PACE OF PLAY - THE COURTOWN WAY
The committees of Courtown Golf Club wish to re-introduce pace of play guidelines for our club with a view to all members enjoying their round of golf. By its’ nature, this is a long document, but we would ask every member to read it and absorb its content.
It is not about players running around the course, it is not about playing at the pace of our fastest members. This is about playing at a reasonable pace. Buggy users should drive with the utmost consideration and courtesy to pedestrian golfers.
Pace of Play is in fact a Rule of Golf. Rule 5.6b states: -
"Prompt Pace of Play
A round of golf is meant to be played at a prompt pace.
Each player should recognize that his or her pace of play is likely to affect how long it will take other players to play their rounds, including both those in the player’s own group and those in following groups.
Players are encouraged to allow faster groups to play through.
(1) Pace of Play Recommendations. The player should play at a prompt pace throughout the round, including the time taken to:
When it is the player’s turn to play:
(2) Playing Out of Turn to Help Pace of Play. Depending on the form of play, there are times when players may play out of turn to help the pace of play:
(3) Committee Pace of Play Policy. To encourage and enforce prompt play, the Committee should adopt a Local Rule setting a Pace of Play Policy.
This Policy may set a maximum time to complete a round, a hole or series of holes and a stroke, and it may set penalties for not following the Policy."
So, there you have it, the R & A rule of golf which the committees are asking members to abide by.
Previous committees set the recommended time for a fourball at 3 hours 58 minutes, so let’s say 4 hours for your round, and 3 hours 28 minutes for a three ball. This can be achieved by following the guidelines laid out below. Think about your own game the next time you play. How do you measure up?
Courtown Golf Club has a Ready Golf Policy
What does ready golf mean?
Ready Golf is a common-sense approach to improve the pace of play in our club. Ready Golf means thinking ahead so that you are ready to play when it is your turn.
General Rules
Has your group achieved the CGC Target Times of 4 hours for a fourball and 3 hours 30 minutes for a 3 ball?
What can you do?
What can the club do?
The committees of Courtown Golf Club wish to re-introduce pace of play guidelines for our club with a view to all members enjoying their round of golf. By its’ nature, this is a long document, but we would ask every member to read it and absorb its content.
It is not about players running around the course, it is not about playing at the pace of our fastest members. This is about playing at a reasonable pace. Buggy users should drive with the utmost consideration and courtesy to pedestrian golfers.
Pace of Play is in fact a Rule of Golf. Rule 5.6b states: -
"Prompt Pace of Play
A round of golf is meant to be played at a prompt pace.
Each player should recognize that his or her pace of play is likely to affect how long it will take other players to play their rounds, including both those in the player’s own group and those in following groups.
Players are encouraged to allow faster groups to play through.
(1) Pace of Play Recommendations. The player should play at a prompt pace throughout the round, including the time taken to:
- Prepare for and make each stroke,
- Move from one place to another between strokes, and
- Move to the next teeing area after completing a hole.
When it is the player’s turn to play:
- It is recommended that the player make the stroke in no more than 40 seconds after he or she is (or should be) able to play without interference or distraction, and
- The player should usually be able to play more quickly than that and is encouraged to do so.
(2) Playing Out of Turn to Help Pace of Play. Depending on the form of play, there are times when players may play out of turn to help the pace of play:
- In match play, the players may agree that one of them will play out of turn to save time (see Rule 6.4a).
- In stroke play, players may play “ready golf” in a safe and responsible way (see Rule 6.4b Exception).
(3) Committee Pace of Play Policy. To encourage and enforce prompt play, the Committee should adopt a Local Rule setting a Pace of Play Policy.
This Policy may set a maximum time to complete a round, a hole or series of holes and a stroke, and it may set penalties for not following the Policy."
So, there you have it, the R & A rule of golf which the committees are asking members to abide by.
Previous committees set the recommended time for a fourball at 3 hours 58 minutes, so let’s say 4 hours for your round, and 3 hours 28 minutes for a three ball. This can be achieved by following the guidelines laid out below. Think about your own game the next time you play. How do you measure up?
Courtown Golf Club has a Ready Golf Policy
What does ready golf mean?
Ready Golf is a common-sense approach to improve the pace of play in our club. Ready Golf means thinking ahead so that you are ready to play when it is your turn.
General Rules
- Arrive on time – Arrive at the course at least 15 minutes early and be ready to play the first hole 5 minutes before your tee time.
- There are no honours, whoever is ready, play if safe to do so.
- Keep up with the group in front of you.
- If the group in front is on the fairway, your group should be on the tee.
- Be ready to hit when the group in front moves to the next shot.
- Keep your pre-shot routine short – aim to play in 20 seconds. Limit practice swings.
- If you are falling behind the group in front-let the group behind through. If your group loses a clear hole, you must invite the group behind through and the group behind should ask to be let through. Calling a group through does not mean that you stand and wait. E.g., on a par 3 take your tee shot, if appropriate, walk to the green and stand aside when the group behind are ready to tee off. Similarly, on a par 4 you could take your tee shots and stand aside to let the other group through and maybe even take a second shot allowing the group playing through to approach the green alone.
- There are no honours– hit when ready and safe to do so.
- Shorter hitters should hit first if longer hitters are waiting.
- Watch other players’ shots to help find stray balls.
- Carry an extra ball in case you need a provisional.
- Mark scores after you hit your tee shot, NOT before you drive.
- There are no honours – hit when ready, and safe to do so.
- Go directly to your ball and be ready to play- don’t wait until others have played.
- Play, then Search- all players should hit, then assist in search.
- The ball is lost if not found after 3 minutes searching.
- On reaching the green, park your clubs between the green and the next tee.
- There are no honours – putt when ready if not in someone else’s line.
- Study your putt and repair pitch marks while others are putting.
- Be ready to putt before it is your turn.
- First player to hole-out replaces the flag.
- Continue putting until holed out if not in someone else’s line to avoid unnecessary ball marking.
- Mark scores at the next tee, not on/beside the green you’ve just played.
Has your group achieved the CGC Target Times of 4 hours for a fourball and 3 hours 30 minutes for a 3 ball?
What can you do?
- Arrive early at the course, leaving yourself enough time to put your clubs and trolley together, put on your shoes and sign into the competition in the Pro-Shop. You should be ready to play the first hole 5 minutes before your tee time.
- Read this document and understand its content.
- Think about your own pace of play and habits, can you do anything to improve?
- Encourage your fourball to play the Courtown way.
- Call groups through or ask to be called through if a clear hole is lost.
- If you wish to make a complaint about the pace of play , please email; [email protected] or [email protected]
What can the club do?
- Implement the pace of play policy.
- Contact members who are not adhering to the policy with a view to encouraging them to improve their pace of play.
- Sanction members where appropriate. Players who are consistently guilty of slow play and who have failed to heed warnings may be restricted to playing at the end of the field on competition days.
- Be cognisant of pressure on the timesheet from societies.
- Continue to thin out spinneys.
- Medal competitions to be played in 3 balls up to 11.30am
- Other single competitions will also be considered with a view to implementing morning 3 balls if pace of play continues to be an issue.