Pace of play of hundreds of golf courses. Find your course on the map or in the list below it. Times are in hours:minutes format; or given qualitatively (e.g. "very slow"). User submitted data.
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The Pace of Play problem in Golf
A foursome playing a round of 18 holes of golf should be able to finish in 4 hours or less without feeling rushed. However, rounds at public courses near large cities often take 5-6 hours or more, especially on weekends. (We will discuss the reasons for this, and potential solutions, later in this article.) This slow pace of play causes a round of golf to be an all-day affair. In today's hectic world, few people can afford this time commitment on a regular basis. This has been a major contributor to the decline of participation in the sport of golf.
According to Golf Channel Solutions, there are 26.2 million golfers in the United States. A "golfer" means anyone age 18 and above who played at least one regulation round of golf in the past 12 months. 36.7 million are golf "participants", defined as anyone aged 5 and above who either played 18 holes of golf or went to a golf facility. According to a Golfweek report in December of 2011, the number of rounds played in the U.S. dropped 6.5 percent in October 2011 and contributed to a 3.8 percent decline for the year-to-date total. This is the fifth consecutive year that the number of rounds played has decreased. In the past ten (10) years, the total number of rounds played has fallen from almost 520 million to 475 million.
Slow play is discussed endlessly on forums related to golf. Both golfers and golf courses share the blame here. Many golfers have not been trained in how to play at a reasonable pace. Some are just not aware or don't care about the traffic jam behind them. Some feel that as paying customers, they shouldn't be rushed. Some people imitate the pace of pro golfers on TV, who may take a lot of time lining up a 3 foot putt if it's worth thousands of dollars!
Golf courses are under pressure in today's economy, with fewer discretionary dollars available for spending on the sport. Courses are trying to maximize revenue by getting as many players on the course as possible. Tee times at some courses are only seven (7) minutes apart, which means a slow group can instantly slow down the pace of play for everyone dramatically. Marshalls employed by the course are supposed to speed things along, but the marshalls never seem to force a group to skip a hole or holes, or in drastic cases, leave the course entirely. It's hard for a course to push out paying customers. Some courses do enforce pace of play, with marshalls or with warnings on GPS carts. Trimming the rough so it's less punishing and likely to hide balls can help. Having the starter put players at appropriate tees according to their handicap is good practice.
The bad news is that golfers are largely responsible for slow pace of play; the good news is that golfers are largely responsible for slow pace of play! Meaning that we can affect real change here.
You can help the game of golf by being aware of the slow play issue, and making sure you play at a decent pace.
- First off, play Ready Golf. Prepare for your shot, and hit when ready, even if you're nearer the hole than your playing partners; just make sure you're not blocking anyone or hitting at them.
- Keep a spare ball and tee in your pocket, in case of a mishit.
- Take one, at most two, practice swings. Play with the swing you brought to the course! You can improve your technique later at the driving range; your goal on the course is to score low by focusing on your targets, not on your swing.
- If your shot might be out of bounds, hit a provisional.
- Spend only a minute looking for a lost ball, then drop a replacement.
- When using golf carts, drop off your playing partner at his ball, then drive to your ball.
- If you get dropped off at your ball, take one or two extra clubs, in case you misjudged the distance, wind, etc.
- If you get dropped off near the green to chip, take your chipping club and the putter! Every hole ends in a putt...
- Also, park the golf cart on the side of the green nearest to the next tee box.
- Read your putts while others are lining up and putting (stand still right before they hit).
Set a good example for your playing partners, and politely but firmly encourage them to keep things moving. It's up to us to keep pace of play bearable, and to help save the game of golf!
Pace of Play Calculator
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