Guidelines: Pace of Play
Broad Guideline
Most golf clubs hold that their courses should be played in 4 hours and 15 minutes to 4 hours and 30 minutes. One published pace of play guideline suggests that an average foursome should play a par 3 hole in 9 minutes, a par 4 in 15 minutes and a par 5 in 18 minutes. Most of the courses visited by the SGA offer four par 3s, four par 5s and ten par 4s. The per-hole timing suggested in this published guideline, then, would produce a round of 4 hours and 18 minutes.
A pace of play guideline designed for average golfers is probably not reasonable for a group like the Members of the SGA. The SGA Executive is of the view that a pace of play guideline of 4 1/2 to 5 hours is more reasonable from the perspective of the SGA and should not be unreasonable for the golf courses that we patronize.
However, if we, as an Association, pro-pose to work to a more relaxed guideline
than those imposed by the golf courses, we have to make the effort to stay within that guideline.
One important approach to improving our pace of play is to encourage our Members to play from the tee blocks that produce course distances best suited to their skill levels. Click here to see Guidelines: Which Tee Blocks? for more on this.
There follow a number of practices, most of which are familiar to all, that should help to maintain an acceptable pace of play.
On the Tee Box
You and the other members of your group should be on the tee box and ready to tee off as soon as the group ahead is clear. The person with the "honour" should be ready to hit first, but, if he is not, any member of the group who is ready to go should hit.
On the Fairway
You should be planning your next shot as you approach your ball, by estimating the yardage and determining your line of play before it's your turn to hit, by selecting the club that you intend to use, and by standing by your ball with
club in hand, ready to hit.
You should keep your pre-shot routine short -- no more than 2 practice swings.
Follow the flight of all shots, not just your own. Help others search for their balls. If your ball is closest to the green, so that you will be hitting the next shot last, you should be the first to help the player whose ball is missing, while the players who are farther away from the green should play their shots first. They can then help search for the lost ball while you get ready to play your shot. Ball hawking in water or in the rough is unacceptable if it delays play in any way.
Always carry an extra ball. Limit searches for lost balls to 3 minutes. With no luck after 3 minutes, drop another ball and take a penalty stroke.
If you are the driver of your power cart, drop your partner at his ball, with extra clubs if required, then proceed to your own ball and get ready to play. Alternatively, select the clubs that you think you might need and walk to your ball, to be picked up by your partner after he has made his
shot.
After taking your shot, get in the cart with your clubs and move on. Return the clubs to your bag and, if you must, replace any club head covers at the next shot location.
If you are unsuccessful in clearing a sand trap after two attempts, count the two strokes and then place the ball within one club length of the trap, not nearer the hole, and continue play.
Should you reach the count of Triple Bogey before holing out, you must pick up your ball without further play on that hole and score the hole as follows:
Par 3 -- record a score of 6 strokes;
Par 4 -- record a score of 7 strokes;
Par 5 -- record a score of 8 strokes.
On the Greens
If your next shot on approaching a green, past the cart exit point, is within an iron or wedge shot, take your putter with you. Once on the green, leave extra clubs
on the side of the green closest to the next tee before putting.
Park your golf cart on the side of the putting green closest to the next tee, so that when your group has finished the hole, you will be moving away from the field of play of the following group and toward the next tee.
Repair ball marks on the green and line up your first putt while other players are putting, so as to be ready to putt when it's your turn.
Putt continuously -- if you are not in someone else's line, keep putting until you have holed out.
Move off the green as soon as all members of your group have holed out. Get in your cart with your clubs and return them to your bag at the next tee block. Do not record scores at green side -- mark your scorecard on the way to, or at, the next tee.