Pace of play

[NM01]

3 minutes ago, Terfra1 said:

There is definitely some truth here. Same with unfilled divots and unraked bunkers. Play quickly but be responsible!

 

26 minutes ago, TaiChi Tom said:

While I agree that some players slow down play by being inattentive to their game or wasteful in their routines, I sure wish more people cared more about course condition than racing around the course.  I spend a lot of time replacing other players' divots in the fairway and ball marks on the green.  I'd be faster too if I never took care of the course.   So, the next time someone boasts about playing a three and a half our round tell them how many ball marks you fixed because of their fast pace.

Generalizing fast players don’t tend to the course is about as bad as generalizing that bad golfers are the only slow players and that they are causes.

Those who don’t tend to the course are mist like the ones who are slow. They lack etiquette. Slow and fast players are responsible for not maintaining the course. 

[GaryF]

2 hours ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

 

Generalizing fast players don’t tend to the course is about as bad as generalizing that bad golfers are the only slow players and that they are causes.

Those who don’t tend to the course are mist like the ones who are slow. They lack etiquette. Slow and fast players are responsible for not maintaining the course. 

I agree, and most generalizations are usually more wrong than right.  I played in a 3some on Friday and had this thread in the back of my mind while playing.  Most of us play using riding carts.  Me and my buddy played from the middle (3) tees and his wife played from the combo 4/5.  I didn’t play particularly well and shot 84, my buddy 82 and his wife was in the 90s.  It was 97* with 101 heat index. 

The course had just opened up after its yearly 2-week summer maintenance.  The greens were nice and soft but ve never seen them so bad after being punched/sanded.  A 20’ putt would bounce 5-8 times.  But that’s beside the point.  Ball marks from a full swing 52* left marks about 1/2” -3/4” deep which we ach took time to repair.  

I have a habit of taking 2 swings before each shot.  Not full swings but continuous back/forth/back/forth, mainly to keep my problematic back loose.  Probably adds 8-10 seconds per shot. I also laser most of my shots but have that ready as I walk up to the ball.  No one was behind us but if they were and that bothered them, tough.  We did catch up to a group in front of us and had to wait a minute or 2 on the last 4 holes, however, the gps on our cart said we were 30 minutes ahead of pace and finished in 3:45.  

IMO, golf is not about speed, but one of tempo and pace.  Playing too slow is uncomfortable and playing too fast is uncomfortable.  Having to wait a couple minutes here and there while staying at a reasonable pace is fine.  Even the best of golfers make bad shots and need time to process how best to recover.  Getting impatient and angry is detrimental to everyone’s  game.  And to the one poster, fighting on a golf course is not acceptable.  It’s idiotic. Find another sport. 
 

Edited June 30 by GaryF

[TaiChi Tom]

Yes, it's all a balance, Goldilocks.  I've been in groups that rush me and I've been on excruciatingly slow rounds where I only partly suggested pulling out a deck of cards. Neither feels great.  But it's one of the few ways that the mostly individualized essence of golf becomes social, meaning dealing with the reality of the microcosm of the particular golf course you're playing on this particular day.  You're privileged enough to have the time and the means - a euphemism for money - to enjoy this expensively manicured escape from the pressures of life. Enjoy it whether you make an ace or a triple, whether it takes 3.5 of 5 hours ( I draw the line at longer)

I agree that playing fast can be combined with mitigating your course impact.  I also agree that fast players tend to be the ones with the experience and etiquette to fix their own ball marks/divots.  It's the - well I'm not sure how to define them - but the self-absorbed/clueless are terms that come to mind - who neglect the course.  But it's far from a generalization, more a recognition of the extra time it takes to fix multiple ball marks and other folks' divots, to note that if you're concerned about your pace of play, you're not taking time to notice other people's negligence.  I'm not saying it should be your responsibility either, just that if you were less concerned with speed, you could be more involved in enjoying, and maintaining, the beauty of your environment.   I also know that a lot of this depends on where you play.  I mostly experience neglect on 'affordable' public courses.  When I play private I play fast and I don't see a lot of neglect.  I'm not sure how that doesn't sound elitist, but it is my experience.  

