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Want to Improve the Pace of Play?

Want to Improve the Pace of Play?

Here are a few tips that might help improve the pace of your next round.

1.      Don’t be the last one in the cart – If you find yourself being the last one in the cart after each hole, you may be the problem. Try a simple thing like not putting your clubs in the bag until you get to the next tee or shot. Too many people waste time putting on a putter or club cover or trying to rearrange clubs in the bag. All of that can be taken care of at the next shot. Just jump in the cart with clubs in hand and ride to the next tee or shot; then go ahead and put on that club cover while your partner is hitting his or her next shot.

2.      Mark the scores at the next tee – Once everyone in the group has holed out, go ahead and clear the green and head for the next tee. You’ll have plenty of time to count the strokes on the way to the next tee and then you can go ahead and record the scores on the scorecard.

3.      Position your cart or clubs as to be on the way to the next tee – How many times have you seen someone finish a hole and then walk back across the green to go to their cart they’ve left on the other side of the hole only to drive back in front of the green? Make sure that you position your cart or clubs so that once you hole out, you are walking to your cart or clubs and you’ll be able to drive or walk straight away.

4.      Leave any extra clubs where you’ll exit the putting green – Everyone has an extra club or two that they may have needed around the green. Once you’ve chipped up or wedged out of that bunker, go ahead and walk over to near where you’ll exit the green and lay the clubs down. You won’t waste time walking back and forth to pick up the extra clubs after every putt.

5.      Drop from the water hazard and play – then go look – If you hit one into a water hazard and you know you’re not going to play from the hazard, go ahead and drop a different ball at the right spot (you are allowed to substitute a ball) and hit it. Then go back and take a look for the ball. If you find it; fine. This won’t hold up the rest of the group from playing while you’re looking.

6.      Play a provisional ball – If you hit a ball and believe that it may be lost outside of a water hazard or out of bounds, go ahead and hit a provisional ball. This will save the time of coming all of the way back to where you hit your previous shot should you not find it.

 

Try a few of these simple tips and see if the pace of your next round doesn’t improve. If you can shave five or ten minutes off your round it will have a multiplier effect and the general pace of the whole course will improve.