by Ronald
If I play slow my golf games is stink. I prefer speed up the golf games less 4 hrs to play 18 holes. my golf round avg is with two men is 3.5 hrs. Play myself is around 2.5 to 3 hrs. I don't waste my time with club. I just grab them and fire at the pin. I saw Rory got mad Ben "Snail" Crane on tv. I would be the same with Rory.Ben wouldn't be my best play partner. I know that Sergio is play a little improvement, He used to be to slow play golf. He tried to stop waggle and regrip the club over and over.

by tim nugent
Get your head out of the sand. A golf course must earn enough $ to stay in business. If you want slower play, then you will have to pay more for your tee time. Remember, you're really renting time when you get a tee time. More time = more fee - for everyone - not just you selfess "it's all about me" pokes. Granted 3 1/2 hrs is flying but 4 1/4 hrs should be achieved. 5 hrs is too long - move up a tee or two.

by Mark Nessmith
Who said anything about wanting slower play?

by Dave
I agree w/ Garry and your Scottish partner. On an open course, my wife and myself play 18 at a comfortable pace and finish in about 3 1/2 hrs. When playing w/ on crowded courses that round may go to 5 hrs. We alter our pace to compensate and enjoy the day and the course for what it is. As long as players in front aren't taking 5 practice swings for every shot, I can deal with it. I do however get inflammed when a group behind feels the need to hit into your group when you have nothing to do with the pace and nowhere to go. That's the infuriating part of golf!

by garry
My wife and can play 18 holes in 3hrs.But sometimes,for a variety of reasons,it takes 5hrs.Course congestion,slow foursome up front,the beer wagon making too many long stops,too much sand,too much bush,too many hazards.It doesn't really matter how fast or slow you play (3hrs/5hrs)you can sure somebody will be upset with your pace.Even worse than slow play ,is that JERK HEAD behind who is shooting balls at the foursome in front.Golf is means for exercise,relaxation (?)and socializing.Very few coures ask what your handicap is,before taking your money.get a life and learn to pace yourself,you'll have more fun that way.

by Carol Prebula
My husband and I lived in Naperville, Illinois from 1989 to 1991. The best-managed golf courses we ever played were the city courses there. The pros kept those courses running like clockwork all weekend long. The players' assistants/marshalls drove the course at all times, and if an empty stretch occurred, the lagging foursome was urged to pick up their pace. If the pace didn't improve, they were invited to leave the course and pick up a refund on the way out. A foursome was started every eight minutes, and its starting time was recorded on the scorecard. Nothing less than a foursome was allowed out on the weekends, and the "keep up the pace" policy pretty much kept the slowpokes off the course on weekend mornings. I really miss those courses on the weekends at our local Maryland course where we can always count on a five-hour round at best--not good course management.

by Diane
As a beginner, pace of play is one of my biggest fears. If we get to the golf course & there are many people waiting to tee off we go home. 2 reasons-- I don't want to hold them up but I don't want to be there all evening either. I usually try to go as late as possible so I don't hold people up, but I find that bargain hunters go there to save on rates, I feel as though I just can't catch a break. A friend of mine says everyones been a beginner so I shouldn't worry & if there are alot of people to tee off then pace of play will be slow. So then my problem is that everyone is watching.
Maybe I'm just self-conscience & Golf isn't a game for me.

by Bob Tremmel
Education is the key to eliminating slow play. To me, letting faster players play through is not an option. If people want to play slowly that's fine; just give us faster players the right of way. Add the that some simple rules about ready golf. While another is hitting, get to your ball, pull out your club and be ready. When it comes time to hit, many are still sitting in their carts! Speaking of carts, why do so many have a problem with dropping their companion off and driving to their ball? It's simple things like this that can take up to an hour off a round. Maybe the Golf Channel should put together an instructional video about how to speed up play. They can call it "Give Us A Break".
Finally, designers are making golf courses too difficult. That's not their fault. According to an article in the Detroit News about a year or two ago it's the owners who want their courses to be tough. Add to that, those golfers who think their games are much better than they really are and play the wrong tee box. I'm not saying this because I'm a poor golfer. I play to a 7. But, unless you're playing in tournaments, golf is meant to be relaxing and enjoyable. I've talked to quite few people who won't go back and play Arcadia Bluffs in northern Michigan because they don't like shooting in the 100's or the 5 - 6 hour rounds because there's so much trouble. Give some credit to Arcadia which put in a shorter set of mens tees and changed the course routing to speed up play.
Thanks for letting me get this off my chest. I feel a lot better.

by Noah Neumann
Rounds are getting longer not because people are getting slower but because courses are getting busier. Its like a highway: the more cars on the highway, the slower the average speed of eaach car.
Even so, at my club on a busy day (and my club gets real busy!) the rounds don't get longer than 5.5 hours. And the average age at my club is like 68 or something so these people are old. 5.5 hours is long but that is the worst case. On a good day it is under 4 hours.
I really don't think slow play is that much of a problem. When I play I always adjust myself to the general pace of play on that day. Instead of driving, running to my ball and standing over it for half an hour waiting for the green to clear I will take extra time, extra practice swings etc. and walk slower than normal so that by the time I get to my ball I do not have long to wait before I can hit.

by ed
OK OK nobody wants to play behind a foursome that spends 10 minutes looking for a lost ball or looks at a putt from 16 different angles, but, what about the other end of the spectrum?
You know who I mean, the threesome behind you playing speed ready golf that are trying tho get their 18 holes in in under 2 and 1/2 hours and who's drives are landing at your feet. Let them play through sure..... but we are waiting on the tee box too!!!!
That's when playing time really becomes an issue for me ..... when you are sandwich between the slow guys and the speed demons....
A little courtesy from both groups would make golf more enjoyable for all.....