Slow Play
- Our league subscribes to the "ready golf" rule of play, where order of play is based on who's ready, not on who's away.
Definition: "Ready golf" refers to a method for golfers to speed up play. Simply put, "ready golf" means that each golfer within a
group hits when ready. The Rules of Golf and golf etiquette prescribe the proper way to determine hitting order on a golf
course. On the tee, honors; everywhere else, the player within a group who is away(farthest from the hole) hits first. But ready
golf allows the golfers within a group to take their swings when each member of the group is ready to play. If you reach your ball
and are ready to hit, while other members of your group are not yet prepared, then go ahead and hit - even if you are not away.
Just try not to hit at the same time as someone else. Even on the tee, if the person with honors needs to wait for the group in
front to clear, if there is someone who can hit without hitting into that group let them tee off first. As noted, ready golf is a
good way to speed up play. Keep in mind that while there are no penalties under the Rules for violating order of play.
- A typical par 4 should be completed in 12 minutes. A par 5 should take 18 minutes and a par 3 about 10 minutes. At Willow
Lakes this adds up to a ~4 hr round, or ~2 hrs per 9 holes. Please try to keep up with these times. Here are some tips to
help keep up with those projected times:
- On the tee, pay attention to your partners' drives. If they lose sight of their ball, you can help direct them to it and
avoid any searching.
- When waiting on the tee for the group in front to clear the fairway, don't be so strict about order of play. Let the short
hitter - who can't reach the group ahead anyway - go ahead and hit.
- Work on building a concise pre-shot routine. If your pre-shot routine is a lengthy one, it's probably in your best
interests to shorten it anyway. Limit practice strokes to one or two at the most.
- Members of a group should not travel as a pack, with all members walking together to the first ball, then the second,
and so on. Each member of the group should walk directly to their own ball.
- Walk at a good pace between shots. No, you don't have to look like a race-walker. But if your between-shot gait can be
described as a "shuffle" or an "amble," you're probably going too slow. Speeding up your gait a little is good for your
health, but also might help your game by keeping you loose.
- When two players are riding in a cart, drive the cart to the first ball and drop off the first player with his choice of
clubs. The second player should proceed in the cart to his ball. After the first player hits his stroke, he should begin
walking toward the cart as the second golfer is playing.
- Use the time you spend getting to your ball to think about the next shot - the yardage, the club selection. When you reach
your ball you'll need less time to figure out the shot.
- When chipping around the green, carry both the club you'll be chipping with plus your putter so you don't have to return
to the bag.
- Begin reading the green and lining up putts as soon as you reach the green. Don't wait until it's your turn to putt to
start the process of reading the green. Do it as soon as you reach the green so that when it's your turn you can step right
up and putt.
- Never delay making a stroke because you're having a conversation with a playing partner. Put the conversation on
hold, make your stroke, then pick up the conversation again.
- If using a cart on a cart-path-only day, take more than one club with you when you walk from the cart to your ball. Getting
to the ball only to find out you don't have the right club is a huge time-waster on the golf course.
- When using a cart, never park the cart in front of the green. Park it only to the side or behind the green. When
returning to your cart don't stand there fussing with your putter or other clubs and don't mark your scorecard while
sitting in the cart next to the green (do it at the next tee). These practices open up the green for the group behind. After
putting out, don't stand around the green chatting or take any practice putting strokes. Leave the green quickly so the group
behind can play. If there is no group behind, then a few practice putts are fine, but try to stay within time.
- Do not spend more than a few minutes looking for a lost ball. Use the Defender Cup lost ball rule, drop a new one (with
penalty), and continue play.
- Don't ask your playing partners to help you search for a lost ball - unless you are absolutely certain there is time for them
to do so (e.g., there is no group behind waiting). If the course is crowded, your partners should continue moving forward, not
slow things down further by stopping to help your search.
- Don't bother marking lag putts - go ahead and putt out if it's short enough and you won't be trampling on another player's line
or just pick it up if your opponent concedes the putt to you. See the Rules Of Play section on the Rules page for the DefencerCup
stance on gimme putts.
- Carry extra tees, ball markers and an extra golf ball in your pockets so you never have to return to your golf bag to find one
when needed.