9 TIPS TO BEAT SLOW PLAY!! Golf Monthly

[@petera2417]

There is one that you didn't mention which is a real nuisance - especially if the teeing areas are large. This is that you should have a spare ball in your pocket on the tee. I have seen players hit their tee shot OAB and then walk 30 yards to their bag to get another ball. Personally I would rather avoid that walk of shame! PeterA

[@GolfMonthly]

Yes, it is a good point!

[@BakoSooner]

Based on your title, I thought your tip was going to be on how to manage a slow group in front. All those tips you're providing makes sense. But the frustration for me is more on how to slow the game down when the group(s) in front are playing slow. I try to take extra time to putt and chip, then the problem becomes with the group behind. Especially when they start standing outside of their carts with their hands on their hips. Game is already frustrating, but slow players make it exponentially worse.

[@AllTradesGeorge]

That's what I was hoping for, as well, although beyond taking practice shots while waiting for the group ahead, I don't know that there's a lot that can be offered as general advice. But this is great advice on how to not become part of the problem. And it IS a problem, especially for players who already have attention/mental focus issues...a brisk pace of play can be the difference between me scoring pars or bogeys and me scoring double and triple bogey...

[@bytebit]

I am even watching this in double speed to avoid slow play!

[@frazzyb88]

An interesting point about faster parties At times when I play as a solo golfer - there seems to be the stigma of “the solo golfer has no rights” - countless times I’m waiting for a 4 ball to wave me through.

[@916cardfather8]

Good stuff Neal. I wish you would have mentioned something about shared cart play were each player sits in the cart and watches the other figure out yardage, pick a club, pre-shot routine, strike, flight, clean club and replacing in bag rather than dropping one player off and heading over to the second player’s ball. I call it cart gallery play, and it seems to be a big contributor to slow play in my experience. This phenomenon seems to be cured by the pandemic as most courses only allow one rider per cart, and as a result I’ve experienced much faster rounds lately on average.

[@antd684]

Two suggestions...play from the tees that match your ability. You will enjoy the round more. If you are letting a group play through play your next shot if you can once they have played this way you can stay ahead of the next group. at

[@GolfMonthly]

Yes, this would really help

[@andrewrubin4694]

When I first played in Scotland, my college coach, who had been on the St Andrews high school team, pointed out that that, unlike in the States, people did not wave the group behind on a par 3. I had learned that waving up was polite and it allowed smoother pace of play because we could prepare to putt during their shots and putt while the group behind walked. Wrong said my coach who was also a math professor. The length of a round is dictated by the group in front of you. If that group stops to let you hit up, the length of its round is slowed and consequently, so is yours. As a result of this point, I no longer wave people up unless I am waving them through. Cheers.

[@superduperawesome6858]

👍 nice video all-round great effort... The bit about other players watching tee shots into the sun could have been your no.10 (actually I look out for every shot, it all helps!) Another peeve of mine is when using buggies or trolleys: don't stop to replace head covers (putters especially) next to the green - move away and do it at next tee pls! Also people in buggies...after playing shot take the club in the buggy and sort it out at the next shot 👏👏👏

[@0311andnice]

Sadly the slow people ruining public golf courses won’t see this video.

[@Coj0nes01]

I play golf with a few older boys who seem to place more emphasis on how quickly they are able to get round 18 holes rather than how few shots it takes . When I first started playing over 30 years ago , we allowed 4.5 - 5 hours to play 18 holes , yet these boys expect a 4 ball to get round a 6800 yard 18 hole course in 3.5 hours. No fun at all.

[@maness2112]

Sounds fun to me.

[@dennisobrycki4029]

4.5 seems reasonable to me

[@tylersteak]

The course stacking tee times every 9 mins will do that too.

[@jamesdenny5078]

These sorts of players play so fast, they dont even play properly. They have no pre shot routine, they dont read a putt, they just bash it anywhere without a care, as long as its in a hurry

[@andrewjames6106]

Great video. Ive just started so play on my own a lot. Very rare i get waived through and the times i have, i've had a few snotty comments. My only advise to speed up play would be not to have so many adverts in a 10min video ;-)

[@GolfMonthly]

Good stuff!

