How to enforce slow play?

[ThatCanadianGuy]

I was reading a thread on another forum and it reminded me of something I was thinking about last night.

I work in the Pro Shop of the Local * 9 hole, Semi private Resort course*. The course obviously gets a lot of play from tourists and people that don’t have much experience in golf.

I was thinking..what should I do when Someone calls me from the course in the middle of the day complaining about slow play?. I can't leave the shop since I'm the only one there.

I'm thinking that since I am the only Employee there, I'll just have to tell em to suck it up. But being a golfer myself, and a human being, I cant do that.

I'll have to ask the pro for his input on the situation.

I mean..if there’s a group with a 2 hole gap and they wont let other groups through, something has to be done.

I'll have to get them to leave the course if they refuse to let player through.

BUT..I can’t leave the Pro Shop.

Maybe I could get a Member I know well, and think will handle the situation properly to grab a cart and get out there and speed things up.


Suggestions Please?!

Don’t have to read this part, I’m just bored.

I can see it now in the front page of the news paper. Young Pro Shop employee in custody with charges of assault and battery on 4 foreign, slow golfers that refused to leave the property. Officials say the situation could have been avoided if the attacker (me) would have known that the subjects did not speak English and didn’t understand what was being asked of them.

*charges pending*

 

[fore142]

have your starter bring it up before the round. tell them that they will be removed from the course for slow play. If its a resort course, i bet you get a lot of people who will never play the course again, so if the starter pisses them off, whats the big deal? You could also get one of those clock things that says "back in..." and hang it on the door, lock the door and go talk to the group. You make it sound like the head pro is there when this happens, why cant he cover the pro shop for you while you go talk to the accused. just some thoughts...

 

[Pa Jayhawk]

Sounds like your course needs to hire a ranger or suffer the consequences, which is either losing business or comping golfers who complain for a round.

From back in the clubhouse how are you supposed to know who is causing the holdup. It could be the group in front of them or the group 5 foresomes in front of them.

It is really simple either the course really doesn't care, or they would spend the money on rangers. If I were the member you asked to speed things up, you would likely be short 1 more member come the following year. That is a basically saying the course knows it is an issue but are not willing to pay to straighten it out. Not saying there is anything wrong with courses that do that, or that it is uncommon, but they will suffer the consequences from people who have a problem with slow play. Up in our area, it is a resort area and 5-5 1/2 hour rounds are not uncommon. It is the golfers choice on whether they want to play there.

 

[Davebud]

2 Points here, enforce slow play with a wedge of choice.

Rangers are free, my course has three different old guys that they trade free golf with. They are Starters/Rangers.

 

[ThatCanadianGuy]

have your starter bring it up before the round. tell them that they will be removed from the course for slow play. If its a resort course, i bet you get a lot of people who will never play the course again, so if the starter pisses them off, whats the big deal? You could also get one of those clock things that says "back in..." and hang it on the door, lock the door and go talk to the group. You make it sound like the head pro is there when this happens, why cant he cover the pro shop for you while you go talk to the accused. just some thoughts...

I'm the starter to .



This hasn't happened yet but I have only been there for 3 months. I have been on the course when it has happened though.

The head pro, his wife and myself are the only ones who work in the shop. Unless there is a tournament, there’s only one of us there at a time, unless the pro is giving a lesson. Or the odd chance this situation occurs when we are doing a "shift change".

Thanks for the post.

 

[ThatCanadianGuy]

If I were the member you asked to speed things up, you would likely be short 1 more member come the following year. That is a basically saying the course knows it is an issue but are not willing to pay to straighten it out..

Wow, I didn’t think someone would take that so..seriousley?. If i did ask someone it would be some I have a relationship with, and have played many a rounds with.

But just to be safe I'll try to avoid this situation.

It's not like this happens every day. I was just thinking about how I could address this situation if it surfaced.

Thanks for the Reply, I appreciate your thoughts.

 

[FKA19]

why not get a buddy or adult member to watch the shop and you ramble out with the cart and check on things. although they wont be too intimidated by your 120 lbs haha jks.

 

[limpalong]

Seems to be three premises...
1. You've only worked at this course for 3 months... but would like to continue gainful employment there.
2. As of yet, you have not personally rec'd a formal slow play complaint.
3. Most typical scenairo is a single person on duty... you... and you don't want to/don't know if your're supposed to leave the shop.

