Golf Not Fun Anymore - Too Slow

[needfasp3ed]

23 hours ago, AngryGilmore said:

Me too.  I live in Des Moines and it is getting harder to get a tee time.   I sometimes have to play Coldwater in Ames if I have a day off because it isn't terribly crowded in the mornings.

DSM here as well, 4 golfers near Des Moines in the same thread? Impressive (and likely proof of how slow golf is here right now) 

Edited June 27, 2023 by needfasp3ed

[khalespace]

On 6/26/2023 at 6:23 AM, rmc26 said:

I used to be obsessed with golf. I loved tinkering with clubs and would spend hours a week on this site. 

 

I was in my early twenties with limited commitments.

 

Today, I have completely given up the game based on the time per round. 

 

It is not longer fun, more often than not it is down right frustrating. 

 

Golf has been ruined for me and I have replaced it with other activities. 

 

It is not so much the overall amount of time, but more so the acknowledgment that I am wasting time. Time spent sitting in a cart getting sunburned for no good reason so some clown can plumb bob and practice swing like he's on the PGA. 

 

In fact, I blame the PGA. I don't watch golf anymore either. 5-6 hours for a twosome. 

 

It makes me angry just thinking about it. 

 

It is a shame I cannot enjoy a game I learned playing with my father. A game we could walk, talk, joke, and still finish in 3.5 hours. 

 

I wish courses had strict time limits and enforcement. Here in CO 5+ hour rounds are the norm. 

 

I'd rather go hiking or fishing if I'm going to out all afternoon. 

 

 

 

I know that on most public courses 5 hour rounds are expected. This Friday I will tee off at 3:20 in Orange County and Sunset time is 8:07 but I don't expect to finish 18. I and my buddies expect to end our round at 14 or 16 holes.

 

Sometimes I like to play back-9 at around 6:30 or 7. Usually the back-9 players are very quick and we usually get it done in 2 hours. the only problem is none of my buddies want to play only 9 holes and so early.

[MichaelGFox]

1 hour ago, needfasp3ed said:

 

An hour is the difference between waiting on tee boxes or staying in rhythm and simply hitting within 30 seconds after arriving to your ball. My fastest rounds are also some of my best rounds of the year; obviously pace impacts everyone differently as I have playing partners that wouldn't be phased by a 5 hour round, I'm miserable. 

thats because youre mentally not a strong golfer bottom line. slow play sucks but dont blame slow play on the fact you cant mentally keep it together when you have to wait a few minutes to hit

[Denny100]

1 hour ago, needfasp3ed said:

 

An hour is the difference between waiting on tee boxes or staying in rhythm and simply hitting within 30 seconds after arriving to your ball. My fastest rounds are also some of my best rounds of the year; obviously pace impacts everyone differently as I have playing partners that wouldn't be phased by a 5 hour round, I'm miserable. 

 

But its like i said, what do you expect is going to happen?

 

Do you expect that every single other person will move quicker for your benefit?

 

How can spending slightly longer on a golf course make you miserable?

 

Where did this entire concept of having to finish faster and faster and faster originate from? has it only started because golf is more popular now?

 

I realise im in the minority but i look at this forum and everyone is bitter about the pace of play. Perhaps youve got it the wrong way round and you are the ones out of touch with the rest of the non golfing forum society out there.

[ND2005]

1 hour ago, needfasp3ed said:

 

An hour is the difference between waiting on tee boxes or staying in rhythm and simply hitting within 30 seconds after arriving to your ball. My fastest rounds are also some of my best rounds of the year; obviously pace impacts everyone differently as I have playing partners that wouldn't be phased by a 5 hour round, I'm miserable. 

 

It also makes a huge difference for your day. If I get the 7am tee time I play in 3:30, and I'm home with a coffee in my hand before 11am and my family barely missed me. Then have the whole afternoon in front of me still. 

 

If I play at 10:00 am and it takes 5 hours, I'm not home til almost 4pm and the day is mostly gone. 

[Denny100]

4 minutes ago, ND2005 said:

 

It also makes a huge difference for your day. If I get the 7am tee time I play in 3:30, and I'm home with a coffee in my hand before 11am and my family barely missed me. Then have the whole afternoon in front of me still. 

 

If I play at 10:00 am and it takes 5 hours, I'm not home til almost 4pm and the day is mostly gone. 

 

Id say again, i dont understand the logic

 

Youre choosing to do an activity that youll only enjoy if you do it at the crack of dawn, get EXACTLY the tee time that you want that only 4 people can have that everyone like you is trying to get, and then your goal is to ensure you get round in 3.30 hours so you can have the "whole afternoon" to do what you want.

