Your part in speeding up your group

[larrybud]

You are paired with another two-some, complete strangers. Your group falls behind, no fault of your own.

 

At what lengths will go you to to speed up when the strangers are oblivious to the fact that you're behind, even though you've been warned by the ranger to pick up the pace? Other two-some continues to look for balls for a ridiculous amount of time... they just don't "get" it.

 

Split into 2 two-somes?

 

[Warrior42111]

3 minutes ago, larrybud said:

You are paired with another two-some, complete strangers. Your group falls behind, no fault of your own.

 

At what lengths will go you to to speed up when the strangers are oblivious to the fact that you're behind, even though you've been warned by the ranger to pick up the pace? Other two-some continues to look for balls for a ridiculous amount of time... they just don't "get" it.

 

Split into 2 two-somes?

 

Are we talking about strangers who don't know /are newish to the game oblivious, on they should know and not care oblivious?

 

For someone who truly doesn't know a friendly talk is all you need usually. That's how I learned a lot of the etiquette of the game, when starting out.

 

For the later, Usually I'll start with just getting up to the green and while they're looking/ behind, then on the next tee an out loud oh looks like we're behind to my partner but loud enough for them to hear. Final attempt is a direct hey we're behind a bit so let's catch up. All else fails the split since the course is open. 

[larrybud]

Strangers who are not (seemingly) new to the game. Or just don't care about speeding up.

[PoolPond]

It would be hard to do but just pull the Sabbatini and leave em.  Tell no harm no foul and that you'll be up ahead if they can catch up to you. You just got to do it when you know you can finish the hole and tee off and be to your drive before they get to the tee box and you'll be home free. 

[mark m]

Ditching them would be an option. It’s hard to say if I would ever do it. It depends on the circumstances. Perhaps a ranger would be around and OK it? (But generally I don’t play with strangers except in tournaments.)

 

My club had both regular CC and Senior CC within the past month - both 36 holes stroke play over a weekend. I played both and was in the first group off on Saturday for both events. I’m a scratch and the low handicaps go first on day 1. We played in 3:40. It reverses and the Champ flight goes last on day 2. Almost 5 hours. Waiting on every shot. The pro is out there trying to get them to pick up the pace. I believe they all ride as well. He was clearly frustrated.

 

We are lucky at my course as most of the low guys play quickly. We have a couple of 4-8 handicap range that it would take maybe 4:15 at worst. But I have played with other low/scratch guys in state events who were super slow. Frankly, I cannot stand these guys. 
 

Edited September 20, 2022 by mark m

[Mr. Bean]

I tell them that we need to pick up speed, and if we cannot pick up speed we let the group behind play through.

 

Is there a problem somewhere?

[mshills]

2 hours ago, larrybud said:

You are paired with another two-some, complete strangers. Your group falls behind, no fault of your own.

 

At what lengths will go you to to speed up when the strangers are oblivious to the fact that you're behind, even though you've been warned by the ranger to pick up the pace? Other two-some continues to look for balls for a ridiculous amount of time... they just don't "get" it.

 

Split into 2 two-somes?

 

If the course has effective / aggressive rangering, I'll do my best to walk ahead, play quickly (but not rush and torpedo my round), and I will play ready golf.  But I'm not going to aggressively police a threesome or twosome I'm added to as a single.  The course needs to enforce PoP -- I will try to move along but I'm not barking orders on behalf of the course.

[dethman]

Uh first step is to just talk to them.  Say 'we are a hole behind guys we need to pick it up.' 

 

if slow play still continues then the option to move on as a twosome comes into play.

 

Seems fairly straightforward. 

[ezra76]

My buddy and I had this happen a while back, they were bad. I had to mention to them that we were getting behind and to just play ready golf. I told them if they are not that close to us then just disregard whether it's "their turn" and just hit the next shot, we'll be on the lookout if it's coming at us. They were nice, dad and his 20 something son but they were probably shooting about 120-130 and way too many practice swings before hitting as well as always waiting like it was someone elses turn than theirs for some reason.

 

[chisag]

5 hours ago, larrybud said:

You are paired with another two-some, complete strangers. Your group falls behind, no fault of your own.

 

At what lengths will go you to to speed up when the strangers are oblivious to the fact that you're behind, even though you've been warned by the ranger to pick up the pace? Other two-some continues to look for balls for a ridiculous amount of time... they just don't "get" it.

