Slow play
 

In today’s Daily Sun Steve Trivett wrote an article about slow play. He is 100% correct about it ruining the game of golf. Until the local courses start enforcing pace of play it will only get worse with the additional population. We are constantly told that ambassadors are not allowed to enforce pace of play for fear of upsetting someone. The unfortunate consequence is that everyone behind the slow players gets upset. Please consider this when playing.

Pace of Play
 

Are you referring to championship or executive courses? It has been my experience that they may enforce pace of play on the championship courses, although not all ambassadors do it. Executive courses, maybe not. Often those courses are so chockablock that there is no benefit to encouraging a group to pick up the pace. Raking bunkers and repairing ball marks are different issues, and I wish the executive course ambassadors would deal with this. When the greens are healthy, that is. Right now, fixing ball marks makes little difference.

It is certainly frustrating for people play at normal speed to watch players spend time on the green like it is the pga championship. And then after everyone has putted stand and talk about how bad or great they played that hole, and move at a snails pace back to the cart, slowly replacing clubs in to the bag, and then visit some more, and finally go on to the next hole. All this being done without ever looking back to see if they are holding anybody up. We have shortened our rounds several times just because of this.

Until there are REAL consequences for slow play, starting at the professional level...it will be a lost cause.

Since I don't play the exec's, I can't speak for them, but I have yet to EVER see a championship course ambassador...move a slow group up.

Even with two holes in front of them open, it's usually a "well, they're on time"...or some other inane comment. :oops:

There are so many ways to play quicker, without rushing your actual shot. It starts with the idea that getting your azz out of the cart, grabbing the club you think you'll need, with one more and one less, walking over to your ball and then playing ready golf...is NOT against the rules.

And then there's the group that needs a union meeting to gather around and watch each player hit their ball.

And then there's the ones who can't trust their memory from the green to the next tee, so must write everyone's score (after yelling to confirm) at their cart...which they've parked too close to the green in the first place.

And then............ :mad:


If everyone would simply follow the old adage that "your place on the course is right behind the group in front of you, not just ahead of the group behind you"...things would get instantly better. :ohdear:

Posting here won't help.


I've tried to get a second pickle on my cheeseburger and it hasn't happened yet.

At our club up north we were expected to finish a round in 4:15. That was the bar, not the group in front. The group in front could be a threesome, could consist of low handicap players or any other variable. We were expected to be on time and were told to move up to get on time. If we didn't, their were consequences up to and including suspension. When someone was recommended to join the club they had a face to face with the pro who explained what was expected by everyone on the course. The rangers (they weren't ambassadors) were not hesitant to enforce. Until that happens here, at least at some level, slow play will be part of The Villages golf

Maybe "slow play" in TV is a function of retirement status and relative age.

A lot of truth.

Pace of play has 2 factors, on time and position. You can have 2 holes open in front of you and still be on time. Maybe open tee times, maybe 2 somes or 3 somes. The pace is NOT determined by how fast you play but by the clock. A group can be on time or a couple minute behind but the group behind can be fast players. Also ambassadors have far more ability then you may think, but there are many factors. We are retired, take a chill pill.

You can moan and groan about slow play on execs all you want, but nothing will change. There are just too many people playing. Deal with it.
Steve

True. An ambassador (clearly frustrated) once told us that by the time a group is obviously behind and he tells them to speed up or close the gap in front, they are usually 4-5 holes into their round. When he checks on them later, even if they did speed up, they are almost done with their round. He felt he was accomplishing nothing but hopes they remember the advice next time.

We played Bonita Pass one day last summer and while teeing off on the 7th hole we observed the two 4 somes in front of us decided to drive off and departed the course. Sure enough the ambassador came up to us and said to speed up as there were 2 holes open in front. Well, yeah! There would be. He asked me how I knew they left the course and I told him they drove right past you! We all laughed.

You are right as usual and a lot of the population now here, will exit in SEVEN days.

For clarification, I've played more than enough golf to know... when to compare apples to apples.

None of your threesome/twosome/empty tee times/just faster players/Etc...apply to my point/examples.




However, this statement and attitude...does apply to my point.

Thank you. :ho:

Mrs. KC played the Marshview Pitch and Play today - 3 freaking long hours for that short course. Slow play is so killing the game of golf.

U.N.A.C.C.E.P.T.A.B.L.E.

I and my golf partners are all fast players, and for the most part, have not experienced unreasonably slow play on the championship courses. The executive courses are a totally different animal. Slow play is expected and must be tolerated if you wish to not go crazy sometimes. I rarely play executive courses, but when I do I bring a couple of cold beers and expect a slow but fun round nonetheless. If I want a fast round on executive courses I find it is best to either go out as one of the first couple of groups in the AM or the last couple of groups before dark during daylight savings time. It is what it is.

Executive courses this time of year are slow and that’s expected. It’s slow play on the Championship courses that drives me up a wall. If people would just play ready golf, we could all move along nicely and stop waiting for the green to clear when you’re 275 yards out. You’re not going to hit it. You’re drive didn’t even go 200 yds.

There are so many factors that play into the equation. Foursomes are sent out every 7 or 8 minutes. That leaves very little room for error. The new rules gives a golfer 3 minutes to look for their ball. If that happens to the same group 2 times that is 6 minutes. The group behind will now be waiting. But this doesn’t mean the group is slow. They could be playing faster than the alloted tome per hole. You then have groups that play 30 minutes faster than the alloted time. When they make the turn they have to wait for the last group on the wave to start before they do. They now think the play is slow but they are just real fast. Maybe if they put a little more time between tee times this may help but there is just too much demand to do that. You also have people who can’t wait for their tee time to start and hit 2-3 minutes before. This will not keep the pace of play. Also practing ready golf and good golf needs to be used a lot more.

