Extent of slow play problem revealed

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir November 16, 2012 13:26

A new survey has found that golfers are taking longer than they would like to complete a round of golf and that some are even put off playing the game because of it.

It also finds that golf clubs are not perceived to have done enough to tackle the problem, and that the issue of slow play is far more prevalent at the weekend.

Golfshake.com polled 982 professional golfers, club members and nomadic golfers and analysed data from 6,801 rounds of golf, and found that 90 per cent of golfers want to complete a round of golf in less than four hours but that 59 per cent of golfers take more than four hours to play one.

More than a half of golfers also said they wanted to finish their rounds in less than three and a half hours, but just one in four golfers achieve that.

More than a fifth of golfers said that slow play would deter them from playing.

The results seem to also indicate that golf club managers and operators are not doing enough to confront the issue, with 60 per cent of golfers saying that they have discussed the problem of slow play with friends. This is in contrast to only 15 per cent of those questioned saying the issue had been raised by their golf club.

“The results raise an issue for golf course operators and owners to tackle with the vast majority of golfers taking longer than they would like to complete a round of golf and many being actively put off from playing because of slow play,” said a spokesman for Golfshake.com.

“Of the golfers questioned, 43 per cent took over four hours to complete their most recent round of golf and this figure jumps to 59 per cent for those playing at a weekend. Over 16 per cent of golfers took four and a half hours or longer to finish a round at the weekend with a further six per cent taking five hours or longer to complete their round of golf.

“The speed of play on a weekday was found to be considerably faster than at a weekend with 83 per cent of those questioned taking fewer than four hours to complete a round.

“Many golfers feel slow play is a problem with 80 per cent suggesting that it is an issue. Some however did feel the subject of slow play is overhyped. In total, 19 per cent of those surveyed felt that too much is being made of slow play in golf.”

 

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir November 16, 2012 13:26
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6 Comments

  1. Sean Mysel November 23, 13:30

    If you’re looking to change behaviors, we have to look at the situation our golfers are in rather than dismissing it as “well it’s just what they do” You have to motivate people to change their behaviors and give them simple, specific advice on how to do so.

    Here’s how I would tackle the problem. Create a contest for ‘fastest round’ it could be a drink, round whatever you want makes no difference. Post that time in each cart where people can easily see it. Next, and my home course had these, make a sign with a clock that says what the proper pace of play is and then shows the pace of the group on the box.

    What happens is people want to be identified with the crowd that isn’t holding everyone up, by showing them they are the people holding everything up, it creates a social norm that shames people into changing how they play and act on the course.

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  2. Alan Garbutt November 22, 19:00

    W at Garforth GC recognised the problem some years back ad started logging start and finish times to provide statistics for analysis. Having established a pattern we have modified tee times, adjusted gaps between tee times, alternated 3 or 4 balls, penalised Members for slow play by relegating them to the end of the field in future competitions. How much effect has this had, virtually none. The answer I am afraid lies within the individual golfer. If every match kept up with the match in front, the pace of play would be quicker. We have statistics that show how just one minute extra between two matches finishing, longer than the gap between their start times, changes a 3 hour 30 min early in the day round, to a 4 hour 30 min round in the afternoon. Guys, don’t blame your Cub for doing nothing, look at yourselves. Believe me we’ve tried.

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  3. Adrian Stiff November 22, 13:55

    The biggest problem is not really the poorer golfer. Its the golfer that takes more care over his shots and they can be any standard, they have watched the pro’s, they go through a routine of thought patterns, distance calculation, club selection and an eternity on the green looking at putts from all angles and aligning their ball with a line to their intended point….it takes ages and its often juniors and better golfers, every shot is very important, rarely is a senior a slow player because of these reasons. I really am foxed to know of what the solution is to all the rules of golf allow all this and TV coverage of our ‘idols’ show slow play and the younger golfers think its the way and perhaps it is.
    Competition golf is much worse than casual play. Rarely in the UK would you take 4 and a half hours to play a casual 18 if you are not held up, it just takes a few ‘slowuns’ to ruin it for the other 100.

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  4. Sean Mysel November 20, 18:35

    We always shot fr 4.5 hours which is absolutely possible to attain. Where you run into trouble is getting a 15 handicapper playing a course meant for a 5 handicapper. I get they want the experience and all, but it jams up everyone else. So you have one group loving the course with a bunch of other groups pissed off because they have to wait.

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  5. Bill Yates November 17, 22:09

    The 90% of golfers that want to complete a round in 4 hours or less are expecting more than most American courses can deliver. Courses can now receive an objectively measured Pace Rating to determine how long it “Should Take” to play eighteen holes. Based on the course playing length for each hole, the obstacles found on each hole, the distances travelled from green to the next tee and whether carts are restricted to cart paths, a unique pace rating for each couse can be determined. Because of the U.S. course designs and routings, Pace Ratings of 4 hours or less are rare.

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  6. Sean Mysel November 16, 22:45

    Slow play is a killer all the way around. Kills revenue because clubs can’t fully optimize their tee sheets. What needs to be done is two fold: 1) getting the proper skill of golfer to the right course 2) using staff to enforce rules.

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