Opinion & Analysis
My Take: The slow play epidemic in golf (and a call for transformation)
Golf, cherished for its precision, sportsmanship, and rich tradition, is suffering from an epidemic that threatens its very essence: slow play. This growing issue is neither new nor unnoticed, yet it continues to plague courses around the globe. The culprits? Players who meander unnecessarily, course operators who fail to enforce pace policies effectively, and even the professional sphere, where the PGA Tour too often sees rounds extending beyond five arduous hours. Each party shares responsibility and must be part of the solution.
The Problem: A Collective Responsibility
According to the USGA’s extensive research, the average round of golf has surged to over four and a half hours, with several rounds stretching far beyond this timeframe. This data is not only alarming for purists of the game but detrimental to its growth and sustainability. Many factors contribute to this persistent issue, beginning with golfers themselves.
Players often take excessive time in pre-shot routines, deliberating over club choice and yardage as if every shot were their last. While meticulousness is a part of the game, the heightened emphasis on perfection is unwarranted. This enduring obsession with precision leads not only to frustration among fellow competitors but also alienates new and younger players, who favor more dynamic and engaging sports.
On the administrative end, course operators must bear their share of the blame. Too often, they shy away from implementing or enforcing pace-of-play protocols, fearing backlash from patrons. The reluctance to penalize slow play or educate golfers on pace expectations undermines any attempts to alleviate the issue.
Additionally, the PGA Tour sets a questionable standard, regularly showcasing rounds that exceed five hours. While professional golfers perform under immense pressure, and meticulousness is their hallmark, the impression left on amateur counterparts is one of permissiveness toward leisurely play. The Tour, as the pinnacle of the sport, must model efficiency and respect for time.
Solutions: Harnessing Urgency and Innovation
Addressing this problem demands innovation and a collective shift in mindset from players, course management, and the professional arena.
First, golfers must embrace personal accountability. Encouraging “ready golf,” where players hit when prepared rather than strictly adhering to a sequence, can make a substantial difference. Understanding that recreational golf does not require the intensity and analysis found at competitive levels will help speed up play considerably.
Course operators hold the keys to impactful change, too. Instituting firm yet fair pace-of-play policies and proactively teaching golfers about expected timeframes can reshape expectations. Visual cues such as clocks on scoreboards or course signage can subtly remind and motivate players to maintain pace.
Technological solutions also show promise, as the USGA’s research highlights. Implementing GPS-based tracking systems can help monitor groups, allowing course management to address bottlenecks promptly. Staggered tee times may reduce congestion at critical points on the course, facilitating smoother play.
Lastly, the PGA Tour must assume its role as a pace-setter. Cutting down on practice swings, employing time limits on shot preparation, and penalizing breaches of time regulations can send a strong message. Tour events can inspire recreational golfers to follow suit by aligning culture with efficiency.
A Call to Action: The Path Forward
The slow play epidemic is a complex one but not insurmountable. Each participant in the world of golf — from weekend enthusiasts to the elite — must pledge to transform the game into an experience that respects time, cherishes engagement, and upholds the values that have long defined it. By drawing insights from USGA’s research and employing collective action, the game can transcend this hurdle, ensuring its rich traditions endure for future generations. Let us take to the tees with renewed purpose and lead golf into a more efficient, enjoyable era.
Editor’s note: “My Take” will be an ongoing weekly series where Brendon shares his thoughts and opinions on various aspects of the game and industry. These are Brendon’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of GolfWRX, its staff, and its affiliates.
Want to find out my thoughts on the first day of the LPGA’s Toto Japan Classic? How about a look back on the DP World Tour’s “Back 9” series? Go to my new weekly column, “Friday Fore-Cast,” on RG.org.
Opinion & Analysis
Brandel Chamblee PGA Championship Q&A: Rose’s huge McLaren risk, distracted LIV pros and why Aronimink suits the bombers
PGA Championship week is here, and Brandel Chamblee did not hold back in our latest discussion ahead of the season’s second major.
In our 2026 PGA Championship Q&A, golf’s leading analyst made the case that PIF pulling LIV’s funding has left its players competing in a state of confusion, called Justin Rose’s mid-season equipment switch a huge risk at 45, and explained why Aronimink will be a bombers’ delight this week.
Check out the full Q&A below.
Gianni: With the PIF confirming that they’re pulling funding from LIV at the end of the season, what impact do you expect that to have on the LIV players competing at the PGA Championship?
Brandel: I would imagine that they have all been thrown into a state of confusion, and will be distracted, not knowing where they are going to play next year and not knowing exactly their road back to either the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour. Or in Rahm’s case, being tied to a sinking ship for the next few years, likely playing for pennies on the dollar in events that no one cares about or watches.
I doubt this would put him in the best frame of mind to compete at his highest level. Keeping in mind, however, that majors are the only time that LIV disciples get to play in events that matter, so never disregard the motivation they have to prove to the world they are still relevant.