I've noticed some starters actually keep track of who's shooting off when. There's been times when we could go tee off and the group before us were waiting to tee off. Other starters actually go out and observe what the groups are doing since some foursomes just pull up in line before checking in and or walk off to parts unknown!

But not neccessarily told by those who would actually know.

The idea is for everyone to enjoy their game.

Biggest holdup I’ve found on the executive courses is when scramble groups are so excited about scoring etc they forget to leave the course on nine. I’ve seen 6 carts hanging out around the ninth green while some practice putting on nine and others tally up the score on the fringe. I’ve seen money awards handed out. I’ve seen others that just want to park where those on the tee box will likely hit them, while giving hugs and high fives. Meanwhile, groups are piling up on the ninth tee box wondering what these people are thinking.

I don’t understand why it is so hard to finish the ninth hole and pull off the course to celebrate and repack your clubs.

And health...Many factors..
Yes slow play is annoying in the long run at this stage of our lives
Just be happy we woke up to see the flag stick :pray:

Frustrating
 

Played Glenview on Sunday 6/2
with our friends, another couple,or should I say tried.Tee time 10:32 finished 9 holes
2 hours and 45 + min later.
So got rain check for the other 9 holes...
PPOBLEM #1
.When you have ( 3 ).
4 somes on the same hole you have a problem .When you have golfers playing blue tee boxes and can't, or even come close to reaching the 150yrd markers on there drives you have a problem. When the group in front of you loose sight of the 4 some in front of them on the second hole ,you have a problem.
All the time not only are you frustrating my group,but the entire field behind us.
So by the 5th hole, I had a chance to speak to the Ambassador about the slow play.
I said could you tell us what's going on in front if us? His response was the two groups in front of us were the problem .
He said I spoke to them, to get moving ..
.So I asked what was there response?
He replied ,they just looked at me ..
Well I can tell you it didn't work ..
When you have golfers walking to there ball without clubs and your partner then decides to move the cart on the other side of the fairway that's a problem ..When you have the entire group watching you hit the ball ,that's a problem..When you park your carts in front of the green on every hole ,that's a problem.
When you clean your clubs while your parked in front of the green that's a problem.
So you see folks a little COMMON SENSE and golf ETIQUETTE could have gone a long way.
Sadly ,this is not the first time ,nor will it be the last time we will experience this..
The only good thing about this day is we got to the bar earlier than expected.

If I was any better I'd be twins!!
Cheers!!

This does not happen "outside TV" Where i came from the ambassadors carry guns

The afternoon teetimes on the championships right now are a good pace of play. On Friday 5/31 we had a teetime of 1:00 at Belle Glade (Calusa > Tequesta), at 12:30 when my neighbor and I were paying in the clubhouse they said we're next on the tee. We have to wait for our third player.

We went to the Calusa starter shack and checked in and he said, were next up. I called our third player who lives close by in Labelle. We went to the practice green and when our third showed, we teed off at 12:45.

We never had to wait on the entire 18 holes, first time this has happened in a few years. Nobody in sight in front us all day, the three of us finished the 18 holes about 4:00, that was about 3+15 minutes from the time we started. We play ready golf, when you're ready you hit, don't have to wait for honors, but we did take the stick out when putting close range. It was a very enjoyable afternoon.

I think since they have the discount golf at 4pm now, it has eliminated some of the early afternoon golfers. For $34 it was a good deal for us, the fairways could use a little more grass.

Poor champ course design is also cause for slow play.

Thank:bigbow: You well stated
They encourage everyone to keep moving
which is great.

I personally enjoy seeing and playing with people of all ages and ability. Great to see them out there enjoying what this great community has to offer.
Sadly it does offend others with higher skill levels and ease of mobility. If your day is going to be ruined by some one taking a few extra minutes you shouldn't be out there

Or the players that don't know to adjust their game to the course they are playing.

Why would anyone want to play 'Fast Golf?'
Or is there a prize for the fastest round of th day?

I did not know Leavenworth had a golf course.:1rotfl:

It isn't really a matter of playing "fast" golf...it's simply playing "ready" golf.

The round is a lot more enjoyable (for most of us), when you can move along at a nice even pace and aren't constantly waiting for people in front zig-zagging constantly back and forth in the fairway ahead of you...or spending forever clearing the area near the green, after they've holed out. :shrug:

Well said

:1rotfl:

No the designs of the courses do nothing but slow up play. Same guy did most of them. Friend of the family but not very good at design for senior golfers.

Enlighten us.

Slow Play
 

I support enforcing pace of play. Once golfers start to know they are to slow or to fast. The spacing of the tee times will start to be more effective. Which will make for less standing and parking time on the grass areas. The result a better golf expirence.

simple to do; give the rangers in the villages the authority to move slow players the way every course in America does. Allowing 4 1/2 hours to play a round of golf is ridiculous, especially on user friendly village courses. Too many times you'll see people looking for free balls like they are gold. It should be easy to enforce, and like bad kids, it you punish them, they'll usually stop doing what they were doing.

I rarely see any slow play on the ex courses. I see a lot of impatient aggressive old farts 💨.

Sorry JoMar nothing to do with adjusting. One example of bad design, the bunkers. Many are too deep for seniors, while others are so large it takes minutes to get in rake and get out. One other point. As we get older we have trouble hitting the ball as high as we used to. All greens should allow us to roll balls up to thegreens. This guy puts bunkers in front of the greens . These bunkers are also very expensive to maintain, more expensive than greens. and finally many of them serve no purpose.