We've launched the new forums! Read more here

What pace of play begins to materially affect your scoring?

Tenputt

Tenputt

Well-known member
Albatross 2024 Club
Joined
Apr 15, 2017
Messages
18,399
Reaction score
24,224
Location
Utah
Handicap
GHIN 5.4
The affect of the pandemic on the popularity of golf has been a good thing, I suppose. However, I go out a lot as a single and I have never had a year when I have encountered so many people who simply are not ready to be on a course yet, but have no awareness of how their inability to advance the ball affects others.

Two rounds ago, I went out with a father who was with two young sons. The two sons were sharing a set of clubs, which should never happen. One of the two boys had never been on a course before. Sometimes, he would take three or four swings at the ball before even making contact. He simply was not ready to be on a real course yet. Yesterday, I was paired with a couple. They had never played this particular course and were walking. This course is a very difficult walk. She simply was not in the physical condition to be walking this particular course. It would take her forever to get to her next shot and, obviously huffing and puffing, she would struggle to make good contact. In the meantime, the guy would sometimes take 8 or 10 shots to get from tee to green and would have to take time to look thoroughly for every ball he hit into the brush or trees.

This kind of play truly makes me feel tense to the point that I allow it to affect my game. Does anybody have any tips for how you deal with this, other than only play when you can fill out your own foursome, which would really limit the number of rounds I could play.
 
Last edited:
 
I try to move the group along, but there comes a point where it’s affecting the entire course that you need to be firm.

I’ve posted before that in the past pace of place has negatively impacted score and round, but from a mental toughness aspect I’m trying to be better and focusing my stress to things I can control.

If it was my home course, I would just leave them behind and push forward as a single
 
If all my passive suggestions and nudges don't work I'll just tell people they're too slow.
Ironically I think it has made me more friends than it has cost me.
 
I don't have any tips on how to deal with it, but I feel your pain. Slow play within my own group throws me off too. I get frustrated with the slow player(s), and then I rush my own shots in an effort to try to make up for their slowness - and if we start getting pushed from behind, I rush even more and the result is never good.

I mostly play with the same group of guys, all of who are reasonably fast, efficient golfers, but occasionally one (or more) of us will bring guests who aren't necessarily on the same page. That's usually when things slow down. There are a few friends of friends who are great guys and I enjoy their company in the social sense, but I cringe inwardly when I hear that they're going to be playing with us because I know they're slower than turtles. I already have a bad round (score-wise) chalked up in my head before the first ball is ever in the air.
 
ArmyGolf said:
If all my passive suggestions and nudges don't work I'll just tell people they're too slow.
Ironically I think it has made me more friends than it has cost me.
Click to expand...
I actually quietly spoke to the dad at the end of the round about how there are reasons for rules requiring every player to have his/her own set of clubs. This same threesome did not repair even one ball mark either. I spent the round repairing everybody’s marks and it did not seem to register.
 
1st hole :LOL:. I can tell it's going to be a long day as soon as I get to the tee box and it immediately starts to affect me.
 
The more I read about "pandemic golf," the less I feel I missed this year.

What kind of facility was this out of curiosity?

The course has to set SOME sort of standard in the shop, and the first tee, and the turn.
Letting people out to share clubs, etc. is generally against the stated/posted rules even at a muni, and should not be allowed.
You can rent a set if you need to.

It would mean better pace of play, and a little more revenue.
Bad management is bad management, and I hope it is more in the minority of clubs, than the norm. They will reap what is sowed.
 
I'm a new golfer. "New" as in just started swinging clubs and taking lessons back in June of this year. Having golfers next door, on both sides, one directly across the street, and having paid attention over the years, I knew pace was a thing. So I took lessons and practiced for nearly four months before hitting a course.

And I'm still slow as molasses on a cold winter's day compared to more experienced golfers.

If we see people waiting for us to clear the fairway/green so they can continue we'll hit simultaneously to the extent we can. I'll hurry it up to the point of even skipping putting entirely. But then here's what happens: I feel the pressure to move along smartly and it hurts my game. Badly. So badly I begin to play even worse, which slows me down even more. So badly I've actually occasionally considered telling those with whom I'm playing I'll just sit the rest out, because then it's not fun, anymore, and certainly not productive to my improving my skills. (I've not done so because I know it'll bum out the people I'm playing with, because they want me to have a good time, too.)

Yes, we let people/groups play through, even when we know if means we'll have to wait. But how often can you do that w/o a 4-1/2 hour game becoming six hours?

I'm becoming more used to the course rhythm, having players "pushing" us, and not letting it affect my play as badly, but how am I ever going to improve, speed my game up, if I can't ever learn? I won't learn by hurrying shots and skipping holes.

