Getting really frustrated by the length of rounds.

[ldchristopher]

I played the two extremes today at courses that, while different in terms of layout were comparable in length, rating/slope, and style. My friend and I had the second time for our first round of the day and got around in 3 hours. A twosome in a cart was behind us but somehow never caught up. It's always a little feather in my cap when cart golfers can't catch walkers, but that's neither here nor there. Round two, on the other hand, was 4 hours 40 minutes. We waited on literally every shot except putts and saw some truly atrocious swings. One guy apologized and referred to his playing partners as "human rain delays." They were a little behind the pace but if we played through we would've just gotten stuck behind the next group. I'd love to be able to say the constant waiting and aggravating pace ngatively impacted my score and I was much lower during round one. Alas, if I said that I'd be lying. I shot a 75 in the morning and a 74 in the afternoon and my ball striking during my early PM round was noticeably better.

[heatedwire]

We have the 2nd tee time weekdays. Our foursome typically plays in just over 3 hours. We don't rush, we socialize, joke, jab at each other and otherwise have fun. That just happens to be our pace of play. We just play ready golf. The 1st group off, sometimes a 5-some, now they appear to rush through their round. I can't imagine they even hole out most of the time. Our group consists of 4.2/9.5/14.3/16.9 index golfers with a mix of playing characteristics. Me (4.2) and the 14.3 typically take one practice swing and pull the trigger. The 9.5 has an elaborate and lengthy pre-shot routine that never varies while the 16.9 can be the 1st one ready to tee off but will hang back to go off last and will take as many as three practice swings then stand over the ball for what seem like forever to hit.

 

The point of all this is that anyone can play faster without rushing by just doing a lot of little things that add up over the course of a round. Playing ready golf, if riding drop one guy off at his ball while driving to the other, don't spend a lot of time putting clubs away after the shot, get in the cart and put them away when you get to you next shot. we even start moving while a partner's ball is still in the air.

 

I'm so glad there's at least one person who thinks similarly to me.

I play with a varying degree on handicaps, two low caps and two high caps. Myself and one of the high caps like to have multiple practice swings. I personally like to take my sweet a** time looking at my puts and looking at breaks. The other two are more 'walk up and hit' type players.

 

Never in 10 years playing together have we had a problem with slow play.

 

Ready golf.

[bigfatant]

Is there a sticky list of tips for fast golf here in WRX?

 

Saying 'ready golf' is one thing but what do you mean by that?..

I mean one of the biggest time killers I see is three observers standing next to the players about to take his shot on the fairway.

I'm usually the longest in the group but if there's traffic in front and my playing partners are waiting, I always walk up to my own ball, distance measure, grab the right club, practice swing and get ready to go right after my partner's have hit. Admittedly you have to be smart about where you stand and not get hit but this is my interpretation of ready golf.

 

Putting out and having a couple of guys leave the green for the next tee is another thing I do when our group is falling behind. You don't need three people to hold the flagstick or to watch a putt.

 

What other tips do people use to speed up their golf?

 

Anyway I usually play in the first few of groups in the morning so pace of play is never an issue but that also means I need to set a good standard otherwise it's a domino effect for all the people behind..

[jli2636]

I played 27 holes yesterday, 18 at one course and 9 at another. The 18 I rode and played in under 2 1/2 hours, really only being held up on 17. Then I went and played 9 at my home course and walked. The 9 holes I walked took just as long as the 18 I rode earlier. It was maddening.

[mookie102]

i hate long rounds so if I play on a weekend its either really early morning or late in the afternoon.

[Lagavulin62]

This reminds me of the mid to late 90’s when my brother and I would play twilight. Well we never played more than 15 or 16 holes. Not because it got too dark. But because for some reason we could never finish as the stall was always on 15 or 16. Didn’t matter what course. We seldom had to wait and were usually theonlyones on a hole. But low and behold by 15 or 16 and with just enough daylight to finish, out of nowhere we would hit a logjam. So frustrating, can’t tell you how many times we wondered, “where the hell did they come from”. Geez it’s like they were waiting for us all this time just to piss us off.