[@Phi1l]

We played the Belfry a few weeks ago & members of our group were up ahead slowing us down with no-one in front of them. Fortunately there was a marshal driving around, so unbeknown to them we had a word with him & sure enough after he gave them some feedback, they found a way to speed up! One thing that frustrates me are the players who think they're Rory McIlroy & wait until the group in front are 500yds down the fairway before they tee off.

[@pandemonium7617]

I looking for your next video

[@ajaytuk7416]

In my opinion the biggest cause of slow play on the courses I play can be fixed just by cutting the grass to a short level, ie fairway and semi rough only- and clearing under trees. OK the course is not so difficult, but really who cares- hit the shot find the ball have fun. On courses where there is going to be a wide range of abilities this will make the biggest difference to the pace of play by miles. For these types courses the financials work out as well as they can get more people round in a day ( and they will come back) People don't come back to the club house and eulogize about how great the rough is....

[@GolfMonthly]

Yes, it is a good point - especially the one about clearing out from under trees.

[@johnkraus5454]

Links style courses are terrible for trying to avoid slow play. That long fescue is the main culprit. The key to playing quickly is the ability to find your ball & hit it again.

[@Phi1l]

I agree, what frustrates me is even in some parkland courses, where you hit your ball into trees, the grass between them isn't kept down, so you don't easily locate your ball

[@andym28]

Spray Joop aftershave on your ball. You will be able find it from a mile away.

[@scannon4492]

Not sure if that is a joke... But could just be the greatest tip of all time if not

[@martinjennycross7544]

Take fewer shots - that should speed up your play! I am a high handicapper but I regard more than 3.5 hours on our par68 as slow.

[@13Hangfire]

*You should educate your editor on volume levels. Intro music for each segment should not be that much louder than the volume level of the segment/narration. Editing 101...*

[@graemeross7536]

Slow players are a pain on a golf course, but just as bad are the ones that have somewhere else to be and any delay no matter how minor is a huge inconvenience. They can also be dangerous as they are not prepared to let you clear before they take their shots.

[@joebradley7317]

When someone hits into me I politely hit it back to them. Hate people like that who think they are entitled because they happen to be better than you. I will let you play through if there is somewhere for you to go but you can only play as fast as the people in front of you. I will skip a hole if there is a chance I can get up with all the fast people but, IF the group in front of you is waiting on the group in front of them because the ones in front of them are really really slow then you just go with the flow or leave. Your choice !! Find a different course but the results will probably be the same. Drink another beer & take a chill pill. Good luck finding a super fast course with zero delays. Be safe everyone & don't kill anybody while you're waiting to tee off. Not Teed off !!!

[@sarahpoustie4808]

6500 yards, 3/4 hours absolute max.

[@brentborne7207]

I find some players have no idea what slow play is. I play with a friend who hates waiting but will take many practice swings then after his shot he will stand here and analyze what he did. Yet he will call out others in the group for being slow. Too bad there wasn’t a way to have people self check themselves

[@dennisobrycki4029]

Can someone please define exactly how long slow is for an 18 hole round? 4.5 hours seems average to me

[@hemsky19]

4.5 is slow. Try to get down to 4

[@GolfMonthly]

This is a very good question. Some courses will naturally take longer to play than others (longer walks between tees and greens etc). Depending on the course, a four ball should really be able to get round in between 4-4.5

[@AllTradesGeorge]

Back during the height of Covid, when golf was one of the few things you COULD do around here, there were days I played 18, walking, at the nearest public course (par 72) in a little over 3 hours, playing solo and having a decent round. The next closest pyblic course? I won't even try to play it walking...it's got so many elevation changes, right up at the base of the mountains, but on a good day, I can get through 18 with a cart in just under 4 hours. It's been at least a couple of years since I've played a round anywhere close to that fast, at either course, and pretty much every time I've been out in the last 4-5 months, I have spent about a third of my round sitting in the cart, waiting for the group in front of me to clear so I could hit my next shot safely. The published pace-of-play on scorecards for both of those courses is right around 4.5 hours, and that's what I usually expect...but I would say play at your pace, but watch for groups being held up behind you. Rushing is bad for my game, as bad in its own way as waiting on slowpoke groups in front of me, so I'm not one to tell people they need to rush. Do what you need to do...just don't hold other groups up doing it.

