shot clock golf

[NorthernDancerColt]

Tower

Spot on. I agree with everything you noted. I would play a lot more golf if weekend golfers followed your advice. It is hard enough to focus for four hours, but playing behind idiots makes it unbearable. I really miss country club golf.

Goose.
Could not agree with you more. Played Bonnie Brook in Waukegan (Jerome Whitehead) today. That course is really nice, but also usually extremely crowded. For some reason, it was a ghost town today, so I managed to play 18 in 1hr 50 minutes on a cart...and, shocking, I shot 76 from the tips. When 18 holes takes even 3.5 hr. I will be in the low 80s. 4hr rounds equate to me shooting mid to high 80s.4.5hr and I'm starting to chop. 5 hr and I will literally walk/drive off the course. It's getting to the point where I only can play weekday mornings at 5am or 6:30p.m Will not go near a course on weekends, with the exception being very early spring or very late autumn when temps are in the high 40s.

I really think there is a market for nice public golf for men AND women who understand that golf is supposed to be played in 3 and a half hours max. Last week I was stuck behind three apparent slow-golf-pace
doppelgangers. Each one literally took 5 practice swings, and then virtually froze over the ball for 2 minutes before violently flailing away and usually topping or chunking the ball. Even bad golfers can play swiftly. Just pick up and take a max of, say 8 strokes. 1 practice swing max, and start your damn backswing!...you'll be surprised how much better you'll play.

[NorthernDancerColt]

Carts massively slow down the game.

For idiots who don't know how to use them. I played 18 as a solo on a cart today in 1hr 50 minutes on an empty 6800 yard course. If I'm walking solo the exact same yardage on the same empty course, I'm done in 2:40.

You are right though. Almost all beginners, and even the majority of seasoned hackers have zero idea how to utilize a golf cart. Golfer A is on the right center of the fairway and 50 yards short of (left-rough positioned) Golfer B. Today's GPS carts make things easy, one would think. Golfer B should drive the cart somewhere to the left of (right-handed) A's tee shot. B should not wait for A to play.  A has already looked up at the yardage, so he hops out, grabs say two clubs and quickly throws up a few blades of grass while B is already driving to his ball. A selects his club and hits his approach while B is already in his pre-shot routine. A walks briskly toward the green while B drives up to him, so A can retrieve his putter & wedge (if he has missed the green). B positions the cart at the most logical/efficient green -exit point and grabs his own putter/wedge while A is now walking up. Guys and gals who drive the ball similar distances should be partnered in a cart, regardless of team/money matches.

[Sheriff]

Last week I was stuck behind three apparent slow-golf-pace
doppelgangers.

Nothing worse than a lollygagging doppelganger

[tower912]

Nothing worse than being stuck behind the Haverkamp foursome when they won't let you play through.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhknFgI8tJY

[Goose]

Colt

Spot on in regards to score and length of round. My back nine score on 4.5 hour+ rounds are not pretty. My frustration level grows by the minute and I lose complete focus. I see no reason why any round should take even four hours.

[🏀]

Nothing worse than being stuck behind the Haverkamp foursome when they won't let you play through.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhknFgI8tJY

This is me on league nights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejkuUJx7BBc

Minus the cart.

[tower912]

Colt

Spot on in regards to score and length of round. My back nine score on 4.5 hour+ rounds are not pretty. My frustration level grows by the minute and I lose complete focus. I see no reason why any round should take even four hours.

Right there with you, brothers.   If it is just one group, I have been known to (alone or in my group) just drive around the slow group, only play 17 holes, and we all take a bogey for the hole we skipped.      Then we finish up 1/2 hour or more before they do and leave feeling much better.   

[mu_hilltopper]

On Sunday my 11 year old did a PGA Junior event .. best ball, shotgun start. 

Took 3 hours for 9 holes.  In the rain.  Brutal.

(Name drop alert:  Mike Broeker and son was in our group of six (2 kids sit out alt holes) .. Wojo and sons were in the group ahead of us.)

[tower912]

On Sunday my 11 year old did a PGA Junior event .. best ball, shotgun start. 

Took 3 hours for 9 holes.  In the rain.  Brutal.

(Name drop alert:  Mike Broeker and son was in our group of six (2 kids sit out alt holes) .. Wojo and sons were in the group ahead of us.)

Took my 11 year old out for his first 9 of the year today.    Little goat track, he wanted to carry his bag, 9 holes, 75 minutes, he didn't break 60, even with a near ace.    Who cares?    It was fun, we played quick.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

On Sunday my 11 year old did a PGA Junior event .. best ball, shotgun start. 

Took 3 hours for 9 holes.  In the rain.  Brutal.

(Name drop alert:  Mike Broeker and son was in our group of six (2 kids sit out alt holes) .. Wojo and sons were in the group ahead of us.)

Did you hit driver into Wojo?

[mu_hilltopper]

Did you hit driver into Wojo?