Gianni: Justin Rose switched to McLaren Golf equipment mid-season while playing some of the best golf of his career. What do you make of the change?
Brandel: I don’t really know what to make of Rose switching equipment. It seems a huge risk on his part, even though it is likely, in my opinion, that the clubs he’s playing are similar, if not the exact grinds, to what he was playing previously, with a McLaren stamp on them.
Having said that, at best, it is a distraction when he seemed to be as dialed in with his game as any 45-year-old could be and trending in the majors to perhaps do something that would definitely put him in the Hall of Fame. At worst, given the possibility that these clubs aren’t just duplicates of his old set stamped with McLaren on them, he’s made an equipment change that would take time, and 45-year-old athletes don’t have the time to do such things.
Gianni: Aronimink has only hosted a handful of professional events since it hosted the 1962 PGA Championship. What kind of test does it present, and does a course with less recent major championship history tend to level the playing field?
Brandel: Even though Aronimink has only hosted a handful of meaningful professional events, it has been fairly discerning in who can win there. When Keegan Bradley won the BMW Championship on the Donald Ross masterpiece in 2018, he was the 2nd best iron player on tour coming into that week. When Nick Watney won the AT&T at Aronimink in 2011, he was 2nd in strokes gained total coming into the week.
In 2020, Aronimink hosted the KPMG Championship, and Sei Young Kim won. On the LPGA that year, she was first in greens in regulation, putts per green in regulation, and scoring average on the way to being the LPGA player of the year. And then there is the 1962 PGA Championship won by Gary Player, who eventually became just one of a few players to win the career grand slam on the way to winning 9 majors. It is a formidable test, and if it’s not softened by rain, it will bring out the best in the upper echelons of the game.
Gianni: Is there a specific hole at Aronimink that you think will do the most to decide the winner?
Brandel: The hardest hole at Aronimink in each of the three tour events that have been played there since 2010 has been the long par-3 8th hole, with the par-4 10th being the second hardest, so most of the carnage will happen around the turn, but with the par-5 16th offering opportunities for bold plays and the tough closing holes at 17 and 18, the finish is likely to be frenetic.
Gianni: The PGA Championship has always sat in the shadow of the other majors. What does the ideal PGA Championship look like in your eyes, and what would it take for it to carve out its own identity?
Brandel: The PGA Championship, to whatever degree it suffers from the comparison to the other three majors, is still counted just as much when adding them up at the end of one’s career. Almost 1/3 of Nicklaus’ major wins were the five PGA Championships he won. Walter Hagen won 11 majors, five of which were PGA Championships.
Tiger Woods twice in his career won back-to-back PGA Championships, and those four majors count just as much as the other 11 he won. The PGA may not have the prestige of the other three, but it carries the same weight. Having said that, I preferred the identity that it had as the last major of the year.
Gianni: You nailed your Masters picks. Rory won, Scottie finished solo second, and Morikawa surged to a tie for seventh. Who are your top 3 picks for the PGA Championship and why?
Brandel: I am not a huge fan of majors played on golf courses that have been shorn of most of the trees, although I understand some of the agronomic reasons for doing so and of course the ease with which it allows members to play after errant drives. However, at the highest level, it all but eliminates any strategy off the tee and turns professional golf into an even bigger slugfest. That means that it will likely be a bomber’s delight this week, but fortunately, Scottie Scheffler is long enough to play that game and straight enough to play it better than anyone else.
The major championships give us very few surprises anymore, going back to the beginning of 2012, so the last 57 majors played, the average world rank of the winners has been better than 15th in the world. So look at the highest ranked and longest drivers who are on form coming into the PGA Championship who also have great short games as the surrounds at Aronimink are very challenging. That’s Scottie Scheffler by a mile and then McIlroy and Cameron Young with a far bigger nod towards DeChambeau than I gave him at the Masters.
In this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, we dive into one of the most interesting flatstick releases of the year with a full review of the new TaylorMade SYSTM 2 putters. After spending time on the greens, I break down what makes this design stand out, where it performs, and why it has me completely torn between loving it and fighting it. If you are into feel, alignment, and consistency, this is one you will want to hear about.
We also take a look at some of the putters in play on the PGA Tour last week. From familiar favorites to a few surprising setups, there is always something to learn from what the best players in the world are rolling with under pressure.
To wrap things up, I walk through the process of building a set of JP Golf Prime irons paired with Baddazz Gold Series shafts. From component selection to performance goals, this is a deep dive into what goes into creating a unique custom set and why this combo has been so intriguing.
This year my 50th birthday. Gosh, where has the time gone?
As a teenager in rural Missouri, some of my junior high and high school years felt interminable. Graduation seemed light years away. But the older I get, the faster life seems to fly by.
I’m also increasingly aware of my mortality. My dad died recently. Earlier this year, a friend and fellow PGA of America professional and I were texting about our next catch-up. The next message I received was news of his unexpected passing at 48. Shortly after, a woman I dated in college succumbed to cancer at 51.
