Pace of play on a golf course is what the speed limit is to a road. It is an expected time a group is encouraged to move through the golf course. However, not all golfers or golf groups can handle the pace of play or speed limit, if you will. Courses monitor groups to make sure that the course does not become backed up and cause undo delay. This basically means “playing too slow.” I want to address this topic and look into the cause and effect of playing too slowly, and offer some suggestions on how you can play more quickly and enjoy the round of golf more.
Way back in the days when I was competing on the PGA Tour, a player was penalized two strokes and fined a thousand dollars, if delayed the game by playing too slowly. Obviously this violation had severe repercussions for anyone who caused “undo delay.” It can and does disrupt players who are playing with a slow player, and of course the groups following. Playing slowly disrupts the game’s rhythm and makes it difficult to play well. This is an experience we can all relate to and become frustrated with from time to time. A pro can have trouble just like anyone else. They lose balls and sometimes get behind due to the challenging nature of the game.
Golf course Marshals are responsible for monitoring the pace of play and help groups move around the golf course, so as to keep pace with the group in front. When a group falls behind due to poor play, lost balls, lack of golfing skill and so on, they are politely asked to pick up the pace. If they don’t and the group continues to slip further behind, the player’s should allow the group behind to “play through.”
Often times, inexperienced golfers just can’t quite keep up with the group that is ahead of them. It is equivalent to pulling onto a Freeway and not keeping up with the flow of traffic. Imagine if several lanes were blocked because people were traveling much slower than the speed limit. That’s how it is on a course when a group is very slow. Oh sure, you will always have the fast player or groups who want to zip around and never wait. They are impatient and annoying in terms of hurrying everyone along. I don’t think it helps anyone to try and hurry around the course. I do think learning how to be efficient and not getting out onto the course before you are ready would be helpful in keeping up with the pace of play, once you do start to play.
But how can we learn to play and yet avoid being slow? That is a good question because in order to learn how to play we need to get onto the course. Some golf courses are “new golfer friendly” courses. By that I mean that they are shortened courses or thee par courses and much easier to play. A person also needs to be able to make contact with the ball and locate it quickly. They need to be ready to hit when it is there turn. The group I play with plays “ready golf.” That basically means hit when ready but never jeopardize the safety of another. Never ever hit with a person out in front. This “ready golf” keeps our group moving along, and unless it is a tournament round where the “honor system” is necessary, helps tremendously with the pace of play!
I teach a course at Boundary Oak for new golfer’s called Get Golf Ready. We learn all aspects of golf and include on course situations. I strongly urge anyone who wishes to learn how to play to contact me for more information. I can be reached at 925 997-3683 or just go to www.playboundaryoak.com and click on the Get Golf Ready tab under Golf Instruction. I hope to see you on the course!