Consider this:  'Pace of play' became a thing on the pro tour because of broadcasters trying to sell more advertising. It was exploited in the amateur world as a way to sell more rounds i.e. make more money.   

Ask yourself this: Are you golfing to enjoy yourself or to capitalize on your hourly rate?  When I played golf as a child, dodging dinosaurs, ok maybe just saber tooth tigers, I never thought about this topic.  It's only become a thing in a fast twitch world.  Isn't golf supposed to be a relief from all that?

There's also this:  If you're in a hurry; you shouldn't be golfing.  If you have a deadline; you shouldn't be golfing.  If you can't adapt to the pace of the round; you shouldn't be golfing. If you're waiting to hit every shot, it's damn frustrating.

[WaffleHouseTour]

[Bowgolf]

23 hours ago, TaiChi Tom said:

While I agree that some players slow down play by being inattentive to their game or wasteful in their routines, I sure wish more people cared more about course condition than racing around the course.  I spend a lot of time replacing other players' divots in the fairway and ball marks on the green.  I'd be faster too if I never took care of the course.   So, the next time someone boasts about playing a three and a half our round tell them how many ball marks you fixed because of their fast pace.

As I stated above, my normal group plays in well less than 4 hrs if unimpeded. Putt out, remove pins, never actually ‘rush’, and fill all divots both sand, repair ball marks.  We do all those things. Main thing is we are conscious of pace in general sense, do the things mentioned above such as cart position, and we don’t have long pre shot routines. 
 

as I had pointed out in an earlier post, if you shoot 90 and can save 20 seconds on average per shot, you cut 30 minutes off of a round of golf. That alone turns 4 1/2 hour round into a four hour round. It is very easy to save that amount of time with little things like dropping your partner off at his ball, then driving over to do your routine and hit your shot. Speaking for myself, I start reading my butt as soon as I walk up on the green. If I feel the need to look at it from multiple angles, I will do it while other people are putting. If I am not ready to put even when I am away. I will motion for someone else to go ahead while I check what I need to check. we all stop moving gets in their actual putting stance, but everyone is moving around the green reading putts at the same time. I would imagine we save a couple of minutes per green over what I see other groups doing, and no one ever feels like they were rushed or pushed. 
 

And again, we fill divots and repair ball marks.

Playing faster does not mean rushing. 

[Bowgolf]

18 hours ago, TaiChi Tom said:

if you're concerned about your pace of play

I guess my point is this: we are NOT ‘concerned’ about pace. We don’t give it any thought. Yet we play at a natural rhythm of about 31/2-3:45. We make no effort to ‘hurry’. 
 

It is honestly difficult for me to figure out how a group can play in longer than 4.5 hours. Short of losing a ball in the woods on almost every hole, I really truly don’t actually know what they are doing to take up the time. My on course observation, however, indicates to me that most of it is in things that could be changed without ever having to feel “hurried“.  Whenever we are waiting eternally on every shot, what I observe in the groups in front of me is usually a combination of three things:
Where they park the cart/drop the bags

Not ever doing anything simultaneously, such as dropping off one player to prepare and hit a shot while going to your ball to do the same, or hitting your shot while your partner looks for his ball and then going over to join in the search. If everyone hits their own shot and then goes over to join in the search, it only costs the group maybe a minute or so.  If everyone searches for 3 minutes THEN goes and hits it takes much longer  

Excessively long freezing over a shot. Like 30+ seconds in address position. 
 

changing these things can easily speed a round up significantly at no cost to the game of the group  

 

That is the point I’m trying to make in this thread.

 

oh, and into your other point.

I agree if you have a plane to catch in three hours, you should not be playing golf. But a 5 to 6 hour window should easily be enough to go to the course, warm-up leisurely, play round of golf, have a drink in the 19th hole, and get back home.