 

I would suspect for a lot of people, their round of golf IS the focus of their day, its not something theyre trying to get out of the way to do something else.

 

 

[ND2005]

24 minutes ago, Denny100 said:

 

Id say again, i dont understand the logic

 

Youre choosing to do an activity that youll only enjoy if you do it at the crack of dawn, get EXACTLY the tee time that you want that only 4 people can have that everyone like you is trying to get, and then your goal is to ensure you get round in 3.30 hours so you can have the "whole afternoon" to do what you want.

 

I would suspect for a lot of people, their round of golf IS the focus of their day, its not something theyre trying to get out of the way to do something else.

 

 

 

Because now I get both? 

 

I'm a morning person so I wake up early at baseline. Nothing lost there.

 

I fully admit like the OP I play fast and get frustrated by delays so early morning tee times alleviate that. 3:30 with a wide open course is a comfortable walking pace, not a rush. 

 

And then I have the rest of the day to do other activities I enjoy.  

 

The logic seems pretty straightforward to me - I've learned what frustrates me (slow golf) and adapted a strategy that avoids it while still allowing me to play the sport I love. 

[Tanner25]

There must be work arounds, play early or late, find a course that is further away. Golf doesn't seem that important to you, if you're thinking of walking away over this.

[Wooley12]

I recall getting up a 6am on a Saturday to play in the mens club events at Durand Eastman GC. Get to the course by 7,  put my balata ball in the line of balls that was your tee off order. Then breakfast and some practice, teeing off at 9ish.  Get to the 2nd tee and there would be a few foresomes backed up playing penochle while they waited their turn. Get back home about 3. 

 

Played a nice muni yesterday in 4 hours. Not that I was timing it. 

[ruascott]

8 hours ago, Denny100 said:

 

There are golf clubs here that do offer you a swimming pool, tennis courts etc but those are rare and usually the big resorts that cost a small fortune to be a member of. Those courses still attract visitors who will pay a green fee just to go there once a year.

 

The "private members" clubs are essentially the same as the muni's, except they sell an annual membership. Often the facilities are no better than the muni, sometimes worse. Muni's often offer a driving range, sometimes offer a big golf superstore on the site. The private member club often has a small pro shop and maybe a grass practice ground, sometimes youre looking at a couple of nets and a little putting green.

 

Memberships can range from lets go ballpark figure £1,200 to £1,500 for that. Often with decent joining fees too.

 

People join these clubs because they realise its still cheaper than paying £40 every time they want to go. Thats the reason they are there.

 

I probably would go somewhere super exclusive, IF i could, but for me its more the other way around. I dont want to play quicker and fly round in 2 hours. Im not slow, ill play a fourball in 3.5 hours, but id pay the super exclusive fee to NOT have someone behind me trying to hassle round in two hours. 

 

Ah, you're talking about private clubs in the UK? vs someone talking about private clubs in the US. That's like comparing apples and bowling balls, they are very different models. 

 

The prices you referenced wouldn't be avaliable at most any private club in the US. That's closer to the membership cost at a muni or other low tier public course.  

 

Think $15-50k (or more)  initiation fees and monthly costs in the $500-1k range (or more) 

 

 

 

Edited June 28, 2023 by ruascott

[DoughBack18]

On 6/26/2023 at 4:55 PM, Chunkitgood said:

Hollow or foam filled clubs aren’t clubs.

Then why did you call them clubs?? 😂

 

 

Just messing with ya! 😉

[Texaslefty1]

I like playing 9 during the week personally. I'll head out solo a couple hours before dusk and play 9 in an hour or so, then head home. Courses around me are rarely busy that late, maybe I'm just lucky there. 

 

Obviously there's no point in playing at all if you don't enjoy it though. I've taken multiple extended breaks that were good. 

Edited June 28, 2023 by Texaslefty1

[tatertot]

5 hours ago, Denny100 said:

 

But its like i said, what do you expect is going to happen?

 

Do you expect that every single other person will move quicker for your benefit?

 

How can spending slightly longer on a golf course make you miserable?

 

Where did this entire concept of having to finish faster and faster and faster originate from? has it only started because golf is more popular now?

 

I realise im in the minority but i look at this forum and everyone is bitter about the pace of play. Perhaps youve got it the wrong way round and you are the ones out of touch with the rest of the non golfing forum society out there.

With some exceptions, you have 2 kinds of golfers ...

