If we asked ten members what constitutes appropriate pace of play we would probably get ten different responses and justifications. Regardless, nearly everyone would think that slow play detracts from enjoyment of the game. This is not just the view of members, but has been identified by surveys conducted by the R&A. The survey found the 60% of the more than 56000 respondents from 122 countries stated they would enjoy their golf more if they played in less time.

Here at Sandy Creek, we spent a number of Saturdays during the past couple of months taking a closer look at the playing times during Saturday rounds. A significant number of groups were able to play their round in almost spot on 4 hours. Perhaps surprisingly, very few of the players in these groups were using carts. The majority of groups however were taking between 4hr:05min and 4hr:10min to play. Typically the back 9 took around 10mins longer to play than the front and with a couple of exceptions, groups starting on the back 9 played their round faster than groups staring on the front. It was also evident that the further into the morning we went, the longer it took to get around the course. It was also quite clear that just one group being slow near the front of the field caused significant delays for the rest of the field right through to the final groups around midday.

What can we do? 

Do your part, it starts and ends with YOU!

The last thing we want anyone to do is to rush their shots or feel pressured to hit before they are ready, so let’s think about other things that could reduce potential delays.

  • Tee off ON TIME. If your tee time is 10:04 and the group in front is clear at 10:00 DO NOT GO…. Your time is 10:04 and then and only then is when the first player is to tee off. Be ready to go, but don’t be late and don’t be early. 8 minute intervals is designed that you are teeing off as the group in front is walking to green/putting out. It enables your group to remain far enough back for any issues in the group in front to resolve as well as enables you to not have to wait. If the gap is greater then you on tee and group on green then you are behind so speed up your play, if the group behind is pushing up on you (narrower distance then just described) then show your ready golf skills.
  • Walk directly to your ball – We’re not asking you to set off in a canter, but getting to your ball without holding hands. Efficiently means you have more time to prepare for and play your shot once you’ve got to your ball. Walking individually to your ball will enhance the speed as well as enable you to keep your eye on the line of your ball and you will avoid loosing your orientation. Walking to everyone’s ball before your own you are going to spend more time looking for yours and you will not know the line or the depth of your shot. Find your ball before you chat or find others, if you know where yours is because you have hit the fairway or green then by all means… cure cancer.
  • Ready Golf – (click here for video) The idea behind ready golf is quite simple. If you are ready to play and the person who ‘should be next’ to play is not ready, then play your shot. This could be because a bigger hitter is waiting because the group in front may be in range but another player is planning to play a shot that does not endanger that group. It could be that a player is waiting for a group on an adjacent fairway to move on before being able to play their shot, or even old man Rivers is taking 10 minutes to figure out your stableford score to mark on the card… If you can then play. It is not about ‘pushing in’ and playing out of turn, pace of play is etiquette and not delaying or hindering someone else round in anyway is what etiquette is all about.
  • Play a provisional – If you think there is a chance you may not find an errant drive, play a provisional ball straight away. Don’t blame the rough for you not being prepared, it is a golf course… Yes there is rough.. so if you know it went off fairway more then just a few meters then provisional ball is a must on the tee. Once you leave the teeing ground the provisional ball is no longer an option (refer to your rule book).
  • Call a following group through – If you’re group are hunting for a ball and its apparent it may take a bit of searching, call the next group through. Don’t wait for the 5 minutes of allowed searching time to elapse before calling the group through as you trudge back to play another ball.

In the end, we think that it should be a rare exception for a 4-ball group to take more than 4 hours 10mins to play our course in its current format. We should be aiming for 4 hours. Anything more then 4 hours will be discussed to how and why the happened and it will be assessed. If there are groups that care causing slow play then contacting the club or proshop at the time of it happening so that it can be addressed BEFORE the rest of the day is effected.

A final thought about pace of play (taken from the R&A’s website): “If each player in a 4-ball takes 5 seconds less to play each shot, the round time can be improved by over 25 minutes!”

Saturday tee times

No doubt many of you will have noticed that the morning tee time bookings have been filling up quite often. It’s great that so many of us are wanting to get out as often as we can on a Saturday, but what seems to be happening is that there are a number of members booking in early in the week ‘in case they can play’ to secure a spot, but then either pulling out on Saturday morning or just not turning up at all. This has resulted in numerous groups playing with only two or three players with a number of other players not able to play because the groups were all full when they checked on Friday afternoon. Yes, it seems there are a number of members that are that selfish!

To accommodate more players seeking morning tee times, the committee has decided to increase the number of morning groups playing from the 10 th tee and adjust the time of the first ‘afternoon’ group accordingly (as stated above). The nett effect will not alter the number of groups able to play in the competition, but will balance the relative demand for morning/afternoon tee times. Regardless, if you book but end up being unable to play we ask that you please consider your fellow members and either remove your booking online by 6:30 am Saturday morning or by calling the Proshop after 6:30 Sat am and to have your booking cancelled. Failure in doing so will result in a polite reminder the first occasion.

Tee times for Saturdays will now be Competition: 2 Tee Start 7:00-8:44 (1st and 10th). 1 Tee 11:00-12:36 (1st Tee only). 12:44 – Close Social Times 1st Tee Only.

Pace of play will be monitored and 4 hour round will continue to be the requirement be proud that there are many other courses with the same number of players in their comp that struggle to be under 5 hour rounds and with the avalanche of industry information pointing at slow play = people leaving / not joining clubs / game/ etc, we need to not be complacent.

Do your part, it starts and ends with YOU!

Brought to you by the Sandy Creek Golf Club Committee

Co Authored