[jimhoward]

Originally Posted by Maker

The PGA rules have extreme restrictions against using a golf cart. Everyone walks the entire course. Getting an exception is very difficult.
Walking will slow down things quite a bit. But you can have a caddy walk with your clubs.

The PGA and the USGA are not the same. The OP is talking about USGA rules.

The USGA allows carts, and shorts. It also allows you to change golf ball brands/models within a round (except in tournaments) so you can use any ball in your bag. It also allows for a local rule to be adopted where lost balls may be dropped in the fairway under penalty of 2 strokes (I don't know if the Villages has adopted that or not...or even if there is a committee). There are alot of differences, I don't know them all.

[Aces4]

[QUOTE=BrianL99;2435640]

Originally Posted by kkingston57

Good luck. Wait till you play in the summer and know you hit a ball into the rough, other players watch it go into the rough and you can not find it. Stroke and distance penalty and go back to former hitting spot. In summer months can happen a lot, We do not have hundreds if not thousands of fore caddies. We agree that in this situation drop a ball and take a penalty stroke. If you want you can change your score to reflect the true stroke and distance penalty for handicap purposes. If all players played by the strict rules, rounds in TV will be up to 5 hours[/QUOTE]

Probably even longer.

99% of the time, the players (particularly higher handicap players) who insist they "play by all the rules", are the ones you don't want to play with, for a multitude of reasons. Typically, they really don't know "all the rules", they take forever to implement them and spend more time arguing about them, than adhering to them.

I play 150-200 rounds/year and I'm a 5 Index. Unless it's a specific situation/match or a competitive round, nearly every single person I've ever played with, adheres to the usual "casual round rules". Good inside the leather, if you lose one drop it where you think it went and take a stroke (as in a hazard) and finish the round in less than 4 hours.

You can always tell the DB's on the first green. If the guy brings a towel with him when he walks to the Green ... disassociate yourself immediately from the group.

If someone has a "long putter" ... same deal.

Collection of USGA Tags on his bag? Probably bad news.

Carries a 2nd "little carry bag" with wedges around the Green ... trouble. (I hadn't seen one of these in 40 years, until I got to TV.)

Golf is supposed to be about having fun. If you're in it for the competition, you shouldn't be carrying a double-digit handicap.

Take a breath, the OP doesn't insist everyone play golf. You can continue to play at golf and have a good ole time. All he is looking for is some who play by their golf according to the rules.

He's not looking for people who all of a sudden must start figuring out how to do that and those that play at that level of golf, move a heck of a lot faster than the old duffers having fun slapping at the ball. No one wants your game to change.

I said it earlier, the slow play is caused by not being golf ready and not by people who know how to play the game. The Villages accommodates the duffers very nicely and no one will have any problem with golfers who know what they are doing. All this panic is a nothing burger.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by kkingston57

1 example lost ball in heavy rough. Happens a lot in the summer. Player has to go back to the area where the last ball was hit. The out of bounds/lost ball rule allowing a player to hit from the advanced spot and take a 2 shot penalty is a local rule, 2nd example is gimme puts. Seen players plump bob 1 footers

Yep, there definitely are duffers out there.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

You are not entitled to hit a provisional, if your ball may be lost in a Hazard.

& you are not allowed to "take a drop" under 26-1, without knowing to a virtual certainty, your ball is in the hazard. You are required to play a questionable shot as a "lost ball" and return to the Tee.

You can't see if your ball went in the water on your drive on a Village's course?

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by Old Traveller

Our Tuesday, Saturday Afternoon golf group plays by USGA rules. The only game we do not play is quota points. We roll them in the fairway (I didn't make that rule), play the ball down in the rough and if the putt counts it must be holed. As a rule everyone putts all of them out for accurate USGA handicaps. Our foursome played Evans Prairie today in 3 hours and forty five minutes. Years ago all the guys played the blue tees, then the white tees. Now they can play any tee they want and we adjust their USGA handicap to match. All members have to have an Enhanced membership so we have priority for tee times, it pays for itself if you play twice a week from January to June. Players handicaps range from 0 to about 22. We have lost a lot of snowbirds at the moment, and they start coming back about September or October. We try to mix the foursomes up as best we can. We do not play Sawgrass or Shallow Creek because we have so many golfers who live north of 466. We try to mix up the courses as best we can, and keep a close eye on aeration schedules.

