fast play
Don’t be a turtle. I Hate SLOW PLAY. Here are some helpful hints to avoid slow play.
KEEP UP - Stay behind the group in front of you, NOT in front of the group behind you.
KEEP UP – Walk quickly between your shots. Go through your routine for the shot, hit it, now get going again while waiting for other players to hit.
KEEP UP - If the distance between your group and the group playing ahead exceeds one hole, YOU ARE PLAYING TOO SLOWLY!!
NO HERDING - It's not necessary for everyone in the foursome to walk to every other player’s shot. Get to your own ball and get ready.
PLAY READY GOLF – Toss honors out the door after the first tee. If you are ready, then hit the ball. This one really applies when you are behind.
BE READY!! - Whether it's on the tee, in the fairway or on the green, be ready to hit when your turn comes. If you are walking you should know pretty much the club you’ll need within 15 – 20 yards of reaching your ball.
PULL THE TRIGGER - Swing already! 1 or 2 practice swings is all one needs. If you need half a dozen, get to the range NOW. You don't see the pros on tour taking a bunch of practice swings, except for a particularly tricky shot.
HIT A PROVISIONAL – Everyone hits bad shots, if it looks like it’s out of bounds, announce the provisional, lock and load then hit another. Same goes for possible lost ball. Assume the worst, drop or re-tee and hit a provisional ball. Save yourself the potential time and embarrassment of having to walk all the way back to the spot of your errant shot and hit again.
TAKE YOUR MEDICINE - When searching for you’re errant golf ball, remember, 5 MINUTES is the maximum amount of time allowable by the USGA for searching. At some point you have to accept the fact that you made a bad swing, only this one cost you at least a stroke if not a golf ball. Accept your fate in a timely and relatively anger free manner.
PAY ATTENTION - When approaching the green to putt, always have an eye as to the direction of the next tee block. Leave your bag or cart near that part of the green, that way when you're done putting you simply snag your bag on the way to the next tee.
MULTIPLE CLUBS - Particularly if you are riding in a power cart, there will be many occasions when you need to take several clubs with you to hit a given shot. If you're in a green side bunker for example, you know you'll need at least a sand wedge, perhaps a pitching wedge if you leave your sand shot on the fringe of the green and at some point your putter. TAKE ALL 3 CLUBS TO THE BUNKER!
ALLOW GIMMIE'S - Concede putts inside 12 inches or so. Allowing each other "Gimmie's" will help speed your play immensely!
PLAYING THROUGH! - If, for whatever reason, your group simply can't keep up with the group ahead, and you fall at least a hole behind, and the group behind you is right on your tail, please allow them to "PLAY THROUGH". Just wait at the next tee for them to finish putting and offer them the chance to step up and tee off ahead of you.