Certainly, one can share perspective at any age. Seniors help freshmen, veterans guide rookies. But reaching this milestone feels like as good a time as any to do one of those “what would I tell my younger self?” articles.
I’ve had a uniquely varied career in golf. I started as a 27-year-old, average-length-hitting, 14-handicap computer engineer and somehow managed to turn pro before running out of money, constantly bootstrapping my way forward. I’ve won qualifiers and set venue records in the World Long Drive Championships, finished fifth at the Speedgolf World Championships, coached all skill levels as a PGA of America professional, built industry-leading swing speed training programs for Swing Man Golf, helped advance the single-length iron market with Sterling Irons®, caddied on the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, and played about 300 courses across 32 countries.
It’s been a ride, and I’ve gone both deep and wide.
So while I can consult and advise from a lot of angles, let me keep it to a few things I’d tell the average golfer who wants to improve.
1. Think About What You Want
Everyone has their own reason for picking up a golf club.
Oddly, as a professional athlete, I’m not internally driven by competition. That can be challenging, as the industry currently prioritizes and incentivizes competition over the love of the game.
For me, I love walking and being outdoors. Nature helps balance my energy. I prefer courses that are integrated into the natural beauty of their surroundings. I’m comfortable practicing alone. I’m a deep thinker, and I genuinely enjoy investigating the game, using data and intuition to unearth unique, often innovative insights. I’m fortunate to be strong and athletic, so I appreciate the chance to engage with my abilities. Traveling feels adventurous. I could go on.
You don’t have to overthink it like I do. For you, it might be as simple as hitting balls to escape work, hanging out with friends, and playing loosely with the rules and the score.
The point is to give yourself permission to play for your own reasons, and let that be enough.
But if improvement is your goal, thinking about your destination—and when you want to get there—is important, because it dictates the steps you need to take. When I set out to go from a 14-handicap to the PGA TOUR as quickly as possible, the steps I needed were very different from those of a working golfer trying to break 90 in six months. That’s also different from someone who just wants a few peaceful hours outside each week, away from work or family.
None of these goals are better than the others, but each requires a different plan that you can work backward from.
2. There Are Lots of Things That Can Work
One of the challenges of golf is that, although there are rules for playing, there aren’t clear, industry-wide standards for how to best play the game. There’s a lot of gray area.
You might hear a top coach or trainer insist that a certain move is the best way to swing or train. Then you dig a bit deeper and, much to your confusion and frustration, another respected coach or trainer says something completely different. I don’t think anyone is trying to confuse you—at least I hope not. It’s just where the industry is right now.
You have to be careful with advice from tournament pros, too. They might be great at scoring, but they’re also human and sometimes just as susceptible as amateurs to believing things that don’t really move the needle. Tour players might describe what they feel, but that’s not always what they’re actually doing when assessed with technology.
I recently ran a test on my YouTube channel (which connects to my GolfWRX article “How to use your hands in the golf swing for power and accuracy”), and, interestingly, two of the most commonly taught hand actions produced the worst results in the test.
Coaches can certainly help. If you find someone you connect with to help navigate, that’s great. But there are many ways to get the ball in the hole. In the current landscape, you may need to seek multiple opinions, think critically, and use your own intuition to discern what seems true and whose advice resonates with you.
I’d recommend seeking someone who is open-minded and always learning, because things constantly change. Absolutes like “correct” or “proper” should raise a red flag. AI can be useful, but it tends to confidently repeat popular advice, so proceed with caution.
3. Get Custom Fit
If you’re serious about becoming a better player, getting custom fit is hugely important. There’s no sense fighting your equipment if you don’t have to. Most better players get fit these days and, if they don’t, they’re usually skilled enough to work around clubs that aren’t ideal.
If you plan to play for a long time, it’s worth spending a little more upfront to get something that truly fits you and your game, rather than continually buying and discarding equipment.
Equipment rules haven’t really changed significantly since the early 2000s. To stay in business, manufacturers keep pushing those limits. If you pull a bunch of clubs and balls off the rack and test them, you’ll find differences. I’ve tested two new drivers and seen a 30-yard total distance gap. Usually, the issue isn’t bad equipment; it’s that the combination of components simply isn’t the best fit.
It’s like wearing a new pair of floppy clown shoes. Sure, they’re shoes—but you won’t sprint your best in them compared to track shoes that fit perfectly.
Be wary of what’s called custom fitting, too. Sometimes the term is used as a marketing strategy rather than an actual fitting. In some retail settings, fitters may be incentivized to steer you toward higher-priced components. That doesn’t automatically mean it’s not the best fit, but you should be aware of potential biases.
I learned a version of this lesson outside of golf. Years ago, I bought a tennis racquet at a big box store from a seemingly knowledgeable employee who thought it would suit me best. The racquet gave me tennis elbow, and I spent months recovering with rest and acupuncture. The next season, I invested more time and money to find what actually fit me, and I walked away with something amazing that I still play with years later.
So if you’re going to get fit, be smart about it.
