How do you handle a slow player in your group?

[bladehunter]

> @Edward_Majorwin said:

> I love hearing these stories of slow play...Roody, yours was classic! Mello your post also hit it dead on target.

>

> I am hard wired with quick and forward thinking, and I'm overly considerate of others, so I have to remind myself that most people just ain't like me at all. I'm always looking back on every hole and checking on the following group's pace compared to ours.

>

> About once a month I'll go out and play with my dad and his wife (both in their mid-70s) at a par 63 executive track. Despite them riding in a cart the whole way, they are the definition of slow. The thinking-a-step-ahead element is nonexistent. The cart gets parked where dad almost always has to go back for it after we've finished the hole (once in a while I'll sprint over and move it to the next tee box while they're dithering around on the green). The putters are often left in the bag rather than bringing them along for the obvious chip and putt that is to come. I try my best to make some suggestions but they're old and the basics of the game are all they can handle. I will not play with them on any other course. We did a par 72 last year and it was excruciating to say the least...never again!

 

You sound just like me. I always know where I am , where everyone else is , and where I’m headed. Not just in golf. I’m the guy that doesn’t sit with his back to the room in a restaurant. I want to be able to watch the herds move.

[Swisstrader98]

Most slow play guys that I’ve encountered can be summed up in one word: SELFISH!!

 

Seen it 100 time and have a buddy who will “slow play” you to death almost like its a strategy for winning matches because what ends up happening with guys like this is that you tend to redirect your focus on you own game strategy to being focused on why the F is this idiot so slow. And it all comes down to being selfish.

[Lodestone]

> @BMC said:

> Maybe you guys are too fast. I've played with those guys , too. How long is your group's typical round?

 

Excellent question. I have found that very often the fastest players have come to the conclusion that their pace is the correct pace. For everyone.

I played with a guy, in a new group, who raced around in the cart, got ahead of players who were hitting, at a frenetic pace. It was driving me nuts. I thought he had some place he had to be and really didn't have time for our golf that day. When we got done he sat at the bar for an hour or more.

 

But I've also played with guys I thought were too slow, and were the cause of us holding up the group behind us.. Frankly I'd rather be playing with the fast guy than the slow guy, because I can't stand to be holding up play. Probably the best way to handle it would be to start saying things like "If we can't pick up the pace, we'll have to let someone through. We have a hole open ahead of us"....and after the round have a conversation with the slow guy explaining that you enjoy playing with him, but he needs to do a few simple things to speed his play up so he's not holding up the group.

[Carl Spackler3]

Slow play remains the easiest fix in golf but no one will deal with. The physical re placement of slow groups by Marshall’s. I.e.” gentlemen you need to pick up, bypass the third green and drop in the fourth fairway.” Problem is, that requires a determined pro and Marshall. In reality you have a “ don’t rock the boat pro” and an “ I’m only here for the free golf Marshall” . As it pertains to what I do. I try to offer help examples and explanation on why and how to speed up, but Once I see someone is slow, I’m done playing with themafter that round

[Roadking2003]

> @"Carl Spackler3" said:

> Slow play remains the easiest fix in golf but no one will deal with.

Not "no one", but many. Slow play is indeed very easy to fix. You just have to want to fix it.

I've played some private clubs where they take pace of play quite seriously. And it works. Everyone stays on or ahead of pace.

[Pepperturbo]

If someone for an unsubstantiated reason is slower than the other three, simply tell him he's holding up three others and affecting the field behind. If he doesn't improve his pace, don't invite him to play a few times. If joining the group matters, he should get the message and improve.

[2putttom]

there's so many rules to this game that it can be maddening. For new player pace is not a concern. I have a player in our league who is new to the game and doesn't want to let us down. We/I have encouraged him to drop a few things from his routine in order to speed up play. Like the o p's friend who walks from cart to yardage marker back to cart and back to the ball. That was frustrating. Now either one of us drive over to his shot, get the yardage with a scope or my X 40 relay it to him and he's off. He hits the ball straight not far but, straight. Saves us from the walking back and forth seen. Now we're working on the five practice strokes issue.