[North Butte]

Playing solo rounds I often get to observe larger groups ahead of me. Whether fast, slow or somewhere in between in terms of normal pace any three- or for-ball will be much slower on 17 and 18 than at any point in the round. A group that has been keeping a solid 11-12 minute per hole pace for 16 holes will take well overhalf an hour to play the final two holes. Every single time. And groups that are already slow just big down farther.

 

Don’t know if it is press bets or fatigue or what but it’s nigh universal in my experience. Including in groups I’m playing with.

[Lagavulin62]

Playing solo rounds I often get to observe larger groups ahead of me. Whether fast, slow or somewhere in between in terms of normal pace any three- or for-ball will be much slower on 17 and 18 than at any point in the round. A group that has been keeping a solid 11-12 minute per hole pace for 16 holes will take well overhalf an hour to play the final two holes. Every single time. And groups that are already slow just big down farther.

 

Don’t know if it is press bets or fatigue or what but it’s nigh universal in my experience. Including in groups I’m playing with.

 

 

That is a strange phenomenon. Makes sense. I often wondered if late starters were just cutting ahead knowing they could never finish 18. Last month around 4:30 I was finishing my solo round,(the course was a ghost town) and I get to my 18th approach and there is a foursome on the green. They saw me and left the green.

[ShortGameJunkie]

I’m usually pretty fortunate when it comes to slow play(eastern PA) there is really only one course I play that it seems like about 60% of the rounds I play there I will have to constantly wait. I usually play as a single and if I don’t get held up at all I can finish in 2:40-3:00, 7.5-8.5 hcp.

 

Now when I play with my dad(early 50s) who picked up the game around the same time as me(~5-6 yrs ago) but only gets to play 3 maybe 4 times a month(shoots 110-120)with not much practice time and honestly is having a hard time grasping the game(reverse pivot, over the top to name a few issues) and has tried taking lessons many times but has a very difficult time committing to the changes therefore has wasted his money taking them. I am now his “teacher” and try to help him.

 

I believe people like him can be part of the issue as well and not just arrogant people and old timers etc. He is always trying to work on things and likes to make sure his grip and set up are correct and thinks of a few swing thoughts before pulling the trigger but he also hits it all over the place, in the trees, fat shots, awful short game that results in many blades chips across the green etc. Now since I am aware that him even trying to play fast is still slow I make sure to speed him up here and there to keep our round in the 3:45-4:15 range.

 

BUT, I have seen these type of players playing in a 2 or 4some and because they are hitting it all over the place in all different directions it just takes them forever. Put 2-3 of these groups in a row and you get a 4.5-5 hr round.

 

Now we usually play late afternoon because he gets frazzled having people on our tail and he gets frustrated and mad that A) he is having a hard time with his game and B) there is a group riding up his a**. He has said many times that if I didn’t play he probably would give it up. I would bet he is the type that is giving up the game. He does go to the range and has good and bad days there but has a difficult time transferring that to the course for those of you that might say he should go to the range.

[heatedwire]

Is there a sticky list of tips for fast golf here in WRX?

 

Saying 'ready golf' is one thing but what do you mean by that?..

I mean one of the biggest time killers I see is three observers standing next to the players about to take his shot on the fairway.

I'm usually the longest in the group but if there's traffic in front and my playing partners are waiting, I always walk up to my own ball, distance measure, grab the right club, practice swing and get ready to go right after my partner's have hit. Admittedly you have to be smart about where you stand and not get hit but this is my interpretation of ready golf.

 

Putting out and having a couple of guys leave the green for the next tee is another thing I do when our group is falling behind. You don't need three people to hold the flagstick or to watch a putt.

 

What other tips do people use to speed up their golf?

 

Anyway I usually play in the first few of groups in the morning so pace of play is never an issue but that also means I need to set a good standard otherwise it's a domino effect for all the people behind..

 

Ready golf to me basically means if you are standing at your ball, you should be hitting it (unless of course there is a group in front within range).

