Pace of Play

No one likes a slow round of golf.  Our Pace of Play is four hours and nine minutes or LESS.  That is the pace of play for a foursome in the middle of the day.  If you are a twosome or a threesome, we expect you to play faster.  If you are playing early in the morning, you're our pacesetters for the day, and we also expect you to play faster.  

At Laurel Creek, we have a wide range of play from competition rounds, casual rounds, rounds with friends, or our normal daily round of golf.  Foursomes, threesomes, singles, 18 holes, 9 holes, etc.  There is a wide range of playing opportunities and they mostly all play at a different pace.  So what is the number one thing we can do to ensure proper pace for the entire day's worth of golfers?  Keep up with the group in front of you.  Sometimes the days run faster, and sometimes they run slower, but if you're always keeping up with the group in front of you, it will ensure a fair pace for the day.  

What are some helpful tips YOU can employ with yourself and your group to play faster?  I have some helpful tips here that you can try.  Maybe not all of them, but pick one and see if it works for you.  

Ask yourself - What can I do to save 5 minutes per round?  If you and your partners all work to play 5 minutes faster per player, that's 20 minutes per group!

1 - PLAY READY GOLF.  When you're ready to play, hit your shot.  Don't play in order, play when you're ready to go.

2 - Keep your pre-shot routine short - and start it while someone else is playing.  All too often, we watch players START their pre-shot routine AFTER someone else has played.  Get ready to hit, while your playing partner is hitting.  This could be getting your yardage, putting your glove on, or selecting which club to play.  

3 - Play your shot in 20 seconds.

4 - Read your putt, while it is someone else's turn to putt and only mark your ball ONCE.  Walk around your putt and read the putt while others are putting.  DON'T wait until it is your turn to start reading your putt.  Also, once you put your ball down, don't re-mark it; be ready to hit

5 - Anything within 18", tap it in, don't mark it.  Only mark your ball if you're in someone else's line, but if you're this close, tap in your putt and save time.

6 - When you have guests play, be the leader and show them the way.  Hit first and show them where to go.  Encourage them to play ready golf.  You can still enjoy the day with friends by playing fast.  

7 - When sharing a cart, don't wait for your partner to hit before driving to your ball.  Take a few clubs with you and begin to walk to your ball.

8 - If you are out of a hole and want to maintain pace of play, the USGA Handicap system allows you to pick up your ball and move on.  

9 - When your next shot is not near your golf cart, take multiple clubs with you to save time.  Avoid walking to your ball to get a yardage, and then walking back to your cart to get your clubs.  One stop shopping!

10 - Have fun, but police yourselves.  We can check the GPS and send messages, we can have a presence on the course when there are issues that we can see arising; however the best long-term correction for improving pace of play is not the fear of seeing a staff member warning you to pick up the pace, but it's friendly reminders from your best friends that you need to play a little quicker.  Encourage each other and work together.