Find someone you believe has deep knowledge—possibly with certifications, but not necessarily. Make sure there’s a wide inventory across many brands. Check recent reviews for the individual fitter if possible. Make sure you trust that the fitter has your best interests at heart. If they’re wearing a hat or shirt with a specific brand’s logo, proceed with caution. Unless you specifically want a certain brand or look, be wary of upsells, especially if two options perform nearly the same.
Also, while golf is called a sport of integrity, there’s a thread of manipulation in the industry. I once drafted an equipment article for an industry magazine, structured just like one of their previous popular stories, with matching word count and great photos. The assistant editor loved it; it was useful to readers and required little work on his part. But the editor-in-chief nixed the story. When I asked why, I was told it was because I wasn’t an advertiser. It turned out the article I’d modeled mine after was a paid ad cleverly disguised as editorial content.
I really dislike games, clickbait, and fear-based manipulation. I hope this changes, but golfers deserve to know it exists.
4. Distance and Strategy Matter
There’s a real relationship between how far you hit the ball and your scoring average, even at the PGA TOUR level.
I experienced this early in my pro career. I started as a power hitter, swinging in the high 120s and breaking 200 mph ball speed with a stock driver.
Back then, some instructors advised swinging at 80%, so I tried slowing down for more accuracy. That worked fine on shorter, tighter courses. But on longer setups, I was coming into greens with too much club, and par 5s stopped being
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Richard
Nov 21, 2024 at 9:43 pm
Slow play is caused by one thing and one thing only: poor enforcement.
People are going to be slow and not know it. But courses are so timid about getting people to keep up with the group in front of them. Confront those people regardless of why they’re behind. Looking for lost balls, taking forever on greens, not clearing the green area after putting out. Whatever. The reasons are myriad, but the solution is one: enforcement.
Andrew J
Nov 18, 2024 at 9:09 am
At least 50% of the slow play issue is greenreading. And it’s brutal to watch Pros hopscotching and perform tedious walk-arounds. Ask Jim Nance. All slow play on greens goes away and more putts disappear with this book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJT2YLL9
Jerry Mahony
Nov 15, 2024 at 12:36 pm
I worked at a very private golf course in SC. To avoid slow play we provided each teetime a sheet that tells them where they should be on the course at their given tee off time. The ranger had a master sheet that tells him where a specific group should be on the course. After a little bit of push back, the members actually liked the system so they would know if they need to speed up. All the teetime cards were laminated and could be use multiple times. Knowlege is power and nobody wants to be the one group that is slowing everyones and it was easy on the members and the rangers.
Dwayne
Nov 11, 2024 at 10:20 pm
STOP TRYING TO PACK FOURSOMES OF VARYING SKILL LEVEL ONTO THE COURSE WITH SHORT INTERVALS.
There, I fixed the slow play problem for you.
The *real* problem, however, is that course managers want all the revenue, customer experience be damned. If they can make more money by packing the tee sheet with 7-minute spacing, they don’t care if it results in six-hour rounds. There will always be some schmuck willing to pay…
Azz
Nov 11, 2024 at 1:39 pm
Ever heard of these guys:
https://www.mgatour.com
Greg
Nov 11, 2024 at 8:06 am
Slow play isn’t normal. Not where I’m from (Iowa) and generally not even when I’m playing courses in AZ. Some groups are slow because they’re terrible. Some courses are simply too hard for some people. Shit happens. IMO it’s really only bad on Tour and if the tv coverage shows enough shots idgaf.
I believe the real issue is places like Top Golf introducing people to golf and suddenly people think they know how to play and IT’S HARD. That’s where the shit happens comes in.
Richard
Nov 8, 2024 at 8:23 pm
Slow play is always what someone else is doing. The reality is often different.
I believe the ONLY answer is enforcement. But…another possibility is encouragement. Reward groups who finish under a certain time. Of course, there will always be the group that doesn’t respond to the incentive and, thus, slows down the entire course behind them.
But that first inclination, that it isn’t you but someone else instead, is the real problem. That’s why enforcement is the only thing that works.
joe connelly
Nov 8, 2024 at 9:36 am
My home course is a 5800 yards from the tips, not a long course. But it’s Vermont, it’s super hilly. Not a long walk between greens and tees. My regular group, 4 tee times, we mostly walk, and usually play in 3:45-4:00. That includes an 83 year old who always walks and an 87 year old who walks 75% of the time. A 4:15 round, a few guys will be commenting on why the heck is it so slow today. Our club does 10 minute start intervals which is a big help.
My complaint is with one of our starters who doesn’t seem to understand that it’s ok for a little variance in pace of play between groups. We tend to be among the first groups out but never first. Usually about the 6th-10th groups out. #5 green is right next to #1 tee. We have come off #5 in under 1:05 as a 4some, the 2some or 3some in front of us is off #6 (a par 3), and we’ll get told we need to pick it up. 1:05 for 5 holes is sub 4 hour pace!