 

My mates and I have a saying 'Get ready golf' when we play with people we don't know. This is to avoid everyone standing at the same point in the fairway. Just continue walking to your ball while somebody is having practice swings and getting ready. Head towards the side when they swing and hit so that you are not a distraction, then you are basically ready to go straight away. Same around the greens.

 

Some of the older members at my club don't like the concept of 'Get ready golf', but I don't particularly like them anyway so who cares right!?

[FourTops]

What's the rush? The pro's hang out and talk to their caddie about shots...nothing is rushed...and they're the top 1%. Their rounds are often quite long. Plus, if the pro's need to take that much time, why should regular folks be expected to "get up and hit?". Or are we assuming everyone stinks and therefore it doesn't matter anyway?

[foxy222]

Weekend golf = slow golf. I don’t see that changing any time soon. Those slow groups are usually the ones spending the most money (food, beer, balls etc).

[chippa13]

What's the rush? The pro's hang out and talk to their caddie about shots...nothing is rushed...and they're the top 1%. Their rounds are often quite long. Plus, if the pro's need to take that much time, why should regular folks be expected to "get up and hit?". Or are we assuming everyone stinks and therefore it doesn't matter anyway?

 

And here lies the problem.

[HatsForBats]

What's the rush? The pro's hang out and talk to their caddie about shots...nothing is rushed...and they're the top 1%. Their rounds are often quite long. Plus, if the pro's need to take that much time, why should regular folks be expected to "get up and hit?". Or are we assuming everyone stinks and therefore it doesn't matter anyway?

 

The pro's are playing for part of a $3 million to $12 million dollar purse and the course is closed to everyone except the pro's. On a course where it is open to members/public players that are paying to play it's a different animal. Wouldn't you agree?

[llewol007]

It all boils down to the golf course and how they view pace of play. Expectation should be set right at check in by the pro shop then reminded by the starter and enforced by the Marshals. If you dont, it will be a constant issue.

[nsxguy]

What's the rush? The pro's hang out and talk to their caddie about shots...nothing is rushed...and they're the top 1%. Their rounds are often quite long. Plus, if the pro's need to take that much time, why should regular folks be expected to "get up and hit?". Or are we assuming everyone stinks and therefore it doesn't matter anyway?

 

The pro's are playing for part of a $3 million to $12 million dollar purse and the course is closed to everyone except the pro's. On a course where it is open to members/public players that are paying to play it's a different animal. Wouldn't you agree?

 

I think Four Tops was being mostly (or totally) tongue-in-cheek.

 

The problem is that the 26 handicapper who can't hit a green 1 out of 20 times from 150 in is standing on the 150 yards marker with a middle pin and still shooting the flag with his rangefinder, throwing up grass, taking 3 practice swings, asking his partner for advice and then chunking it 50 yards.

 

Reminds me of when I first started playing and I was concerned I wasn't good enough to play with them, the more experienced guys good-naturedly joked with me "If yer gonna miss it, miss it quick". :D

 

And he's doing it because that what the Pros do (well, except for the rangefinder (cool) ).

[Shifty76]

What's the rush? The pro's hang out and talk to their caddie about shots...nothing is rushed...and they're the top 1%. Their rounds are often quite long. Plus, if the pro's need to take that much time, why should regular folks be expected to "get up and hit?". Or are we assuming everyone stinks and therefore it doesn't matter anyway?

 

The pro's are playing for part of a $3 million to $12 million dollar purse and the course is closed to everyone except the pro's. On a course where it is open to members/public players that are paying to play it's a different animal. Wouldn't you agree?

 

I think Four Tops was being mostly (or totally) tongue-in-cheek.

 

The problem is that the 26 handicapper who can't hit a green 1 out of 20 times from 150 in is standing on the 150 yards marker with a middle pin and still shooting the flag with his rangefinder, throwing up grass, taking 3 practice swings, asking his partner for advice and then chunking it 50 yards. Reminds me of when I first started playing and I was concerned I wasn't good enough to play with them, the more experienced guys good-naturedly joked with me "If yer gonna miss it, miss it quick". :D

 

And he's doing it because that what the Pros do (well, except for the rangefinder (cool) ).