[chisag]

21 hours ago, TaiChi Tom said:

Ask yourself this: Are you golfing to enjoy yourself or to capitalize on your hourly rate?  When I played golf as a child, dodging dinosaurs, ok maybe just saber tooth tigers, I never thought about this topic.  It's only become a thing in a fast twitch world.  Isn't golf supposed to be a relief from all that?

 

... In the above situation nobody even thought of pace of play. You bounded to the next tee ready to take on the next Jurassic obstacle. You didn't grab your green/red/blue/yellow ball and stop for the Snow Cone wagon chatting with the nice lady while deciding exactly what you and your borrowed holding putter friends wanted. You didn't have to wait for the kids in front of you to finish texting before attempting a triple bank shot. And your friends went to their colored ball, not all congregating around one colored ball at the same time. 

... I have played on an empty course twice in the last month with 4 of us walking and 4 of us in a cart during the intense summer heat and we played in 3:50 and 3:45 so just a little under 4 hours. We had nobody to answer to other than ourselves and we certainly didn't rush. We played like little kids at a miniature golf course. No cares, just playing, talking, moving and enjoying the day. 

... That's one of the reasons I think 4 hours is the standard time for most golfers and most courses recommended time. Rushing is never fun and waiting for folks not playing golf is even less fun. So some that like faster than 4 hours need to adjust on any given day as do those thinking 4.5 hours is a good time with groups backing up behind them on the tee while they never wait on anyone. 

Edited July 1 by chisag

[funkyjudge]

1 hour ago, Bowgolf said:

As I stated above, my normal group plays in well less than 4 hrs if unimpeded. Putt out, remove pins, never actually ‘rush’, and fill all divots both sand, repair ball marks.  We do all those things. Main thing is we are conscious of pace in general sense, do the things mentioned above such as cart position, and we don’t have long pre shot routines. 
 

as I had pointed out in an earlier post, if you shoot 90 and can save 20 seconds on average per shot, you cut 30 minutes off of a round of golf. That alone turns 4 1/2 hour round into a four hour round. It is very easy to save that amount of time with little things like dropping your partner off at his ball, then driving over to do your routine and hit your shot. Speaking for myself, I start reading my butt as soon as I walk up on the green. If I feel the need to look at it from multiple angles, I will do it while other people are putting. If I am not ready to put even when I am away. I will motion for someone else to go ahead while I check what I need to check. we all stop moving gets in their actual putting stance, but everyone is moving around the green reading putts at the same time. I would imagine we save a couple of minutes per green over what I see other groups doing, and no one ever feels like they were rushed or pushed. 
 

And again, we fill divots and repair ball marks.

Playing faster does not mean rushing. 

AMEN, brother!  I am a proponent of playing at a reasonable pace (and, to me, “reasonable pace” means 4 hours or less for a normal 18-hole round while walking the course).  I still replace or fill all divots with sand, and fix not only my own ball marks, but also those of many other golfers who have neglected to do so. That doesn’t mean that I cannot play 18 holes in less than 4 hours, nor does it mean that I ever feel that I am rushing or being rushed on the golf course!

[funkyjudge]

19 hours ago, TaiChi Tom said:

Yes, it's all a balance, Goldilocks.  I've been in groups that rush me and I've been on excruciatingly slow rounds where I only partly suggested pulling out a deck of cards. Neither feels great.  But it's one of the few ways that the mostly individualized essence of golf becomes social, meaning dealing with the reality of the microcosm of the particular golf course you're playing on this particular day.  You're privileged enough to have the time and the means - a euphemism for money - to enjoy this expensively manicured escape from the pressures of life. Enjoy it whether you make an ace or a triple, whether it takes 3.5 of 5 hours ( I draw the line at longer)

I agree that playing fast can be combined with mitigating your course impact.  I also agree that fast players tend to be the ones with the experience and etiquette to fix their own ball marks/divots.  It's the - well I'm not sure how to define them - but the self-absorbed/clueless are terms that come to mind - who neglect the course.  But it's far from a generalization, more a recognition of the extra time it takes to fix multiple ball marks and other folks' divots, to note that if you're concerned about your pace of play, you're not taking time to notice other people's negligence.  I'm not saying it should be your responsibility either, just that if you were less concerned with speed, you could be more involved in enjoying, and maintaining, the beauty of your environment.   I also know that a lot of this depends on where you play.  I mostly experience neglect on 'affordable' public courses.  When I play private I play fast and I don't see a lot of neglect.  I'm not sure how that doesn't sound elitist, but it is my experience.  