 

 

... Living in Phoenix and playing sometimes 6 days a week I am paired up with quite a few strangers. Most do their best to keep pace although some are just not very good at it for a myriad of reasons. But it has been my experience those that cause us to fall behind just don't care about fellow players so no amount of conversation is going to change the way they spend their 5 hours on the course. When I mention it is getting backed up behind us they either look back like the thought of anyone else on the course never occurred to them or they don't even look and continue at their own pace. Thankfully these are the exceptions. But yes, as a single or with my partner if playing as a twosome, we have just said we are going ahead and the slow players seem happy to see us go. 

[Fuscinator]

The more you try to speed up slow people, the slower they get. Even if you shoot a gun at their feet, you'll just shoot their toes off...making them even slower.

 

 

[ChipDriver]

17 hours ago, larrybud said:

You are paired with another two-some, complete strangers. Your group falls behind, no fault of your own.

 

At what lengths will go you to to speed up when the strangers are oblivious to the fact that you're behind, even though you've been warned by the ranger to pick up the pace? Other two-some continues to look for balls for a ridiculous amount of time... they just don't "get" it.

 

Split into 2 two-somes?

 

Yes.    

[david.c.w]

For me it is a simple, "Hey guys, we are a hole behind, we need to pick it up".  Always use "we" instead of "you".  Lead by example with a few obvious comments about yourself.  "No practice swings on this one", or "I will probably make 6 from here so I am just going to pick up", or "I am giving myself this 3 footer, we gotta GO!".  You can even pretend to roast your buddy, even if he is not slow, by saying "Eric, lets go man!!!"

 

They may be oblivious and have no idea, so it is one way to get them to understand without talking directly to them.  Talk in general to the whole group.

 

If that does not work then something like, "We all may play faster as 2 twosomes.  We are going to run ahead"
 

As a side note, this is 100% a benefit of being part of a private club.  I have not played with strangers in years.  Always play with people we know and are friends with.  On trips we go in large groups so never need to get paired up.  Only time it gets a little dicey is when we have 2 of our slower friends in a fivesome.   Then is it just the general "Hey guys, we are behind" and we speed up and play in 4:05 instead of 4:00.

 

Yes, fivesomes are expressly allowed by both the GM and Director of Golf at their discretion.  I am not aware of any group or person that is not allowed to play in a fivesome.

 

 

Edited September 21, 2022 by david.c.w
spelling

[Bonneville85308]

If the other people spend a lot of time screwing around in the fairway/rough looking for balls, chit chatting, etc., I basically just keep playing ready golf and moving forward such that I'll end up on the green while they are still back there screwing around. If this happens more than once and they don't get the hint, and there are multiple open holes ahead, I'll yell back to them that I am just going to continue on and play ahead without them. I figure a lot of these slow, ignorant players probably don't like playing with a random anyway, so I'm doing them a favor...

 

If the ranger comes by a second time, I'll point out to him that I am aware of the problem, is the other people I was randomly paired with that are causing the problem, and they are not responding to my suggestions to get it moving so I will probably just play ahead when the opportunity arises.

 

I used to respond by rushing my own game to offset the slowness of the other people, until I realized that is not a reasonable sacrifice on my part. I consider myself to be one of the faster players at my home course, but if I go into warp speed and start running between shots, not taking a breath and stabilizing a second before swinging, and just walking up and hitting putts without even looking, my game suffers.

 

I am not very intimidating physically, and with how on edge many people in society are today, I tend to avoid any direct face-to-face conversation that would further enrage someone or push them over the edge.

[Mr. Bean]

1 hour ago, david.c.w said:

As a side note, this is 100% a benefit of being part of a private club.  I have not played with strangers in years.  Always play with people we know and are friends with. 

 

Our club is not private but we have about 2,400 members. Obviously I do not know them all so once in a while I play with total strangers from our club 😁

[Greenie]

20 hours ago, larrybud said:

You are paired with another two-some, complete strangers. Your group falls behind, no fault of your own.

 

At what lengths will go you to to speed up when the strangers are oblivious to the fact that you're behind, even though you've been warned by the ranger to pick up the pace? Other two-some continues to look for balls for a ridiculous amount of time... they just don't "get" it.

 

Split into 2 two-somes?

