Penalties For Slow Play

 

To combat "slow play" it was decided by the committee that a time limit of 4 hours 20 mins. should be the maximum time taken for a round of golf, any group taking longer than 4 hour and 20 min. will incur 2 shot/points penalty for each player in the group. In the event that the group in front of you takes more than 4 hours 20 mins (4 ball )  then a 15 minute rule will apply, meaning that you must complete your round no longer than 15 mins after the group in front.

It is up to the more experienced golfers to ensure your group is playing at the correct pace.

 

This rule is not designed to unduly penalize people. 4 hours 20 mins is a very generous amount of time for a 4 ball to complete their round.

 

If we all play within the allotted time this will obviate the situation where a group might be waiting for every shot which can adversely affect their game. It is also unfair to groups starting early, when a slow group holds up the entire field, meaning the people who start early have to wait much longer than they should for the prize giving.

 

How to combat being a slow player

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It would seem that some of us are not playing our golf a reasonable pace, which understandably can turn what should be an enjoyable day, into a very frustrating one. Having a slow player (or players) in your group can adversely affect not just a players enjoyment but also their performance. It is all too easy to be distracted by constantly waiting for a player to take their shot, when we should be able to focus on our own game.
Slow play on the golf course is usually a habit that a golfer acquires over time, as he or she acquires bad habits. Or it's the result of the golfer never having been taught proper golf etiquette. This means a slow golfer can usually be "cured" of his malady. Of course, that golfer has to be aware that he's slow, and that's where playing partners and friends, come into play.
But as we often take a look at other golfers on the course and notice the things they do to slow down play, so should we take a look at ourselves. When we do take an honest look at ourselves, we often discover we're doing some of the same things to slow down play that we're complaining about others doing.

Before I run down a list of suggestions for speeding up play, it's important to note that many of these tips have nothing to do with rushing your play, but rather with simply being ready to play, and with using common sense and good etiquette on the course.

The bottom line is, as soon as it's your turn to play, you should be ready to step right up and make the stroke.

Here are some tips for speeding up slow play on the golf course:

• Members of a group should not travel as a pack, with all members walking together to the first ball, then the second, and so on. Each member of the group should walk directly to his own ball.

• Use the time you spend getting to your ball to think about the next shot - the yardage, the club selection. When you reach your ball you'll need less time to figure out the shot.

• If you are unsure whether your ball has come to rest out of bounds, or may be lost, immediately hit a provisional ball so that you won't have to return to the spot to replay the shot.

• Begin reading the green and lining up putts as soon as you reach the green. Don't wait until it's your turn to putt to start the process of reading the green. Do it as soon as you reach the green so that when it's your turn you can step right up and putt.

I estimate that we waste close to 45 secs on every green, (which amounts to 13 ½ mins per round) unnecesarily marking and cleaning various balls. Only mark your ball marked if you need to.

• Never delay making a stroke because you're having a conversation with a playing partner. Put the conversation on hold, make your stroke, then pick up the conversation again.

• If using a cart on a cart-path-only day, take more than one club with you when you walk from the cart to your ball. Getting to the ball only to find out you don't have the right club is a huge time-waster on the golf course.

• After putting out, don't stand around the green chatting or take any practice putting strokes. Leave the green quickly so the group behind can play. If there is no group behind, then a few practice putts are fine.

• When leaving the green and returning to your golf cart, don't stand there fussing with your putter or other clubs. Get in the cart, drive to the next tee, and then put away your putter.

• Likewise, mark your scorecard after reaching the next tee, not while lingering on or near the just-completed green, but not if it is your turn to play.

• Make sure that your caddie stays with you and you are not waiting for him or her when it is your turn to play and that you have the correct club to play the shot.

• If you're the type who likes to offer tips to playing partners, save it for the driving range - or only do so on the course when you're sure that you're not slowing down play (and sure that you're not annoying your partners!).

• If you are searching for a lost ball and are willing to spend a few minutes looking for it, allow the group behind to play through.

• On the tee, pay attention to your partners' drives. If they lose sight of their ball, you can help direct them to it and avoid any searching.

• When waiting on the tee for the group in front to clear the fairway, don't be so strict about order of play. Let the short hitter - who can't reach the group ahead anyway - go ahead and hit.

• Work on building a concise pre-shot routine. If your pre-shot routine is a lengthy one, it's probably in your best interests to shorten it anyway. Limit practice strokes to one or two at the most.

• Don't bother marking lag putts - go ahead and putt out if it's short enough and you won't be trampling on another player's line.

• Leave your cell phone in the car.

• Walk at a good pace between shots. No, you don't have to look like a race-walker. But if your between-shot gait can be described as a "shuffle" or an "amble," you're probably going too slowly. Speeding up your gait a little is good for your health, but also might help your game by keeping you lose.

• Try playing ready golf, where order of play is based on who's ready, not on who's away.

•Be aware of your position with regard to the group in front and keep up with that group.

•If you feel that your group is losing ground, tell the other players in your group.

•If your group is behind, try to catch up.

•If you lose a clear hole and are delaying the group behind, or if there is no group in front of you and you are delaying the group behind, invite the group behind to play through.

I suggest that we all work together to try and speed up our play and please don’t be offended if someone makes some constructive criticism by suggesting areas of your game that are slow.​
I can assure you all that given the choice between playing with a quick or slow player, the quicker player will never be short of willing partners.