[borasolit]

Thoughts on slow play on the golf course....?


I guess its still the wild west out here in Texas!! This is how we say "Speed up" apparently! Yikes..............

http://golfurl.net/YIKES

[RayFairhurst]

WE have talked about this a lot. I HATE IT. As a few forum members have joined me on the course, they know that slow play is not an option for me...hehe

[prearpaccew]

I definitely hate slow play.

But what I hate even more? When you're stacked up where everyone is having to wait to tee off for the next hole while the previous group is getting their 2nd/3rd shots hit so you don't risk dropping a drive on them and the group behind you wants to play through even though there is NOWHERE to go.

Last weekend I was stuck in groupings like that. On the 8th hole the group I was with were all standing on the putting green and one of the jackasses behind us hits and rolls one across the green right through all of us. No yell of FORE, nothing. I just turned and raises my arms at them, and got a "sorry". Like he didn't know he could reach the green from 150 out. I behaved and didn't wait to have a talk with him or tee up his ball and send it back express mail, but it was tempting.

[TheReallyBest]

I guess its still the wild west out here in Texas!! This is how we say "Speed up" apparently! Yikes..............

http://golfurl.net/YIKES

I hope the judge throws the book at that idiot!!!

I have said it before, if you hate slow play don't come to Virginia unless you are playing strictly private courses and don't even think about Myrtle Beach where the average round is 5+ hours minimum.

[AbeldeldepBug]

This is how we say "Speed up" apparently! Yikes..............

And they let the guy go on bail.

Man, 73, accused of aiming pistol at slower golfers

Former Westlake High football player called 911 after gun was pointed at him, police say.

By Patrick George
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, June 25, 2009

It started with an argument about how slowly three men were playing golf at the Lions Municipal Golf Course on Enfield Road.

It ended with a 73-year-old man aiming a loaded pistol Monday at former Westlake High School football player Matt Nader in the golf course parking lot and claiming he was "morally obligated to destroy" him, according to court documents.

Edwin Dailey was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony, after an Austin city marshal pulled him over in his white Ford Focus, a few blocks from the course better known as "Muny."

Dailey was released on $15,000 bail. He declined to comment when reached by phone Wednesday. Nader could not be reached for comment.

Nader, a former Westlake lineman, had received a football scholarship at the University of Texas before he collapsed on the sidelines from cardiac arrest during a 2006 high school game in College Station.

Nader's life was saved using an automated external defibrillator, and doctors later learned that he had a heart condition that ended his football career.

UT honored his scholarship, and he's now a student and student-assistant coach for the Longhorns.

According to Dailey's arrest affidavit, Nader and two friends were playing golf when Dailey approached them at the ninth hole. The affidavit said Dailey complained that they were playing too slowly and had parked their golf cart inappropriately.

The argument continued for four more holes; at the 13th hole, Dailey told Nader that he would get his gun and "make them both equal," the affidavit said.

After the 18th hole, all of them ended up in the parking lot together, the affidavit said, and Dailey reignited the confrontation and told the three men to stay away from him because he felt threatened.

After a verbal exchange, Dailey pulled out a .25-caliber Browning handgun loaded with hollow-point bullets and pointed it at Nader, the affidavit said. The three men took cover behind cars, fearing for their lives, the affidavit said.

Dailey then concealed the gun and went back to the clubhouse while the men called 911, the affidavit said.

He later returned while they were on the phone and said, "If I feel threatened, I am morally obligated to destroy you," according to the affidavit.

Dailey left the scene but was stopped nearby by the city marshal, the affidavit said.

The Browning pistol was seized from the car, as well as a .38-caliber Beretta pistol that was in a cooler, and two additional magazines for that weapon, the affidavit said.

The affidavit says officers didn't think Dailey had been in physical danger or that his threat of deadly force was justified.

He was not in custody Wednesday.

[borasolit]

And they let the guy go on bail.

UGH - and he said, "If I feel threatened, I am morally obligated to destroy you."