 

If I was in your situation I would split into twosomes. I've done that a few times over the yrs. 

 

Starting out I would help the other twosome look for their balls to keep play moving. I always help others look for their balls but after a reasonable amount of time I'll stop looking. If they keep looking and I feel that are spending to much time I'll say "looks like you are going to have to drop one, we don't want to fall behind". If they don't care to keep things moving I'll start moving on to where my ball is,wait there, and hope they get the message to hit up. Eventually sometime during the round after I have moved on to my ball I will make the decision to play on and that is when I'll split up if they continue to play slow.

 

I think everyone knows when being paired after a few holes if the pairing is going to work or not.  I don't feel it is my job to keep strangers I am paired with to keep moving. I want to play at my pace and they want to play at their pace. I have no problem with that. The course put us in that situation. I think the course should address the situation.You mentioned the ranger warned the group about keeping the pace. That is when I clear the air with the ranger and the other twosome about playing slow. That is also when I mention to the ranger that we can play on as a twosome because we prefer to be playing faster. Lets face it sometimes a pairing doesn't work.

 

 

[North Butte]

I've given up on trying to change anyone's slow play on the golf course. If the group is falling behind I'll suggest a time or two that we try to pick up the pace and I always play without delay myself but it never helps. Slow players are gonna slow. 

[Greenie]

2 minutes ago, North Butte said:

I've given up on trying to change anyone's slow play on the golf course. If the group is falling behind I'll suggest a time or two that we try to pick up the pace and I always play without delay myself but it never helps. Slow players are gonna slow. 

I agree with you. Unless the players are new and willing to learn you are just wasting your time. Slow players never think they are slow.  If anything they look at you rushing to play.

[Bushwood Country Club]

On 9/20/2022 at 2:14 PM, mark m said:

Ditching them would be an option. It’s hard to say if I would ever do it. It depends on the circumstances. Perhaps a ranger would be around and OK it? (But generally I don’t play with strangers except in tournaments.)

 

My club had both regular CC and Senior CC within the past month - both 36 holes stroke play over a weekend. I played both and was in the first group off on Saturday for both events. I’m a scratch and the low handicaps go first on day 1. We played in 3:40. It reverses and the Champ flight goes last on day 2. Almost 5 hours. Waiting on every shot. The pro is out there trying to get them to pick up the pace. I believe they all ride as well. He was clearly frustrated.

 

We are lucky at my course as most of the low guys play quickly. We have a couple of 4-8 handicap range that it would take maybe 4:15 at worst. But I have played with other low/scratch guys in state events who were super slow. Frankly, I cannot stand these guys. 
 

Respectfully, if you are complaining about a 4:15 round, I feel your expectations are unreasonable.  Congrats on being a scratch golfer, but lots of us are trying hard to get that good.  4:15 is plenty fast.

[mark m]

1 hour ago, Bushwood Country Club said:

Respectfully, if you are complaining about a 4:15 round, I feel your expectations are unreasonable.  Congrats on being a scratch golfer, but lots of us are trying hard to get that good.  4:15 is plenty fast.

Sorry if I wasn’t clear. 4:15 is generally a time under a pace guidance (most are less than 4:25) and I can live with it. I wouldn’t call it fast however. Especially if the players are riding. 

[dffjunior]

Generally speaking speeding up the group isn't my job, it's the course's.  I pay my 50 bucks, I'm going to play my round, and if the others are a problem that's up to the marshal or the pro to handle.  People in 2022 handle social conflict with violence far too often for me to be wanting to get into that.  Now if they are slow enough that there's room to split ahead I'll/we'll do that, but I'm not going to police complete strangers.  "Hey guys, thanks for having me/us, but there's a big gap ahead so I/me and John am/are just gonna skip ahead and fill that spot".  Never had anyone object or take issue with it.

[Bonneville85308]

12 hours ago, dffjunior said:

  "Hey guys, thanks for having me/us, but there's a big gap ahead so I/me and John am/are just gonna skip ahead and fill that spot".  Never had anyone object or take issue with it.

 

Yep. I've gotten a few confused reactions after saying something like this, but never had someone say in response "No, you can't do that, you have to stay with us."

[Scooby555]

I will do many things to help speed up slow play.  One thing I will NEVER do is skip taking the Celebratory Dump in the Cup after a Hole In One.  It may waste a few minutes but the satisfaction of letting all who play behind you know you made a HOI is priceless!!!!!

