Playing at a better pace is not about hurrying or rushing around the course, it’s about being more efficient with your time. Two minutes saved per hole will cut 36 minutes per round.
- Keep up with the group in front of you. Your correct position on the course is
immediately behind the group in front of you, not immediately in front of the group behind you. - Follow the flight of all tee shots, not just your own.
- Play a provisional ball if you think your original ball might be lost or out of bounds.
- Agree to play Ready Golf. This means you could play out of turn (with the permission of playing partners) if that would speed up play.
- Before reaching your ball, take note of distance and think about club selection.
- When sharing carts, don’t wait in the cart while your cart partner hits. Do as much early preparation for your turn to hit as possible. This might include taking a couple of clubs and walking to your ball.
- Be at your ball and ready to play when it is your turn.
- Limit your practice swings to two.
- After hitting, get back to the cart and put clubs away at your next shot.
- The whole group doesn’t need to look for a lost ball. One player could go to their ball and hit while others are searching. Remember, only three minutes to search for a lost ball!
- Pay attention to the location of your cart. The cart should be even with or ahead of players in that cart, never behind.
- Study the line of your putt while others are preparing to putt out.
- Record scores at the next tee, not at the green you just putted on.
- Occasionally, a group falls way behind. If there is an open hole ahead of your group, Split Up to Catch Up:
- When you get to the green and see that the group in front of yours is well down the next fairway or out of sight, two people in your group putt out and start moving to the next tee before the other two arrive at the green or putt out.
- Once those first two are at the next tee box, they tee off. If the other two have caught up, they will then tee off. If not, the first two move ahead until the two behind catch up.
- Keep doing this until you are on the same hole as and in sight of the team ahead of you.
- If there is a group constantly waiting behind you and there is space, offer to let them play through (or that group may ask to play through).
- Choose to ‘No Card’ the round. Play for fun and pick up when needed.