 

Golfer A is out there to enjoy the day, socialize, hit a few good shots, and possibly do some drinking. Length of a round is of no concern. It's a leisure activity, after all.

 

Golfer B is playing a sport, trying to get better or beat something, either another golfer or a score. Standing around while a foursome shoots a combined 40 on a hole is not something they're interested in watching. It's not about the time, it's the wasted time interrupting their game.

 

There are a few mixtures out there, but the real problems occur when groups of A golfers mix with groups of B golfers. Golfer A thinks Golfer B should chill out ... Golfer B thinks Golfer A should just get out of their way since they're not serious. Both have paid the same green fees, both have the right to be on the course.

[byoshio82]

On 6/26/2023 at 8:23 AM, rmc26 said:

I used to be obsessed with golf. I loved tinkering with clubs and would spend hours a week on this site. 

 

I was in my early twenties with limited commitments.

 

Today, I have completely given up the game based on the time per round. 

 

It is not longer fun, more often than not it is down right frustrating. 

 

Golf has been ruined for me and I have replaced it with other activities. 

 

It is not so much the overall amount of time, but more so the acknowledgment that I am wasting time. Time spent sitting in a cart getting sunburned for no good reason so some clown can plumb bob and practice swing like he's on the PGA. 

 

In fact, I blame the PGA. I don't watch golf anymore either. 5-6 hours for a twosome. 

 

It makes me angry just thinking about it. 

 

It is a shame I cannot enjoy a game I learned playing with my father. A game we could walk, talk, joke, and still finish in 3.5 hours. 

 

I wish courses had strict time limits and enforcement. Here in CO 5+ hour rounds are the norm. 

 

I'd rather go hiking or fishing if I'm going to out all afternoon. 

 

 

 

Agreed on this 100%! Private courses seem like the way to go for people who like quick rounds. Playing public courses vs private courses is night and day. 

[mizuno player]

4/ 4.5 with good company I can handle. 

 

I think slow play is caused by a few things. 

 

1). T.V.  Many see what the pros do and do the same. I see guys that can't make a one foot putt doing aim point on Every putt.. 

 

2). Too Many tee times. I know the courses do it to increase revenue. That won't change. 

 

3). Course set up. Rough where you can't find a ball quickly. Fast greens and tough pins.  Courses like the reputation of having fast greens etc...  Not cutting rough regularly keeps costs down. 

 

4). Covid has brought more new golfers to the game. Most do not know etiquette. 

 

5). Groups that bring the music and drinks and make a party out of it. I'm not against it if play is not unnecessarily held up. 

 

Slow play is here to stay. Courses don't mind because they have full tee sheets. 

 

Private clubs are usually better for pace of play. At least in my experience. My club has a really good pace of play. Thankfully. Public courses by me even during the week can push 5 hours. Weekend can approach 6!!! If I didn't belong to a club I would have stopped playing weekends. 6 hours is just too long. 

[tatertot]

17 minutes ago, mizuno player said:

4/ 4.5 with good company I can handle. 

 

I think slow play is caused by a few things. 

 

1). T.V.  Many see what the pros do and do the same. I see guys that can't make a one foot putt doing aim point on Every putt.. 

 

2). Too Many tee times. I know the courses do it to increase revenue. That won't change. 

 

3). Course set up. Rough where you can't find a ball quickly. Fast greens and tough pins.  Courses like the reputation of having fast greens etc...  Not cutting rough regularly keeps costs down. 

 

4). Covid has brought more new golfers to the game. Most do not know etiquette. 

 

5). Groups that bring the music and drinks and make a party out of it. I'm not against it if play is not unnecessarily held up. 

 

Slow play is here to stay. Courses don't mind because they have full tee sheets. 

 

Private clubs are usually better for pace of play. At least in my experience. My club has a really good pace of play. Thankfully. Public courses by me even during the week can push 5 hours. Weekend can approach 6!!! If I didn't belong to a club I would have stopped playing weekends. 6 hours is just too long. 

And 5somes ... shocking how one extra player can throw the dynamics of a group off and add so much extra time.

 

Of course, EVERY 5some is fast and keeps up with every other group, so it's not their fault ... but I'm talking about the OTHER 5somes.

[Blaiser]

15 hours ago, Denny100 said:

 

I dont quite get the logic of the OP in some ways.

 

If im going to be out all day id rather spend all day fishing or hiking - ok, says to me that 1) you DO have all day so theres not much to hurry for and 2) youd rather fish or hike. Thats fine, fish or hike then.

 

I dont really get it. I have time to fish or hike all day, but under NO circumstances must my golf game take over 3 hours or its a waste of a day..... right.... but youll literally sit all day waiting to catch a fish that might never happen anyway.