Consider this:  'Pace of play' became a thing on the pro tour because of broadcasters trying to sell more advertising. It was exploited in the amateur world as a way to sell more rounds i.e. make more money.   

Ask yourself this: Are you golfing to enjoy yourself or to capitalize on your hourly rate?  When I played golf as a child, dodging dinosaurs, ok maybe just saber tooth tigers, I never thought about this topic.  It's only become a thing in a fast twitch world.  Isn't golf supposed to be a relief from all that?

There's also this:  If you're in a hurry; you shouldn't be golfing.  If you have a deadline; you shouldn't be golfing.  If you can't adapt to the pace of the round; you shouldn't be golfing. If you're waiting to hit every shot, it's damn frustrating.

That is actually one of the sh!ttIest responses that I have read in this entire thread.

[NM01]

20 hours ago, TaiChi Tom said:

Consider this:  'Pace of play' became a thing on the pro tour because of broadcasters trying to sell more advertising. It was exploited in the amateur world as a way to sell more rounds i.e. make more money.   

Pace of play on tour hasn’t changed inn forever. They played very similar when Jack was playing and Jack was very deliberate in what he did. I know that will probably ruffle some feathers but it’s true.

Golf broadcasts are basically the same now as they were when i watch periodically as a kid and when I first got more interested in the early to mid 90s. Theres no such thing as a pace of play issue on the tv. Golf is going to finish at 6pm eastern for most rounds or plus 3-4hours for wear coast and Hawaii golf.

20 hours ago, TaiChi Tom said:

Ask yourself this: Are you golfing to enjoy yourself or to capitalize on your hourly rate?  When I played golf as a child, dodging dinosaurs, ok maybe just saber tooth tigers, I never thought about this topic.  It's only become a thing in a fast twitc

Nope, been a think for the last 30 years if not longer. Ready golf has been around as long as I’ve been playing and no rush on the course but not out there just socializing away and making people wait.

 

[NM01]

1 hour ago, Bowgolf said:

I guess my point is this: we are NOT ‘concerned’ about pace. We don’t give it any thought. Yet we play at a natural rhythm of about 31/2-3:45. We make no effort to ‘hurry’. 
 

It is honestly difficult for me to figure out how a group can play in longer than 4.5 hours. Short of losing a ball in the woods on almost every hole, I really truly don’t actually know what they are doing to take up the time. My on course observation, however, indicates to me that most of it is in things that could be changed without ever having to feel “hurried“.  Whenever we are waiting eternally on every shot, what I observe in the groups in front of me is usually a combination of three things:
Where they park the cart/drop the bags

Not ever doing anything simultaneously, such as dropping off one player to prepare and hit a shot while going to your ball to do the same, or hitting your shot while your partner looks for his ball and then going over to join in the search. If everyone hits their own shot and then goes over to join in the search, it only costs the group maybe a minute or so.  If everyone searches for 3 minutes THEN goes and hits it takes much longer  

Excessively long freezing over a shot. Like 30+ seconds in address position. 
 

changing these things can easily speed a round up significantly at no cost to the game of the group  

 

That is the point I’m trying to make in this thread.

 

oh, and into your other point.

I agree if you have a plane to catch in three hours, you should not be playing golf. But a 5 to 6 hour window should easily be enough to go to the course, warm-up leisurely, play round of golf, have a drink in the 19th hole, and get back home.

Agree. I have played with some very fast and very good golfers and some very slow golf golfers as well as for bad golfers who were slow and fast.