Nice going considering it's being said it can't be done..

[jimhoward]

Originally Posted by Aces4

You can't see if your ball went in the water on your drive on a Village's course?

By USGA rules you cannot. It is one of the more annoying and often ignored USGA rules. You can't hit a provisional if your ball may or may not be in the water (or other penalty area). If you do, that second ball is in play with a one stroke penalty regardless of whether the first ball is up or not. Its no big deal if its red stakes because you can walk up and then drop by the water if you are in, but if its yellow stakes its a problem.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by Aces4

You can't see if your ball went in the water on your drive on a Village's course?

The below all have Tee Shots into a blind or partially blind area, with a water hazard.

1st Hole, Ponce De Leon
2nd Hole, Ponce De Leon
3rd Hole, Ponce De Leon
5th Hole, Ponce De Leon

1st Hole, Riley Grove (water behind the fairway bunker on the right).
2nd Hole, Riley Grove (water behind & left of the green)
4th Hole, Riley Grove (water on the right, over the hill)
5th Hole Riley Grove
7th Hole Riley Grove
9th Hole Riley Grove

3rd Hole Laurel Valley
8th Hole Laurel Valley
9th Hole Laurel Valley.

[Rainger99]

Playing by USGA golf rules is generally slower than casual golf. Here's why:

1. Strict Rule Adherence:
USGA rules require precise procedures, such as taking proper drops (e.g., measuring two club lengths, dropping from knee height), assessing penalties correctly, and resolving rules disputes with officials or playing partners. These steps add time, especially in situations like lost balls, out-of-bounds shots, or hazards, where players must follow formal processes.

2. Etiquette and Order of Play:
USGA rules enforce strict etiquette, such as playing in the correct order (farthest from the hole plays first), waiting for the green to clear before hitting, and maintaining pace-of-play guidelines. This can slow down play compared to casual rounds where players might skip formalities (e.g., "ready golf" where players hit when ready).

In contrast, casual golf is typically faster because:
- Players often forgo strict rules (e.g., taking "gimme" putts, ignoring minor penalties).
- They may play "ready golf" instead of waiting for the correct order.
- There's less emphasis on formal procedures, like dropping precisely or consulting rules officials.
- Groups may skip formalities like marking scores after every hole.

For example, Jordan Spieth's 20-minute delay on the 13th hole at the 2017 British Open (due to a complex drop procedure under USGA rules) would likely have been resolved much faster in casual play, where players might just drop near the original spot and continue.

Data from the USGA indicates that an average 18-hole round in a USGA-sanctioned amateur event takes about 4.5–5 hours for a foursome, while casual rounds often take 3.5–4 hours on similar courses, assuming no major delays. The difference arises from the cumulative effect of rule adherence and stricter etiquette.

[Kingsport]

Find a group you enjoy. That is the important thing.

[Topgun 1776]

Originally Posted by SPT32507

I’m considering moving to The Villages and, as an avid golfer (albeit a higher-handicap one), one of my top priorities is finding a group that plays by official USGA rules—no gimmies, proper lies, penalties assessed, and honest scoring.

I completely respect that many groups are more relaxed, but I’m simply looking for like-minded players who enjoy the game as it's written. If such a group exists, I’d really appreciate any pointers or contacts.

Thanks in advance!

I will bet you won't find one. Maybe one person...but not 4. Not in TV. If you do, I would also bet, some, if not all, will say they will...but, they really won't.

