Being old,being young,Iron/head covers,practice swings,Breathing = slow play!!

Follow Thread

By Dougie Y

  • 0 Likes
  • 15 Replies
  1. Dougie Y

    Dougie Y
    Somerset

    So it seems everyone has a gripe about slow play these days I.e That groups to old & slow, that bloke took 6 practice swings, those idiots have iron/head covers on their clubs, bloody hell that whole foresome over on hole 8 are BREATHING!! (Heaven forbid)

    I don't know about the rest of you but I play golf for health & fitness to relax as well as spend time doing something I like & find FUN. Now that last word seems to be missing from most people's reason for playing the game as they seem to think it's about how fast you can get round the course, if getting a round the course that fast means so much to you may I suggest a change from golf to cross country running. How can you enjoy the course & take in the vistas on offer if your sprinting between shots & holes just to get back in the club house to boast you got round in 2 hours 10 minutes? Here's a strange idea if you can't make the time to play 18 holes on a busy course with your mates ( which your club needs to survive & stay open ) then maybe only play 9 holes. That way you can still get into have several beers if that's your thing before heading to town to pointlessly walk round the shops or get home to watch that crap that passes for football (soccer if your in the USA) these days or even reluctantly spend time with the family!! here's another idea try & get them involved so you can all play as a family!!

    It might come across as a rant but it's my opinion on a subject that keeps getting bad press, I'm not saying a 5/6 hour round for no reason is just (4 hours is fine for a 4 ball ) but if the course is busy & your a member look around & feel proud lucky even that people want to play the course & basically keep it open as we all know a lot of clubs are closing due to loss of revenue & diminishing membership numbers.

    It's a great game it's our game so let's just cut each other some slack when the time calls for it And above all have fun & enjoy yourself

  2. Chuck Z

    Chuck Z
    Mt Pleasant, SC

    Military
    I enjoy the beauty of a golf course as much as anyone. The course I play runs along the tidelands in S Carolina and we see some awesome wildlife and I take a minute of two to observe these wonderful creatures. Also take time to feed the swamp foxes that visit us often. I enjoy this wonderful game called golf and want to have fun when I play and maintaining a steady pace makes it fun for most of us. I play in a men's league and we play in the mornings on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Most of the guys that play maintain a pace of less than four hours not because they have too, but because we all play ready golf. . We do not spend much time analyzing putts on the greens. We manage our games pretty well, because we know our distances and we hit the ball and carry on our conversations on the way to the green. We do have a few groups that may play in a little over four hours but some of the guys in our group are in their late 80s and early 90s. Our handicaps range from 5 to 25 and everyone has a great time, because it is about the comradeship. I feel that slow play has hurt the game of golf and has driven away some play. Most courses have four hour 15 minute recommendation and that can be tough when it is busy and if it cart path only and you are having a bad day. I'm sure that this subject will be around for years. With respect. CZ
  3. Darryl M

    Darryl M
    Wichita, KS

    I feel your pain,

    The time it takes for a round doesn't really bother me as much as standing 10 minutes in a fairway waiting to hit my next shot. That bothers my rhythm, and concentration. It's kind of like getting on a roll while bowling you try to keep that same pace on the lanes.

    5 - 6 hour rounds shouldn't happen but on public courses they do because of poor scheduling usually. We have a course that on the weekends if you are a twosome or threesome they will pair you up to become a foursome or fivesome, I don't play that course after Thursday.

    I get more frustrated when slow play happens when all 4 are looking for balls way too long, or they go to 1 ball then go to the next guys and then go look for the 3rd guys ball altogether. Or when each person putts out before the next person putts for the first time.

    I feel a lot of slow play comes from people who don't know the proper etiquette and rules of how to maintain steady play. I have a friend that goes nuts when people don't hit because they think they can reach the green sitting 275yds out after a 175yd drive.

    Also slow play should be monitored by course officials, but once again on most public courses I play that person is busy watching TV in the clubhouse.

    But slow play or not I'm still having fun competing against the course and trying to beat it.
  4. Nicholas W

    Nicholas W
    Southern Illinois

    We had a beautiful February day here in southern illinois yesterday. My golfing partner and I decided to take two of our coworkers and introduce them to the game of golf. They've been interested in the game for the past year but were reluctant to go with us due to their lack of experience. We all meet at the golf course yesterday morning and and we are the only ones at the course. We began our round. We played the front 9 and while making the turn we noticed 4 elderly men going into the bar area. Now keep in mind this was the first time we had seen anyone on the course. There was nobody else playing the front 9 with us. We played hole 10. When we got to 11 green I noticed two carts coming down #10 fairway. We left 11 green before the other foursome grabbed their putters for 10. Hole 12 is 500+ yard par 5. The club had the tips and white tee boxes at their normal location, but the seniors and women's were advanced winter tees halfway up the fairway. We were chipping when the other group was teeing off (hallway up the fairway) they literally and seriously all 4 hit their drives at the same time, to within 75 yards. We were on the green putting out when they came driving up the fairway. We had one of the newbies left putting when the old men jumped out, yelled obscenities at us, gave us the finger, picked up their balls, and went to the hole ahead of us while throwing empty beer cans at our carts while passing. We had already told the newbies that we would put out and let them play through before they teed off. After convincing them two forget about the incident and keep playing we finished our round. When we got back to the clubhouse after our round, we took our bags to the cars to find a note stuck in our windshield wipers on all of our vehicles that read "golf etiquette, learn it!" Both gentleman said right then and there that they were never playing golf again. Those impatient old members drove two men away from the game. I was switching my membership to that course this year, but have since changed my mind. This was my worst experience in golf, but have had many other rude encounters. Respect for one another has gone to the waist side in today's society. Get out and play, have fun, be courteous, and leave me some birdies!
  5. Dave N

