What is your preferred pace of play? *Poll*

[A.Princey]

Guys rushing around in 2hrs, trying to leap frog everybody, is as bad or worse as 5hr slow pokes. If the course allows for ultra fast rounds so be it,  but don’t expect to play thru 6 groups to achieve that. I can blow through 18 by myself in 2hrs with no one on the course, but 3.5hrs walking in a foursome is good. 

[mshills]

For me, there is no single length of time. It depends on way too many factors. 
 

Ideal for me means each player in our group gets to their ball and is able to play the shot right away. No waiting. No rushing. Approach ball, consider conditions, wind, situation, and where is the do-not-miss-here miss. Select target, get yardage, select club, address, deep breath, waggle, shot.

 

Nowhere am I waiting for someone in front of me to play, or listening to someone finish telling that absolutely hilarious story one more time. I’m also never thinking about where else I have to be or how many minutes it is taking me to play this hole. 
 

It depends on the course layout and the topography. A helluva lot more elevation to contend with here in western PA than in FL or TX, but the flip side is our courses are never spread out to accommodate a housing boom. On some courses this could be 18 holes in about 3:20, but it has to be a very easy/flat walk for me to get around that quickly.  Other courses are totally comfortable at 4h or maybe 4:15. Anything longer than that is slow. 

[jholz]

14 hours ago, Greenie said:

 I love being out on the course playing golf. Standing around waiting on slow people is not my idea of enjoying what I love about golf.

 

I would love being out on the course for 5 hrs. playing 27 holes. Playing 18 holes in 5 hrs. not so much.

 

Yeah see, that's where I start looking at nature or messing around with my clubs. Anyone who can bounce a ball on their wedge has spent considerable time on a tee box.

 

I used to know this one guy back in Georgia - an itinerant floor installer. You could throw a ball down anywhere on the tee box, and that guy could hit the tee marker, first try, every time with whatever club he had in his hand. It was uncanny.

 

Without slow play, I'd never have known that about this guy. Because of slow play, he's become a legend in my golfing memory.

 

That's the kind of thing you can't predict and money can't buy. Gotta use time for whatever it's worth.

Edited May 3, 2023 by jholz

[jholz]

15 hours ago, klebs01 said:

 

its torture because I’m in the place I love but I have to stand around waiting instead of doing what I love in the place I love. 

 

Yeah, I feel you. Tough to remain in the Zen place. The constant struggle of mankind (myself included).

[Maroon_19]

3.5 hours seems to be my sweet spot for most courses that I can walk.  That amount of time means I'm not hurrying to the ball for the next shot, but I am able to maintain a steady rhythm to the game that day.  No long waits to hit.  No hurry.  At this pace I shoot my best scores.  Under 3 hours is a run and over 4 hours is a slog - neither conducive to a good score.

 

If I'm riding, I generally don't care about round time.  I'm probably not 100% focused on the game that day, but rather focused on a fun day with my buddies.  Some of those scores are REALLY good and some of those scores are REALLY bad.  Don't care.

[Mr. Bean]

I did not answer the poll as there was no option to my liking to choose.

 

My preferred pace is not to wait for the group in front. As we almost always walk around here the pace depends on the size of the group so there is no fixed time to choose from the poll. A twosome walks the course in 2,5 hours while a decent foursome does it in 3h15-3h30minutes, depending on the terrain.

[nitram]

Walking 18 is 3-1/2 hours. Riding a cart is sub-3 hrs.

[wy3134]

walking 3 hours, riding 2hrs. but i also already have an idea what club im gonna hit after ive hit the previous shot, so i dont need to sit around and play jordan spieth like some folks who have to get to the ball, have a convo, talk about and study the lie, and then decide to hit the flop shot they were always gonna try anyway...that they end up still whiffing or skulling 😆 

 

and shocking to some, i can still fully enjoy the round and not feel like im rushing. ill admit i dont generally enjoy playing with a group of buddies who cant break 80 on a good day because they are taking so much time to find balls in the woods and whatnot. that just gets tiresome after a while, regardless of how much you are friends. 

Edited May 3, 2023 by wy3134

[betarhoalphadelta]

1 hour ago, Mr. Bean said:

I did not answer the poll as there was no option to my liking to choose.

 

My preferred pace is not to wait for the group in front. As we almost always walk around here the pace depends on the size of the group so there is no fixed time to choose from the poll. A twosome walks the course in 2,5 hours while a decent foursome does it in 3h15-3h30minutes, depending on the terrain.

 

Yeah, I had to make the assumption that the question was based on a standard foursome, so I selected 3.5 hrs. That's a good pace on most courses to walk if you're not held up by those in front of you. 

 

If I were playing as a single, with nobody in front of me, I doubt it would be more than 2.5 hrs and could be closer to 2. I walk fast, my decision-making and preshot routine aren't lengthy, so that would be a comfortable pace for me w/o ever rushing. 