[@scottmckeon5542]

This video is 10.14 mins long. Would be 2 minutes if it just saved the wasted words and repeated sentences

[@rushore1]

When playing two people in a cart, it's not the worst thing in the world to get out of your cart and walk some, especially when one person has to wait to hit. Leave them with their club to wait, and take the cart go find the other ball so you're ready to hit. I really hate when the person who is closer to the hole has to wait for the other person to hit, then drive the cart across the fairway before they can even pull their club, much less take their shot.

[@tylersteak]

Nobody lets people play thru anymore :(

[@maness2112]

Slow play is the death of golf.

[@johnness8070]

There are indeed times when you feel stuck behind a group that doesn't seem to know that it is playing golf, but this in my experience is infrequent. If one finds it so dreadful being outside in the fresh air and sunshine for a few extra minutes a round perhaps you should consider racing around in a cart or better yet playing indoor simulator golf.

[@maness2112]

Few extra minutes? That not what this is about, we are talking hours.

[@AllTradesGeorge]

When nine holes takes three hours on a course where it normally takes two, someone's doing something to bog down play. I'm all for enjoying the scenery...it's the primary reason I play, sometimes...but if I've paid for 18 holes and carved out a five-hour niche in my day for it, I start to get testy when it becomes apparent that I'm only going to make it through fifteen of those holes.

[@yadthink]

Perhaps the #1 tip should be, try hard to not be the slowest member of your group. Unfortunately, many slow golfers don't realize how slow they are and some don't care. Also, unless your group is fast, pls don't get an early tee time.

[@drummerman122]

I find that must people who are slow players couldn’t care less about anyone else on the course. So they don’t take any notice anyway.

[@darrenmiller1981]

A simple one for me is to walk at a reasonable pace between shots - see far too many people just shuffling about the course. They’re probably also the ones who are gonna be guilty of several of the 9 deadly sins mentioned in the video. Just this morning we were behind a 4 ball who not only teed off 7/8 mins late, but then lost 3 holes on the group in front and we caught them by the 7th hole - argh...

[@iettord3124]

Totally agree. If you are at normal health you should walk with some urgency. I have seen far too many players pace forward in the speed of a bride walking down the aisle of a church. I play in Sweden and the problem seems to be global.

[@billmannin]

The answer is simple, think of others and what you would like to have done to you if you were in their place! Selfishness is overtaking our society - lets stop it!

[@stephenfox6276]

I wish my club would share this video amongst the older patrons of the club

[@craigscott3133]

Play alone

[@Thugl1f]

Why is everyone in a hurry when they play? Why not take your time and enjoy it. I hate being rushed.

[@gr0bbelaar]

This is just common courtesy on the golf course. Depending on the course, there shouldn't be any issues whatsoever in completing a round of stress free golf in around 4-4.5 hours.

[@maness2112]

Golf is a game of rhythm. Slow play stops that.

[@gr0bbelaar]

@@maness2112 100% correct.

[@bartscholten476]

I just want to keep going without having to wait on every teebox

[@crashnbyrne]

I hate being rushed too, but simple common courtesy can speed up the game without anyone feeling rushed.

[@bobbyk3469]

When play in carts and the club is "cart path only", bring several clubs to your ball. Don't walk to your ball, then back to the cart for a club.

[@GolfMonthly]

Good advice!

[@rushore1]

Good rule of thumb is to take the club you best guess you'll need and one above it and one less.

[@jamesdenny5078]

The best thing to do is run around and smack it anywhere. Pick up on most of the holes too. Yeah youll shoot a terrible score, but the main thing is youll get round really really fast, and in modern club golf, thats literally all that matters for your £1500 a year membership.