Those who understand what you posted regardless of handicap move at a good tempo and not rushed. I’m a little faced paced at times and even if I’m playing with guys who have a good tempo on the course I don’t feel like they are slowing me down nor that I’m making them speed up.

[Bowgolf]

1 hour ago, chisag said:

One of the reasons I think 4 hours is the standard time for most golfers and most courses

I think 4 hrs should be the target time, even though my natural pace is quite a bit faster. I understand that not everyone moves at the same pace through daily life. I can certainly live w  4 hr rounds. Over 4.5 seems to me to require almost willfully going slow. 

[DaveP043]

On 6/24/2024 at 11:37 AM, RTGOLF said:

4-41/2 hours is acceptable, for me.  I think rounds will become longer as tracks fill up with the youtube inspired generation. The focus seems to be on “fun golf” radios etc. not “ready golf” or fast play. 

I'm not picking on you, I think 4:30 can be reasonable at some courses, but its not universal.  Here's a indication that much faster play is expected at some courses:

Note that this is all for players walking, not in carts (buggies).

 

Edited September 23 by DaveP043

[Erin B]

4 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

I'm not picking on you, I think 4:30 can be reasonable at some courses, but its not universal.  Here's a indication that much faster play is expected at some courses:

Note that this is all for players walking, not in carts (buggies).

 

what if you're behind a bunch of 4 balls?

[Shankster]

Oh man.  Anything over 3 for 18 is just unacceptable.  I lose interest at about 3 hours and 1 second. (Slightly joking)… It’s tough to get a rhythm going when you are waiting around all day though. I have more of an issue if I know I’m going to have along day, you get to the tee box and see a group waiting to hit when there is no way in heck that they’ll hit the people on the green.  That’s what clogs up courses.  Or when the range finder comes out on every single shot, including chipping and putting.  (Yes, I’ve seen it).  
 

Honestly I can do a 4 hour round but it has to be on a “special” course, but anything north of that is wrong.   That’s an entire half of total sunlight per day in some areas.  

[DaveP043]

1 minute ago, Erin B said:

what if you're behind a bunch of 4 balls?

You're probably going to be done in 3:30 or less, based on my two rounds there.  Golf in Scotland is pretty fast, especially if you get away from the real "tourist" courses.  FWIW, I think we played in about 2:30 for our afternoon foursome round at Muirfield.  (Foursome being alternate shot, two balls in play for four players)

[Pep]

Give everyone their own motor cart (buggies) that way they will not waste time driving back and forth. Then .maybe we will play 18 in 2 hours. But still unlikely

[funkyjudge]

24 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

I'm not picking on you, I think 4:30 can be reasonable at some courses, but its not universal.  Here's a indication that much faster play is expected at some courses:

Note that this is all for players walking, not in carts (buggies).

 

Yep; I played Gullane #1 about 4 months ago. It's the hilliest course in East Lothian with some severe elevation changes, and our four ball played in about 3:45 (walking the course).

We played six championship courses that week, including the Old Course and Castle Course at St. Andrews, Carnoustie, Kingsbarns, North Berwick and Gullane #1, and walked all six. It rained like crazy all day at the Castle Course and most of the round at Carnoustie, and for a few holes at The Old Course. Only at The Old Course did our round take 4 hours (actually about 4:10), and that was due to stopping to take pictures a few times (of course, everyone had to take the requisite Swilcan Bridge photo on the 18th hole), plus there are a couple of places on that course where two fairways cross each other necessitating allowing foursomes to hit across your line of play.

Scotland does not tolerate slow play .... even from tourists!

Edited September 23 by funkyjudge

[funkyjudge]

3 minutes ago, Pep said:

Give everyone their own motor cart (buggies) that way they will not waste time driving back and forth. Then .maybe we will play 18 in 2 hours. But still unlikely

How about everyone just walks the course?  Motorized carts almost always slow down the pace of play, even when it is not cart path only.

