanding how to play ready golf/be ready for your turn. Or cart path only...that always does it.

If you do everything else right, the greens won't slow you up too much for overall time. Playing the wrong tees still shouldn't really hold you up unless you're just constantly looking for your ball in the long grass or ob. And I'll play just fine even after a few adult pops. Just be aware of whats going on and understand the general etiquette and the round will move just fine.

 

[jvbart]

One of our favorite courses is normally a 4.5 hour round on Saturdays which I have learned to accept. Last weekend our round took 5 hours 20 minutes. The groups ahead of us took forever on the greens (not playing ready and marking putts 2 ft from the hole) but as we learned on the back 9 they were just adjusting to the pace. There was a group 5-6 groups up causing a massive backlog on the whole course. Coming up 15 we saw 3 groups waiting to tee off on 17. They were all laying down getting an ab workout in joking about how slow the group in front was (the group on the green there was the one holding everyone up). It's amazing to me how inconsiderate people have to be to hold up 100+ people on the course and not feel like you need to pick it up. I would pay a 20$ fee per round to pay extra marshals to strictly enforce a 4 hour pace.

 

[Nappy]

At my home course it depends on the situation.

If it's league the hold up is usually guys not wanting to drop and spending too much time looking for their ball. Usually alcohol can get out of hand too if someone is having a bad round. We like our drinks in Wisconsin.

If it's a golf outing/fundraiser I usually see the same thing every time. The best dressed guy on the course with the nicest clubs, the range finder and lots of drinks - and then he continues to spray balls everywhere. Now I'm not against new clubs, nice clothes or technology, but most times this guy is never prepared and takes a long time to set up his next shot or putt. I agree with being ready to golf, and also knowing the situation.

I hate being in the group that is holding up play and I'm OK with taking a drop and moving things along.

 

[Bernoulli]

One of our favorite courses is normally a 4.5 hour round on Saturdays which I have learned to accept. Last weekend our round took 5 hours 20 minutes. The groups ahead of us took forever on the greens (not playing ready and marking putts 2 ft from the hole) but as we learned on the back 9 they were just adjusting to the pace. There was a group 5-6 groups up causing a massive backlog on the whole course. Coming up 15 we saw 3 groups waiting to tee off on 17. They were all laying down getting an ab workout in joking about how slow the group in front was (the group on the green there was the one holding everyone up). It's amazing to me how inconsiderate people have to be to hold up 100+ people on the course and not feel like you need to pick it up. I would pay a 20$ fee per round to pay extra marshals to strictly enforce a 4 hour pace.

Run into this frequently where one group on the course backs up the entire course. A few weeks ago, thought the group in front of us was really slow. It turned out that there was a foursome three holes ahead that was at least a hole and a half behind. It was frustrating as their actions backed up every group behind them.

 

[Bosco...]

 

[5150]

Had my patience tested in league tonight…

One of our opponents - we’ll call him Bob - cannot put his phone down.

On our 8th hole tonight we had all teed off except Bob while he stayed in the cart goofing with his phone. I finally called over to him that it was his turn.

Next hole, we all tee off. His partner is in the weeds. I find my ball, help my partner find his in the trees, turn around and - there’s Bob, goofing on the phone in his cart, while his teammate looks for his ball. I walked back 50y and found his teammates’ ball for him while he was totally oblivious.

It was tough keeping him out of my head. Wanted to let him have it but just shook it off.

 

[goalie]

I CC I belong too allows 5 somes to play, as they don't want to upset members, and they are usually walkers that play for money and will not let you play through. There will be 3 open holes in front of them and 4 foursomes backed up behind them. They are slow, and to make matters worse they will be lying 6 on a par 4 and line a putt up from every direction like its to win the US Open.
I will simply skip a hole and drive around them, and when I do, they give me the stink eye or say, you can't do that. My simple reply to them: well if you weren't playing so slow backing up the entire course, I wouldn't have too; then I throw a couples old balls to them and say, this way you won't spend 10 minutes looking in the woods for your shanked drives (it pisses them off)

I hated to break this to you, but your CC doesn't have any problem upsetting it's members. It has a problem upsetting THOSE members......

No way I'd pay to be a member there

 

[Bosco...]

It was tough keeping him out of my head. Wanted to let him have it but just shook it off.

Some folks treat golf like buying groceries, others like an escape.

I just prefer to play.

 

[robs1964]

I hated to break this to you, but your CC doesn't have any problem upsetting it's members. It has a problem upsetting THOSE members......

No way I'd pay to be a member there

Exactly, don't want to upset those members. On the brighter side, I upset those members when I am stuck behind them every single time.

 

[tommyhaka]

Just played in a local tournament, and the director announced that the p-o-p was expected to be 4h 15m.

 

[Rummpd]

I can walk 18 with 4 in 3 hours. They should just kick players immediately off course if more than 4. Lining up putts for minutes they clang not even close is my biggest gripe.

 

[Et Tu Brute?]

The main reason is not on the poll. It's because some people want to be out there 4-1/2 to 5 hours every time they play a round of golf.

The pace of play on a full or nearly full golf course is determined by the slowest foursome out there on any given day. All it takes is one foursome who want and expect a round to take five hours and voila, everyone behind them will take five hours. Unless of course someone makes them speed up but that almost never happens in my experience.

