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Natalie Gulbis - Slow Play On Tour

Most slow courses help create their own slow play problems.

1. Most courses have set the Ts too far from the green. You should use your gps to measure how far you hit the ball "most of the time". It really helps finding balls that miss the fairway. If you can't reach the par 4 green in regulation with less than an 8 iron, move up. Every extra shot adds time to the round.

2. Too many courses have rough higher than the ball. You can't see your ball from five feet away. High rough is for tournament play. It takes too long to find a ball 1 foot off the fairway. Shorten the rough.

3. Too many courses have tournament difficult bunkers. The bunker is hard to climb into, hit out off, rake and exit. Limit bunker shots to one or none.

4. Too many courses have a lot of contour along with varying speeds on the greens. Creating greens you have to map and memorize because you can't read the break and speed right. I have dropped balls beside the hole and watched them roll 8 feet away. I have seen holes where uphill putts went 10 feet uphill and then rolled back down hill to the original spot.

5. Most courses won't let slow foursomes break into twosomes to speed up slow groups. Twosomes play faster than foursomes.

6. Most courses are designed to be championship or tournament courses. Courses shouldn't be too tough for the skill level of your customers. Where are the inexpensive easy courses for players who are learning the game?
 
Another idea,

Playing fee based on how long you play. :)

Slower player pay more. ;)

Note.

How if the front row slower?

Marshalls is there as Traffic Control, to ensure faster player can overtake.

Sent from my S5G using Tapatalk
 
neophyte said:
Most slow courses help create their own slow play problems.

1. Most courses have set the Ts too far from the green. You should use your gps to measure how far you hit the ball "most of the time". It really helps finding balls that miss the fairway. If you can't reach the par 4 green in regulation with less than an 8 iron, move up. Every extra shot adds time to the round.

2. Too many courses have rough higher than the ball. You can't see your ball from five feet away. High rough is for tournament play. It takes too long to find a ball 1 foot off the fairway. Shorten the rough.

3. Too many courses have tournament difficult bunkers. The bunker is hard to climb into, hit out off, rake and exit. Limit bunker shots to one or none.

4. Too many courses have a lot of contour along with varying speeds on the greens. Creating greens you have to map and memorize because you can't read the break and speed right. I have dropped balls beside the hole and watched them roll 8 feet away. I have seen holes where uphill putts went 10 feet uphill and then rolled back down hill to the original spot.

5. Most courses won't let slow foursomes break into twosomes to speed up slow groups. Twosomes play faster than foursomes.

6. Most courses are designed to be championship or tournament courses. Courses shouldn't be too tough for the skill level of your customers. Where are the inexpensive easy courses for players who are learning the game?
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Sorry but moving up on a par 4 because you can't reach the green on your second shot with an 8 iron is just silly
 
You are a 5 handicapper. You probably don't slow the course down. But the other golfers on the course shoot 100 to 150 scores. A lot of golfers only drive the ball 100 to 150 yards at best. They aren't skilled enough to hold the green hitting a 3 wood-(1 recovery shot). Their chipping and pitching is poor-(1 or 2 more recovery shots). A 3 or 4 putt is common. A quadruple bogie usually follows.

I had this discussion with my PGA pro. I asked him to play from the front T with some of the senior ladies and their grandchildren who only drive the ball 100 yards. He could only carry his 100 yard club "a Lob Wedge" and a putter. And no trick shots. After he thought for a while, he told me he saw what I meant. I did agree with him that most members would have trouble with the front T that close to the Green. I like the challenge of hitting a pitch or chip to one putt range" but we are trying to speed up play. And most golfers are not in your league. We need to help the slow players speed up and still have fun.
 
neophyte said:
You are a 5 handicapper. You probably don't slow the course down. But the other golfers on the course shoot 100 to 150 scores. A lot of golfers only drive the ball 100 to 150 yards at best. They aren't skilled enough to hold the green hitting a 3 wood-(1 recovery shot). Their chipping and pitching is poor-(1 or 2 more recovery shots). A 3 or 4 putt is common. A quadruple bogie usually follows.

I had this discussion with my PGA pro. I asked him to play from the front T with some of the senior ladies and their grandchildren who only drive the ball 100 yards. He could only carry his 100 yard club "a Lob Wedge" and a putter. And no trick shots. After he thought for a while, he told me he saw what I meant. I did agree with him that most members would have trouble with the front T that close to the Green. I like the challenge of hitting a pitch or chip to one putt range" but we are trying to speed up play. And most golfers are not in your league. We need to help the slow players speed up and still have fun.
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Slow play has nothing to do with skill level. The slowest player I know is a scratch and one of the fastest is a 20 capper.
 
Golf needs a clock like curling does. You have a set amount of time to play. When you get to your ball and it is your turn the clock starts counting down.
As soon as you make contact with the ball the clock stops. You get 2 time outs for maybe 3 mins in case of some sort of trouble. You go over the time and you start getting stokes added.
 
I wonder how much time is saved if they implement a rule that says the caddie is no longer allowed to communicate or review with the player after he has addressed the ball.
 
neophyte said:
You are a 5 handicapper. You probably don't slow the course down. But the other golfers on the course shoot 100 to 150 scores. A lot of golfers only drive the ball 100 to 150 yards at best. They aren't skilled enough to hold the green hitting a 3 wood-(1 recovery shot). Their chipping and pitching is poor-(1 or 2 more recovery shots). A 3 or 4 putt is common. A quadruple bogie usually follows.

I had this discussion with my PGA pro. I asked him to play from the front T with some of the senior ladies and their grandchildren who only drive the ball 100 yards. He could only carry his 100 yard club "a Lob Wedge" and a putter. And no trick shots. After he thought for a while, he told me he saw what I meant. I did agree with him that most members would have trouble with the front T that close to the Green. I like the challenge of hitting a pitch or chip to one putt range" but we are trying to speed up play. And most golfers are not in your league. We need to help the slow players speed up and still have fun.
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One of the slowest golfers in the world is also the number one ranked golfer in the world.
 
Just get to your ball, measure your distance and hit, too much chitter chatter.
 
The problem is they are so good at their craft they can actually take into account every little thing and it will be worthwhile. Trying to decide if the wind is quartering or into you at 3 or 5 mph. Doesn't matter for most people since the standard deviation of amateurs is massive. They are much better at controlling their shots to the exact yard so the difference in wind might be the difference between a 15 foot birdie putt and a 20 foot birdie putt. I agree they should do all that faster, at least pull the trigger faster once you commit to a shot.
 
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