(Btw: Last time I played we allowed one group to play through after nine. Then we had another behind us that, at one point, teed off while we were still on the fairway. We spotted one of their balls not far from ours. When we cleared the green I asked my friend if we should let them play through. "Hell no," he replied. [He was mightily annoyed they drove on us.])

While I appreciate you having a rhythm to your game and slower players disturbing it, please understand: I paid a greens fee, too. Unless I'm clearly wasting time, do I not have as much right as the next person to enjoy my time on the course? Because, if I don't, I've chosen the wrong new hobby :(

ETA: To clarify: I realize this is not quite the same thing as that about which you were writing, @Tenputt. I guess your post just struck something of a nerve.
 
Last edited:
When significant amounts of waiting happens it gets on my nerves.

But if there is good conversation going on, it's not a big deal. But I guess with those it doesn't feel like waiting.

Really even on a quick round. If there is a disparity of pace it can still feel off. Today I had a 3.5 hour round, but it still felt like I was waiting for my my group a lot.
 
Tenputt said:
Two rounds ago, I went out with a father who was with two young sons. The two sons were sharing a set of clubs, which should never happen.
Click to expand...

Curious as to why two youth golfers can’t share a set of clubs? I get why at least one of them should have been on the range more prior to going out, but what antiquated thinking leads to let’s say a couple competent youth golfers not being able to share clubs, assuming pace is kept? I’m not being argumentative, I genuinely wonder why this is a requirement?

FWIW my kids shared a set until they were old enough to play with “real clubs”. We had two sets of the same youth clubs but since they weren’t old enough to drive a cart we took one bag. They each had their own wedge and putter in it, but it was one bag. One course actually made us rent clubs (a par 3) that we told them wouldn’t be hit (the woods were wooden and the irons blades) but since it was course policy my oldest boy ended up carrying a nice 60’s era bag around, lol. At least it was only a 5.00 rental.
 
As to the original question, if I’m waiting every shot. That’s when my round gets messed up. I expect an occasional wait but waiting 5-10 minutes on every shot is not good.
 
MaybeDuffer said:
I'm a new golfer. "New" as in just started swinging clubs and taking lessons back in June of this year. Having golfers next door, on both sides, one directly across the street, and having paid attention over the years, I knew pace was a thing. So I took lessons and practiced for nearly four months before hitting a course.

And I'm still slow as molasses on a cold winter's day compared to more experienced golfers.

If we see people waiting for us to clear the fairway/green so they can continue we'll hit simultaneously to the extent we can. I'll hurry it up to the point of even skipping putting entirely. But then here's what happens: I feel the pressure to move along smartly and it hurts my game. Badly. So badly I begin to play even worse, which slows me down even more. So badly I've actually occasionally considered telling those with whom I'm playing I'll just sit the rest out, because then it's not fun, anymore, and certainly not productive to my improving my skills. (I've not done so because I know it'll bum out the people I'm playing with, because they want me to have a good time, too.)

Yes, we let people/groups play through, even when we know if means we'll have to wait. But how often can you do that w/o a 4-1/2 hour game becoming six hours?

I'm becoming more used to the course rhythm, having players "pushing" us, and not letting it affect my play as badly, but how am I ever going to improve, speed my game up, if I can't ever learn? I won't learn by hurrying shots and skipping holes.

(Btw: Last time I played we allowed one group to play through after nine. Then we had another behind us that, at one point, teed off while we were still on the fairway. We spotted one of their balls not far from ours. When we cleared the green I asked my friend if we should let them play through. "Hell no," he replied. [He was mightily annoyed they drove on us.])

While I appreciate you having a rhythm to your game and slower players disturbing it, please understand: I paid a greens fee, too. Unless I'm clearly wasting time, do I not have as much right as the next person to enjoy my time on the course? Because, if I don't, I've chosen the wrong new hobby :(
Click to expand...
I have a friend who's in nearly the exact same situation as you. If he gets really out of shape on a hole, he'll usually take a drop with one of us in a better position and play from there, or if he's completely out of the hole he'll pick his ball up and rejoin us on the green to putt (all of us usually do the same thing in casual rounds when we're out of the hole and are going to end up net double bogey or worse). By dropping with one of us he still gets to enjoy the round without having to skip half of every hole, and it keeps the pace of play up.

He's an efficient golfer otherwise - his pre-shot routine is good, he knows to play ready golf and he limits his search for lost balls (probably even more than a lot of other players do!) and moves on quickly. He's learned a lot of the little tips that help with pace of play, so he doesn't have to rush his actual shots and can enjoy the round along with the rest of us. Sure, he takes a few more strokes than everybody else, but still plays as fast (or faster!) than a lot of golfers who are better than him because he's learned to be efficient - not hurried, but efficient.
 