Jeff
Nov 5, 2024 at 4:33 pm
The problem starts with TV coverage. Pros don’t have to golf faster the broadcasters need to stop showing anything other than the shot. The public course marshals need to start marshaling. If these two things are done the rest will fall into place.
Alex Buckley
Nov 5, 2024 at 12:49 pm
A really simple solution, a triple bogey (or even net double bogey) max on every hole. If you’re someone who can’t realistically make a double bogey or better every hole and keep up with pace of play, you belong back on the driving range. Public golf has been ruined by the COVID golf epidemic with a flood of golfers who do not care to respect others.
GregZ
Nov 13, 2024 at 12:33 pm
Totally agree with the COVID golf epidemic, i see it on all the courses i play. 18-24 year old males always in an electric cart even on a par 3 course. They were never taught how to respect the game. Yes…triple …pick it up please and move to the next hole.
Alex Buckley
Nov 14, 2024 at 9:47 am
Exactly. Now we have even more people keeping their score on each hole up to 8, 9, 10+ strokes to say they keep their score accurately, when really its ruining the experience for everyone else. It’s okay to take a triple as your max score and move on.
b
Mar 27, 2026 at 12:15 pm
Finally someone else has said it,,COVID has ruined golf.
Eric
Nov 5, 2024 at 8:46 am
This isn’t a main issue but can make it worse when the course is packed. Walking should be at the pro shop’s discretion, if the tee sheet is packed full on a Saturday they shouldn’t be sending out groups of walkers.
Richard
Nov 21, 2024 at 9:39 pm
Four walkers can be faster than four people in two carts. Walking is NOT the problem.
Dan S
Nov 4, 2024 at 7:02 pm
Eliminate alignment markings on balls. Too much time spent tweaking those lines when putting.
Continuous putting. You get to lift and clean the ball once per green.
Don’t worry about walking on someone’s putting line, if needed. Someone else was there 8 minutes earlier. Tap down any spike marks.
No straddling the putting line to feel the slope.
Teach junior golfers to play faster. Junior tournaments are tough to watch, with players mimicking pros on tv. And juniors will regulars in a few years.
Allow all technology: slope, detailed green books, wind, etc. but limit use to 15 seconds per shot.
T
Nov 4, 2024 at 8:35 pm
You don’t play golf, do you? LOL
stopit
Nov 10, 2024 at 6:31 pm
Goodness, you are way off the mark. Juniors ARE taught to play fast, in fact, most junior tournaments are the fastest things I’ve seen. They don’t even wait for each other to hole out; they are on the way to the next hole as soon as THEY hole out. Why? Because the tournaments PENALIZE slow play all the time.
Aimpoint takes 1-2 readings for slope. Fast compared to reading a putt from all 4 sides while plum bobbing, so NO, that’s not the issue.
Stay off people’s putting line; stepping over the line takes no additional time, it’s not slowing anything down.
Instead, go to your ball and be ready to play as soon as possible! Stop the nonsense of “the correct order” of play. THAT is what slows the whole thing to a grinding halt. PLAY REAL READY GOLF!
DaveJ
Nov 4, 2024 at 6:23 pm
At least 50% of slow play is caused by looking for golf balls. It is easier than ever to hit the ball far and therefore farther off-line into the trees and tall grass on bad shots. Balls are also more expensive so just dropping and moving on isn’t fun. There isn’t a good solution to this unless the course wants to give players 3 free balls with their round and not allow searches over 1 minute.
G LUD
Nov 4, 2024 at 10:20 am
WHY DOESN’T ANYONE MENTION THE “BALL ON THE GREEN” PROBLEMS”
1. 4 GUYS MARK AROUND THE COMPASS POINTS WHERE THEY COULDN’T POSSIBLY INTERFERE…TV INFLUENCE.IF BALL IS THERE ONE CAN’T HELP BUT START LINING UP THE PUTT
2. NOT LINING UP THE PUTTS BEFORE THEY PICK UP THEIR UNNEEDED MARKER.
3. WAITING FOR GUY TO CLEAN SAND TRAP
1,2,AND 3 CAN EASILY ADD 2 MINUTES TO EACH HOLE…..36 X 2= 36 IT’S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE
Andrew J
Nov 4, 2024 at 7:43 am
Nobody knows what plumbobbing is because there is zero Math behind it. Ditto Aimpoint. No Math textbook has a chapter on foot-feeling. Only EGOS has Math and no need to stare at putts from all sides. EGOS with Math is in these 20 dollar books from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJT2YLL9
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCSZ7M53
No
Nov 9, 2024 at 11:08 pm
You’re just wrong. Aimpoint is based on feeling the slope percentage, a mathematical measurement you can double check with a digital level. It’s a real measurement. It’s based on computer models that show the slope percentage as applied in the system is the primary driver of break in a putt. So no, there’s lots of math in aimpoint.
pnd4pnd
Nov 12, 2024 at 12:04 pm
You couldn’t be more wrong about aimpoint and only trying to hawk some crap books on amazon. Wanna bet you are the author?