[Shakester]

Seems like every group has a player or two like that. We have one in ours. He take like 20 practice swings, then stand over the ball for a minute, then chunks it 60 yards just to do it all again. He's not a bad golfer at all. Your average 12 handicap and will put together a string of good golf over a few holes, but it got to the point where it started effecting everyone he played with, so he became the last to get notified of open spots in our group. He ended up joining a country club and they must of said something to him because the last few times he's played with us, he's sped up quite a bit to the point where he's back at the top of our list.

[southcitypat]

We have a woman in our group who is exceedingly slow and also does not pay attention to when it is her turn to take a shot. Today I completely lost it and yelled at her, "Just hit the damn ball!"

[st1800e]

6 hours ago, southcitypat said:

We have a woman in our group who is exceedingly slow and also does not pay attention to when it is her turn to take a shot. Today I completely lost it and yelled at her, "Just hit the damn ball!"

How did that work out for you?  

[larrybud]

On 9/8/2023 at 4:23 PM, southcitypat said:

We have a woman in our group who is exceedingly slow and also does not pay attention to when it is her turn to take a shot. Today I completely lost it and yelled at her, "Just hit the damn ball!"

https://twitter.com/ClubProGuy/status/1385633866547830784

 

Edited September 11, 2023 by larrybud

[st1800e]

I’ll remember to book a time before Edna….

[tgrabowske]

I will say I have been known to play slow and thats fine I have been working on it. I think my slow play comes from not being comfortable over the ball (Its not a dead stop but feet moving and just not overall ready to hit the shot) at least for me people never tell me to play faster or pace of play is slowing up and I wish they just would say it directly to me rather than talking to eachother about it. 

[noblesin]

1 minute ago, tgrabowske said:

I will say I have been known to play slow and thats fine I have been working on it. I think my slow play comes from not being comfortable over the ball (Its not a dead stop but feet moving and just not overall ready to hit the shot) at least for me people never tell me to play faster or pace of play is slowing up and I wish they just would say it directly to me rather than talking to eachother about it. 

If you're aware of it, Just speed up your play on your own. You don't need to be told. Then they will stop talking about it.

[Augster]

45 minutes ago, tgrabowske said:

I will say I have been known to play slow and thats fine I have been working on it. I think my slow play comes from not being comfortable over the ball (Its not a dead stop but feet moving and just not overall ready to hit the shot) at least for me people never tell me to play faster or pace of play is slowing up and I wish they just would say it directly to me rather than talking to eachother about it. 

If you think you’re playing too slow, you are.

 

Most people won’t tell you as most people like to avoid confrontation. Just like the clowns that play music and say, “Nobody complained about it.” Of course they didn’t. They just complained to their friends later. 

 

 

[tgrabowske]

19 hours ago, Augster said:

If you think you’re playing too slow, you are.

 

Most people won’t tell you as most people like to avoid confrontation. Just like the clowns that play music and say, “Nobody complained about it.” Of course they didn’t. They just complained to their friends later. 

 

 

100% and I know it and actively work on it if I notice it.

[Greenie]

Most people that are slow don't think they are slow and the others simply don't care.

 

I try to avoid confrontation but confrontation always finds me because I am one of those that will tell it like it is. 

 

My group of four played yesterday. On hole 11 I needed to use the bathroom that was between 11 and 12. The guys in the other cart rode to 12 and when we got there the one guy started complaining that I was taking him out of his rhythm by having to wait on me. Those two guys were sitting in the cart talking as we arrived and while this guy was complaining I grabbed a club and was the first to tee off. I let it go.

 

Three holes later the guy in the other cart that didn't complain needed to use the bathroom. We stopped and while we were waiting the guy that had complained zooms off in the cart to the next tee box. We come to the tee box and this guy is standing on the tee box without a club. We watch him go to the cart and grab a club. Now he is standing on the tee box with this look on his face and then he goes back to the cart and changes clubs. He precedes to shank his shot and rambles on about slow play. 