That guy is one meatball short of a spaghetti dinner!!!!!!!!!!

[gvataler]

Slow play is the second worst infraction on the golf course.Hate slow play,but I also don't want to feel rushed.

[finasteride]

I wonder what happens if Mickey D's forgets to put fries in his happy meal?

[prearpaccew]

I wonder what happens if Mickey D's forgets to put fries in his happy meal?

Hey now, that's a Florida thing! Don't give him ideas, then those damn Texans will be claiming they did it!

[Relsenlilky]

Slow play is always going to be a part of playing golf. Not "every day" golf, but it is always going to be a possibility. I have two schools of thought on the issue. One, it is due to over crowding by the golf course management folks for revenue purposes. I have a good friend who owns a golf course. To combat slow play, he tried to limit the number of groups on his course to just 54 at any given time. When a group walked off the 18th hole, another group would be allowed to walk up to the first tee. Plus he did not allow singles on his course, except on Saturday, and Sunday evenings. Long story short, once he did away with his own restrictions, he made a lot more money, and was able to maintain his course with lower green fees.. So slow players do help to keep green fees lower for everyone, simply by being there.

My second thought about slow play is that most folks complain that it wrecks their game because it slows down there own pace of play. Their own tempo of play is disrupted to the point where they seem to lose their own timing, and mental focus, which causes even slower, and poorer play on their part. To me this is a prime example of what the "pre-shot", and even a "post shot" routine should be used for. Not even the pros can operate at full boogie speeds for 4-6 hours when they play. Once I realized the importance of a pre-shot routine, and how it helps with slow play, I played better golf regardless of the speed of play. Now don't get me wrong, I do prefer a faster pace of play, but sometimes it just won't happen.

As for hitting balls into a group to speed them up, that is just plain foolish. If a player gets hit and injured by an idiot's intentional ball flight, medical, and legal costs could be a real problem for the person who hit the ball. Hit a ball into my area of play while I am waiting to hit, at the very least you are going to lose your ball. I have kicked more than a few balls into a water hazard, or deep rough just for that reason.

[RayFairhurst]

Well said provisional. My issue with slow play is from "stupid slow play". If there is nobody in front of you let people play through that are faster. There is just no reason for it. If it is just backed up everywhere, I either choose not to play or deal with it. Either way I am fine.

[bridsanaeds]

Slow play is part of playing on a public course. When I play in the late mornings or early afternoon I expect slow play. Do I enjoy slow play? Of course not. I'll even complain about the really slow players but it's a given. It's like being upset at driving through downtown at 8 when you know you and 20,000 of your closests friends have to be at work by 8:30.

As for hitting balls into a group to speed them up, that is just plain foolish. If a player gets hit and injured by an idiot's intentional ball flight, medical, and legal costs could be a real problem for the person who hit the ball. Hit a ball into my area of play while I am waiting to hit, at the very least you are going to lose your ball. I have kicked more than a few balls into a water hazard, or deep rough just for that reason.

I've never understood people hitting into the group in front of them because they are playing slow. Waiting on the squad to show up and pick the guy up off the green will really help get the round going a little faster. :roll:

[TheReallyBest]

We usually play in the afternoon on the weekends here and by the time we get to the course it is a sea of foursomes. I know going out that it is going to be a long round so I am mentally prepared for it. Do I want to play at a faster pace? Hell yes, but at the same time I am in no hurry to get off the golf course. It is probably the one place I can relax, have some fun and spend time with my buddies who I don't usually see outside of golf.

If you are in that much of hurry just go to the range beat 80 balls real quick and go home, haha.

[gvataler]

Slow play is always going to be a part of playing golf. Not "every day" golf, but it is always going to be a possibility. I have two schools of thought on the issue. One, it is due to over crowding by the golf course management folks for revenue purposes. I have a good friend who owns a golf course. To combat slow play, he tried to limit the number of groups on his course to just 54 at any given time. When a group walked off the 18th hole, another group would be allowed to walk up to the first tee. Plus he did not allow singles on his course, except on Saturday, and Sunday evenings. Long story short, once he did away with his own restrictions, he made a lot more money, and was able to maintain his course with lower green fees.. So slow players do help to keep green fees lower for everyone, simply by being there.

