Slow play is a challenge for courses that seems to not go away! It is frustrating for most players who have expectations of finish by a certain time to get home to watch Brooke Henderson or Rickie Fowler win their first Major! Slow play will not go away if we continue to approach golf in the same way.
As Albert Einstein once said: the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results!
Golf is a game of etiquette, professionalism, good manners, and fair play. Or at least I think it is! Over the past while, I have notice a change in what is considered acceptable behavior on the golf course. An increase of professional players throwing their clubs in the water, purposely breaking their clubs, and flopping their clubs out of their hands at the end of a swing seems to be growing in frequency.
Are you intrigued by golf apps? I have tried many, but have never really found the right app to keep me interested. Many offer unique features from taking pictures, a GPS, scorecards, or just plain games. Most offer in-app purchases which I fully understand, yet I have not actually taken the step to pay for an upgrade.
However, I did find a free golf app that I do enjoy. It is not a game, it does not offer tips, but it is great for my game. It is the Rules of Golf by the R&A. (The USGA has a Rules of Golf App as well. Both have versions for android and iPhones.)
This app is extremely easy to use. It offers a short over-view guide of the rules, a full set of rules, a section on etiquette and a quiz.
Each section provides great details on the rules of golf in a simple and easy to understand format. What I enjoy most about this golf app is the etiquette part.
The etiquette section touches on the spirit of the game, safety, consideration for other players, pace of play, priority on the course, care of the course, and penalties for breach. Although some of the areas could be expanded a bit, I was pleased to hear that they actually took the time to add a section on etiquette because it is an important aspect of the game.
Golf apps are a growing part of golf. I am just starting to explore them and to date, this is may favorite app.
Do you have one? If you do, pass on the name so we can all check it out!
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
Match Play events can be fun!
Yesterday I played in a 9-hole team Match Play event with no drama. The format was pretty straight forward; there were 2 teams of 2 from each unit, competing against another similar team from a different unit. (A typical unit is a homogeneous military organization where its administrative and command functions are self-contained) This inter-unit competition has lasted all summer and yesterday was the semi-finals.
The total team score was a combination of the total number of holes won by your two teams. As we started off the first tee, we felt confident that we would be victorious because of the skill level of our team. Mark and I started off par, birdie, par, birdie and were 4 up after 4. It did not get any better for the other team as we finished the nine holes with 7 wins and 2 ties. Our other team finished 6 wins, 2 ties, and one loss. As we only count wins and losses, our team won 13 to 1. On to the finals next week.
After playing in a Match Play contest, I did realize that the rules or etiquette are not really understood by most players.
The first was when to concede the hole. Our opponents did not understand when to tell us to pick up our ball. When playing a par 4, I concede their 3 foot putt because it was for a 7. We were sitting 15 ft from the hole, laying 3. Instead of conceding the hole, they waited until we putted the ball to within 6 inches to lie 4 before conceding the hole. I think they should have concede the hole given the circumstances.
The first time I conceded one of their putts, one of the players did not understand and tried to mark his ball. I explained that he could have the putt and he was still a bit confused. After his partner explained what was going on, it never happened again.
When the first team is in the hole, they should pick up the flag. On several occasions, when first in the hole, they walked toward their bag and left us to pick the flag up. This is not a really big deal, but to me it is an etiquette thing.
It was ironic that I played a Match Play event this week, but I can easily see both sides of the recent conversation about the mishap at the Solheim Cup. But, for me that issue is over. Unfortunately, I cannot play in the finals next week, but I am confident our unit will prevail.
Do you like playing in a Match Play event? If so, singles or team?
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
Slow play is no fun on the golf course!
Today was a fantastic day on the golf course. The Bay of Quinte Golf and Country Club was in great shape, the greens were fast, and my foursome was first-rate! Although I did not adjust to the speed of the greens at all, playing a new course is always fun and exciting.
During the round, it rained, the wind picked up, my push cart broke, and I could not adjust to the speed of the greens (oh yeah, covered that already). Some would look at my round and suggest that I might have been able to do something better with my time, but I would unequivocally disagree with that suggestion. Today was a great round because of our group. Everyone played like gentlemen and the stories were funny and numerous!
Working our way round the links did pose a bit of an etiquette dilemma. On a side note, as most of you know, I am adamantly against slow play. As a foursome, we strive to finish our round in approximately 4 hours give or take 15 minutes. Today, we finished in 4 hours and 10 minutes. So, we were right on our target time and the recommended time by the course. After the fourth hole, we let a twosome in a cart go through and merrily went on our way. On the fifth hole, a foursome showed up behind us. The did wait for some shots, but for the most part, I think, they did not have to wait that much. Behind this foursome was two, twosomes who did not join up.
The foursome was always about 3/4 of hole behind us. They never really got closer, but were rarely out of our sight line. They likely matched our speed and carried on their way. Unfortunately, I felt as if they were pushing us quite often. It was nothing they did, but as a rule I do not like to hold anyone up if they are playing faster.
At the end of the day, we did not let the foursome through because they were never that close where the opportunity arose. I think we made the right decision by not waiting for 15 minutes for them to catch us then play through, but it has been a long time where I have felt like I was holding up the course.
So my question to you is: should we have waited the 15 minutes to allow this group to play through?
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Grateful Golfer 