[RetiredBoomer]

2 minutes ago, funkyjudge said:

How about everyone just walks the course?  Motorized carts almost always slow down the pace of play, even when it is not cart path only.

We probably won't agree on this one.

I like to ride.

I'm not in a hurry when I'm playing golf..

[RTGOLF]

26 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

I'm not picking on you, I think 4:30 can be reasonable at some courses, but its not universal.  Here's a indication that much faster play is expected at some courses:

Note that this is all for players walking, not in carts (buggies).

 

At the price of that number 1 course I better not have to wait

[funkyjudge]

1 minute ago, RetiredBoomer said:

We probably won't agree on this one.

I like to ride.

I'm not in a hurry when I'm playing golf..

Yes, we will have to disagree on this. It's only my opinion, but unless the course is horribly spread-out, temperatures are oppressively hot and humid, or the golfer has a physical disability that prevents him or her from walking the course, I see no reason for the use of "buggies" (motorized carts) ..... other than as an additional revenue-generator for the golf course operators.

2 minutes ago, RTGOLF said:

At the price of that number 1 course I better not have to wait

The price of Gullane #1 is not bad at all!

[DaveP043]

1 minute ago, RTGOLF said:

At the price of that number 1 course I better not have to wait

So play #2, have lunch at the Old Clubhouse Restaurant, and then play #3.  In 2018, that second round cost 17 pounds.  Look at the difference between the cost of a Round, and a Day pass.  

OTOH, #1 has hosted the Scottish Open.  Where else can you play a course that's hosted its national open for that price?

[RetiredBoomer]

1 minute ago, funkyjudge said:

Yes, we will have to disagree on this. It's only my opinion, but unless the course is horribly spread-out, temperatures are oppressively hot and humid, or the golfer has a physical disability that prevents him or her from walking the course, I see no reason for the use of "buggies" (motorized carts) ..... other than as an additional revenue-generator for the golf course operators.

You left "the player just prefers to ride!" out of your list of reasons.

I'm a senior who plays weekday golf with other retired seniors.

The course is not crowded on weekdays.
Congestion is not a problem.

We like to ride.

People who like to walk are allowed to walk.

No problems so far.

I don't know what it's like on weekends.

[chisag]

1 minute ago, RetiredBoomer said:

We probably won't agree on this one.

I like to ride.

I'm not in a hurry when I'm playing golf..

 

... This is the absolute crux of the matter. I like to walk because I play better and feel better. But of course I understand there are those that prefer to ride as well as those with physical problems that have to ride. 

... And while I am also in no hurry, I don't like to waste time either. Playing with my 82 yr old pard and both of us walking in 100* last spring we literally had the course to ourselves and never saw another golfer in front or behind us. We played in 3:40 and it seemed like a perfect pace. For us. On an empty course some may have taken more time and some would have played faster. But we were enjoying the day with lots of conversation and did more walking with each other to both our shots than we would with a 4some or more golfers on the course when we all go to our own balls. 

... There is a reason most courses set a pace of right around 4 hours because it is the pace most play while compromising for those that play faster/slower. Faster players may need to adjust and slow down while slower players may need to adjust and speed up. There is no perfect time for a round of golf, just a perfect time for you. 

[Indy_Oz]

I know riding is in no small part a sociable activity, but how about more solo cart options? Like golf mobility scooters, lol. Keeps it accessible for those that need them, but saves all the waiting due to ball locations not being close to one another.

I wish more cart riders would get one cart buddy set for distance and club selection and then drive over to the other players' ball so they speed up. I always insist on my cart buddy just dropping me off by my ball so I can play and walk back to them, or dropping them off.

I'm not a fast player, well not as quick and 'ready golf' compliant as I was when I was younger, but I'm working on it. On the green I don't take long at all. I'm working on shortening my pre-shot routine and club/ shot selection process. Mostly playing with slow players really doesn't help. Ha ha. When I play solo rounds with no waiting around for groups ahead, I'll finish 9 in under 1:30 walking and I'll usually play 2 balls for that round to maximize practice time.