[rgk5]

No more than 4 hours.

[jdl]

Ideally walking, but still depends on the course and number of players. One course I play is a fairly short, compact par 70 and I've walked that in a 2some in under 3 hours without rushing. Other courses might be 4 hours in a 4some and still be a good pace.

[Mr. Bean]

1 hour ago, wy3134 said:

walking 3 hours, riding 2hrs.

 

Around here riders are often slower than walkers... because they have no clue how to operate a cart carrying 2 persons....

[Petethreeput]

My sweetspot for a foursome is 3:45 on the course I usually play.  But then I have played on courses where 4:20 is a nice pace.  It really does depend on the course, and of course the company.

[IndyArcher]

Based on the time options, I'm not sure if this is group or what. I'm assuming a full foursome. I'm somewhat conditional as when I'm playing with buddies and we're out socializing as well as playing, I don't mind if we hit somewhere above 4 hrs, but if I'm playing with friends for friendly competition, then I get a little more focused on pace and hitting the 4 hour mark starts to get frustrating. Between 3.5/4 is probably ideal for a full course for me. I'm not a slow player, but also not speedy. I like a bit of a relaxed pace naturally. I responded with 4, but a little quicker is ideal. 

[Naptime]

Depends on whether I am a single or a foursome. 2.5 hr vs 3.5hrs.  Most activities have a preferred pace, whether they are spectator sports or individual activities.  When I go for a walk I like 2.5-3 MPH.  Taking an hour to walk a flat mile would be agonizing unless walking wasn't the point, e.g. out to take nature photos and might happen to go a mile.  Going faster would feel rushed to me.  But in contrast to golf, the faster people don't get stuck behind the slower people.

 

As to golf, some folks are just slow and tedious and overthink everything (from the perspective of a faster player) while others are always in a rush and don't smell the roses (from the perspective of a more leisurely player.)

 

Some people create a traffic jam because they seem to take "forever" to read a road message sign that says "bay bridge 7 miles ahead, 8 minutes".

 

Until courses are designed with designated passing zones we are stuck with it.

[MountainKing]

In my usual 4 some 3 hours is a good pace.  That pace we're moving and playing golf, not watching grass grow, and if we can get through in 3, it can often leave some extra time for practice, another 9 or some drinks/food in the bar after.

Edited May 3, 2023 by MountainKing

[wy3134]

3 hours ago, Mr. Bean said:

 

Around here riders are often slower than walkers... because they have no clue how to operate a cart carrying 2 persons....

 

you mean the people who will drive to find one guys ball, then drive to the other ball...hit their shot...then go back to the first ball? haha theres times ive fired warning shots at people doing that s*** where its slowing the pace down substantially. 

[Mr. Bean]

51 minutes ago, wy3134 said:

 

you mean the people who will drive to find one guys ball, then drive to the other ball...hit their shot...then go back to the first ball? haha theres times ive fired warning shots at people doing that s*** where its slowing the pace down substantially. 

 

No, I mean those who drive to the 1st ball, wait there for the 1st guy to shoot, then and only then they drive to the 2nd ball to shoot that ball.

 

Maybe we mean the same thing, but if there were one cart per person the rounds would be substantially faster as 95% of the people have no clue how to operate smoothly.

 

Edited May 3, 2023 by Mr. Bean
typo

[rogolf]

Someone should write a booklet, "Proper Golf Cart Use for Dummies and Newbies".  One practice that bugs me is those that park the cart right in front of the green instead of off to the side of the next tee.  Then they come off the green and have to go to the back of the cart to put their clubs away.  Why not park to the side and then drive to the next tee with their clubs in hand - they're going to go to their bag there anyway.  Note that this doesn't include those that have to record their score while sitting in front of the green!

[Denny100]

People in a cart/buggy in the UK tend to fall into one of two camps

 

1) Old people who are so physically incapable of playing golf they really should consider playing another sport

 

2) Idiots who spend the entire round drinking, playing terrible, and being loud, with zero talent.

[IndyArcher]

6 minutes ago, rogolf said:

Note that this doesn't include those that have to record their score while sitting in front of the green!

 

Now you talk about a pet peeve of mine! I've got a golfing buddy who does that all the time. People can be waiting to hit to the green and he's sitting there trying to calculate everyone's score. I can't tell you how many times I've said things to him and he still does it. He is just mindless of people around him. 

[chisag]

3 hours ago, Petethreeput said:

My sweetspot for a foursome is 3:45 on the course I usually play.  But then I have played on courses where 4:20 is a nice pace.  It really does depend on the course, and of course the company.

