The start of any new year usually includes a broad swath of people opting for personal resolutions. Many center on a few predictable goals – losing weight, exercising more, quitting smoking, etc ,etc.
For golfers, a slew of different resolutions will be front and center. For starters, is the equipment one uses matched to the kind of game you have now? Have you ever been measured properly? It never ceases to amaze me that far too many people have clubs being used that are over 20 years old. In that time frame one’s body has changed and the capacity to play certain shots will be dictated too.
Once the equipment issue is resolved – then what specific areas of your game need improvement? An honest assessment is essential. How much time is allocated to short game dexterity? If you can’t putt and can’t chip – the likelihood for scoring success becomes next to impossible. There’s a reason the adage “you drive for show but putt for dough” is so accurate in its meaning.
But a broader more sweeping issue impacts the experience when being on a golf course.
Two words say it clearly — slow play.
The golf experience means entering an 18-hole highway. Like any roadway, you can only go as fast as the vehicles in front of you are moving. In today’s 21st century world the measurement of time – and how much one can allocate — is the ultimate tipping point in whether golf remains relevant to both existing players and those interested in joining the ranks.
The amazing thing about playing golf is that the total number of minutes actually spent prepping to strike the ball and then actually doing it is well under one hour. So why do rounds routinely exceed four hours and often times finish closer to five?
Good question.
The answer starts squarely with the management of a facility.
Slow play has become a de facto talking point. But other than in rare circumstances never being a sustained priority. Admitting the issue exists is not the same thing as putting in motion a sustained action plan combatting it.
Think of the highway analogy I outlined. If a car has an accident and blocks traffic what happens?
Unless someone addresses the “accident”, the net result is an ongoing blockage. For those playing when stuck behind such blockages, the overall time for the round increases and the mental frustration boils for those hapless souls watching tortoises play.
How many facilities take a proactive approach in really understanding where the routine bottlenecks take place and then springing into action to alleviate the delay? Those in the proactive lane are clearly in the minority.
The other internal matter deals with tee time intervals. Far too many facilities set unrealistic tee time intervals. Invariably gridlock circumstances are cemented and cannot be alleviated afterwards. Realism in tee time intervals means no less than ten minutes separating each group.
There’s also the issue in how an opening hole plays. At certain courses the opening hole may be fairly simple with ample fairway width. However, for those courses with more demanding beginning holes it may require more spacing. It’s one thing to wait before one begins play but once on the course the flow of play is central in keeping players engaged and not have rigor mortis happen.
The pathway for success revolves around two words — education and enforcement.
Golfers are akin to grazing cattle — if the herd is not monitored, the likelihood means a certain number will wander about aimlessly.
Two words — education and enforcement.
Generally, golf course management has placed its head in the sand when slow play arises. Effective monitoring is not done solely from people remaining in the clubhouse area. It means having personnel on the course engaged as needed. A time honored business truism emerges — if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.
Why the paralysis? At private clubs that may mean informing a specific member on the tortoise-like behavior that’s routinely done round after round after round. Conflict avoidance doesn’t alleviate the behavior it simply keeps it in place.
At resorts it may mean the fear in communicating expectations because of the amount of money spent to play the round. This remains so at a number of big-name resorts. Education certainly helps but if such ignorance continues with any player, then enforcement is a must in order to maintain credibility. What would such penalties be? They can range from permitting groups behind the offenders to play through. If matters require more action, then the wherewithal to book future tee times will be denied.
Slow play happens primarily because of laziness and inattentiveness by management. That engagement has to happen every day — not once in a great while. Far too often management turns a blind eye while the majority of those impacted are left scratching their heads in bewilderment in wondering does anyone really see what’s happening?
Management can also help matters by setting up the golf course accordingly. The USGA rolled out a program a few years back advocating players play tee markers at least one area ahead of where they generally play.
Candidly, most men should not play any course beyond 6,000 yards. For women, the number would be no more than 4,000 yards. Why? The answer is simple – most players carry the ball far shorter than what they believe and when you add more distance to the holes, you automatically add more strokes to finish a hole. That’s not rocket science – that’s plain fact.
There are certain men who take umbrage when asked to play from a teeing area ahead of where they normally play and look upon that as an infringement of their masculinity and golf prowess. The reality is that only the smallest percentage of players should play a course beyond 6,500 yards.
On the flip side is the conduct of the players and what each has to do in educating themselves on the responsibilities when playing.
People may not be aware of this but the first section of the USGA rules book is on etiquette. In its most basic form etiquette is the manner by which people show respect to one another and to the course they are playing.
People may not be aware of this but the first section of the USGA rules book is on etiquette.
A couple of clear instances need highlighting. When your foursome has a 9:00 AM tee time are all the players immediately near the teeing area no less than five minutes before the scheduled time? That rarely happens and, as a result, players have to be corralled because they’re intent on talking to other players, hitting more practice balls, getting coffee or conducting a cel phone call, to list a few of the transgressions.
What’s next? When play commences do you head immediately to your ball? For whatever reason, certain players feel the need to walk in unison with each player and then proceed to wait at the first ball. Players should go to where their ball is located and then go through their pre-shot routine and club selection so when it’s their turn to play they’re ready to do so. If players are sharing a power cart, one of the players can take multiple clubs for a given shot so that the other player can drive the cart near to their ball and be ready to play. Sounds simple – right? Few actually do it.
No area of the golf course results in more snail-like behavior than when players arrive at a putting green. You then see players go through a myriad of inane machinations that generally only add more confusion before stroking a putt. Observation is central to putting success. Upon entering a green do you notice the contours presented? Do you watch closely when others putt?
Here’s a proven suggestion for both lowering scores and speeding up play. When taking your first putt if you can then continuously putt, provided you’re not stepping on another’s line of play, do it. You’ll likely score better and speed play along. Far too many players mark their ball and when they putt again the gap of time only causes them to freeze up and engage a faulty stroke when doing so.
At the end of the day — it’s really about management being aware of what happens each day and then implementing proactive responses. For players it’s about being situationally aware and not keeping pace of play centermost throughout the round. Ignorance is not an excuse for either party.
Remember the first two letters of golf say it so succinctly — GO!
Frankly, I’ve met only a few people who have ever readily admitted that they are tortoises. Generally when asked about slow play – the finger is pointed elsewhere.
2026 marks a new year and golf can be a greater experience when management and players are resolved to do better.
Slow play only remains slow when those on the front lines resolve to do nothing.
Terminating the tortoise torture trail.
How resolute will you be in 2026?
Remember the first two letters of golf same it so succinctly.
GO!