Lefthack
Nov 3, 2024 at 10:49 pm
I am a very ready golfer. I don’t take practice swings, it takes less than 3 seconds from when I step up to the ball to hit it. I visualize the shot, I picture the swing it takes, and I step up and hit it. Sometimes it’s as pictured, sometimes not. But taking 4 practice swings isn’t going to impact that shot.
M. LUMBO
Nov 4, 2024 at 9:33 am
I appreciate your thought.
When I lived and played in Scotland, it was common for 2 possible 3 guys hitting from the fairway at the same time.
Looking for a refurbished top flight golf ball as if it’s the Holy Grail.
Murv
Nov 3, 2024 at 6:07 pm
I will admit our groups could play faster. We have a mix of walkers and riders. And we are all older golfers. Some in the 80’s We try to play ready golf as best we can. But if one guy always hits first because he walks a little faster..that gets old. But that’s the way it goes. We have some long walks between greens and tees. A walker can lose a couple minutes just getting to the next tee. But if we aren’t held up ourselves we can finish in 4 hours. But if a group of 4 riders is behind us who wants to play in 3 1/2 hours we’re in trouble.
Andrew J
Nov 3, 2024 at 9:22 am
Foot-feeling greenreading is slow, annoying and doesn’t work. Replace it with the Quick & always accurate EGOS: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJT2YLL9
Mike
Nov 2, 2024 at 7:56 pm
I’m glad places I play don’t have this problem. The problem, however, it’s too many people crammed on a course.
While I’ve never been warned of slow play, I’m tired of articles and complaining that transforms my game of improvement into a game of rushing. I agree that it’s excessive sometimes, but so is the constant complaining.
You want to sprint? Join track. Golf could stand to lose popularity. There’s not enough room on the course for all these people.
It causes people to hit into others because we’re pressured to play fast. I’ve played 6hr rounds before because of slow play. Seldom.
I still enjoyed it. If I don’t want to do that, I can quit golf.
Thigh, I rarely run into this anyways. And I live in North Carolina.
Idea
Nov 2, 2024 at 6:54 pm
We have slow play constantly at my course. 2 observations:
one, the slow groups are ALWAYS going one player at a time. They are never at their own ball, ready to play. They are always at one of the other 3 players until it’s their ordered turn. So go to your ball and be ready and stop with the nonsense formality of playing in order.
Two, if for example you’ve hit 8 shots on a par 3, pick up. Know when to pick up the ball and move on.
Brad
Nov 2, 2024 at 4:28 pm
Just PLAY FASTER! If 2 are in a cart drop the first person at their ball and drive to the next, don’t wait. Make the shorter hitter walk up to the cart or pick them up on the way back to the path. If you’re at your ball ready to hit and the player away isn’t – hit it, don’t wait! Be mindful of where you are and that you’re keeping up with the group in front. Self awareness seems to be in short supply these days. No, it’s not a race, but it’s not a Sunday stroll through the park either, find the happy medium. If you can’t finish 18 in under 4 hours you need to ask yourself why and figure out what you need to do to fix it.
Brad
Nov 2, 2024 at 4:32 pm
Also, handicap guidelines specify net double bogey max. Instead of putting out for 7 on the #1 handicap par 4 after dumping one in the water off the tee, pick it up, it’s good, move on!
T
Nov 2, 2024 at 7:00 pm
If, that is if they maintain a handicap!!
Most people don’t. Most people are out there for fun and a hobby, they are not too serious about it to that extent.
Brad
Nov 2, 2024 at 10:44 pm
That’s fine, my point was more to the fact that USGA handicap rules stipulate net double bogey then pick it up. If you don’t have a handicap or you’re just out there for fun, once you get to double bogey pick it up and move to the next hole.
T
Nov 4, 2024 at 8:33 pm
To add:
Do you think any of those people even care about the Rules??? And just imagine if you made those absolute weekend hackers play by the Rules. Proper boundariesw, proper drops, etc etc….
And who are YOU to tell them what to do and how many strokes or whatever. They paid to play. You don’t own them
Greg
Nov 3, 2024 at 6:02 am
Tee time intervals are HUGE. My course has 10 minute times. Across town, 8 minutes. In my experience, 8 minute intervals result in multiple groups getting to know each other on multiple tee boxes. Very rarely happens at my muni.
ericsokp
Nov 4, 2024 at 11:35 am
Bingo! I think this is one of the biggest causes of slow play … and you should feel fortunate with 8 or 10 minute tee time intervals; at my local courses it’s down to 7 minutes as they cram as many people as possible onto the course and then wonder why there are so many backups.
T
Nov 2, 2024 at 3:32 pm
Courses are too long. 7000 yards used to be the back tees at most places back in the day of persimmon at most courses.