 

Id say the reality is if you like other activities more, just do those instead. Its not that big of a deal.

 

To me it's not necessarily the total amount of time it adds -- It's just annoying. It's sort of like terrible/oblivious drivers on the road during your morning commute to work. Even if it won't make you late, I bet most people get frustrated if the car ahead of them isn't paying attention at a stop light and they just sit there for 10 seconds after the light turns green. Let's say you have 10 stoplights on your commute and each time people wait 10 seconds after the light turns green. That's under 2 minutes aggregate, but probably feels like an eternity each time they do it.

 

So I do agree that the total time isn't the huge burden. When I golf, I already plan my entire day around it.

 

But man, is it annoying to watch the group in front of you drop another ball because they didn't like their 1st shot, or take 5 minutes to putt out from 20 feet. Frustrating AF and it wears on you after a while.

Edited June 28, 2023 by Blaiser

[aenemated]

On 6/26/2023 at 6:23 AM, rmc26 said:

 I'd rather go hiking or fishing if I'm going to out all afternoon.  

 

So go do that, dawg. 

[Denny100]

@klebs01

 

Why dont you recommend to the OP the course you play at where you all fly round and you can go and all play there together instead of moaning and posting confused emojis all day.

[klebs01]

9 minutes ago, Denny100 said:

@klebs01

 

Why dont you recommend to the OP the course you play at where you all fly round and you can go and all play there together instead of moaning and posting confused emojis all day.

My private club. My experience at multiple private clubs where the expectation was rounds, even at the busiest of times, around 3:30. Where if you are on a 4 hour + pace you should expect a visit from the pro. These are actual private clubs that have membership caps of under 300 members. With no public play. Your “private member clubs” in the UK are effectively like our semi-private (hate that term) courses here. 
 

it still baffles me that you can’t comprehend that people actually like to play golf when on the golf course and not sit around and watch snails like you agonize over 18 inch putts and bullxxxx around the course taking 4.5+ hours to play because you think everyone behind you should expect to play at a quick pace or in rhythm. 

[MelloYello]

1 hour ago, Denny100 said:

 

And if you could read youd see ive posted multiple times i play at 3.5 hours regularly, plebs like you and your little chums on here that moan that you cant play 18 holes in 90 mins are just as big, if not MORE of a problem than the people out there taking 4.5 hours, youre THAT entitled you expect theyre going to bend over backwards just because youre an angry and entitled.

 

Its funny how you have no time to play golf yet have oodles of time to post your little emojis and moan on here isnt it.

 

You've posted more than anyone else in this thread:

 

 

 

Your 14 posts have disagreed with the OP and fought against the opinions of virtually everyone you've quoted. At best, you're disagreeable but there's a strong argument to be made you're just showing up to poke and prod people. 

 

20% of this thread is you telling people they're wrong because you disagree. 

 

You clearly want to bait people into arguments and your finishing move is attacking people by insulting the fact they post here.

 

At this point you are trolling. 

 

 

.

Edited June 28, 2023 by MelloYello

[MelloYello]

26 minutes ago, Denny100 said:

 

...I'll put over the alternative view on behalf of everyone else who doesn't use forums like this.

 

Beginning ones thinking from the unsupported notion that there's an army of supporters behind you--one that is somehow numerous but incapable of speaking for themselves-seems like maybe it's destined for failure and kinda downright delusional, but IDK, who cares? 

 

I'm out. 

[tatertot]

1 hour ago, Denny100 said:

 

I could name you 20 regular playing partners, not a single one plays 18 holes in 2 hours, not a single one moans constantly that they cant, and not a single one uses a golf forum.

 

Im sure i could find 10 other people in their extended social network exactly the same.

 

Im sorry if my real world experience doesnt fit with yours, but its hardly delusional and you cant seem to understand you post here in a (small) echo chamber.

You don't "get it" because you and your circle of friends are part of the problem. The minority that annoy the majority, and yet think they are righteous.

[8602081]

2 hours for 4some?  No way for 18 holes. Even if it's possible, that cannot be fun.. 

Try 2 hours when it's carpath only..

 

Majority play 18 around 4 hours.

[Is Golf Fun or Work]

1 hour ago, Denny100 said:

 

Well, you might as well stop getting annoyed, nothings changing, the whole world isnt going to play in 2 hours just to please you, and having told you i play in 3.5 hours in a fourball, if thats STILL not fast enough, its tough, because it would be literally impossible to play any faster, because we would just be held up by the next group, the next group, the next group etc etc

 

So all your moaning on forums is utterly pointless.

