Slow play in tournaments

[JuniorGolfParent]

How does your junior handle (besides reporting to rules officials)?

Are there things that you find helpful in terms of coping with the problem?

5-5.5hr rounds are not uncommon these days with 3-somes - just trying to make the best of a bad situation.

[darter79]

Its common, very common in junior golf. We once waited an hour on the 2nd hole. It was absurd. Reporting to the rules official you can go that route but in most cases where I looked the scores are higher in the slower groups. Just last weekend the group in front of us I watched a kid hit three balls OB. Just part of junior golf at times where kids are just learning to play. In regional and worlds they hand out cards to keep the pace up and those are some of the fastest rounds we normally play.

[leezer99]

You as a parent need to make the tournament director aware that you won’t be playing on their tour until it’s rectified and hit them in the pocket book by not playing.

[heavy_hitter]

As you move up in levels there is less slow play as long as the tournament director enforces the rules they set in place. Most tournaments are going to have a time written on the card. The group has to finish within that time or 15 minutes after the group in front of them has put the flag stick back into the cup. The 15 minutes is to allow for slow groups in front, weather delays, etc. You can always ask an official to monitor your group if you are behind time and feel that one person in the group is causing the delay.

My kid played US Kids the past few weeks just to have something to do and to prepare for 36 hole tournaments starting next week. All 3 he played in took less than 4 hours. The common theme was that the parents in the older groups generally don't caddie. If the parent shows up they usually walk the cart paths and don't get involved which makes it really nice.

[TripleBogeysrbetter]

Just say NO to parent caddies for older kids.

Once they get older and start doing 36-54 hole event. Forecaddy for the whole group. The older bombs cant see their drive that dives into the rough at the last moment. Run over there and throw your hat nearby.

Speed it up and help ALL the kids.

[hangontight]

Played a USKG state event this weekend. Sons first 18 hole/day Multi Day Tmnt (9 year old) and was curious to see pace. At this point I consider myself a “semi caddy”- I carry and give yardages but once he hits approach I hand him his putter (or wedge) To walk to green and I go stand by the path to The next tee. He called me in for a read one time over two days, which is fine. He makes his read and proceeds. Some (a lot) of these dads giving their kids reads from every angle, pacing off putts, etc. is what takes so long and holds things up. “Dad, is this a 7.5 putt or 8.25?” They also told them to go ahead and putt out as much as they could (to limit closeness around the hole because of covid I think). I love this idea, don’t rush but just finish up. It saves more time than most think. Invariably there is always a dad barking “mark that , do your routine , get your read, use the alignment arrow ” for the 8” comeback. Good grief. anyway, As @heavy_hitter said, Tmnt Director has so much to do with it - we’ve had this lady before and she doesn’t mess around, and everyone knows it. It was great. I also think, at least for the USKG events that have multiple age groups on same course, there is a method to the order of age groupings. In my experience , there are certain age groups that tend to be slower than others.

[kcap]

We have the same experience as HH. Rounds have become quicker as the kid has grown up, become better and more independent. He played 2 rounds this weekend and both were about 4-4:15 hrs. I think older kids tend to walk faster, if experienced, just get on with the game. I also love that the flag is in the hole for each shot - that saves so much of time. You can gun the distance even if the group ahead is on the green, figure out exact distance, club etc and thus ready to go when the group ahead walks away.

[heavy_hitter]

The only thing I don't like about leaving the stick in or the no touching rule is when the flag is leaning one way. Saw a couple of kids miss putts on Saturday because of that.

[TripleBogeysrbetter]

We did ask as a group to the director. If its obvious the ball would've went in can it be counted. One girl got her birdie attempted rejected by the foam a few times.