Slow Play – This is a perennial problem in Golf worldwide, but is at its worst ever now, evidenced by some rounds in the recent US Womens’ Open taking 6 hours! Professionals seem reluctant to adopt “Ready Golf ” principles, and are often not ready to play their shot when it is their turn. Sadly, some of our Juniors, are now mimicking our top Men and Womens Players’ time consuming pre-shot deliberations, distance measurement calculation, taking several practice swings (up to 10 in some instances), pacing out putts, “straddling” the line and using “aim point” technique for putts, and lining up the ball on each and every putt, even when it may be a “tap in!” (The best putting coaches advise that for any putts outwith a distance of 15 feet, distance is more important than line!)
The greatest putters in the history of golf became so because they had great putting strokes, without using any of the elaborate techniques now in fashion! They focussed on consistent putting strokes, on reading the contours skilfully, on judging the pace, on aiming the putter well, on distance control, and on getting the ball to the hole on a higher percentage of putts than their fellow competitors and opponents!
All of the current excessive and time consuming procedures can spoil the enjoyment of the game for the many Players. The R&A have quoted that for the majority of Amateur Golfers, “The futile mimicking of elite golfers should be avoided.” Any Coaches advising these procedures at the level of the game in our League should stress that if these procedures hold up play, then the Players are liable to receive a warning and ultimately receive penalty strokes for holding up play.
Recently, together with Ric Foulner the Convenor of the West Links Juniors, I was on course advising Players on time saving techniques, and we monitored any groups who were “out of position.” That is defined broadly as – “making sure that your group never has an empty par 4 in between them and the group in front, or being 15 minutes or more behind the group in front. If your tee time was 8 minutes behind the group in front, then you should finish your round only 8 minutes behind them. We have observed gaps of 2 clear holes in front of some groups, which is unacceptable. If this happened to say 2 groups in any field, then the duration of play for later Players would be an extra 30 minutes or more! Groups falling behind will be identified and will be instructed to close the gap to the group in front within the next 2 holes. If there is no improvement observed, we will continue to monitor such groups and advise accordingly. If any group in future remains “out of position” we will warn them of their status, and begin to time individuals in the group who are suspected as being too slow. And, under Rule 5.6a – “Unreasonable delay; Prompt pace of play” we may impose penalties of 1 stroke for any subsequent breach of this rule, and further more serious penalties might be imposed if there is no improvement!
Players who do not play a provisional ball when clearly it was sensible to have done so, and so delay play by having to return to put another ball into play, may be penalised, if they hold up players behind or this causes them to be “out of position. “If Players behind you are waiting to play when you commence any search for a ball, you must consider waving them through. Players should consider abandoning a search for a ball, if it appears that the ball is unlikely to be found or might be unplayable, with no penalty drop option nearby! Players who search for their ball for the maximum 3 minutes allowed, without finding it, then have the choice of abandoning play on that hole, or if they are still likely to score any stableford points, return to the location of the previous stroke, and put another ball into play. If they find and play the original ball after more than 3 minutes of searching, the score for that hole will not count. Any Player who, after several strokes during play of any hole, can no longer score any Stableford points, i.e. if they cannot record a net bogey after allowing for handicap strokes received, they should pick up their ball with no further play.
What can Players do to improve? Try timing yourselves during practice. From the time you arrive at your ball, and if it is your turn to play, then you are allowed 40 seconds to play your stroke. Use common sense to refine, economise and practice your pre-shot routine so you can confidently be within that limit of 40 seconds on every occasion you play a stroke. But 10 extra seconds are allowed for the first Player only to play – on any par three holes, on any approach shots, and on chips and putts. Note – on Greens, after marking your ball, repairing pitch marks, removing loose impediments etc, when it is your turn to play, you have 40 seconds left to strike your putt. If it is your turn to play, time spent looking at the line, “straddling” and “aim pointing” etc, and aligning and re-aligning the ball will count towards the 40 seconds you are allowed.
I appreciate that to correct our Players at this stage of their golfing careers may seem impolite, but it is necessary for the good of their own development and for their future in the game. Nobody wishes to gain the reputation of being a slow Player!
Dave Warren 07595 301425
