Eight Tips to Speed Up Play

A long round of golf can ruin the enjoyment we get out of playing the game. For this reason, the speed of play is important and there are many little things that we all can do to speed up the pace of play so we can all enjoy our round a bit more. 

Some tips include:

• Watch your ball until it stops – Many of us are caught up in the frustration of a bad shot and take our eye of where it went. This adds time if you need to look for the ball. Keep an eye on the ball and the nearest object to where you think it ended up.

• If it’s lost, move on – Don’t spend any more than 3 minutes looking for the ball. Be sure to play a provisional where you need to

• Think ahead – when you approach the green, place your cart in the place that is in the direction of the next tee box so that the next players can come through quickly after you have put the flag back in the hole

• Use waiting time wisely – while other players are playing their shot, do what you need to do to ensure you can hit your ball shortly after

• Mark your card later – If you are the first person to tee off and there is no one in front of you, tee off first and then mark your card later. You’ll be amazed how much time this can save.

• Take Multiple Clubs – For those par 3’s like the 16th where you don’t want to take the cart all the way up to the tee off box, be sure to take a couple of clubs in case you are uncertain of the distance. 

• Keep an eye on groups in front and behind –  Keep up as much as you can with the group in front of you. If there is no one in front and you have a 2 ball behind, consider letting them through. But pick the right hole to do that. Par 3’s are always best.

• Don’t Wait – If your foursome have fallen behind for whatever reason, the first 2 players to putt out should immediately head over to the next Tee and hit off. This saves time, and can really help you catch up. Filling in score cards for the previous hole can be done as the last 2 players are preparing to Tee off.