My second thought about slow play is that most folks complain that it wrecks their game because it slows down there own pace of play. Their own tempo of play is disrupted to the point where they seem to lose their own timing, and mental focus, which causes even slower, and poorer play on their part. To me this is a prime example of what the "pre-shot", and even a "post shot" routine should be used for. Not even the pros can operate at full boogie speeds for 4-6 hours when they play. Once I realized the importance of a pre-shot routine, and how it helps with slow play, I played better golf regardless of the speed of play. Now don't get me wrong, I do prefer a faster pace of play, but sometimes it just won't happen.

As for hitting balls into a group to speed them up, that is just plain foolish. If a player gets hit and injured by an idiot's intentional ball flight, medical, and legal costs could be a real problem for the person who hit the ball. Hit a ball into my area of play while I am waiting to hit, at the very least you are going to lose your ball. I have kicked more than a few balls into a water hazard, or deep rough just for that reason.

I understand what you are saying,but there is no routine that will help you if you are waiting 5 mins on every shot.You will just be bored and disgusted and ready to walk off the course

[Olympicdreams]

Most courses have a Pace of Play standard they try to keep. The courses I play are around four hours in the morning, getting to 4.5 hours as the day goes. If people are keeping up with the courses standard, then the problem lies with the super fast players, who want to play a three hour round (or less). I've done that, but only when we were the first or second group off in the morning. If you HAVE to play fast, go early. If it's not the first time you have been to a course, you should know how long the course management wants the rounds to be. People shouldn't be rushed just because YOU are in a hurry, if they are keeping the pace. Should have set an earlier tee time or chosen a different sport. Now, people who are obviously holding up play should get out of the way or pick it up and play faster.

A lot of the time it's because courses flood the course with players instead of having a decent interval between tee times. If your group hits decent drives that can be found quickly, you all hit and get back in your carts and drive on, many courses will send the next group right to the tee. Five minutes between tee times is not long enough.

I can deal with people behind me better than waiting on the group ahead, because, most of the time, it's not my fault those people are stacked back there. If it is my group's fault, I have no problem letting a faster group through if it is actually open ahead of us. If we are keeping the pace but the group ahead of us is one of those speed golfer groups, I won't have a problem letting a rushed group behind us through.

[RayFairhurst]

Our course has pace of play at 4 hours all the time. The GPS on the carts tells you if you are over or under that pace and by how much.

[Qvqnubpj]

I think the slow play problem is broken down to two factors.

1. The pros take a long time and amateurs tend to follow what the pros do. Tiger among others is really a slow player. People see that and try to imitate. I understand the whole commitment to each shot thing, but sometime the faster you play the better because you don't start second guessing yourself.

2. The marshaling at most public and some private courses is awful. At our course the head pro doesn't pay attention to slow play and on the weekends it can get really slow. I think the marshaling is the single biggest problem with slow play. Slow groups should be identified warned and then told to pick up.

Your place in golf is directly behind the group in front, NOT directly in front of the group behind.

Rant complete.

[RayFairhurst]

I agree about the Marshalls. At my course it is almost comical. They rarely say anything. But this is why. If they tell someone to pick up the pace or pick up their ball and those people go into the shop and complain, the Rangers may lose their golf privilege for a week.

Its absurd.

[prearpaccew]

I agree about the Marshalls. At my course it is almost comical. They rarely say anything. But this is why. If they tell someone to pick up the pace or pick up their ball and those people go into the shop and complain, the Rangers may lose their golf privilege for a week.

Its absurd.

Absolutely. If the Marshalls give instructions and they aren't followed, why isn't the Course Management backing them up when they come in to complain? Stuff like that drives me nuts.

[RayFairhurst]

Because course GMs and Head Pros are pushovers in this economy and do not want confrontation. Its not right.