Just kids playing.  A couple kids could whack it 150, but it wasn't hitting anyone on the fly.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Just kids playing.  A couple kids could whack it 150, but it wasn't hitting anyone on the fly.

Did you hit driver into wojo?

[🏀]

Did you hit driver into wojo?

Answer the God damn question, topper. You either go over the top or you don't.

[mu_hilltopper]

Answer the God damn question, topper. You either go over the top or you don't.

Oh, right, I forgot that one of the kids hit Wojo in the chest and we did CPR to bring him around.  Then he invited us to his house for ice cream and beers.  Around 2am, we left the kids there and went to Potowotomi and hit the blackjack tables until dawn. 

10/10 would do that again.

[🏀]

Oh, right, I forgot that one of the kids hit Wojo in the chest and we did CPR to bring him around.  Then he invited us to his house for ice cream and beers.  Around 2am, we left the kids there and went to Potowotomi and hit the blackjack tables until dawn. 

10/10 would do that again.

Knew it. Wojo seems like a blackjack guy.

[CTWarrior]

Nothing worse than being stuck behind the Haverkamp foursome when they won't let you play through.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhknFgI8tJY

I caddied in the summer up to through the summer before my senior year at MU (carrying doubles) for many years.  Nothing was worse than caddying for a husband and wife (at the club where I caddied these would generally be older couples as younger guys never played with their wives).  First going back and forth between their balls was a royal pain in the neck, and second, the husband always played poorly and the wife's comments would just keep getting him angrier, especially stuff like "It's only a game."

I always wondered why couples played together, because they actually enjoyed themselves less than 10% of the time.

[tower912]

The scariest thing my wife has said to me in the last year was that she was thinking about taking up golf again so that she could play with my son and I on weekends and when we go on vacations. 

[warriorchick]

The scariest thing my wife has said to me in the last year was that she was thinking about taking up golf again so that she could play with my son and I on weekends and when we go on vacations.

Plus it gives her the excuse to buy a lot of cute golf outfits.   

[ZiggysFryBoy]

The scariest thing my wife has said to me in the last year was that she was thinking about taking up golf again so that she could play with my son and I on weekends and when we go on vacations.

That's when you cut her hamstring or achilles.....not a full slice but enough not play golf....

[🏀]

That's when you cut her hamstring or achilles.....not a full slice but enough not play golf....

There's a life pro tip.

[NorthernDancerColt]

That's when you cut her hamstring or achilles.....not a full slice but enough not play golf....

Same as Spackler's advice to Ty Webb re Judge Smales' weight displacement issue, right?

Just coming to your defense in advance of the Caddyshack illiterate feminists brandishing their pitchfork/wedges..

That said, I must make the point that I have worked in the golf industry for years, and women on the golf course  are generally very conscious of their stereotype as slow players. Most go out of their way to keep pace, and they are almost too acquiescing/apologetic about waving people through. It is almost always middle aged men (who think they are on Tour) who are most culpable for clogging up courses and ruining the pace of play.

[rocket surgeon]

The scariest thing my wife has said to me in the last year was that she was thinking about taking up golf again so that she could play with my son and I on weekends and when we go on vacations.

that's funny!  when my wife took up golf about 15 years ago, it went from me begging-honey, can i join the guys for a round of golf this weekend at...to her telling me-we ARE going golfing tomorrow...and the next day...and the next day...and....BUT, i told her in the beginning, until she changes her swing from something between bowling, hockey and baseball, in order to save out marriage, we best keep our distance.  well, today she has a legit 18-20 handicap and sometimes our "19th hole" ain't the traditional 19th hole

  once she got that hang of the game, learned the basic rules and etiquette, etc etc, i'm telling ya, this is a game we can grow old doing together.  we have a few couples we go on golf weekends with and has allowed me to see places i probably never would have otherwise seen.  she also has her lady friends to golf with as i have my men's leagues and groups as well.  we specifically moved from lake havasu city to surprise because there are so many more golf courses to choose from

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Same as Spackler's advice to Ty Webb re Judge Smales' weight displacement issue, right?

Just coming to your defense in advance of the Caddyshack illiterate feminists brandishing their pitchfork/wedges..

That said, I must make the point that I have worked in the golf industry for years, and women on the golf course  are generally very conscious of their stereotype as slow players. Most go out of their way to keep pace, and they are almost too acquiescing/apologetic about waving people through. It is almost always middle aged men (who think they are on Tour) who are most culpable for clogging up courses and ruining the pace of play.

sad that we have to translate caddyshack references for these god damn youngins.

[tower912]

25 years ago for her birthday, I got her a nice set of clubs and a nice set of lessons.  And she played for a few years.  Then kids and life happened and she found other things to fill her time.  If she decided to play again, I would be fully supportive.   However, a good joke is a good joke.  And I have already said that 'scariest thing' riff to her face.  She laughed.