Yeah, @Snowman, that's the kind of thing I meant when I referred to the "rhythm" of course play. My playing partners and I have done all those things, except I'm more inclined to spend my time getting on the green and skip putting, as my irons need more work and I simply love chipping.
 
MaybeDuffer said:
Yeah, @Snowman, that's the kind of thing I meant when I referred to the "rhythm" of course play. My playing partners and I have done all those things, except I'm more inclined to spend my time getting on the green and skip putting, as my irons need more work and I simply love chipping.
Click to expand...

Being aware that it can be an issue is more than a lot of veteran golfers think. You’ve learned well young padawan.

What I really dislike is being stuck on a slow course and the group (or person, right @Hamfist ) hits into you while you’re waiting on a green to clear. I get it if we’re in a Valley but if I can see you on the tee and you fly one into me, and I’m in an easy landing range, I tend to get grumpy about that.

Not real grumpy but put my hat on my club and twirl it around unhappy. Especially a couple days after taking one in the nards on the course.
 
Pace of play is no big deal to me. Rabbit, average, or snail, it is what it is. Been around for ever, and will continue to be around forever, unless drastic changes to the game are made.

Like others, I don't care for slow play. I just deal with what ever the pace is. I have a great pre-shot routine that handles all speeds of play.

I'm not one to blame poor play on my part on other's pace of play.
 
Smiter said:
As to the original question, if I’m waiting every shot. That’s when my round gets messed up. I expect an occasional wait but waiting 5-10 minutes on every shot is not good.
Click to expand...

same here: waiting 5-10 minutes messes horribly with my game. This gets worse if you see what the slow players do: one gazillion practice swings (at least more than 10.. no really) which results in another topped ball going 10m, searching for lost balls to save a few coins on new ones (if you see them and can reach them, fine, else do not explicitly look if others are already waiting), not playing ready Golf if the course is already congested, excessive green reading per player and stroke.
everyone is there to have a great time. Heck, I am still a beginner myself. Yet, I do know when to hurry up and properly pace my play. Even my not-even-a-teenager-yet son knows how and when to make for a better pace of play!
Unfortunately I do not have a proper answer to the initial question. If possible, go back and play another round on the previous hole (been there, done that). Do practice swings, keep your body warm, nice and relaxed. Talk to your after-following flight. Just try not to let the flight in front get into your mind and f*** around with your mental game. In the end, it’s up to you to decide whether you will grow in this situation or if you maybe even leave the course and inform the pro shop / reception of the club about the flight‘s behavior (worked wonders a few times in my club).
 
WLG1952 said:
I'm not one to blame poor play on my part on other's pace of play.
Click to expand...

C’mon, it’s a great excuse though, lol!!

Me: I can’t possibly suck this much, it’s gotta be because of XYZ.

No, I suck but I leave my options open as far as blame. Ha.
 
Smiter said:
As to the original question, if I’m waiting every shot. That’s when my round gets messed up. I expect an occasional wait but waiting 5-10 minutes on every shot is not good.
Click to expand...
It may be strange, but my tolerance for that depends on the situation. If the group ahead of us is slow because they're being idiots and there are open holes ahead of them, it's frustrating because it's so easily remedied - speed up or let us play through. If the whole course is packed and I can see that all the holes ahead of us are full, I'm more likely to just resign myself to it and chill out.

Super slow play like that screws with my rhythm, but I can find ways to make it more tolerable - socialize with the group, chip around the tee boxes, wipe my clubs down, grab a snack, whatever. It still messes with the flow, but the less I let it get in my head the better off I am.
 
I think it's like being late in heavy traffic. If you rush at all, it just makes the stop and go and waiting seem worse. So I try to relax into it when I realize it's going to be slow. Not that I'm great at that. I tend to tune out and lose my edge as it drags. I did pretty well at it a couple days ago, but still left after 15 holes. Pretty sure we were past the 4+ hr mark before that. Second time this year I've quit early because of pace. Like @OITW said, I probably would have gone ahead of them if possible. If not, just gotta decide what's best for you if you're trying to score, and what's best for you on the rest of it (helping and teaching newer players and stuff) that day. Definitely raises my scores a little bit either way usually. It's hard to get in and stay in a groove, and spreading hefty concern/focus over the whole group can leave me a little thin.
 
Last edited:
I’m erratic enough that identifying pace of play as a cause for a poor round is pretty much impossible. I can say that my best rounds have come when waiting was at a minimum.
 
