Lerxst wrote:

Dont feel bad. Some people are just into playing speed golf. Im serious. I played a week ago as a single and got paired up with this guy - nice guy, but man, it was a friggin cardio golf game. No practice swing, no looking at the putt, just hit and go. Not my idea of golf. I think he just wanted to get in a round as fast as he could so he could get home. I dont know, but I think he would have been better off just hitting some balls at the range. It wasnt a golf game, it was golfersize...

I agree, that's not golf. I don't even want to waste my time of being on a golf course if I have to play at that rate; I wouldn't be able to enjoy the game.

So what do you guys feel is a reasonable amount of time it should take to play 18 holes on a full size course? 3.5 hours? 4 hours? 4.5 Hours, 5 hours?

If your pace of play is causing the rest of the people behind you to take 5 hours to play - You need to play faster. Anything over 4.5 hours is way too long in my opinion. and those type of rounds are becoming the Norm at public courses

Personally, I really don't care how long it takes me to play the course. However, a lot of this is common sense. It's about the wait. If I have to wait more than a few minutes to tee up, my wrists get stiff and I have to warm up again.

But as far as common sense goes...if I'm playing, and a group comes up behind me that wasn't there a couple of holes before, they are obviously playing at a faster pace. I like to walk...if the group behind me is using carts, they are obviously playing at a faster pace. I tend to let 2-3 groups play through (on average) if I'm playing a full course. I do get frustrated, though, when groups in front of me don't return the favor.

However, it is also important to note that if I'm waiting at each tee box, then allowing someone else to play through is probably not going to make any difference for anyone.

terpsno1 wrote:

So what do you guys feel is a reasonable amount of time it should take to play 18 holes on a full size course? 3.5 hours? 4 hours? 4.5 Hours, 5 hours? If your pace of play is causing the rest of the people behind you to take 5 hours to play - You need to play faster. Anything over 4.5 hours is way too long in my opinion. and those type of rounds are becoming the Norm at public courses

The reasonable amount of time for me is usually indicated on the score scard as pace of play. However, this is not always possible as I may be held up by golfers in front of me. I do understand folks that are new and having a difficult time may be slower, and I am patient as I was there once as well. If people are hitting several shots off the tee, taking 10 min. to look for their ball, and then taking social break while Im on the tee - well then yeah, that is not being respectful.

Pace of play, but no golfersize

I agree...I'm in no hurry, but I hate waiting for people who don't understand the little things that can be done to speed up the game. If I'm waiting because someone is still learning the game...no big deal. If I'm waiting because someone is taking 25 practice swings or hanging out on the green until the scorecard is filled out, I get a little antsy.

I was stuck behind a group of EIGHT once who wouldn't let me play through... and they were busy playing polo on their golf carts, chasing each other around, having races up the fairway, etc. I considered just hitting it while they're on the green.... but that could have been bad.

Since then, I've made sure to keep my cell phone in my bag with the courses number in it... if anything like that happens again, I'll be calling the clubhouse to have these idiots removed from the course.

Sorry bud. I to am a walker and often fly solo too. I hate to say it, but if you have a foursome in a carts pushing you, you are playing way to slow. Walking a 6,000 yard course, even if you shoot a 120, should only take 3-3 1/4 hours.

ipv6freely wrote:

terpsno1 wrote: Are you playing as a single? If so & Larger groups are pushing you to the point that you let them through - you're playing too slow (walking or riding) Yes, playing as a single. And playing too slow is nothing I can help. And yes, I walk.

The only way to play faster than I do would be to run to every ball I hit.

adam1134 wrote:

Sorry bud. I to am a walker and often fly solo too. I hate to say it, but if you have a foursome in a carts pushing you, you are playing way to slow. Walking a 6,000 yard course, even if you shoot a 120, should only take 3-3 1/4 hours. ipv6freely wrote: terpsno1 wrote: Are you playing as a single? If so & Larger groups are pushing you to the point that you let them through - you're playing too slow (walking or riding) Yes, playing as a single. And playing too slow is nothing I can help. And yes, I walk.

Walking as a single should take no more than 3.5 hours.