 

I couldn't take it any longer so I had to let him know how poor he was at ready golf and that he was the major factor in our slow play. The guy that he left behind jumped on him too. He said you were in a hurry to get to the tee box but then we had to wait on you because you were not ready to tee off.

 

I have no problem letting someone know about ready golf. I've told this guy plenty of times that he is slow. Everything revolves around this guy so he doesn't get it. He loses a ball he thinks he has 20 mins to look for it. You lose a ball he says just drop one from the get go. If you take a min to look for your ball then he says you are taking me out of my rhythm lets go.

Edited November 18, 2023 by Greenie

[betarhoalphadelta]

On 11/16/2023 at 11:41 AM, tgrabowske said:

I will say I have been known to play slow and thats fine I have been working on it. I think my slow play comes from not being comfortable over the ball (Its not a dead stop but feet moving and just not overall ready to hit the shot) at least for me people never tell me to play faster or pace of play is slowing up and I wish they just would say it directly to me rather than talking to eachother about it. 

 

I've generally found that being a little slow over the ball is rarely the reason for "slow play". I think it's much more often related to actions taken outside of the specifics of the shot. Things like:

• Yapping and not being ready to tee off/play when a fairway/green is clear
• Not considering any of your shot needs (i.e. shooting a yardage, picking a club, getting ready to hit when in the fairway, or reading your putt on the green) until it's your turn instead of doing that stuff while other players hit their shots
• General slowness (walking speed, etc)
• Plenty of other things mentioned in this thread

If you do the other stuff fast, nobody is going to complain if you're a little slow over the ball. 

 

OTOH, often people who are slow in one area (including over the ball) are slow in others, so perhaps you still are a slow player. If so, focus on fixing the other stuff at least... You may still need that mental time over the ball, but if you speed up elsewhere, you're not holding anyone up. 

 

Also note: on crowded courses with packed tee sheets, an individual player's pace of play does not matter unless your group is falling behind the group in front of you. So even if you're a bit slow, as long as you're not causing a gap in front of you, it's not like playing faster will help anything. I'm a fast player and my usual playing partners are a bit slow. While that is annoying to me personally, I don't say anything unless we're falling behind (which is rare; they're slow but not THAT slow). 

[tgrabowske]

On 11/21/2023 at 10:21 AM, betarhoalphadelta said:

 

I've generally found that being a little slow over the ball is rarely the reason for "slow play". I think it's much more often related to actions taken outside of the specifics of the shot. Things like:

• Yapping and not being ready to tee off/play when a fairway/green is clear
• Not considering any of your shot needs (i.e. shooting a yardage, picking a club, getting ready to hit when in the fairway, or reading your putt on the green) until it's your turn instead of doing that stuff while other players hit their shots
• General slowness (walking speed, etc)
• Plenty of other things mentioned in this thread

If you do the other stuff fast, nobody is going to complain if you're a little slow over the ball. 

 

OTOH, often people who are slow in one area (including over the ball) are slow in others, so perhaps you still are a slow player. If so, focus on fixing the other stuff at least... You may still need that mental time over the ball, but if you speed up elsewhere, you're not holding anyone up. 

 

Also note: on crowded courses with packed tee sheets, an individual player's pace of play does not matter unless your group is falling behind the group in front of you. So even if you're a bit slow, as long as you're not causing a gap in front of you, it's not like playing faster will help anything. I'm a fast player and my usual playing partners are a bit slow. While that is annoying to me personally, I don't say anything unless we're falling behind (which is rare; they're slow but not THAT slow). 

I never really thought about that! I will definitely take those into consideration. You are absolutely correct my general playing partners are not very good so it can be distracting driving everywhere to look for their balls and what not. So sometimes I get distracted and lose focus which causes me to not be ready when its my turn to hit (Shot needs like you said). Id say walking speed im pretty good but yea never really thought of those other things! I really appreciate the feedback because I dont wanna be "That guy"

[Schulzmc]

On 11/21/2023 at 10:21 AM, betarhoalphadelta said:

I've generally found that being a little slow over the ball is rarely the reason for "slow play".

