It’s time for club golfers to get a move on and get weekend rounds back under five hours
Is it just me, or is a five-hour round of golf just ridiculous? When I play a practice round in a twoball, it takes roughly two-and-a-half hours, give or take. So how do weekend rounds take double that?
I have a few ideas why, which I’ll run through, but they’re best summed up by the ignorance of some players ruining it for the rest of us. It’s not a case that all players do these things to slow the game, nor is it one category of golfers, it’s the few individuals and groups which bring the course to a grinding halt – and they need to get a move on.
Ready Golf – a set of guidelines to improve the pace of play in strokeplay events – has been part of R&A amateur events for a while now, and I’ve seen the posters at many clubs over the last few seasons, so how has it not sunk enough to improve things yet?
I’ll level with you – I take my time when hitting shots. It’s not a long time, but I like to take a practice swing, pick a target line and settle over a shot before pulling the trigger. At my home club, I’m yet to see a pre-shot routine which could be picked out as causing unnecessary delay.
I can, however, offer a list of things which do cause delays including, but not limited to:
1. Patrolling the fairways as a pack, heading to each ball in order and having three players watch each stroke before proceeding to the next. Instead, why not walk to your own ball (unless helping with a search) and get ready to hit? There’s no need to travel as a herd.
2. Be ready when it’s your turn (or when it’s appropriate to hit). The player furthest from the hole doesn’t need to play first in strokeplay. If they’re delayed, get on with your shot rather than waiting a round.
3. Ignore whose honour it is on the tee. It’s part of Ready Golf to play when you’re ready and this seems to be missed most on the tee. It doesn’t matter if it’s not your turn, pop a tee in the ground and keep the game moving.
4. Mark your card in one of the many periods you’re supposed to be waiting. There’s no need to do it straight away, and no need to take 10 minutes on the 10th tee checking the first nine either.
5. Tell your stories on the move. There’s nothing worse than the golfer who makes the whole group wait for their tale to end while their ball is on the tee. Play your shot and continue the story as you walk – it’s never worth the wait.
6. Be aware of what’s going on around you. There’s no shame in letting a faster group play through. Maybe they’re a smaller group, or genuinely faster. Rather than rushing and making a hash of your shot, take a pause, maybe mark your card, and let the group behind get on with their round – both groups will be better off for the change in playing order.
7. If it’s stableford and you can’t score, pick the ball up. Returning a 12 when it’s the same blob you would have had after six blows is pointless.
The R&A’s research shows people enjoy golf more when the game takes less time – so let’s try to pay a little more attention to what we’re doing and keep things moving.
