[biker1]

I believe you are correct. I mostly play the executive courses. I hardly ever see "slow play" in the context of how much time is allotted for each hole. I do, however, see "slow play" in the context of how fast I play. The fact that I may we waiting for a "slow" group in front of me because I play fast is my problem only. Choosing level 3 and 4 courses does address the "problem" somewhat.

Originally Posted by rustyp

There is no way slow play is as big a deal in TV as is being portrayed here. Proof - Tee times are usually between 8 - 9 minutes apart. That equates to less than 3 hours for 18 holes. The courses are booked solid during high season. If slow play is really happening then the tee times during the day would back up. Rarely do any of us tee off late from our assigned tee times. Patience grasshoppers.

[HoosierBob]

I dislike slow play as much as the next golfer but Steve overstates this as a problem in Villages golf. In nine years of golfing here, in busy snowbird season, a round has never taken more than 4 hours 20 minutes and most are around 4hours or 4 hours 10 minutes. A golf round can be over 5 hours in many places around this country.
Given our age demographic and the fact that many retirees are trying to enjoy golf for the first time I believe a little patience and a little understanding is worth taking 15-20 minutes longer to accommodate our neighbors. And what would we do with the extra 20 minutes anyway?

[charmed59]

I don’t mind if they are slow while playing. It’s the extra stuff that drives me crazy.

Just yesterday we were playing on a fairly empty course and caught up to the group in front of us. We are waiting on the group in front of us to clear the green. They pull the flag, they all line up their putts like there is money on the line. They all finish putting, pulling their balls out of the hole and put the flag back in. I’m fine with that. Then one of them drops his ball back on the green to try putting again. While we are all standing on the tee.

Seriously, just look back before playing mulligans. If you aren’t holding anyone up, go to town on extra shots. But if there are folks waiting for you that’s not the time for practice.

[Marathon Man]

Originally Posted by Twiganne

What I don’t understand is my dad said there is no play through allowed on the course.

I am not aware of any rule against allowing a group to go around you. It wouldn't stop me if there were. I would simply tell the 'time keeper' what we did and please give us tn minutes.

[Marathon Man]

I agree with those that say that slow play is over-stated. Yes, it happens from time to time. But, that is true everywhere else I lived. I think the difference is, retired folks play much more golf, therefore encountering slow play more often.

[iaudit]

Originally Posted by rustyp

There is no way slow play is as big a deal in TV as is being portrayed here. Proof - Tee times are usually between 8 - 9 minutes apart. That equates to less than 3 hours for 18 holes. The courses are booked solid during high season. If slow play is really happening then the tee times during the day would back up. Rarely do any of us tee off late from our assigned tee times. Patience grasshoppers.

Most non par 3 holes have two groups on each hole so that equates to 16 - 18 minutes per hole. Do the math grasshopper.

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by Marathon Man

I am not aware of any rule against allowing a group to go around you. It wouldn't stop me if there were. I would simply tell the 'time keeper' what we did and please give us tn minutes.

Actually, the USGA encourages faster groups to play through.

USGA - Improving Pace Of Play (Click Here)

Keep up with the group in front of you.

Your correct position on the course is immediately behind the group in front of you, not immediately in front of the group behind you. Arrive at your next shot just before the group in front leaves the area in front of you.

If you are consistently not able to keep up and a gap opens in front of you, invite the group behind you to play through, irrespective of the number of players in the group.

HOWEVER, my group(s) have been told numerous times by the ambassadors on the championship courses...that "playing through" is not allowed here.

One time my foursome was waved through (on a par 3) by a slow (but courteous & not trying to play slow, they just weren't very good golfers) group in front and even with no one behind us for a few holes...the ambassador told all 8 of us that it "wasn't allowed."

When we told the ambassador that given there was no one behind us, that we would quickly be gone and it was the only common sense thing for the group in front of us to do (they had already hit their tee shots on the par 3)...he mumbled something about how "it messes up our calculations on timing groups."

Most of us just laughed out loud and then took off...never to see the slower group again.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

It's pretty evident that "calculations of timing groups" doesn't accomplish anything, if you have people in front going so slowly that a bunch of old folks are hoping to play through

[drcar]

Originally Posted by HIgolfers

drcar- you are wrong. If you are 10 minutes behind on the Front nine, once you make the turn your clock starts again. So if you are on pace on the back nine, then you are fine. This was how an ambassador explained it to me. Not that it matters because as others have commented, very few ambassadors will do anything about slow play. I can only assume that they have been told not to enforce slow play.

Sorry, I would say I hate to correct you, but I am not. You are wrong and so is whatever ambassador you talked to. IF you are behind on the front, you are behind on the back nine.. At the turn the starter should talk to you about pace of play. Go in the clubhouse ask a manager, everyone complains here but no one talks to the managers or the pro.

[Northwoods]

Originally Posted by Marathon Man

I am not aware of any rule against allowing a group to go around you. It wouldn't stop me if there were. I would simply tell the 'time keeper' what we did and please give us tn minutes.

When playing an Executive course, we were going to let the group behind us play through. The Ambassador told us you are not allowed to let a group play through on Executive courses. Just FYI.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

So let's say there are 5 groups behind you for the day, all timed sequentially (the very next tee-time is assigned, as are each of the next 4 tee-times). You want to get an extra 10 minutes. No problem. Everyone will have to wait an extra 10 minutes. Easy peasy. But wait. The next group also wants 10 minutes. They gave it to you, they should give it to them.

So now, the 4 groups behind that group is now waiting 20 minutes each. But the NEXT group also wants 10 minutes. So each of the subsequent 3 groups are now waiting an extra half hour.

This is why it's a bad idea to not care about accountability and owning up to your own responsibility in keeping an appropriate pace. Because it's not just the person behind you who's waiting. It's them and everyone behind them, and the more people who have this "hey we're retired, chill out" attitude is causing the last people in line to have to wait unfairly for every single person ahead of them.

Keep the pace, or accept a later tee-time so that quicker people can start before you do.

[Edjkoz]

I just love the golfer who hasn’t hit a drive over 150 yards all day but has to wait for the green to clear when they’re trying to hit a 275 yards shot from the fairway. really?

[Seacoast1]

Just remember......

Golf is literally a sport to see who can play the least golf.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by rustyp

There is no way slow play is as big a deal in TV as is being portrayed here. Proof - Tee times are usually between 8 - 9 minutes apart. That equates to less than 3 hours for 18 holes. The courses are booked solid during high season. If slow play is really happening then the tee times during the day would back up. Rarely do any of us tee off late from our assigned tee times. Patience grasshoppers.

Worth re-posting.

[ohiosbestus]

What is the hurry, are you doing piece work? Golf is to be enjoyed and a form of relaxation. If you want to go fast, try running track or cross country. I for one want to try to play to the best of my ability, and I play better when I am not race horsing around the golf course. Not that i am slow, and I still get done in the allotted time frame of 4:15. Rush, Rush, Rush is what is wrong with American Society today. Take your time and do it right is my philosphy.