Hurry Up And Wait
I think all golfers would agree that sometimes a round can go a lot slower than you’d like. Playing 18 holes in 3 to 3.5 hours is ideal. Unfortunately that isn’t the norm these days. Most muni’s you’re lucky to get through in 4 hours and I’ve been stuck out there for over 5 hours. And it’s not because I don’t love my wife and kids. Don’t listen to this whacko Mark Wahlberg, 18 holes in an hour is a straight up lie.
Back to matters at hand, keeping up proper pace of play in golf isn’t just about avoiding getting hit into all day or the death glares from the ranger—it’s about surviving the round with your sanity intact. Here are some tips to help you navigate the fairways without becoming target practice.
Be on Time
Listen, I’m not your mom. Be late for work, be late for a movie, or be late for a dinner reservation. I don’t care. Being late for a tee time? Amateur hour. Unacceptable. Jail.
Before you get sent to the slammer let me hit you with a couple tips. First things first, confirm your tee time in advance. If you make the tee time yourself double check the reservation. If your buddy makes the tee time then send a text the night before clarifying. Maybe your buddy sent you a text saying 9am but rounded up from 8:50 or even 8:45. It’s on you to get it right.
Be on Time: Be Early
In fact, do one better. Don’t just arrive on time, arrive early. If you’re like me and do early morning tee times it’s essential to have a few extra minutes to get settled. Maybe the coffee hits right when you pull up to clubhouse if you know what I mean…
I’m not done yet…
Moral of the story is you never know what’s going to happen so get there early and give yourself some relief.
Also getting there on time allows you some time to get your equipment together, make sure that rain gear is packed incase of a sprinkle. Walking up to the tee after a nice calm morning is a lot better than scrambling. Do yourself the favor and be on time.
Choose the Appropriate Tees:
Everyone likes to let the big dog eat. Not saying you need to play the ladies tees but picking the correct tees is something weekend warriors are consistently getting wrong. Not sure why people want to make the game harder but selecting the tees based off your skillset makes all the difference in your enjoyment of the round but also the pace for you and the rest of the course. Take it from Katt…
Try Different Formats
I struggle with this from time to time myself. I typically don’t like to play scrambles or alternate shot formats outside of large tournaments. However, a scramble is a lot more fun for new golfers and saves a lot of time. Also if you go do match play and concede holes then it can save someone the trouble of putting for their hard earned 8. Stableford is a great format that I’ve embraced and it has the same idea. Once you no longer are scoring points then pick up your ball and on to the next. There are a lot of great golf formats out there so be mindful of your group and the course to keep it movin.
Minimize Time on the Tee
If the group ahead of you has cleared then it’s go time. Don’t wait for Tommy-Talks-A-Lot to finish his 20 minute story with no punchline or point. At the very least give him the social cues of getting your ball teed and ready to go. I get it. There are a lot of staunch rule followers in the amateur golf world but I’m here to tell you this fact:
Honors in golf are determined by the player with the lowest score on the preceding hole….
Unless that player isn’t ready, then next man up
Ok, just putting that in quotes doesn’t make it true but it is. This isn’t the Masters or the US Open, people are just trying to enjoy themselves an get through a round in a decent time. Hit the ball.
Minimize Time on the Tee 2.0 – Always Have An Extra Ball In Your Pocket
Always have a backup plan. If you shank your first tee shot into oblivion don’t assume you’re going to find it. Best practice is to suck it up, then tee it up. Driving out to the area where you think it landed, not being able to find it, and then driving back to the tee to hit again is insanely rude. Also not having a second ball in your pocket forcing you to run back to the cart and fumble through your bag is a huge waste of time. Which brings me to the next point…
Play Ready Golf:
The old etiquette of “you’re away” doesn’t always apply. If your buddy is going on a wilderness hike to find his ball, do yourself a favor and play yours first. If he can’t track it down by the time you hit and make your way over to help look then give him the peer pressure push he needs to drop one. If you’re on the green waiting to putt and your buddy is chipping from one side of the green to other? Don’t wait out his personal tennis match, in-betwixt his volley’s putt yours out. Moral of the story, play whenever it is safe to do so, regardless of whose turn it is.
And whatever you do don’t be like Patrick Cantlay, the man is golf molasses.
Another tip, if you do get called out for slow play… take it to heart and try to move faster. Getting mad at others cause your slow is the true definition of a hack.
Plan Your Shot Before Reaching Your Ball:
If you end up being the big man on campus by outdriving your playing partners then do yourself a favor. While others are playing, determine your next shot, don’t just admire your golf prowess. It’s easy to get caught up in your own good shot or to spend too much time helping someone else with theirs. Focus on your own game and limit distractions.
Keep Your Pre-Shot Routine Short:
Feel is everything in golf but it doesn’t take 10 swings to get feel. Again, this isn’t a pro event, try to limit yourself to one or two practice swings and let it rip. Overthinking is a killer in golf and too many practice swings can hurt your rhythm.
If you’re looking for a good preshot routine don’t look at Adrian Meronk… woof.
Finish Out:
So telling players to “Finish Out” can almost seem counterintuitive. What I mean by this is finish your short putts rather than marking them. And dare I say it? Maybe say the words “that’s good” from time to time to your playing partners. I know, the word GIMME in golf is a volatile one. It can also be a slippery slope where players start being more and more generous to either themselves or others and before you know it someone is asking for an 8ft downhill putt to be conceded.
Gimme Guidelines:
- Have the putter touch the flagstick
- Place the putter on the ground next to the ball
- If the putter is touching the flagstick and the ball is located closer to the pin than the grip on the putter
- That putt is a gimme
That is the universal “gimme” guideline.
Be Helpful to Others:
Golf can get competitive and everyone likes to win. So helping your opponent locate their tee shot can be counterintuitive. As a competitor I like to win, but winning is a little sweeter when you know you really bested someone. In the name of pace of play it’s best to track all tee shots, not just your own. The golden rule still applies, even in golf. You never know, a little kindness to your fellow golfer might assist you in finding a few wayward shots and could even lead to a few gimmes.
It’s Okay to Pick Up:
If you’re keeping a handicap it is recommended that you don’t score more than net double bogey. Again, for the average golfer I see the dignity and playing out your ball and marking a 9 or a 10 on the card. It’s admirable. But in reality if you’re playing a crowded golf course, sitting 8 after your third attempt in the bunker, then for the sake of pace of play… pick it up. Sure it’s humbling to have to pickup but that’s life, that’s golf.
Have Fun
Ah, golf—the only sport where taking your time can turn a day of fun into a stress test. Golf pace of play shouldn’t determine if you enjoy yourself or not… within reason. For some reason on a slow day it seems like golfers universally are angry at the group ahead of them. I think it’s important to note that golf seems to be more popular than ever so if you’re playing a nice course, on a nice day, you’re probably going to be waiting around.
If you find yourself waiting on the course, what will you do? Complain to the ranger? Hit into the group ahead of you? Make snide remarks to your friends about the slow pace? That’s a pessimistic approach. For your own sanity in golf and in life, focus on what you can control. By improving your pace of play, you’re doing your part and that’s all you can do.
Hit em’ straight.
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