[@ryanmccully112]

3 minute time limit to find a ball! How could you have missed that one?

[@neiltaylor1765]

Its a course rule, it doesn't help slow play its designed to reduce time lost looking for balls, should only happen if your miles off line

[@ryanmccully112]

@@neiltaylor1765 Ready golf is also in the rules, 5.6. Plenty will take far longer than 3 minutes to look, and that time adds up far quicker than timing the marking of scorecards correctly for example. There are other rules designed to speed play, such as 40 seconds to hit, which are glaring omissions. Maybe they're missing because this is a "tips" video?

[@c_b8s4]

I fire a warning drive towards their cart.... works like a charm! Occasionally a second is needed.

[@SowkProductions]

I dont really care, im out there to make lowest score as possible, not to run around like a chicken without a head. If you dont have the time, then stay away or play another sport.

[@Beaulacdebale]

Take a caddie, you won't need to care about most of these rules...;-)

[@cheechwizard60]

Why is everyone in such a rush? I'm a 100% disabled veteran, I'm 70 years old and when the ranger asks me to speed it up, I'm insulted. I don't mean to hold people up, but if I do, I just ask that they have a little patience and respect, after all, I want to enjoy my round too.

[@maness2112]

Maybe because they aren't retired like you. Just because you have no where to go doesn't mean you are allowed the course to be constipated with your inconsideration of everyone else.

[@crashnbyrne]

The best thing to do there is just let people play through. As long as you're not making people wait behind you for 18 holes, people understand that some older or disabled people wont get around so quick. 100% disabled seems like a stretch though. Pretty sure 100% disabled means paralysis of the entire body. Just Sayin!

[@guessmyname1104]

@@crashnbyrne 100% is a disability rating to determine compensation, but yeah, screw disabled people.

[@guessmyname1104]

@@maness2112 Old, disabled vets are so annoying.

[@maness2112]

@@guessmyname1104 I am an old vet myself, not plugging up a golf course is a priority when I play, I never want to be that guy. When I cant keep up anymore, I will move over to a executive par 3 .

[@sirmichaelhunt1087]

So quintessentially golf is no longer a leisurely sport and has become a speed round because impatient Karens don't know how to be patient. No wonder nobody wants to pick up the game of golf.

[@tonypettitt5779]

When did golf turn into a race, should we all swap our golf shoes for running spikes? I think I'll take someone with me to run ahead and tee up my ball so I can walk straight up to it and hit it, no practice, no aiming just hit it, saves loads of time.

[@trevorturnbull8346]

The standard response of the slow golfer 🤦

[@robertshepherd8400]

Leave your sweetie, who rarely plays, at home! An 18 hole course is no place for lessons, especially from the high handicapper boyfriend. Go to the range!

[@davidhollingworth9392]

My God is this what it’s all about? I had no idea golf was such a chore for everyone. Quick hurry up we need to get this nightmare over with as quickly as possible. As a new player there is nothing more off putting than to be constantly worrying that you are holding people up, or your doing something wrong like not wearing blue on the 6th tee on the second day after Pentecost. Never leave your shadow on the left side of the green in case it distracts those playing behind you to the north north east with a westerly wind on a Tuesday. Get over yourselves it’s golf, for 99% of you it’s a hobby, a pastime, unless you are a paramedic or surgeon out for a quick round in your lunch break no one will die or be saved because you shaved 30s off a round of golf. I look around sometimes in the club house and think are you all alcoholics or something because you’re sitting there with a beer chatting away with no where to be when 3hrs ago you were having a go at the group of pensioners ahead of you for changing their club selection on the fairway. I SAY! MOVE IT ALONG WILL YOU I WANT A PINT! I’ve played courses where the greens are so close or fairways overlap that you have to wait for players ahead of you or even several holes behind you to finish for safety reasons. Why not use the time to contemplate your life choices, what is it that has brought you to the point where you think standing in a field getting angry with other people standing in a field for taking slightly longer to hit their little white ball into a hole has any real significance?