POP clock

Stamp out Slow Play!!

September 30, 2021

We have all enjoyed rounds where the pace of play moved along nicely.  Everyone, slow players, fast players, and everyone in between, is responsible for keeping up with the group in front.  Who is responsible for a good pace of play in any given group?  YOU ARE.  The question is, how to speed up?  How to play faster in the first place?  And how to catch up if the group falls behind?

Speedy Pace tips & techniques

Some tips for speedy play from the Feb 2021 email to the membership:

Tip #1: be ready to play when it is your turn.  For example, if you are not the first person to play off the tee, you should be determining your club and shot selection while you await your turn, so that you are ready to play immediately when it is your turn.  This is true in the middle of the fairway, too.  Go to your ball and start preparing for your shot while others are hitting theirs.  Don’t wait!

 

Tip #2: after your shot, take your club with you into the cart and go!  Replace the clubs and their head covers (including putter covers) in the bag after you reach the next stop.

 

Tip #3: Park the cart (or your bag) as near as possible to the “exit” of the green.  The “exit” is where you would walk off the green to head to the next hole.  This is also true of where you leave any extra clubs or equipment you’ve brought to the green (like wedges or a towel): leave them on the “exit” side of the green.  If your ball is on the other side of the green, just make sure you bring them with you as you get nearer to the hole. 

 

Remember, a delay of 8 seconds every time for the player who averages 95 shots/round translates to a delay of about 13 minutes. If everyone in the group takes a similar amount of extra time, the group will take 50 minutes longer than they should!

The R&A created an awesome short video on Pace of Play that demonstrates a few
ways to speed up play and eliminate the “time stealers”. Watch it to see what you
can do!