Golf Pace of Play. Keep up, or Time Par
 

On another thread it was mentioned that TV Championship courses are no longer using time sheets to enforce pace of play, but rather relying on the old "keep up with the group in front of you". BTW, this "fact" was disputed by another poster who works at another Championship course.

I hope they stick with the time sheets. I find it much more relaxing to have a hard and fast line, rather than a subjective measure such as "keep up with the group in front". What if the group in front is a group of "rabbits" who get their jollies bragging about playing in "3 hours and 15 minutes!..Yay for us", but don't putt out, don't fix punch marks, rake bunkers, or resand their divots? Or a threesome? Why should they be the dictators of what is a proper pace?

I have seldom had to play behind anyone who can't keep pace with the clock. It happens, but not often. I'd rather relax and enjoy my round than have to worry about how fast the group in front, or the group behind feel they want to play.

pace of play.....especially in retirement...is over rated!!!!
IMHO.

Keep up with the group in front.

Regardless of how fast they play?
What if they are a 3-some?
What if they play in 3 hours and 15 minutes? Why do I have to play that fast?

Why is their chosen pace the law for everyone who follows?

Always pace of play. As long as players are on time, even if there is a free hole ahead we don't, can't push. That comes from the head Pro.

I assume by your statement, "Always pace of play", you mean the clock is what determines the pace, not the speed of the group in front. Am I correct?

What head pro are you referring to? Someone you work for here in TV, or some head pro somewhere else?

Here's a case in point: I was playing at Pelican one day. I went there by myself, and was put with 3 other players, all of whom were walking. I was not because I was recovering from a leg injury.
We had a threesome in front, and a threesome behind, all in carts. We were 5 minutes ahead of the time par on the sheet.
On every shot, the 3 behind us were "tea potting" (if you stand with one hand on your hip, and the other holding the club, you sort of look like a tea pot from a distance) us, looking impatient. Eventually the ambassador comes up and tells the two ladies who were walking in my group to speed it up, we had a hole open in front of us. The ladies were visibly upset by this.
I assured them they were, and we were, in fact, fine, being at least 5 minutes ahead of the time par, while walking. Since I had a cart I rode over to the ambassador who was talking to the 3 some behind us. They had in fact complained about our pace.
I explained the situation, and the time par. The ambassador looked at his sheet, explained that I was right, and apologized to me. I gently explained that he needn't apologize to me, but he should apologize to the two ladies he upset. He graciously did so.
I think the 3 guys behind me were not pleased. Too bad. It sucks sometimes to learn that you don't own the world.

Yes correct, on the champ courses
Yes, the head pro at the champ course I work at

I absolutely love that term, never heard it before and usually I call it "The Villages Pose"

As an adjunct to your story, I was playing on a champ course with my friend's son, who is a professional at a club in Boca, 27 years old and hits his drives 330+. There was just the two of us behind a foursome, and we were right behind them waiting on every shot. Of course, due to his length, he had to let the group ahead get a little further away than the rest of us even though he was playing the black tees. The group behind us didn't care for that, we occasionally heard a "hit the ball" from them. Apparently they didn't care about the safety of those ahead of us. When we were putting , the group ahead was still on the next tee every hole, but we could look back and see the group behind all "tea potting". So about the 5th time, the two of us turned around, put our hand on one hip, leaned on our putters and stared back at them for about 2-3 minutes. They must have gotten the hint since they didn't do it again.

Or if the group or two in front of you leave the course early and the ambassador rolls by and tells you you're playing too slow. Uhh. No buddy. check your time sheet. We are not the group timed 18 minutes before us.:1rotfl:

love it! I played with a really long hitter and the same thing happened. He invited the group behind us to switch places with us, and he'd be happy to hit into them all day. They did not accept the invitation.

Maybe that 3 some should find another friend? :1rotfl::1rotfl:

Why haven't you just called the golf shop?????

and tell them what?

I’ve spent 20 years working in golf and traveled the country visiting golf courses. Two things I have learned.

1. No golfer ever thinks they are slow.
2. Nearly every golfer is slow.