 

[El Rayo X]

Is there a consensus on expected time to complete a round?
I only ask because I hear people complaining about 4hr rounds on full length ( Championship) courses.
I played with some guys who were always in a hurry, and it bugged the crap out of me. One of the guys was upset one morning because he had to wait for the green to clear before he hit his 2nd shot on a par five. He was so bummed he just quit. These guys expect to play in 3-3:15 if they're off in the first 3-5 groups. Sometimes seems like they're shooting for 2:30....lol.
I'm not a slow player, but I expect to be on the course on a weekday at least 3:30, weekend 4 hrs. I'm ready to play when it's my turn, but I take a little time on the greens.

 

[rollin]

Is there a consensus on expected time to complete a round?
I only ask because I hear people complaining about 4hr rounds on full length ( Championship) courses.
I played with some guys who were always in a hurry, and it bugged the crap out of me. One of the guys was upset one morning because he had to wait for the green to clear before he hit his 2nd shot on a par five. He was so bummed he just quit. These guys expect to play in 3-3:15 if they're off in the first 3-5 groups. Sometimes seems like they're shooting for 2:30....lol.
I'm not a slow player, but I expect to be on the course on a weekday at least 3:30, weekend 4 hrs. I'm ready to play when it's my turn, but I dake a little time on the greens.

they cant wait to go play just so they can quickly finish. kind of contradicting and even a moot point imo.

I recall a round where (i was a single) within a 4some and we played in about a bit less than 330 at one our munis. The one guy says...."now thats how to play a round of golf" so i said in return....."but now my golf is over for the week and I still want to be out there enjoying it a bit more".
he was simply more happy and concerned about being a pace setter than he was about playing the game itself. Just gets ridiculous the other way some times.

 

[Et Tu Brute?]

they cant wait to go play just so they can quickly finish. kind of contradicting and even a moot point imo.

I recall a round where (i was a single) within a 4some and we played in about a bit less than 330 at one our munis. The one guy says...."now thats how to play a round of golf" so i said in return....."but now my golf is over for the week and I still want to be out there enjoying it a bit more".
he was simply more happy and concerned about being a pace setter than he was about playing the game itself. Just gets ridiculous the other way some times.

If you're done in 3-1/2 hours and haven't had enough fun yet, go play another round.

It only takes a couple of hours to actually play a round of golf. The rest of it is standing (or sitting) around waiting. Some of us really, really, really like playing golf but don't especially like standing around waiting to play. It's unfortunate that the game has evolved to the point where everything is clogged up by people who basically want to be on the golf course as long as possible with a couple hours of golf scattered in there along the way.

There are plenty of people like me but unfortunately we seem to be a minority now. When I hit a shot, I'm looking forward to the next shot. When I finish a hole I'm looking forward to teeing off on the next hole. I don't hit a shot and then look forward to a few minutes dinking around shooting the breeze or smoking a cigar or fiddling with my phone or watching someone go through their inane "routine" of practice swings and twitches they're copying from what they saw on TV.

Someone who want their round to be golf and only golf can't force the rest of the people on the course to let him do that. But everyone who wants their "golf" to include several hours of miscellaneous procrastination CAN force everyone behind them to play at their face. That's the basic inequity of the game and why it's a race to the bottom pace of play wise.

 

[rollin]

If you're done in 3-1/2 hours and haven't had enough fun yet, go play another round.

It only takes a couple of hours to actually play a round of golf. The rest of it is standing (or sitting) around waiting. Some of us really, really, really like playing golf but don't especially like standing around waiting to play. It's unfortunate that the game has evolved to the point where everything is clogged up by people who basically want to be on the golf course as long as possible with a couple hours of golf scattered in there along the way.

There are plenty of people like me but unfortunately we seem to be a minority now. When I hit a shot, I'm looking forward to the next shot. When I finish a hole I'm looking forward to teeing off on the next hole. I don't hit a shot and then look forward to a few minutes dinking around shooting the breeze or smoking a cigar or fiddling with my phone or watching someone go through their inane "routine" of practice swings and twitches they're copying from what they saw on TV.

Someone who want their round to be golf and only golf can't force the rest of the people on the course to let him do that. But everyone who wants their "golf" to include several hours of miscellaneous procrastination CAN force everyone behind them to play at their face. That's the basic inequity of the game and why it's a race to the bottom pace of play wise.

To your first sentence,.....And if golf in 4hrs is not fun enough, forced, and unnecessary aggravation for you then perhaps you might consider taking up some other hobby that is fun.
But there is a lot wrong imo with some the things you mention in the post including exaggeration.
I do not at all feel most the slow play issues are due to folks doing things other than golf. Sure sometimes some people can be like that but for the most part its just slow players, and very often its greens playing that is a huge detriment. And a lot of that is done by serious players who are not out there doing any other things other than the golf itself.

 

[TDG2019]

What causes slow play?

Looking for lost golf balls!!!

For some it is as if they are searching for the Holy Grail.

...and not playing "ready golf"

 

[Sean]

Some people seem to be clueless at best, and rude at worst. They don't care if there are two holes open in front of them, they don't care if there are groups stacked up behind them. They will meander at their snails pace and everyone else be damned.

 

[jints07]

Write in: Having no idea or courtesy of how to keep moving along and in my experience skill level has zero to do with pace of play

• Pace of play problems arise from lazy people sitting in the cart watching their cart mate take their shot and then driving to their own ball 25 yards away
• They also arise from guys nowhere near each other worrying about whose turn it is to hit from 175
• And from spending absurd amounts of time looking for balls in completely unplayable areas
• And worrying about which 35 footer is further from hole when putting
• Or marking scores standing on the green when their is a group behind

If you're not hitting you almost always should be moving forward.... plenty of room on the acres that make up a golf hole to keep moving and not be distracting to your playing partners.