Do you ever wonder why you are left behind to find your ball while your group is on the green putting? Do you ever wonder why the group behind you is standing in the fairway, one shot out with their arms folded while staring you down? Do you ever think that your preshot routine might be a bit too long when you see the grass is growing under your feet? Do you ever wonder why your group is standing on the tee box, and you’re still sitting in the cart smoking a cigar or drinking a beer? Well, I’m here to tell you, you are a lollygagger!
So, the honest question is, when is it considered that your group has “fallen out of position”? Well, believe it or not, you are considered “out of position” once your group is more than one shot back. No, not one hole behind, but more than one stroke back from the group in front of you. Many people mistake that. Now I get it. Yes, “shtuff” happens on the course, and you will fall out of position every so often, but you should not be out of position the entire round. Be aware, make your group aware, and try to catch up.
If you are a foursome (or less) and the group in front of you is a foursome, you should always be one stroke behind them. When the group in front is in the fairway approaching the green on a par 4, your group should be on the tee box ready to tee off on the same hole. After you tee off, and by the time you reach your ball, identify it, and figure out what club to hit, the group in front should be walking off the green. Take your practice shot, line it up, and swing away.
So, what makes a player so slow? Let’s start with my biggest pet-peeve, course management. Course management for the amateur is different than it is for the pro. First of all, the pro has a caddie to help manage his game. For the pro, it is more about selecting the correct club and managing his game with his shots. However, course management for the amateur means a whole lot more. Yes, like the pros, choosing the right club is very important, however it is also about helping your group by watching everyone’s ball to know where it went. There isn’t a gallery or PGA volunteers spotting your ball. Then you need to figure out whose ball to approach first. If both of you are close in proximity, try to split the difference, so you can both manage your clubs. If not, drop your partner off and go to your ball if it’s off to one side. You will then be ready to hit right after your partner. If your partner is indecisive about choosing a club, and you feel good about your distance, then leave the cart with him/her and take a couple of clubs and walk over to your ball. At that point, if you think you have the wrong club, then wait. Don’t hit just to hit. But at least you looked at the shot, and you have an idea.
Here’s my second biggest pet peeve. If the group is on an Easter egg hunt in the trees, one player should always be hitting and then return to the search and rescue team. The next player should then go and hit. Searching should happen in succession with others hitting to keep the group in position.
Let’s go to the green. As you are walking up to the green, take a look at the whole green, and then look at your ball position. Walk around the hole, then mark your ball. If it’s not your turn and while the other player is reading their putt, so should you. Have some ideas on the line. Then watch the other player’s ball and how it reacts around the cup. Figure out your break based on how the ball comes to rest. Everyone should be ready in succession after the first person putts. There should be no long delay between putts.
After leaving the green, pull your cart away immediately and score your card at the next tee box so the group in the fairway can approach. I cannot stress this action enough. When you reach the next tee box, you need to either score first while others are teeing off or score after you hit if you have honors. It is very frustrating to see everyone writing scores, while no one is teeing off. If I can’t hit first, it’s because I am playing the forward tees in a mixed group, so I have to wait.
Nothing says slow play like the player who sits in the cart waiting for their cart partner to hit while their ball lay 20 yards to the right. Instead of figuring out their yardage, taking a club, and walking over to be ready, they insist on sitting in the cart to watch their partner hit. Then they wait for their partner to clean the club, put it away, get in the cart, they talk about the shot and then drive 20 yards over to the other ball. Now the other player gets out still talking about their friend’s shot, grabs the yardage scope, shoots the pin, talk, talk, talk, takes a club, walks over, lines it up, practice swings two or three times and then hits the ball. I have videos of this since I had plenty of time to witness it, and on average, these two players each took 1.5 min to hit. If they regularly shoot 90, do the math people. That’s 1.5 min per shot x 180 shots for both = 270 minutes divided by 60 min to an hour = 4.5 hrs. Yup, 4.5 hrs. You may think, ok, that’s the normal time it takes to play a round of golf. However, there are four people. I’m only giving you the time for two. So now what happens to the other two, you ask? Yes, exactly. They rush, trying to keep pace with the rest of the field. They wind up playing terrible all because the other two are selfish. What should have been a pleasant, 4.5-hour round, now took a grueling 5.5 hours with a stacked field behind them.
Course management is also about selecting the right club. Not like the guy who wants to hit his driver on every hole because his ego is too damn big. It’s all about distance for him, not accuracy. His ball barely hits the fairway. Now the group is continuously in the woods looking for his ball. If that guy had the brains to think with course management in mind, he would know it’s not about distance on every hole. Course management is to have the sense to play a shot that will keep your ball in play. I think a group should have the right to take the driver out of his hands when he can’t make an educated decision. No one wants tics or poison ivy, and the group is so tired of looking for his ball. This selfish act can ruin a round of golf for everyone else.
My last peeve, which is a first-place runner-up, is about ATTITUDE! And I have heard this one too many times. If you think that because you paid to play too, and that warrants you the right to take your sweet time because you want your “monies worth,” then you are sadly mistaken, Mr. Arrogant Golfer! Golf isn’t about you, your game, or your money. Golf is a game of integrity, honor, respect, responsibility, and sportsmanship. None of which represents your attitude. So, take your attitude and go fishing where all the time in the world is focused on you. The only ones that will be waiting are you and the worm. Enjoy!
And lastly, police your own pace as well as your group’s pace to keep everyone in position. If someone is a lollygagger, say something! Honors should be put aside and play ready golf when you are out of position.
Course Management: Prepare for your shots in advance and manage your time wisely by thinking about the rest of the field.
Pace of Play: Set the example, and others will follow.
Fairways and greens!
Tee 2 Green 