I really feel it too in similar situations and have never found a great way to push people along. Emotionally, it hurts my game and focus. Physically, slow play doesn’t impact much because I use the down time stretching and jumping around. I refuse to stay still and get tight. But the emotional toll is real
 
I hear your pain...and it is real, all of it. At the same time, I personally am compelled for the good of the game to help these newbies along. We need new players and I think you were correct in your description. There are a lot these new players don't know or do not consider. For me, I try to help them along and be patient.

Where I live we have some short tracks that are excellent places for beginners to first play. We have active 1st Tee programs and a couple of courses, while they don't have 1st Tee, nevertheless have excellent beginner programs for kids and adults. Most beginners don't know about these resources and options. They are fumbling their way into the game the best they know how. I've also mentioned this before. When I take out first timers or newbies I always tell them there are two goals for the day: have fun and keep up with the group in front of us. If we keep pace, no one will care how you are playing. Golf is a game. It's challenging, but the whole point is to have fun.

When you show an interest in new players enjoyment and success they respond favorably and we gain new lifetime players of this wonderful game we love.
 
MaybeDuffer said:
I'm a new golfer. "New" as in just started swinging clubs and taking lessons back in June of this year. Having golfers next door, on both sides, one directly across the street, and having paid attention over the years, I knew pace was a thing. So I took lessons and practiced for nearly four months before hitting a course.

And I'm still slow as molasses on a cold winter's day compared to more experienced golfers.

If we see people waiting for us to clear the fairway/green so they can continue we'll hit simultaneously to the extent we can. I'll hurry it up to the point of even skipping putting entirely. But then here's what happens: I feel the pressure to move along smartly and it hurts my game. Badly. So badly I begin to play even worse, which slows me down even more. So badly I've actually occasionally considered telling those with whom I'm playing I'll just sit the rest out, because then it's not fun, anymore, and certainly not productive to my improving my skills. (I've not done so because I know it'll bum out the people I'm playing with, because they want me to have a good time, too.)

Yes, we let people/groups play through, even when we know if means we'll have to wait. But how often can you do that w/o a 4-1/2 hour game becoming six hours?

I'm becoming more used to the course rhythm, having players "pushing" us, and not letting it affect my play as badly, but how am I ever going to improve, speed my game up, if I can't ever learn? I won't learn by hurrying shots and skipping holes.

(Btw: Last time I played we allowed one group to play through after nine. Then we had another behind us that, at one point, teed off while we were still on the fairway. We spotted one of their balls not far from ours. When we cleared the green I asked my friend if we should let them play through. "Hell no," he replied. [He was mightily annoyed they drove on us.])

While I appreciate you having a rhythm to your game and slower players disturbing it, please understand: I paid a greens fee, too. Unless I'm clearly wasting time, do I not have as much right as the next person to enjoy my time on the course? Because, if I don't, I've chosen the wrong new hobby :(

ETA: To clarify: I realize this is not quite the same thing as that about which you were writing, @Tenputt. I guess your post just struck something of a nerve.
Click to expand...
I understand your situation. I don’t believe that how you describe yourself is what I was attempting to convey. You are mindful of etiquette. I also understand that all of us were beginners at some point.

I don’t think that somebody has to be skilled to sustain a decent pace of play. Yesterday, the front 9 took more than two and a half hours. For a casual, Saturday afternoon round, it cannot be justified by anybody, regardless of the fact that they, too, paid their green fees.

Golf is not like fishing, pickle ball or other sports where doing it the way you want Has little impact on a large number of others. If it repeatedly is taking somebody four swings even to make contact with the ball, it seems evident that the person is not quite ready yet to be on a course, and, in particular, a course that is up and down with a 130 slope rating.

When I first began playing. I played many rounds at par 3 courses, executive courses and 9 hole courses. I waited to move on until I felt comfortable playing 550 yard par 5s. This sounds like you. You mentioned you waited four months to go to an actual course.

Even as a single digit index player, there are times when I just pick my ball up. Once somebody has taken 15 shots on a particular hole, mindfulness of others would suggest that it might be time to pick up. I think it is more an issue of simply being aware that what we are doing truly does affect others. I hope this makes sense, because I truly am not trying to be rude about it or make it difficult for somebody else to learn to love the game.
 
It’s not really pace of play, though anything over 4 hours for a foursome is unacceptable, it’s whether I’m waiting on every shot or not.

Recently had a round that took 4.5 hours, which is normally tolerable, but felt like a 6 hour round because the group in front of us fell behind the groups in front of them from the second hole and were oblivious to the fact they were holding up people behind them. Finally skipped 2 holes to get around them after the 5th hole, FIVE HOLES, because they were that far behind the group ahead.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top