[Editor’s note: This month’s topic is hugely important to the author. Not only does Terry serve as a Rules Official at a number of national championships, but he often times takes on the additional role of Pace Manager, including at this year’s Men’s NCAA Golf Championship.}
School is out for the summer and a moderate heat wave is due this week, so it’s unlikely anyone feels like taking a Rules quiz this month. Which makes it the perfect time to address a problem that continues to plague the game of golf at all levels – slow play.
A notoriously slow player at my club was questioned a few years back by another member about his sluggish play. The slow player responded by stating he was “Paying the same amount of money as you and I will take as long as I want to play a round of golf.” As you can imagine, the conversation went downhill from there.
Nor did pace of play go well at this year’s U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills in May. The play of that championship featured a number of 6 ½ hour rounds on Friday and Saturday, getting so bad that Charley Hull became frustrated with the slow play of Lexie Thompson on the first hole of the first round of the championship. Later in the day, the 29-year-old Englishwoman was even seen sitting on the ninth tee box, waiting for Thompson to complete play on the eighth hole.
Even at the U.S. Open two weeks later at Oakmont, pace of play became an issue. It took one group just over an hour to complete the first three holes.
So how do we, as amateur golfers, help solve the problem? To paraphrase Smokey Bear, “Only you can help prevent slow play.” With that in mind, lets see what the Rules of Golf say about pace of play. And then we will offer some suggestions on how you can make a difference.
Rule 5.6b gives all one needs to understand the concept of prompt pace of play and how to achieve the goal.
”A round of golf is meant to be played at a prompt pace.
Each player should recognize that their pace of play is likely to affect how long it will take other players to play their rounds, including both those in the player’s own group and those in following groups.
The player should play at a prompt pace throughout the round, including the time taken to:
- Prepare for and make each stroke,
- Move from one place to another between strokes, and
- Move to the next teeing area after completing a hole.
A player should prepare in advance for the next stroke and be ready to play when it is their turn.
When it is the player’s turn to play:
- It is recommended that the player make the stroke in no more than 40 seconds after they are (or should be) able to play without interference or distraction, and
- The player should usually be able to play more quickly than that and is encouraged to do so.
Depending on the form of play, there are times when players may play out of turn to help the pace of play:
In stroke play, players may play “ready golf” in a safe and responsible way (see Rule 6.4b(2)).”
It seems like a pretty simple concept, doesn’t it? But simple can often be confusing, which is why you’ll find a few tips below to keep you on the quick and narrow.
— Three minutes means three minutes. From the definition of “Lost” in the Rules, we know that lost is “the status of a ball that is not found in three minutes after the player or their caddie (or the player’s partner or partner’s caddie) begins to search for it.” Continuing to search for a lost ball after the three-minute search is not only against the Rules, but it’s also inconsiderate to other players.
— If there is a chance that your ball may be lost outside of a penalty area, or be out of bounds, to save time, a player should play a provisional ball. At least if the original ball is indeed lost, being able to play the provisional will save at least ten minutes of time. See Rule 18.3 to learn more about playing a provisional ball.
— When you arrive at the first tee, act like you’ve been there before. Be ready to play when you arrive – make sure you have your glove, tees, balls and all the things you need to get through the round. Try to arrive at least five minutes before your scheduled time for a casual round and ten minutes before a competitive one. The earlier you arrive, the better chance you have of being ready to play.
— When it’s your turn to play, make sure you are ready to play. While other players are playing, use the time to get your yardage and decide which club you are going to use. While golf is not a track meet, it is important to be ready to as soon as it’s your turn rather than a minute afterwards.
— Know your position on the golf course. It’s the group ahead of you that you should be paying attention to, not the group behind. Keeping up with the group ahead is always the goal.
— Try to limit your practice swings. Nowhere in recorded history has six practice swings ever helped a player. The driving range is for practice, not the golf course. Try to keep your pre-shot routine to under 15 seconds.
— Watch all golf shots in your group, even the bad ones. Watch the ball until it comes down and make a mental note of where it came to rest. There is nothing worse than having four players in a group and no one has any idea where the ball went.
— On the putting green, many players don’t start thinking about their putt until it is their turn to play. Don’t wait until it is your turn to start the process of reading the green and getting ready for when it is your putt.
— Know when enough is enough. In a casual round, it’s more than okay to pick up after you’ve reached the score-posting maximum of a net double bogey. No one is interested in watching you making a 20-foot putt for an 11. In a four-ball match, when you are chipping onto the green with your seventh stroke, and your partner is on the green in two, just pick up. Please.
— Yes, we all need to occasionally use our phones while on the course. But you should never be on the phone when it is your turn to play.
— Don’t fill out your scorecard while on the green just completed as it holds up the group behind you. Wait until you get to the next tee to mark the scorecard.
Hopefully this month’s article has given you some valuable tools for improving pace of play. Prompt play comes down to little things. A few seconds of time saved here and there eventually becomes minutes of time shaved from the round. Remember, the pace choices you make will not only improve your enjoyment of the game, but will also improve the experience for everyone on the course.
I’ll put my soap box away now.