Ball goes too far – back then when people would miss it 250 into the rough, they could still find it, that same ball (with the requisite modern driver at 45.5 inches more when they used to be less than 44.5), now that same shot, same miss is going 275 and therefore deeper on the same line – and people go searching for their $7 Pro-Vs. I don’t blame them, they are just using equipment sold to them
There needs to be actually be MORE bush and brush, with MORE OBs in the same areas – so that people would just hit provisional, give up looking, and move on, rather than red penalties and therefore they go looking and if one person loses 10 balls into the bush and are ‘allowed to” look for 3 minutes each time – well??? That’s 30 minutes added to their “playing time” is it not????
Repeal the ball, reduce COR of drivers to .800, reduce driver lengths and cap it at 45, quit selling the game of distances, make it a SKILL game, make it harder, make people WALK
David Krumenacker
Nov 2, 2024 at 3:22 pm
Superintendents need to use their heads a little also. Stick the pins in the middle of greens or far away from the penal areas around the green. No need to tuck pins or on slopes where two putting is impossible.
Larry Deschler
Nov 2, 2024 at 10:57 am
I agree that the golf course owners/managers need to get more involved and actually do something to discourage slow play rather than just collecting green fees and ignoring the situation. The actions outlined on the yellow sign in the article would be a good start if they would actually follow through. I think that the 4 hour and 30 minute suggested time is way too long however. A foursome can readily play in 3 hours and 45 minutes without rushing. There should be penalties attached for not meeting that standard.
T
Nov 2, 2024 at 3:23 pm
Bull. Try walking some of these wickedly hill courses that were made only with carts in mind, gaps between holes are as big as the Par4s and at 7000 yards there is no chance you could do that in that time
Nick
Nov 2, 2024 at 10:56 am
Can’t grow the game and have quick play at the same time .. too many people who should be on the driving range practicing are on the course practicing during a round.
Gary Waliszewski
Nov 2, 2024 at 10:30 am
Golfers should play from appropriate tee and course should explain that to the golfers. Playing from back tees and shooting 100+ is a sure way to have a 4.5 to 5 hour round
snapjack
Nov 4, 2024 at 9:15 am
I’ve been playing for 35 years and have seen players on the back tee twice. I agree the number of people playing from the blue tees is to high though.
JM
Nov 2, 2024 at 10:07 am
Using a 4 and 1/2 hour as the standard is the first problem. Anything more than 3.75 hours seems like a crawl to me and i play with 60-75 yr olds who hole out every putt. If you tell someone that they have 4.5 hours before its a problem, they’ll use every minute.
If I go bowling, rent a pickleball court, etc…there is a time limit. If I go over, I pay for more time. If someone else has it reserved, I’m off the court/lane. Slow golfers have a mentality that they are the only ones that matter.
JM
Nov 2, 2024 at 10:09 am
also, with gps technology…reward fast play and punich slow play. Easy enough to tell who is the problem. Carts that are holding up the course get $ tacked on their tab. Carts being held up get $ deducted from theirs.
eeee
Nov 11, 2024 at 3:57 pm
exactly
Saturday
Nov 2, 2024 at 7:57 am
I have an old golf magazine from 1973. You know what the number one problem was back then? Slow play.
Superintendents never get the share of the blame they deserve. The rough is too often “Easter egg hunt” deep. People are reluctant to abandon golf balls that cost 5 bucks each. Rough should be one inch, no more. Pin placements should be in the flattest section of the greens so that the second putt is easier. Pins are never cut into the sides of slopes anywhere in the professional game, and that includes Augusta. Why do it for us? Bunkers should be eliminated from public courses. The cost savings is huge and most of them aren’t constructed properly so they are basically ground under repair anyway. People try to play from them and can’t. Tour pros couldn’t play from them either. There is plenty of blame to go around but since nothing else has really worked let’s look somewhere other than the players for some of the solutions.
Square
Nov 2, 2024 at 4:34 am
I would play more golf if I knew stomping out slow play was a priority. Technology could aid in advising the group they are running behind in their expected times. I just don’t have the patience for a 5 hour round any longer; I’d rather do something else like go to the driving range.
B
Nov 1, 2024 at 10:21 pm
1. As a tall, less-than-professional athlete, that takes longer than average to get balanced/centered/comfortable over a shot, I have to point out that the pre-shot routine trope is (largely) a myth. I’ve played 500+ rounds in my life and spent a decade as a club and pro caddie; most the culprits of slow play are: 1. High-handicap and occassional golfers not picking up and heading to the next hole when double par is no longer achievable. 2. Being ready to play when it’s your turn (there’s many components to this which are too long to list here) 3. Not being able to find your ball. As a former caddie, and non-idiot, I probably save 20 minutes a round by directing both the rest of my regular foursomes, as well as players I get paired up with, to the location of their balls.
BD57
Nov 1, 2024 at 7:41 pm
A couple of ideas
#1, 8 minute gap between tee times is ridiculous. Best would be 10
#2, develop “single player carts.” Significant slowdown is “drive to ball #1, wait til the shot is hit, drive to ball #2. No, people don’t “Have” to do that, but they do it all the time.
Single player cart would be smaller, lighter, less wear & tear on the golf course.