SOME people think they rented the course as their personal playground for the day.  It's all about 'me' these days

[marmaduk]

Shrink the game!

Also, take up motor racing? It’ll probably be cheaper 😜

[DoughBack18]

Playing at a private course can definitely spoil you as far as the time it takes to play a round. But a big part of that is the fact that not many 30+ handicaps are going to spend the money to join somewhere private. Most of the people who are a member somewhere know the game and how to play at least to some extent. Thats why they drop that kind of coin to play. 
 

That being said you can play public golf (at least in my area) in 4-4.5 hours on plenty of occasions. You probably don’t want to tee off at noon to accomplish that, but if a quick round is your goal it can certainly be done. I play with some dew sweepers on occasion who get the first few times of the day and they play in less than 3 hours regularly. To me, sometimes its almost too fast, and a lot of 3-4 footers end up getting scraped. But they want to play quick and they accomplish their goal. 
 

Their are also plenty of times i’ve gotten stuck on a busy course and its taken 5 hours. But to use that as an excuse for bad play is just that, an excuse. I’ve played tons of tournament rounds that have taken well over 5 hours, so you can’t let the wait time or length of the round affect you if you want to play competitively because without a doubt you will have that scenario come up when it matters most. 
 

I look at it this way. If I get to play at exactly my pace, thats great. If it happens to take longer I try to be thankful for the fact that my wife and son are good enough to give me that time to be out on a golf course. I’m not going to let an extra 30 or 40 minutes of being on a golf course get me upset. Not saying thats right or wrong, but just the way I look at it.

 

Hope you all make lots of birdies!

[bladehunter]

On 6/26/2023 at 9:23 AM, rmc26 said:

I used to be obsessed with golf. I loved tinkering with clubs and would spend hours a week on this site. 

 

I was in my early twenties with limited commitments.

 

Today, I have completely given up the game based on the time per round. 

 

It is not longer fun, more often than not it is down right frustrating. 

 

Golf has been ruined for me and I have replaced it with other activities. 

 

It is not so much the overall amount of time, but more so the acknowledgment that I am wasting time. Time spent sitting in a cart getting sunburned for no good reason so some clown can plumb bob and practice swing like he's on the PGA. 

 

In fact, I blame the PGA. I don't watch golf anymore either. 5-6 hours for a twosome. 

 

It makes me angry just thinking about it. 

 

It is a shame I cannot enjoy a game I learned playing with my father. A game we could walk, talk, joke, and still finish in 3.5 hours. 

 

I wish courses had strict time limits and enforcement. Here in CO 5+ hour rounds are the norm. 

 

I'd rather go hiking or fishing if I'm going to out all afternoon. 

 

 

 

Been this way since early 2020 here.  Pre 2020 you could drop in on my home course at 130-2pm any day of the week and be virtually alone.     So many people “ working “ from home now , that the course is full.  I applaud any business owner trying to reel that back in.  Reel away so some of us can have a turn.  Get them back in the office. Make them at least fain work to get paid.  😂. 
 

now ?  You have to call a week ahead for a time. I don’t know a week ahead when I can play hookie.  So I don’t play.  And the weekend ?  Our dogfight used to have 1st out on Saturday.  7 o’clock times.  6-7 groups. Now ?  If you show up at 6 whne the GM opens the gate. He will let you go out ahead of us.  ( semi private and the dogfight is membership ). So no official times before 7. But last week he let 40 players out ahead of us.  It took 5 hours to play , and it’s a course I can walk in under 4. 

[airjammer]

Don’t be this this group that’s all I ask. 

[PedronNiall]

Only hope now is that you have active marshals or that you can play private for the most part. It does seem like public courses in nicer subdivisions still maintain pretty good pace, likely owing to slightly wealthier players on average who don't want to waste time regardless of their handicaps. Lucky enough to have a decent number of those in my area along with some privates plus active marshaling & use of pace of play warning through the GPS systems at most of the courses worth playing.

 

I'd probably have to go to range only during the week and road trip it to the nearest place I could find reasonable round times on the weekend if that weren't the case. It's just not enjoyable having no rhythm to the round because too many players don't understand how to be courteous to everyone else playing and get away with it because the marshals no longer exist or aren't doing their job. I can understand the OP's frustration when he's not able to enjoy a sport & hobby that's been a part of his life for most of his life. Honestly don't know what I'd do without golf; there's nothing else that drives me the way it does or manages to occupy so much time in such a healthy way.