 

We have a guy at our club who does that. Except his chunk goes maybe 5 yards, after which he repeats the entire process. No idea why he won't just subtract 5 yards off the last yardage he shot, but no, he has to shoot his new yardage...drives everyone bonkers.

[wrmiller]

We have a guy at our club who does that. Except his chunk goes maybe 5 yards, after which he repeats the entire process. No idea why he won't just subtract 5 yards off the last yardage he shot, but no, he has to shoot his new yardage...drives everyone bonkers.

 

I couldn't play with someone like that. It absolutely would drive me bonkers. :)

[406pat]

I'll typically use my rangefinder even if I'm standing on a yardage marker. I have a healthy distrust of them. I've found some up to 40-50 yards off. A lot of times I want to know how deep the green is or how far I have to carry something around the green. I never re-shoot a 10yd chunk though!

[North Butte]

We have a guy at our club who does that. Except his chunk goes maybe 5 yards, after which he repeats the entire process. No idea why he won't just subtract 5 yards off the last yardage he shot, but no, he has to shoot his new yardage...drives everyone bonkers.

 

I couldn't play with someone like that. It absolutely would drive me bonkers. :)

 

I sat on the porch at Caledonia after my round one afternoon, watching groups play the final hole. One guy got out of his cart and toddled 40 yards or so out into the fairway with one club in hand. Chunked it about halfway to the pond, maybe 40 yards. Walked back to the cart and got another club, then to ball where he bladed one into the water. Back to the cart for another ball and yet another club, down to the water for his drop. Another chunk into the pond.

 

So he went back to the cart, drove around to be closer to the pond and then walked all the way over the spot for yet another drop. Got that one over the water. Moved the cart around behind the green, chunked a chip from just off the green and finally picked up.

 

At least he wasn't bothering to laser the shots. By the time he finished messing about in the fairway there were two groups waiting on the tee behind him. There ought to be a Rule of Golf. If it's cart-paths only you are only allowed one trip from the cart to the ball, if you come back you have to drive on up to the green.

[BiggErn]

We have a guy at our club who does that. Except his chunk goes maybe 5 yards, after which he repeats the entire process. No idea why he won't just subtract 5 yards off the last yardage he shot, but no, he has to shoot his new yardage...drives everyone bonkers.

 

I couldn't play with someone like that. It absolutely would drive me bonkers. :)

 

I sat on the porch at Caledonia after my round one afternoon, watching groups play the final hole. One guy got out of his cart and toddled 40 yards or so out into the fairway with one club in hand. Chunked it about halfway to the pond, maybe 40 yards. Walked back to the cart and got another club, then to ball where he bladed one into the water. Back to the cart for another ball and yet another club, down to the water for his drop. Another chunk into the pond.

 

So he went back to the cart, drove around to be closer to the pond and then walked all the way over the spot for yet another drop. Got that one over the water. Moved the cart around behind the green, chunked a chip from just off the green and finally picked up.

 

At least he wasn't bothering to laser the shots. By the time he finished messing about in the fairway there were two groups waiting on the tee behind him. There ought to be a Rule of Golf. If it's cart-paths only you are only allowed one trip from the cart to the ball, if you come back you have to drive on up to the green.

 

 

 

Ahhhhhhhhh gimme a bogey

[The Pearl]

I'm usually pretty fortunate when it comes to slow play(eastern PA) there is really only one course I play that it seems like about 60% of the rounds I play there I will have to constantly wait. I usually play as a single and if I don't get held up at all I can finish in 2:40-3:00, 7.5-8.5 hcp.

 

Now when I play with my dad(early 50s) who picked up the game around the same time as me(~5-6 yrs ago) but only gets to play 3 maybe 4 times a month(shoots 110-120)with not much practice time and honestly is having a hard time grasping the game(reverse pivot, over the top to name a few issues) and has tried taking lessons many times but has a very difficult time committing to the changes therefore has wasted his money taking them. I am now his "teacher" and try to help him.

