Pace of Play Suggestions

Everyone wants to play well and not let their teammates down, but there is no reason that we cannot keep up the pace of play and complete our round in in under 4.5 hours.

Here are some tips to speed up play (and yes, there are many more):

• Be prepared to hit your shot.  Be ready on the tee box. Have your tee, gloves, ball, etc. ready to go.  This is not the time to mark your ball, clean the grooves, or engage in storytelling. Also, always have an extra ball and tee with you in the unlikely event you hit it out of bounds or in a lake. On your second or third shot, be ready to hit the ball when it’s your turn.  Don’t wait for everyone else to hit before getting your distance, selecting a club, judging the wind, etc.  Have everyone in your group agree to “Ready Golf”. 
• Limit your practice swings.  You should only take one or two practice swings. If you need more, you should probably be at the practice range. Taking more practice swings will not help you make a better shot.
• Don’t stand over the ball too long.  Address the ball, get set, make your swing. Golf Digest says that before stepping in, a player's pre-shot routine should take no more than 10 to 12 seconds, and from the time you set your lead foot, step over the ball and swing to the finish, should be only eight seconds, for a total of 20 seconds.  Standing over the ball for an excessive amount of time causes your muscles to tense and often results in a poor shot.
• Plan ahead.  If it’s cart path only, take several clubs, your range finder, and a bottle of sand with you to your ball to avoid walking back and forth to the cart. Estimate from the cart what you need to hit the ball. Take 3 clubs, the one you need for that distance and one on either side of the distance.  Always have an extra ball with you. If you hit a ball into the woods, hit a provisional ball in case you cannot find the first one. If you are in a position where you might chunk one into a sand trap, have your sand wedge with you, just in case. 
• Club Management.  After your shot, don’t waste time cleaning and putting your clubs in the bag. Take them with you in the cart to the next shot and then put them away.
• Scorekeeping.  After the hole is completed, drive to the next tee box before recording scores for the previous hole.
• On the green.  Begin reading the green and lining up putts as soon as you reach the green. Don't wait until it's your turn to putt to start the process. Do it as soon as you reach the green so that when it's your turn you can step right up and putt.
• Conversations.  Never delay making a stroke because you're having a conversation with a playing partner. Put the conversation on hold, take your shot, then pick up the conversation again.
• One final note.  Forget what’s in the rearview mirror. If the group ahead is running off leaving you, do something to catch up.