[ArtMBgolf]

The ranger may not know that you are 2 + 2.  If he talks to you the fast player, point him 
to the slow pokes.   Ask the ranger to have a group go through.  That sometimes wakes 
up the slow guys.   Bad golfers can play at a good pace if they don't look for hopelessly 
lost balls, don't pick up at double par, take their time on a 2' putt for 8, etc. 
 
Now there are some decent to good golfers who are still 5 hour players. 
 
I agree with going on ahead when it's open enough that the slow guys are not 
waiting on you at the next tee.           

[larrybud]

Ok, now substitute 2 strangers with 2 golfing acquaintances... GO

 

[pingfool]

On 9/20/2022 at 3:26 PM, PoolPond said:

It would be hard to do but just pull the Sabbatini and leave em.  Tell no harm no foul and that you'll be up ahead if they can catch up to you. You just got to do it when you know you can finish the hole and tee off and be to your drive before they get to the tee box and you'll be home free. 

not the first option but after playing ready golf - to set an example - for a few holes I have politely said “the next tee is open so we are going to keep it moving. Have a great day!

[Greenie]

4 hours ago, larrybud said:

Ok, now substitute 2 strangers with 2 golfing acquaintances... GO

 

I have no problem speaking my mind with the regular group of guys I play with or acquaintances that someone brings.

I can't say much comes up anymore about speed of play. All the guys I play with play ready golf and we usually play in 3:30 if no one slows us up. I would say if anything it would be falling back into the habit of talking at the ball washer. Someone will say are we going to play golf or wash our balls all day?

 

 

[North Butte]

On 9/21/2022 at 8:49 PM, Bushwood Country Club said:

Respectfully, if you are complaining about a 4:15 round, I feel your expectations are unreasonable.  Congrats on being a scratch golfer, but lots of us are trying hard to get that good.  4:15 is plenty fast.

If most rounds of golf routinely took me more than four hours to play, I would quit playing golf. A round in 4:15 is slow and it's ridiculous that such slow play has gotten normalized as "plenty fast". 

 

If you're out there for four hours and fifteen minutes that means you are literally standing around doing nothing for the majority of the round. There's just no way to get into any sort of flow or relaxing rhythm with that much standing around. Play golf for five minutes, stand around for five minutes, play golf for five minutes, stand around for five minutes, over and and over again. 

 

[larrybud]

45 minutes ago, North Butte said:

If most rounds of golf routinely took me more than four hours to play, I would quit playing golf. A round in 4:15 is slow and it's ridiculous that such slow play has gotten normalized as "plenty fast". 

 

If you're out there for four hours and fifteen minutes that means you are literally standing around doing nothing for the majority of the round. There's just no way to get into any sort of flow or relaxing rhythm with that much standing around. Play golf for five minutes, stand around for five minutes, play golf for five minutes, stand around for five minutes, over and and over again. 

 

 

You'd be hard-pressed to play my home course as a foursome in less than 4:15 with zero people in front of you, just due to the drive time between holes (The course is NOT walkable), which is why every course has a "pace of play time". Just as each course has different yardage, par, course rating, and slope, they have different expected time.

[Greenie]

3 hours ago, North Butte said:

If most rounds of golf routinely took me more than four hours to play, I would quit playing golf. A round in 4:15 is slow and it's ridiculous that such slow play has gotten normalized as "plenty fast". 

 

If you're out there for four hours and fifteen minutes that means you are literally standing around doing nothing for the majority of the round. There's just no way to get into any sort of flow or relaxing rhythm with that much standing around. Play golf for five minutes, stand around for five minutes, play golf for five minutes, stand around for five minutes, over and and over again. 

 

 

I consider 4:15 slow too but that is the time I am content to accept as normal pace of play. 

 

I am in a local golf group posting on Facebook. Many of the members consider 4:30 during the week and 4:30-5 hrs on the weekend as the "new" pace of play. Recently the topic got heated when I mentioned 4:15 was the tipping point to slow play and that 4:15 was plenty slow. 

 

I am amazed how many people defend a 4:30 round and consider faster finishing rounds as people speeding around the course. I can guarantee you that my foursome doesn't rush around the course and our finishing time is usually around 3:30-345 with no one in front of us.