How to Avoid Slow Play on the Golf Course
Most players hate slow play when they play golf. And slow play is also regarded as one of the most effective way to ruin a great game of golf on a beautiful day on the course. Slow play on the golf course is definitely as a bad habit that a golfer acquires over time, it’s the result of the golfer never having been taught proper golf etiquette, which 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 buddies come into play.
Slow play is hated by almost all the players, so you need to avoid slowing down play on the course. Maybe you didn’t notice that, but you often discover you are doing some of the same things to slow down play that you are complaining about others doing when you do take an honest look at yourself. How could you speed up our play? I would like to introduce some useful tips to avoid slow play on the course.
First thing you need to do is choosing the correct set of tees from which to play. If you’re a 20-handicapper, you have no business playing the championship tees . Doing so only adds strokes, which add time. 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. When two players are riding in a cart, drive the cart to the first ball and drop off the first player with his choice of clubs. The second player should proceed in the cart to his ball. After the first player hits his stroke, he should begin walking toward the cart as the second golfer is playing.
Second, 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. If you are playing a recreational match with, shall we say, a “loose interpretation” of the rules, then simply drop a new ball somewhere around the area where your ball was lost and keep playing. If you’re following the rules, you won’t be using mulligans . But if are using mulligans, limit them to no more than one mulligan per nine (you should never hit a mulligan if players behind you are waiting – or if you want to later claim that you played by the rules.
Next, 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. 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.
Fourth, Leave the green quickly so the group behind can play after putting out, don’t stand around the green chatting or take any practice putting strokes. If there is no group behind, then a few practice putts are fine. Don’t stand there fussing with your putter or other clubs when leaving the green and returning to your golf cart and 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.You need to park it only to the side or behind the green when using a cart, never park the cart in front of the green. And don’t mark your scorecard while sitting in the cart next to the green.
You need to save it for the driving range if you’re the type who likes to offer tips to playing partners, 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 . If you are playing a friendly game where rules aren’t followed closely, just forget the lost ball and drop a new one with penalty. If you’re not playing by the rules, you should never spend more than a minute looking for a lost ball. Don’t ask your playing partners to help you search for a lost ball – unless you are absolutely certain there is time for them to do so. If the course is crowded, your partners should continue moving forward, not slow things down further by stopping to help your search.
You need to carry extra tees , ball markers and an extra golf ball in your pockets so you never have to return to your golf bag to find one when needed. 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.
Last but not least, 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. Walk at a good pace between shots, and 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 slow. Speeding up your gait a little is good for your health, but also might help your game by keeping you lose.When chipping around the green, carry both the club you’ll be chipping with plus your putter so you don’t have to return to the bag.Try playing ready golf , where order of play is based on who’s ready, not on who’s away .
All in all, the tips will help you to speed up your slow play, but the most important thing you should note that many of these tips have nothing to do with rushing the play, but rather with simply being ready to play.
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