T
Nov 2, 2024 at 3:25 pm
Getting rid of carts should be the priority, you’d get rid of lazy players who don’t want to walk and the pace will get quicker as real walkers know how to place their hand carts in the right places and know how to move between greens and tee boxes better
Ted
Nov 3, 2024 at 8:32 pm
You know I hear this all the time, but there is no courses by me I know of that will let you walk unless you’re a member. So get off your, I’m a better person than you because I walk high horse. Slow play is caused by idiots, and assholes.
8008
Nov 4, 2024 at 12:29 pm
“Slow play is caused by idiots, and assholes.”
You just exemplified yourself, didn’t you? Not really helpful with the whole “So get off your, I’m a better person than you” attitude that YOU have.
You have to give the general public a break. Nobody is out there, not a country club, not the Golf associations, not fellow long-time golfers – nobody is teaching them manners or etiquette, on how to actually play the game and have respect for the game and others.
You’re the only one with the high horse attitude.
Getting rid of carts has lots of implications that stretches to how golf courses are designed, where too many courses were built with only carts in mind and “fun” in mind due to the terrain and “views” etc – and just because they can build it – not based on pace of play based on difficulty and the ability for everybody to be able to traverse such terrain in a reasonable amount of time by themselves on a packed course without a caddy while carrying or pushing/pulling their carts
T
Nov 4, 2024 at 8:38 pm
You would know what it’s like to be on a high horse huh, LOL
Do you even hear yourself? You are EXACTLY the pompous fool! Sounds to me like you’re the idiot and the bunghole.
Try walking. See what happens
Sooner than later you’ll realise half the course are not designed correctly with ALL players in mind. Most of them are built for cart pace.
All courses should be built for walking in mind, FIRST
Dave
Nov 6, 2024 at 1:54 pm
All players that use carts are not lazy. I use a cart because I can not walk do to conditions beyond my control. I love to play golf and this is the only way I could play.
Bill
Nov 4, 2024 at 12:07 pm
Excellent suggestion and there is evidence to support your theory. I played a lot of golf during Covid and at the two courses I primarily played only one player was allowed per cart and the rounds were completed in 20-30 less time. The two head pros hated the practice because of the perceived increase of damage to the course but didn’t complain at all about the time savings.
Another huge waste of time I see is players who have to take their gloves off to putt and don’t put them back on until they get out of the cart at the next tee and have already grabbed their club. I don’t believe for a second that a 15-25 handicapper putts any worse while wearing a glove, they just do it because they see the pros do it on tv.
J K
Nov 1, 2024 at 4:11 pm
Covid golfers!!
will
Nov 3, 2024 at 7:25 am
this.
Covid has helped more people get into golf but those golfers have not been taught pace of play. I have noticed a big difference of pace of play (and just how crowded my course is) since covid happened.
Karsten's Ghost
Nov 1, 2024 at 3:28 pm
Slow play is a US problem. When you consider it from that lens, you find it’s very simple…
First, the US encourages finishing out stroke play for everyone. Put that 14 on your card, Billy. Instead, encourage pickups and forward tees.
Next, the PGA is a terrible influence because everyone thinks that’s how you do it. You get what you watch.
Courses should also be encouraged to keep their grounds where balls are visible. No need for 8″ rough.
Finally, encourage walking whenever possible. Walkers keep the pace even.
There’s more, but this is a start.
HeftyLefty
Nov 1, 2024 at 2:57 pm
Players have a responsibility first and foremost for pace of play, but, courses need to set expectations. Many set a pace of play that is slow to begin with (see the photo in the article). Several years ago I talked to a ranger that had confronted a group that was 2 holes behind. Their response? We are on pace, which according to the expected pace of play (4 1/2 hours) and the onboard GPS they were. Set the pace of play at 4 hours and enforce it. If this is done the pace of play improves and the course becomes known as one that doesn’t take all day to play.
John K
Nov 1, 2024 at 2:15 pm
Courses just need to stop stacking groups out 7 minutes a part from each other. A group on the tee and a group in the fairway of every hole is just asking for a traffic jam.
Brandon
Nov 1, 2024 at 10:08 pm
Bingo. 12 minute tee time intervals combined with a marshal who actually does his job would solve the problem. Playing mostly in the SF Bay Area, I rarely see marshals on public courses these days.
T
Nov 2, 2024 at 3:38 pm
So you’re OK to pay higher green fees? Because you’re losing about 1 group per hour of greens fee if you went even from 10 min to 12 min tee times, so clubs have to make it up somewhere, and that would include selling more confections and stuff at higher prices, look at the price of range balls!!!! It’s a joke!!!!
D Gillis
Nov 1, 2024 at 11:18 am
Doesn’t make any difference anyway. No one is watching this slow excruciating green reading waltz they call AimPoint!
Get rid of it!!
Uhhhhhj
Nov 2, 2024 at 6:49 pm
Aim point has NO impact on pace of play. Plumb bobing, going to all sides of the flat, it all takes time. Aim point is just one way to do it, and is exactly the same amount of time.