 

I believe people like him can be part of the issue as well and not just arrogant people and old timers etc. He is always trying to work on things and likes to make sure his grip and set up are correct and thinks of a few swing thoughts before pulling the trigger but he also hits it all over the place, in the trees, fat shots, awful short game that results in many blades chips across the green etc. Now since I am aware that him even trying to play fast is still slow I make sure to speed him up here and there to keep our round in the 3:45-4:15 range.

 

BUT, I have seen these type of players playing in a 2 or 4some and because they are hitting it all over the place in all different directions it just takes them forever. Put 2-3 of these groups in a row and you get a 4.5-5 hr round.

 

Now we usually play late afternoon because he gets frazzled having people on our tail and he gets frustrated and mad that A) he is having a hard time with his game and B) there is a group riding up his a**. He has said many times that if I didn't play he probably would give it up. I would bet he is the type that is giving up the game. He does go to the range and has good and bad days there but has a difficult time transferring that to the course for those of you that might say he should go to the range.

 

Good story and thanks for sharing. I have a friend who has tried and tried to play, but nothing works. He has zero athletic ability and he is under so much stress playing that he is sweating after the first hole. I have never seen so much tension in a human playing golf before. I feel for people like this as I know many of them really would like to play regularly and be good at the game. I used to think everybody had a shot of playing the game, but I don't believe that anymore. Some people just don't get it either physically or mentally. On balance, I think it good for the game that these people drop out.

[ShortGameJunkie]

I'm usually pretty fortunate when it comes to slow play(eastern PA) there is really only one course I play that it seems like about 60% of the rounds I play there I will have to constantly wait. I usually play as a single and if I don't get held up at all I can finish in 2:40-3:00, 7.5-8.5 hcp.

 

Now when I play with my dad(early 50s) who picked up the game around the same time as me(~5-6 yrs ago) but only gets to play 3 maybe 4 times a month(shoots 110-120)with not much practice time and honestly is having a hard time grasping the game(reverse pivot, over the top to name a few issues) and has tried taking lessons many times but has a very difficult time committing to the changes therefore has wasted his money taking them. I am now his "teacher" and try to help him.

 

I believe people like him can be part of the issue as well and not just arrogant people and old timers etc. He is always trying to work on things and likes to make sure his grip and set up are correct and thinks of a few swing thoughts before pulling the trigger but he also hits it all over the place, in the trees, fat shots, awful short game that results in many blades chips across the green etc. Now since I am aware that him even trying to play fast is still slow I make sure to speed him up here and there to keep our round in the 3:45-4:15 range.

 

BUT, I have seen these type of players playing in a 2 or 4some and because they are hitting it all over the place in all different directions it just takes them forever. Put 2-3 of these groups in a row and you get a 4.5-5 hr round.

 

Now we usually play late afternoon because he gets frazzled having people on our tail and he gets frustrated and mad that A) he is having a hard time with his game and B) there is a group riding up his a**. He has said many times that if I didn't play he probably would give it up. I would bet he is the type that is giving up the game. He does go to the range and has good and bad days there but has a difficult time transferring that to the course for those of you that might say he should go to the range.

 

Good story and thanks for sharing. I have a friend who has tried and tried to play, but nothing works. He has zero athletic ability and he is under so much stress playing that he is sweating after the first hole. I have never seen so much tension in a human playing golf before. I feel for people like this as I know many of them really would like to play regularly and be good at the game. I used to think everybody had a shot of playing the game, but I don't believe that anymore. Some people just don't get it either physically or mentally. On balance, I think it good for the game that these people drop out.

 

What’s odd is that he is athletic, multisport guy in high school and played AA baseball. I always tell him golf is really hard, which of course we all know, but it’s tough for it to sink in when I’m carding a 78-82 and him a 110-120 and we both started playing at the same time and he’s taken multiple lessons and I never have.

[FourTops]

What's the rush? The pro's hang out and talk to their caddie about shots...nothing is rushed...and they're the top 1%. Their rounds are often quite long. Plus, if the pro's need to take that much time, why should regular folks be expected to "get up and hit?". Or are we assuming everyone stinks and therefore it doesn't matter anyway?