When I play as a single, this is about the average breakdown of a par 4.

2 Minutes on the tee. (From once you get on the tee to hitting your shot)

2 Minutes walking to your ball and hitting your second shot.

4-5 Minutes walking to the green and time spent putting.

Right there, that is an average of 8 or 9 minutes per hole.

Now obviously, I'm not going to par every single hole. Add another 2-3 minutes for an extra shot or looking for a ball and on average, it usually comes to about 10-11 minutes per hole.

At 11 minutes per hole, you should finish in about 3 hours and 15 minutes.

If I am playing by myself and I don't run into anybody, I usually play right at 3 hours.

In other words, if you are walking as a single, the only way a 4some should catch up to you is if they are all under 5 handicaps.

Maybe you are walking very slow? The most common problem is the set up, especially on the tee. Many players take FAR too long getting off the tee and before shots (practice swings, distractions etc...)

Can anybody agree with my numbers there? I think I made some pretty accurate timeframes for my play at least.

I think slow players - Don't waste that much time actually playing golf - It is what I call the dead time in between that adds time to a round - The time when someone should be hitting and they are not - Standing around on the tee box when they first arrive - Standing around waiting to be told it is their turn. Just being oblivious to pace of play. Parking their cart or leaving their bag in the wrong place - not having an extra ball or extra tees in their pockets. Standing around observing strict honors when the other person is far way from his ball. I am a huge proponent of ready golf when it makes sense for pace of play

I can only ever remember playing alone ONCE - it was for 9 holes, and it took me one hour. I can't recall the score, but it was likely about 45 or so.

Playing 18 holes by yourself ... I can't imagine it taking more than 3 hours, but perhaps it's just me. Another fellow and I followed a foursome on Father's day morning, and they played in 3.5 hours ... the two of us were playing a comfortable pace and we only waited on a couple of shots all morning.

Yup. Well, again, I don't do any of that. I go as quickly as I can. Again, as I said, the only way for me to play faster would be to run to the ball after every shot.

Well, I see you are playing mostly a par three course. In that case, I would assume since you say you don't do any of the mentioned things that the people behind you are just that much better than you. They are on the green in one or two, two putt and move on.

Anyways, unless you're handicapped, why would someone need a power cart for 9 holes at a par 3 course??

Matt Otskey wrote:

Well, I see you are playing mostly a par three course. In that case, I would assume since you say you don't do any of the mentioned things that the people behind you are just that much better than you. They are on the green in one or two, two putt and move on. Anyways, unless you're handicapped, why would someone need a power cart for 9 holes at a par 3 course??

Yes exactly. I get to the next tee, and immediately hear the sound of a ball hitting the green behind me. It's really frustrating because I'm going as quickly as I can!

And.. I dunno.. but people do it.

terpsno1 wrote:

So what do you guys feel is a reasonable amount of time it should take to play 18 holes on a full size course? 3.5 hours? 4 hours? 4.5 Hours, 5 hours? If your pace of play is causing the rest of the people behind you to take 5 hours to play - You need to play faster. Anything over 4.5 hours is way too long in my opinion. and those type of rounds are becoming the Norm at public courses

Unhindered, 3.5 hours is a good average pace, and is my normal twosome pace walking 18. Add maybe 10-15 more per extra player so that a foursome should take about 4 hours. As most courses indicate, if the entire pace of play is under 4:30 with a decently booked course, this is acceptable.

I admit I have become less tolerant about this, but in general you can see the things when you are sitting and watching that are causes. Here are a few that get me:

1. Not playing ready golf
2. Not being ready (i.e. player sits in cart while partner hits when he could easily walk 15 yards to his ball and at least figure out what club he will hit)
3. Hitting multiple balls per shot multiple times
4. Not playing from correct tees (for skill level), or waiting for people on green from beyond range

On the reverse side, I (and others) have to realize when you are in a threesome (or twosome) and there are foursomes in front of you. Of course you are going to run up on them. You may have to wait, but it might not be because the group ahead is necessarily slow. It can really suck on a slow day if you have a foursome and the course continues to send out twosomes or singles.