Speed of the game

If you are able to play faster, should you encourage your flight to do so. This assumes all players have same abilities and there are no traffic ahead. Or should you enjoy the game and stick to prescribed times...let the rest of the field follow your group.

I don't think the concept is to encourage people to play faster.
Rather it is the ideal of etiquette and responsible play to not waste time.

Example, you don't rush to your ball and you don't rush to take your shot.
The game is for leisure and pleasure. Soak in the feeling and the environment.

However, there are ways to make sure we don't waste time and hold up those behind.

Like;
Don't take forever to setup and take a gazillion practice swings.
Take a few clubs with you, those you think might be applicable for the current shot and perhaps the next. This saves you walking back to the buggy if you realize you need a different club. And if it's getting out of the woods or some short shots, you already have your next club ready. Same as for chip and putt, saves time to have your putter already with you.
Carry an extra ball if you go looking for yours.
Once you have a certain chemistry with your buggy mate, you will know who takes the buggy and who drops off and where to pick up next.

These are some of the stuff I practice.
Granted the better players take fewer strokes and hence lesser time, but players of all skill levels can get to enjoy the game if we all play without wasting time.

my favourite kind of post.  I think considerate golf is fast golf. that does not mean rushed golf however.  when I play badly and score even worse, I really only upset myself and destroy my own day.  when I play slowly I destroy my flight mates pace and enjoyment plus the flights behind.

I Agree with DKING. 

It is usually a case of common sense. For eg, if we are playing in a JB course on a weekday with no flights in front or behind us, I doubt i'd like it if my buddy asked me to speed up. However, I wouldn't hesitate to 'urge tactfully' if a fellow kaki like to do 3 minutes prayer before each shot. It spoils his flightmates' tempo..

I think most will agree that we've had rounds where all we do is just sit in the buggy or stand around and wait while the golfers in the flight ahead take their own sweet time. Needless to say, it's often a frustrating process and while we do what we can, it wrecks momentum and rhythm, and generally makes the round somewhat unpleasant (especially when the flight in front seem oblivious to their slow play).

So, I would recommend that you broach this issue with slower golfers on your flight. Do it gently. We've all had our bad days where nothing seems to work. The best drive hits a stray rock and bounces into the rough or a good iron shot is hit too flush and ends up in the water. Whichever the case, a gentle reminder to speed up play is useful. In those situations, I've just learned to do what I can which may include conceding the hole. It's just not worth it and it's better to sit the hole out, regroup (mentally) and focus on playing better at the next.

I also agree with haragolfer that slow play on our part (regardless of whether there's a flight behind) frustrates our own flightmates. It's about being considerate. Put yourself in others shoes and decide how you'd feel if your flightmate was slowing the game down unreasonably.

All that said, I think we should also learn to practise kindness and tolerance. Too quick are we to react, too fast are we to curse and too soon are we to assume that we're right. Let's give others a bit of breathing space, as we would hope if we were having an equally bad and slow day on the course.

So aptly put by Techno and Hara.

Can we start a campaign on this at all golf courses!?

Really getting sick of slow golfers (low or high hcp)....

Some golfers just need a kick up their behind to move along....Last sun, i teed off at OCC and noticed that the flight in from of me was about 2-3 holes ahead of me......We caught up with them at the par-3 6th hole, and despite them not having a flight in front of them, they proceeded to take their time to get drinks and snacks at the halfway hut knowing full well we were hot on their heels.....

I made a call to the Marshall to get them to move along and to my pleasant surprise, he came along promptly and had a word with the turtles.....and magic happened!!!....all of a sudden these guys picked up their pace and kept up a steady clip......they just needed a little prodding that they weren't the only ones on the golf course.....

golfool2009 wrote:

Some golfers just need a kick up their behind to move along....Last sun, i teed off at OCC and noticed that the flight in from of me was about 2-3 holes ahead of me......We caught up with them at the par-3 6th hole, and despite them not having a flight in front of them, they proceeded to take their time to get drinks and snacks at the halfway hut knowing full well we were hot on their heels.....

I made a call to the Marshall to get them to move along and to my pleasant surprise, he came along promptly and had a word with the turtles.....and magic happened!!!....all of a sudden these guys picked up their pace and kept up a steady clip......they just needed a little prodding that they weren't the only ones on the golf course.....

Hope it was prodding and not probing. 

DKing wrote:

I don't think the concept is to encourage people to play faster.
Rather it is the ideal of etiquette and responsible play to not waste time.

Example, you don't rush to your ball and you don't rush to take your shot.
The game is for leisure and pleasure. Soak in the feeling and the environment.

However, there are ways to make sure we don't waste time and hold up those behind.

Like;
Don't take forever to setup and take a gazillion practice swings.
Take a few clubs with you, those you think might be applicable for the current shot and perhaps the next. This saves you walking back to the buggy if you realize you need a different club. And if it's getting out of the woods or some short shots, you already have your next club ready. Same as for chip and putt, saves time to have your putter already with you.
Carry an extra ball if you go looking for yours.
Once you have a certain chemistry with your buggy mate, you will know who takes the buggy and who drops off and where to pick up next.

These are some of the stuff I practice.
Granted the better players take fewer strokes and hence lesser time, but players of all skill levels can get to enjoy the game if we all play without wasting time.

+5

Everyone has a different routine and that's fine. What's not acceptable is not playing ready golf!

I have seen golfers wait in the buggy until their partner finish their shot then walk across the fairway to their ball! They should both go to their ball and be ready to play ... of course always staying behind the person who is playing first.

Also reading the putt can be done together or whilst waiting for partners to putt and not start reading the green after the other person has putted. 

Also if there are flights behind, they should not be taking practice putts after they have been given the putt/holed in.

Cleaning the clubs and entering the scores before driving off to next hole. These can be done when waiting for their turn at the next tee box or even next shot.

Talking on phone is another annoying habit of Singapore golfers. IF the call the is important, then concede the hole but don't hold up the whole flight or the flights behind.

May I hijack this thread abit?

Need some seniors' advise.

If the flight in front is so slow that you are already at the same tee box as them and yet they don't let you play through, can I take the initiative to ask them (nicely) that I want to play through them?

Will they think that i am rude?

Is there an international standard? Or is it very different from country to country, culture to culture?

Cheers guys

haragolfer wrote:

my favourite kind of post.  I think considerate golf is fast golf. that does not mean rushed golf however.  when I play badly and score even worse, I really only upset myself and destroy my own day.  when I play slowly I destroy my flight mates pace and enjoyment plus the flights behind.

True 

Low handicap player tend to play faster likewise beginner tend to play slower, just so simple.