 

The pro's are playing for part of a $3 million to $12 million dollar purse and the course is closed to everyone except the pro's. On a course where it is open to members/public players that are paying to play it's a different animal. Wouldn't you agree?

 

I think Four Tops was being mostly (or totally) tongue-in-cheek.

 

The problem is that the 26 handicapper who can't hit a green 1 out of 20 times from 150 in is standing on the 150 yards marker with a middle pin and still shooting the flag with his rangefinder, throwing up grass, taking 3 practice swings, asking his partner for advice and then chunking it 50 yards.

 

Reminds me of when I first started playing and I was concerned I wasn't good enough to play with them, the more experienced guys good-naturedly joked with me "If yer gonna miss it, miss it quick". :D

 

And he's doing it because that what the Pros do (well, except for the rangefinder (cool) ).

 

My comment was mostly tongue-in-cheek...but not entirely...high cappers I know play too GD fast...that doesn't mean stand around for no good reason either, but holy crap at least line-up?

 

However, the FAR bigger problem is people play the wrong tees. I see guys playing back tees....7400 yards...who hit 200 yard drives....they are playing 2,000 yards "too long" of a course. It would be like bowling down a 100 yard lane...or trying to throw strikes over homeplate from 200 feet away. Guys make it hard then complain about the other guys who make it too hard....and it slows everyone down.

[Chowdah86]

Join a private club. Preferably one that is primary golf oriented akd cheaper. Easier said than done I know. But its so much better. One or two shmucks can ruin an entire saturday for 30 people at your local muni. This game is hard. It requires great skill and in the absence of that, al that is left is manners. Which no one has in this country. I didnt realize what a crappy bunch of golfers we are until I traveled. The british and Irish are legitimately concerned about the people behind and in front. All of them. Just the way it is I guess

 

Only the elderly ride in carts over there. (Only the eldery drive cars with automatics too). They get up and they hit the damn ball. It just seems they have thier s*** together more. Even at a cheap public course in ireland. I couldn't even imagine a group of 5 Irish a******* holding everyone on the course up. It just wouldn't friggin happen.

[wrmiller]

I doubt you'd seen anyone playing a boom box on the course over there either. ;)

[North Butte]

I doubt you'd seen anyone playing a boom box on the course over there either. ;)

 

I have heard a couple reports of golfers in UK carrying Bluetooth speakers and playing music on the course. The guys I know over there have been as gobsmacked the first time they encountered as I was a decade or so ago playing at home. Now I just accept that it happens and there's nothing I can do about it. Guess they'll be there in a few more years, too.

 

The worst I've ever encountered was at a public course several years ago. The late-middle-aged couple playing ahead of me in a cart had some sort of "talk radio" moron playing, going off on rants about various political issues and taking phone calls from nut jobs. I just turned around after three holes, went and played the other nine.

[Showtime9]

I don't mind the boomboxes or radios if its a 9 hole round after work in the evening when the course is empty but Saturday/Sunday mornings at 10am blaring country music is getting ridiculous. "Boot Scoot Boogie" has no business being played on the Golf Course

[BlackDiamondPar5]

I don't mind the boomboxes or radios if its a 9 hole round after work in the evening when the course is empty but Saturday/Sunday mornings at 10am blaring country music is getting ridiculous. "Boot Scoot Boogie" has no business being played on the Golf Course

Boot Scoot has no business being played anywhere, ever :)

 

Where you finding people playing music at blaring volumes? Fortunately I haven't experienced that yet.

[BearQ]

Tournaments whether at a mini tour or state qualifier are slower than ever too. A lot more routine/process based guys, few are good most are mediocre as usual. The resultant 8hrs spent on course with warmup, tee time getting delayed, 6hr round. It’s turning many of us away from playing at all.

 

I try to play most of my golf as one of the first groups out or latest in evening when everyone is on back 9. I can’t do slow golf, I rather not play. Good thing practice ranges and short game areas exist. I would have stopped playing too