Promoting pace of play: Angel Park in Las Vegas offers 'Speed Lane' morning tee times

I stumbled across this cool promotion via Kevin Robbins over at the Austin Backspin blog (a must-bookmark for the central Texas golfer): Angel Park Golf Club in Las Vegas is offering its early morning tee times to those who pledge to play 18 holes in a cool 3 hours, 45 minutes.

With two 18-hole courses, the Palm and Mountain, one course will be set aside for their “Speed Lane” promotion and the other course will allow a more leisurely pace.

Prior to teeing off, each player in an Express Lane group must sign and date the following pledge: “Our entire group is aware that we are playing in a designated ‘Express Lane’ time. We will comply with maintaining a pace of play to complete our 18-hole round of golf in 3:45 or less. We are aware that if we fall behind this pace we will follow the direction of the Course Advisor. This could include moving ahead to be back in position, falling behind the last ‘Express Lane’ reservation, moving to the alternate golf course, or similar.”

I like this idea so much, if only because I’ve had it myself for awhile now (on the pretend golf course I operate in my head). But if you’re a golf course operator, why not reserve your early tee times for foursomes who play the golf course fast and often. Reward loyal players who treat your golf course well with the best tee times? And as a bonus, they won’t slow down the rest of the tee sheet - which feasibly means you could get more golfers around each day.

As any head pro at a golf course will tell you, all it takes is one group of idiots early in the morning to start fishing around for balls on every hole to back up the course for the next dozen tee times. Here’s hoping this idea at Angel Park takes flight in golf destinations all over.

Angel Park is a GolfNow.com partner course, but you’ll want to call the shop directly if you want to take advantage of the “Speed Lane” promotion.