[Accidental1]

Originally Posted by SPT32507

I’m considering moving to The Villages and, as an avid golfer (albeit a higher-handicap one), one of my top priorities is finding a group that plays by official USGA rules—no gimmies, proper lies, penalties assessed, and honest scoring.

I completely respect that many groups are more relaxed, but I’m simply looking for like-minded players who enjoy the game as it's written. If such a group exists, I’d really appreciate any pointers or contacts.

Thanks in advance!

Buy an enhanced membership and sign up for Tuesday Men's day tournaments. You will get paired with guys in your handicap range and based on my limited experience (a couple of tournaments) I believe they tend to play by the rules. You may meet a group of guys there that are more likely to play by the rules.

[Accidental1]

[QUOTE=BrianL99;2435640]

Originally Posted by kkingston57

Good luck. Wait till you play in the summer and know you hit a ball into the rough, other players watch it go into the rough and you can not find it. Stroke and distance penalty and go back to former hitting spot. In summer months can happen a lot, We do not have hundreds if not thousands of fore caddies. We agree that in this situation drop a ball and take a penalty stroke. If you want you can change your score to reflect the true stroke and distance penalty for handicap purposes. If all players played by the strict rules, rounds in TV will be up to 5 hours[/QUOTE]

Probably even longer.

99% of the time, the players (particularly higher handicap players) who insist they "play by all the rules", are the ones you don't want to play with, for a multitude of reasons. Typically, they really don't know "all the rules", they take forever to implement them and spend more time arguing about them, than adhering to them.

I play 150-200 rounds/year and I'm a 5 Index. Unless it's a specific situation/match or a competitive round, nearly every single person I've ever played with, adheres to the usual "casual round rules". Good inside the leather, if you lose one drop it where you think it went and take a stroke (as in a hazard) and finish the round in less than 4 hours.

You can always tell the DB's on the first green. If the guy brings a towel with him when he walks to the Green ... disassociate yourself immediately from the group.

If someone has a "long putter" ... same deal.

Collection of USGA Tags on his bag? Probably bad news.

Carries a 2nd "little carry bag" with wedges around the Green ... trouble. (I hadn't seen one of these in 40 years, until I got to TV.)

Golf is supposed to be about having fun. If you're in it for the competition, you shouldn't be carrying a double-digit handicap.

I'm not familiar with the "bring a towel to the green issue"...what's that?

[Rocksnap]

Only thing I use a score card for, is to write the names of those I’m now paired up with.

[rjrobart]

First things first.... People come to The Villages to relax, and live out their golden years. So rules are not part of their go forward plan. That said I appreciate what you're trying to accomplish. After all it is a gentlemen's sport. What you may want to be more concerned about is how many balls people hit off tees. Something that you can obviously see. I see no problem with hitting a breakfast ball on a first t-box , but that's it . The rest that goes on out in the Fairway is something you won't have control over . And quite frankly you should forget about . What others do does not affect your playing . Unless of course you're playing for money . But as a high handicapper as I am you may want to just consider relaxing enjoying the camaraderie love your fellow golfers , and enjoy . You cannot control others . I guarantee you you will not find a group that would adhere to USGA rules in their totalitary . That's just that way it is . Relax , enjoy , and look for nice fellas to play the game with . Bob w =SPT32507;2435309]I’m considering moving to The Villages and, as an avid golfer (albeit a higher-handicap one), one of my top priorities is finding a group gimmies, proper lies, penalties assessed, and honest scoring.

I completely respect that many groups are more relaxed, but I’m simply looking for like-minded players who enjoy the game as it's written. If such a group exists, I’d really appreciate any pointers or contacts.

Thanks in advance![/QUOTE]

[sowilts]

Originally Posted by Hape2Bhr

How does playing by all the rules slow down pace of play?

Would seem to slow down play by playing all the rules depending on how high Handicaps, or skill levels. Play 90 percent Championship Courses and have nothing but praise for the Ambassadors. Very difficult task to keep the rounds moving.