    Dave N
    Dade City, FL

    While do agree with about 90% of your post. Some issues are aggravating like the guy who takes 6 practice swings and the rest of the foursome is sitting and not reaching for a club and then they take 6 practice swings(repeat this 4 times per shot). Lets not talk about the tee box ritual. I don't like to be rushed but sometimes it is ridiculous .
  6. Jason H

    Jason H
    San Jacinto, CA

    I'm one of those people that like to play in 3 hours walking the course. When I go out to play golf it's to play not stand around and talk. To me when I see people that take 4-5 hours to play a round, spend more time talking and not moving.
  7. Mike r

    Mike r
    Amherst, OH

    I couldnt agree with you more. People need to relax, courses get busy, enjoy the weather.... scenery and the people you are with.
  8. jmtnetstar

    jmtnetstar
    Richmond

    Completely agree with your post. Personally, I find just hitting balls at my local range less stressful than playing a round of golf. Because 'slow play' has become a talking point on tour, it's now an issue even for a weekend player like myself.

    Every green I get to, I'm always looking over my shoulder because now I'm overly conscious of the group behind me, and I don't think that's right. I paid the same price as they did to play, but I feel the need to hurry through so I don't have to listen to an off handed comment during a round.

    And unfortunately, I've heard a few too many. People forget how to be good to one another a little too easily sometimes. Slow play on tour, I understand, slow play on a local municipal course should not be confused as the same thing.
  9. Simon Worsfold

    Simon Worsfold
    Peterborough

    Totally agree. If your not having fun and enjoying the challenge then find another sport. Nothing better than striking a iron and of the fairway hunting Pins and making Birdies ! Have fun! Swing well! And enjoy a good day on the course
  10. Boy, do I agree with you. I had the pleasure of designing, building and operating my own course a few years ago. The one thing I refused to do was to put a ranger out there to hurry things up. I play for the same reason you do. To relax and chill out. I play to a 8 and enjoy playing with anyone regardless of ability. I also have no porblem in educating golfers in the idea that if you're stuggleing to let other players play through. If you're in too much of a hurry to enjoy your time out there then stay home. And by the way, shut your phone off!
  11. Ron M

    Ron M
    Tulsa, OK

    As probably almost the youngest player (69) in our 20 some group, I can rest assure you that we rarely hold anyone up. We play our shorter course (5,500) in about 2 1/2 - 3 hrs. Out longer course usually runs 3 1/4 - 4 hours. Please come to Broken Arrow, OK and enjoy our expedient hospitality!
  12. greg p

    greg p
    Chicago 'burbs, IL

    I'm in it for fun and fitness, also. A 4 hour round is the standard. If you can get in all your breathing, practice swinging, club adjustments, and nature looks in that amount of time,great.
    The problem lies with folks who play from the wrong tees, take five minutes to line up their putts and do it only when it Is their turn, park their carts on the wrong side of the green, hit their shots/ hop back in their cart to drive 10 yards to their partners ball, etc. (And if you think all of this stuff is still your constitutional right, make your tee time in the afternoon not at 700am)
    Golf is a game of rhythm. If I am forced to play at an unnaturally slow pace, it affects my game.
    Don't go out on a weekend expecting to play at the same pace as you might during the week. But also don't expect that because you paid a green fee the course belongs to you for the day.
    Players need to be considerate of other players.

  13. TSchwartz

    TSchwartz
    East Amherst, NY

    I agree with your post, golf is supposed to be fun and relaxing but there are a few things that bother me in regards to slow play. A lot of the time slow play is caused by people not playing the correct tees, if you look at some articles written by golf professionals, most amateurs think they hit their drivers 300 so they play the back tees and shouldn't be. My brother does this when we play a relaxed round, he plays the back tees and has a higher handicap than me. I think this is a pride thing when out with your buddies but it affects everyone behind you if you can only drive the ball 200 yards.

    I don't like to be rushed on the course though either. I play with another guy who is on the next tee hitting his ball while you are just finishing up on the previous green, golf is still a game about etiquette and that to me is just rude. Golf is supposed to be fun so I try to play relaxed but try to make sure I am not affecting anyone around me.

    4 hour rounds are normal where I play but sometimes it runs a little over if it is busy. That is why I try to make sure my afternoon is clear and free so as to not get upset when play slows down.
  14. Nicholas W

    Nicholas W
    Southern Illinois

    Just keep in mind that we were all that poor, slow player at once. Most of us have picked up this game in our adulthood. I agree that slow play is frustrating, but is is the end of the world? Offer some kind words of encouragement while asking if you could play through rather than demanding it. Remember attitude (positive or negative) is contagious!
  15. Frank P

    Frank P
    Port St. Lucie, FL

    Military
    I agree with most of the posts on this subject, though you could bat this issue around for ever. One point I'll make is this, there has been a lot of times that I've thought that the problem was the group in front of us when actually it was one or two groups in front of them. This is where a good ranger helps.
  16. Rick R

    Rick R
    Graham, WA

    I really don't have a problem with people playing a slower round as long as they show some sense of the game. Get to your ball, quick yard check, know the club for yardage, go in order, etc. A vast majority of the people out there shoot in the 90's-100's, and the rounds get in the 4-5 hour range. As long as they know to let folks play through, and aren't spending half that time looking for balls to add to their collection, or falling over drunk, it's something that will happen most of the time. I love the feeling of being out there, it's an escape from the drudgery of everyday life. If you stress out over being rushed of delayed, it defeats the purpose of being out there. Life is short...Grip it and rip it...

Please login to post a comment.

Sign In

Haven't registered for Team Titleist yet?

Sign Up