I was playing a round of golf yesterday with a long time student and a friend of his who was a casual golfer. I kept seeing a number of things that, even though we were playing CPO (cart path only) golf because heavy rains had the fairways saturated, we could easily have knocked 20 minutes or more off our play time.
First and foremost, all casual non-tournament golf should be played under the 'Play Ready Golf' rule. What this means is that the USGA rule of the player with the lowest score on the previous hole has the 'honor' and he or she has to tee off first on the next hole, is rescinded. The other half of this rule is the player farthest away from the hole must play first and so on for the rest of the group, is also rescinded.
'Play Ready Golf' is a departure from these hard and fast USGA rules and should only be done in social, casual and non-tournament play. One of the biggest problems facing the golf industry and players every day is the slow pace of play. The professional golf tours struggle with this snail pace speed of play when a group gets out of position (falls too far behind the group in front), first by issuing the group a warning and gives them a chance to close the gap. If the group fails to catch up, the next step is putting the group on the clock. The tours have set guidelines for how long it takes once it is a player's turn to hit his shot. An official will follow the offending group and, from the set start point, the official begins timing each player when it is his turn to hit and records the time it takes for the player to go from shot preparation to impact. Take too long and the player gets penalized shots. If this happens too often, the next penalty is getting fined.
The harsh reality of getting put on the clock (and this happens in amateur tournaments) is that it affects the entire group. Many times there's just one offender slowing up the whole group. That sometimes unfair aspect of the slow play problem happens because a player is having trouble looking for a lost ball and even needing a ruling. They fall behind and if they can't catch up fast enough they get put on the clock. Being on the clock really gives a player a rush (not a good rush) that really raises the pressure level and can take them out of their routine. They may not pay attention to details and many times make mistakes and poor shots.
For just playing non-tournament golf playing ready golf, especially on busy and crowded courses, is the best way to keep the flow moving. The key is every group needs to do it as the pace of play is only steady when every group keeps up with the lead group, who must be moving along at a good pace. It is great for everyone because you play your round in a good pace and in less time, which affords everyone more time to do something else. Like get home and mow the grass.
Ready golf 'rules' say that the first player getting to the tee hits, no matter where they would be in the line of honor. Playing ready golf means that the first player to get to their ball in the fairway hits, regardless of who's away. Naturally you make sure that no other golfers are in or too close to the line of your shot. Playing ready golf usually ends on the green and everyone putts out based on farthest from the hole, unless one player, who may be away, say because he is raking the bunker he just hit out of. But as soon as that player gets to his ball, he is the next to putt. Lastly, on the putting green, playing ready golf means putting out whenever you can hit those short putts and tap ins and not be standing in someone's line.
Another good point to learn, especially when carts are restricted to the cart paths (CPO), is to always go to every one of your shots with multiple clubs, one of which will likely be the one needed for the shot. This saves a lot of time from having to walk all the way back to the cart to get the correct one. And if you are putting sand in your divots, don't forget to carry the sand bottle out with you.
When on or around the putting green a real big time eater is dropping your extra clubs in the wrong place on the wrong side of the hole. That is, if the cart is on the path on the left side of the green and you pitch or chip from off the right side of the green, don't drop your club or clubs there when you walk onto the green. Once you putt out, and especially if you are the last, you then have to walk backwards, away from your cart, to go get them, then walk all the way back to the hole on your way to the cart. This may not sound like much, but 30 seconds to 1 minute or more per hole and there is that extra 20 or more minutes to play. Placing your clubs on the green between the hole and the cart so you can pick them up walking straight to the cart will save that 20 or more minutes. It will also save the time your playing partners are sitting and waiting for you.
Taking the extra time and steps, while another player is lining up his putt, to walk past the hole and place your clubs in the path you will walk off toward the cart or next tee not only saves time but is also the best way to insure that you won't forget those clubs on the green.
Playing ready golf is great because it keeps the round moving along. We all know waiting and waiting to hit a shot is boring and a waste of time. Worse than that, it takes us out of a rhythm and causes poor shots. It increases pressure on us and can make us uncomfortable, especially if your group is slow and every time you are facing backwards you see the players behind you standing and leaning on their clubs, waiting for you.
Let's all raise our right hand and take the oath to Keep Golf Going at a smooth, steady and reasonable pace of no more than 4 and a half hours for 18 holes. PLAY READY GOLF!
The Surge!