 

 

... I am always reminded of George Carlin when I read these threads. "Ya ever notice anyone driving slower than you is a MORON and anyone driving faster than you is a MANIAC!?!?! Same for golf. We all have our comfortable times and I am with you in the 3:45-4hrs being ideal for my walking 4some. Phoenix heat calls for taking your time, finding some shade and drinking lots of water. Channeling my inner Carlin anything faster than 3:30 seems too fast and anything slower than 4:15 seems too slow. Playing 4-5 times every week all year in Phoenix I am like Pavlov's Dog and almost exclusively playing twilite I have been programmed to play right around 4 hours so my pace reflects that. 

[chisag]

18 minutes ago, rogolf said:

Someone should write a booklet, "Proper Golf Cart Use for Dummies and Newbies".  One practice that bugs me is those that park the cart right in front of the green instead of off to the side of the next tee.  Then they come off the green and have to go to the back of the cart to put their clubs away.  Why not park to the side and then drive to the next tee with their clubs in hand - they're going to go to their bag there anyway.  Note that this doesn't include those that have to record their score while sitting in front of the green!

 

 

... Expanding on that thought, keep your dammed cart on the DUH! "cart path"  next to greens and tees! I played with a Head Greenskeeper at Prairie Landing, a very nice course in the Chicago suburbs and he hated putting ropes out next to greens and tees but said he had to because morons parked their carts there and killed the grass. Seems riding over the rough at a constant speed does minimal damage but getting in and out of the cart, while parked on a slope and spinning the wheels does quite a bit of damage over time. I see so many amazingly self centered golfers park half on and half off or just on the grass next to the cart path saving maybe one step? 

[Petethreeput]

4 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

 

... Expanding on that thought, keep your dammed cart on the DUH! "cart path"  next to greens and tees! I played with a Head Greenskeeper at Prairie Landing, a very nice course in the Chicago suburbs and he hated putting ropes out next to greens and tees but said he had to because morons parked their carts there and killed the grass. Seems riding over the rough at a constant speed does minimal damage but getting in and out of the cart, while parked on a slope and spinning the wheels does quite a bit of damage over time. I see so many amazingly self centered golfers park half on and half off or just on the grass next to the cart path saving maybe one step? 

Such a pet peeve of mine.  We have a hole and the cart path runs about 25' from the green.   People run between the path and the green, so the grass is 8" long but runs along the ground so it is so difficult to play from if you end up above the green in that little section.  I actually hope they put a bunker there because sand is easier than this laid down grass.

[chisag]

40 minutes ago, Petethreeput said:

Such a pet peeve of mine.  We have a hole and the cart path runs about 25' from the green.   People run between the path and the green, so the grass is 8" long but runs along the ground so it is so difficult to play from if you end up above the green in that little section.  I actually hope they put a bunker there because sand is easier than this laid down grass.

 

 

... One of the volunteers and his partner at my home course (the guys that are starters or rangers for free rounds) is one of the worst culprits. They often drive between the green and the bunkers right on the fringe. I gave this shot of them on 18 to the guys in the clubhouse and when done they drove off between the bunker and green on the left. 🤡  While it is a drop in the bucket, every little bit helps. The path is on top of the hills to the right and the lazy/selfish rarely park up there and walk down to the green. 

Edited May 3, 2023 by chisag

[Greenie]

3 hours ago, Mr. Bean said:

 

No, I mean those who drive to the 1st ball, wait there for the 1st guy to shoot, then and only then they drive to the 2nd ball to shoot that ball.

 

Maybe we mean the same thing, but if there were one cart per person the rounds would be substantially faster as 95% of the people have no clue how to operate smoothly.

 

 

It's the same thing only adding the second twosome to the mix. Cart 1 and 2 ride to player A's ball, wait and then cart 1 and 2 ride to the next ball and so on. So painful when I see a foursome in carts doing it.

 

 

[Colin L]

Brisk. But that’s relative. Brisk in my late seventies ain’t what brisk was in my late seventeens 

[Z1ggy16]

Depends on number of players.

 

Alone - 2 hrs or less

4 some - 4 or less

[Is Golf Fun or Work]

I 'voted' for 3 hours, though 3 1/2 isn't too bad....anything over 4 is just a crawl

[charliebrown]

On 5/2/2023 at 10:52 PM, A.Princey said:

Guys rushing around in 2hrs, trying to leap frog everybody, is as bad or worse as 5hr slow pokes. If the course allows for ultra fast rounds so be it,  but don’t expect to play thru 6 groups to achieve that. I can blow through 18 by myself in 2hrs with no one on the course, but 3.5hrs walking in a foursome is good. 

Seriously, if all you have is 2 hours to dedicate to play 18, just don't. I've been hit up on and hit by groups who can't seem to dedicate 3-4 hours to play. 4 hours or a little less is a great pace of play. Needing to cut that by 50% is, imho ridiculous. I still enjoy walking and can complete 18 in 3 1/2 to 4 hours. I don't need groups in carts pushing me because they can't/won't dedicate the time.