First, I would recommend simply asking the pro what his recommended protocol is in the very situation you've explained. The course surely has a way they would like to see these situations handled. See if the pro has a "course policy response" to offer should the situation arise.

If the pro gives no direction on how to handle a given issue, you'll have to deal with them on a case by case basis. A local playing a 9-hole, resort course must expect some possible delays. Resort guests playing a 9-hole course don't know what to expect and should be somewhat tolerant of delays. If this were a standard, non-resort course I would offer far different advice. However, you must consider the primary course use and default to that use.

Surely, there is a "tourist" season where the slow play is worse than other times of the year. If that is the case, I like the advice given by other posters about trading free golf for marshalling during those busy times. Otherwise, if that call does come in from on the course... simply say you have been given instructions to not leave the clubhouse and, even though you sympathize with their plight, your hands are tied. (Or, ask the complaining group to return to the clubhouse for a bucket of range balls to hit towards the slow group in hopes of speeding them on their way!!! LOL)

 

[Nyper]

1. "Alright. Your group can tee off right after those people over there."

2. "We are somewhat busy today, so please keep aware of the speed of your play. We want you to enjoy your round, but please let faster players through if you see that they are waiting around a lot."

3. "Enjoy your round!"

 

[demon]

Barret 50 cal sniper rifle from the pro shop, take out a few people and they will get the hint.

 

[kow_ciller]

I like that idea

 

[mont86]

The few times I have been caught in the slow play cycle there are two groups ahead of me that are the culprits.

we end up just sucking it up.

 

[Sandpiper3]

Most of the time I get the slow play in tourneys (slow play to me is waiting over 10 mins on each tee).

To be honest, I LOVE slow play

My coach took me to the slowest course around and made me play 5 straight rounds in the public with him on my bag helping me along. I learnt so much, and now I can take those super slow rounds, just enjoy the sites, and take your 30 secs over then ball, then just daze around

Ive played jr tourneys that have lasted 6+ hours... ive had 5 over 5 hrs and 2 over 6. Longest round i ever played was 6 and a half hours, we waited 45 mins at the turn (9 hole course that has seperated tees to make it a real 18, Mission GCC).

I know its a pain, but I dont get how it throws ppl off now, just chill and enjoy being outdoors. Only so many ppl can be so fortunate to waste time on acres of manicured land.

 

[emc]

I think the best plan of action would be to consult the pro about the situation, but if it happened to me and I didn't know what to do, I would 1) Tell the group that called to say to the group ahead of them that the pro shop said to move it or lose it. If that didn't work and the group called again, I'd put up a 'Back in 5' sign and rush out and lay the smackdown on their ass for being disrespectful to the pro shop

 

[Pa Jayhawk]

Wow, I didn’t think someone would take that so..seriousley?. If i did ask someone it would be some I have a relationship with, and have played many a rounds with.

But just to be safe I'll try to avoid this situation.

It's not like this happens every day. I was just thinking about how I could address this situation if it surfaced.

Thanks for the Reply, I appreciate your thoughts.

I guess it may depend on the circumstances, but from a member perspective they are likely paying a fair chunk of change. On top of that they are being exposed to the slow play, which may not be going over to well, yet they may remain silent for various reasons like being a friend or just not wanting to stir the pot. Compounding that with being asked to do something about it may present a problem. I guess if it was a good friend of yours that may be a different story, but make sure you are positive they are O.K. with that, and you know how they feel prior to asking.

Better safe than sorry, and one of the reasons I mentioned it in that sense. You don't want to be the one responsible for driving away a member on a misunderstanding.

You could likely better address the issue by approaching the person running the course and indicate you had heard complaints about slow play and had they thought of bringing someone in for free golf as Dave mentioned, which is fairly common. Probably the reason the member thing may make for a testy situation, alot of whom may be aware how easy and inexpensive it would be for the course to get a Ranger. Actually, thinking about it more, I would likely ask if you were going to pay my membership prior to leaving.

The other side is how your boss will feel if you take this upon yourself, and he has a different philosophy in handling it than you. It could likely turn into a case where you tried to resolve the issue, and in turn get blamed for the already present outcome by taking it upon yourself. Not always fair, but cetainly not uncommon. If anything remotely bad happens as a result of you trying to help out, you may very likely be the goat. Make you boss earn his keep, although he will likely appreciate you bringing it to his attention.