We have a guy at our club that I play with from time to time. I would estimate he takes an extra 30 seconds or so over the ball. He shoots 90ish. That’s an extra 45 minutes. Even if it is 20 extra seconds that’s an extra 30 minutes. It adds up.

[MountainKing]

I tell em they're slow and to play faster and get less nice about it the more times I have to say something about it.  Stranger or friend, I have very little patience for slow play on a casual round, and have zero issues speaking up.  As somebody else said in this thread, it's 100% selfish behavior, especially if you're told you're slow and do nothing about it.

[Naptime]

I eventually quit playing with them.  But I will just tell them to quit dawdling if they are my guests.

[Schulzmc]

13 hours ago, Naptime said:

I will just tell them to quit dawdling if they are my guests.

When I have guests at my club I tell them on the first tee that pace of play is a big deal, and I don’t want to be the member that slows up the course with my guests. I warn them that we will skip a hole if needed to keep up. “If you want to be sure we play all 18 today let’s make sure we keep up.” Seems to work.

[Naptime]

One of my guests started practice chipping on the hole after our group holed out.  His thought was "it's your club so you can do what you want."  I told him because it's my club "I am responsible for my guests so we are going to the next tee now." He shot 130 because I made him keep something approaching a real score.  Good friend but sometimes a challenge...

 

 

Edited November 24, 2023 by Naptime

[iacas]

5 hours ago, Naptime said:

One of my guests started practice chipping on the hole after our group holed out.  His thought was "it's your club so you can do what you want."  I told him because it's my club "I am responsible for my guests so we are going to the next tee now." He shot 130 because I made him keep something approaching a real score.  Good friend but sometimes a challenge...

 

So what was the problem exactly? Holding up play (yours or the group behind you)?

 

(I don't like to assume, but I'm leaning toward that given the topic.)

 

Edited November 24, 2023 by iacas

[sui generis]

7 hours ago, Naptime said:

One of my guests started practice chipping on the hole after our group holed out.  His thought was "it's your club so you can do what you want."  I told him because it's my club "I am responsible for my guests so we are going to the next tee now." He shot 130 because I made him keep something approaching a real score.  Good friend but sometimes a challenge...

 

 

 

Is this the Rule that you object your guest adhering to? 

 

5.2.b. Restriction on Practice Strokes After Completing Hole

After completing play of a hole, but before making a stroke to begin another hole, a player must not make a practice stroke.

 

Exception – Where Player Allowed to Practise Putting or Chipping: The player may practise putting or chipping on or near:

 

The putting green of the hole just completed and any practice green (see Rule 13.1e), and the teeing area of the next hole.

 

But such practice strokes must not be made from a bunker and must not unreasonably delay play (see Rule 5.6a).

[Naptime]

The problem was dawdling and wasting time while there was a group catching us.  Aside from honest scoring (tossing the ball out of the bunker, multiple mulligans per hole, moving someone else's ball from the rough into the fairway, etc.) I was not worried about them violating any rule about post hole out practice.  

[st1800e]

9 hours ago, sui generis said:

Is this the Rule that you object your guest adhering to? 

The rule doesn’t say you “have” to practice after holing out.  
hole out or pick up and move on. 

[tgrabowske]

On 3/5/2019 at 12:00 PM, crp709 said:

So we have a guy in our group who is very inefficent which makes him slow. By inefficient I mean he's the type of guy on a cart path only guy will walk to his ball get his yardage then walk back to the cart to get a club and finally goes out to hit his ball, waits in the cart for his cart mate to hit before going over to his ball, etc. We have made comments but have yet to flat out say, "you are playing too slow". He's really a nice guy and a decent player who brings a lot to our group but his slow play is becoming painful.

 

Was wondering how others handle this type of player.

 

Thanks

Tell him he is playing too slow. Just be honest and nice about it. If he is a great guy to have in the group and you enjoy playing with him he probably feels the same way and as someone who has known to play slow id rather just be told.

[Foxx]

I just say to everyone we are falling behind. That speeds things up.

 

My problem is I'm too fast. I walk quick after the last person has hit, and find myself having to slow down to wait for them.