[RTGOLF]

20 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

So play #2, have lunch at the Old Clubhouse Restaurant, and then play #3.  In 2018, that second round cost 17 pounds.  Look at the difference between the cost of a Round, and a Day pass.  

OTOH, #1 has hosted the Scottish Open.  Where else can you play a course that's hosted its national open for that price?

Hamilton GC where Bobby Mac won this year is private so … 

[DaveP043]

3 minutes ago, RTGOLF said:

Hamilton GC where Bobby Mac won this year is private so … 

Yeah, where but Scotland can you actually play the national open courses at all?  

[chisag]

13 minutes ago, Indy_Oz said:

I know riding is in no small part a sociable activity, but how about more solo cart options? Like golf mobility scooters, lol. Keeps it accessible for those that need them, but saves all the waiting due to ball locations not being close to one another.

I wish more cart riders would get one cart buddy set for distance and club selection and then drive over to the other players' ball so they speed up. I always insist on my cart buddy just dropping me off by my ball so I can play and walk back to them, or dropping them off.

I'm not a fast player, well not as quick and 'ready golf' compliant as I was when I was younger, but I'm working on it. On the green I don't take long at all. I'm working on shortening my pre-shot routine and club/ shot selection process. Mostly playing with slow players really doesn't help. Ha ha. When I play solo rounds with no waiting around for groups ahead, I'll finish 9 in under 1:30 walking and I'll usually play 2 balls for that round to maximize practice time.

 

... Simple economics. It's less expensive to purchase one cart for 2 golfers with 1/2 the charging equipment/time and of course less maintenance.  And ready golf cart etiquette is just lost on some. Getting to the closest shot, dropping off the player and going to your ball should be standard cart riding procedure. Unless there is another player in your line then you have to wait anyway. 

... I rarely see pace of play overly influenced by tee to green from actual golfers, although social party riders are a different story of course. And once in a blue moon there is a beginner or clueless player taking multiple practice swings, topping or hitting a poor shot less than 50 yards and then repeating the process. And most egregious doing the above and taking a couple of practice swings after the bad shot while we are waiting to hit our shots.   But my most hated group to play behind are those betting and playing at a normal pace from tee to green then slowing to a crawl on the greens. I will never understand how anyone can wait til it is their turn, stalk a putt from all sides, take forever with seemingly microscopic adjustments using the line on their ball, miss the putt and mark it, only to do it again when it is their turn instead of putting out after seeing their ball break 6 inches rolling past the hole for a 2 foot comeback. 

... That said I play around 225 times a year with muni golf from September through May and semi private golf from June through August and for the most part the majority keep a 4 hour pace or close to it. It is the rare group that slows things down and drags down the rest of the course but when it happens it really stands out. 

[RetiredBoomer]

43 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

... This is the absolute crux of the matter. I like to walk because I play better and feel better. But of course I understand there are those that prefer to ride as well as those with physical problems that have to ride. 

... And while I am also in no hurry, I don't like to waste time either. Playing with my 82 yr old pard and both of us walking in 100* last spring we literally had the course to ourselves and never saw another golfer in front or behind us. We played in 3:40 and it seemed like a perfect pace. For us. On an empty course some may have taken more time and some would have played faster. But we were enjoying the day with lots of conversation and did more walking with each other to both our shots than we would with a 4some or more golfers on the course when we all go to our own balls. 

... There is a reason most courses set a pace of right around 4 hours because it is the pace most play while compromising for those that play faster/slower. Faster players may need to adjust and slow down while slower players may need to adjust and speed up. There is no perfect time for a round of golf, just a perfect time for you. 

We've been playing a lot of scrambles lately, and scrambles are slow.   
I have no problem letting people play through on the rare occasions that such is necessary.
 

What we have going for us is that there isn't really a problem right now.
Should a problem occur,
hopefully members of all inclinations
will try to adjust a bit as required.

Edited September 23 by RetiredBoomer