A frequently recurring problem of golf courses and golfers are those people who either not able to play in good pace or don't care about others' time or for any reasons. Here I don't want to start a discussion about those who are physically not able to play faster.
I will neither enter to such issues of golf course design, golf course maintenance, marshalling/player management. Although they are not less important factors that can cause slow play. I think golf course maintenance and player management are probably the most crucial issues among them.
The R&A says: "There is a responsibility, therefore, on all players and administrators to ensure that golf is played at a good pace, and a pace appropriate to the course being played."
I know for many of us golf is leisure and not necessarily about professional sport. However those who are not playing in good tempo they are either very-very beginners or their golf knowledge (both play and rules) is poor or not very social people. Would you believe that Jack Nicklaus was one of the first slow players? He and Tiger Woods both of them have a very methodical style of play.
The United States Golf Association (USGA), Play 240 Golf and Troon Golf, have launched separate educational programmes to tackle slow play in golf.
Troon Golf tries to find answer to the player management issue that can cause slow play as well. Troon Golf's "Troon Values Your Time" program tries to make a preemptive action to avoid slow play in their golf courses. They communicate a pace-of-play standard to guests and members as you can see below:
(I would build in a small digital clock that how much time you have got to keep the right pace.)
Troon Golf took this really seriously and went into details like:
- Each Troon Golf facility has calculated its own Time Par by evaluating the appropriate length of time a golfer should comfortably play and enjoy the course. Time Pars will be communicated to golfers before they start to play.
- Troon Golf facilities are implementing Pacesetter Times, which are designated morning tee times reserved for players committed to playing quickly in at least 20 minutes under the facility’s Time Par.
- Troon Golf also gives guidelines how to keep the right tempo.
The “Troon Values Your Time” campaign is already under way at all Troon Golf properties in the United States and Middle East.