6 hr rounds Is this the new trend?

[Greenie]

Hi everyone, I had to take a few weeks off from golf. It was time for a break. In my last round I set a new record. A record for the longest round ever. A 6 1/2 hr. round. Yep I couldn't believe it. I woudn't say there was any one group being the problem. It was just wall to wall people. I mentioned to the ranger they overbooked and he laughed. He said they don't turn away business in todays economy .

I ran into an old friend last week. A guy that has time to play golf 5 times a week. I asked him how golf was going. He said he was tired of 6 hr rounds and cut back his play. He showed me a rain check from last week he got. He said 9 holes took 4 hrs so he got a rain check. He said the course was way overbooked too and the manager said you got to get it when you can. Is this the new trend? Everyone come out and get in line.

My friend and I went out in the drizzle yesterday afternoon to play hoping that the rain and Football would open up the course. There were only a few people there and we had the course to ourselves. He said it was the most fun he had all yr. When I asked him why he said "it was nice not having to play a 6hr round for a change." He isn't a complainer so I never knew it bothered him too. Is this the normal round now days? I can understand prime time Sat and Sun but we go out around 1p.m. on the weekends and mid mornings during the week to try and avoid the heavy usage times.

I know there is alot of topics about slow play. I know we all hit that group of slow players. Alot of our problems seem to be more associated with overbooking.

[larrybud]

Having tee times too close together is a major contributor to slow play. I haven't played a round of golf over 4:45 all year.

[elrey23]

2 hr per 9 holes is a long time for me. 6 hr rounds would have me fuming

[One_Putt_Blunder]

We took our time and played in 3:20 last Fri, I would just walk off the course if I was on a 6 hour pace

[Johwak121]

Recently my home course has been so packed...its a wait at every tee box after the 1st.

Really makes me mad, I can never get into a groove and it sucks! Im hoping the cold MI weather will start to drive ppl off the course.

[J13]

Golf should take no more then 4-4.5 hours. The extreme slow play is hurting the growth of the game especially as people have less and less free time. Main contributor is greedy courses that jam too many players in a small window of time and golfers that don't practice and get their games to a respectable level before going out onto a course.

[Zooko23]

kinda hard to find the groove when your waiting that long. I would right a nasty letter to the course super......Thats unacceptable doesnt matter where you are. But then again if you play a round over 3:30 in tucson its a long one

[harold baines]

I remember when a 5 hour round was an outrage, now unfortunately that's becoming more and more common and the 6 hour round is the outrage... uggh:russian_roulette:

[birdieboy52]

[quote name='Greenie' timestamp='1284398424' post='2694205']
Hi everyone, I had to take a few weeks off from golf. It was time for a break. In my last round I set a new record. A record for the longest round ever. A 6 1/2 hr. round. Yep I couldn't believe it. I woudn't say there was any one group being the problem. It was just wall to wall people. I mentioned to the ranger they overbooked and he laughed. He said they don't turn away business in todays economy .
I ran into an old friend last week. A guy that has time to play golf 5 times a week. I asked him how golf was going. He said he was tired of 6 hr rounds and cut back his play. He showed me a rain check from last week he got. He said 9 holes took 4 hrs so he got a rain check. He said the course was way overbooked too and the manager said you got to get it when you can. Is this the new trend? Everyone come out and get in line.
My friend and I went out in the drizzle yesterday afternoon to play hoping that the rain and Football would open up the course. There were only a few people there and we had the course to ourselves. He said it was the most fun he had all yr. When I asked him why he said "it was nice not having to play a 6hr round for a change." He isn't a complainer so I never knew it bothered him too. Is this the normal round now days? I can understand prime time Sat and Sun but we go out around 1p.m. on the weekends and mid mornings during the week to try and avoid the heavy usage times.
I know there is alot of topics about slow play. I know we all hit that group of slow players. Alot of our problems seem to be more associated with overbooking.
[/quote]


I bit the bullet and went back to a private club a few years ago. 10 rounds in June of that year on public courses on weekends and the shortest time was 5:30. Half of those rounds were played at courses where it was 5:30 for 15 holes and we walked off. We walked every round and since carts speed up play, we were flabbergasted that we would be waiting on the tee and in the fairway of every hole , including the first fairway. Riding carts have caused much of this problem. People with minimal skill think they are faster since they ride to the next shot they will skull or chunk. They have no idea how many times they hit the ball since they aren't walking to the next shot. Everyone rides to each ball and watches each other hit. Courses take up more space so there are the drives to the next hoe that are many times 60-80 yards. Courses are more difficult than they were 30 years ago since every course owner needs a high end destination course. Without carts, courses wouldn't take up the vast space they do today and I doubt they would be as difficult as they are. Lastly8, watch the riders and how slow they are around the ball. They chunk a shot and then take 20-30 seconds to get themselves in the cart and moving on. Multiply that by 4 people, 3 shots per hole and 18 holes and you have added 1 hour or more to the round of golf.

[wrmiller]

Wow, after reading this thread, I'll just consider myself lucky. I'm pretty sure that the longest I've taken on a round this year (sg5 tracks my time), was just under 5 hr. Normal round is about 3.5-4.3 hrs.

Maybe it's because I don't play the Tourist Traps, and stick with the munis? Don't know. But I'll take it for as long as it lasts...

[jorgesgolf1]

Most of you guys have it pretty good. New York can seem like a different planet in a lot of ways and golf is no exception. If you live in Manhattan and play the local courses, 6 Hour rounds are the norm. You gotta really love the game to put up with a lot of stuff up here.

Contrary to my belief when I came here, it is actually pretty affordable if you play the munis. $35 to walk on weekdays, $44 on weekends. No point in being in a cart if you're going to be out there for half the day.

[Logie]

Only time i dont mind long times is when playing in work comps, theres all sorts of players in it and thats about the only time i can tolerate it.

[TMfan54]

this summer was bad. my home course was so packed that we were waiting 2-3 min on each tee and each approach shot. after seeing this thread and realizing how aggravating its been playing, it's common sense why my handicap has gone up. when the course was not jam packed i had such a rhythm, now it's impossible.

[moonshine]

I am a member @ rtj trail in AL. I will only play the first tee times or during the week a few hors b4 sunset. I have gotten many rainchecks for slow play....nobody has patience to let faster groups play through. Sometimes, if I have a stogie or two extra, I may just stay for enjoyment of being outside.

[flipmode]

[quote name='Greenie' timestamp='1284398424' post='2694205']
Hi everyone, I had to take a few weeks off from golf. It was time for a break. In my last round I set a new record. A record for the longest round ever. A 6 1/2 hr. round. Yep I couldn't believe it. I woudn't say there was any one group being the problem. It was just wall to wall people. I mentioned to the ranger they overbooked and he laughed. He said they don't turn away business in todays economy .
I ran into an old friend last week. A guy that has time to play golf 5 times a week. I asked him how golf was going. He said he was tired of 6 hr rounds and cut back his play. He showed me a rain check from last week he got. He said 9 holes took 4 hrs so he got a rain check. He said the course was way overbooked too and the manager said you got to get it when you can. Is this the new trend? Everyone come out and get in line.
My friend and I went out in the drizzle yesterday afternoon to play hoping that the rain and Football would open up the course. There were only a few people there and we had the course to ourselves. He said it was the most fun he had all yr. When I asked him why he said "it was nice not having to play a 6hr round for a change." He isn't a complainer so I never knew it bothered him too. Is this the normal round now days? I can understand prime time Sat and Sun but we go out around 1p.m. on the weekends and mid mornings during the week to try and avoid the heavy usage times.
I know there is alot of topics about slow play. I know we all hit that group of slow players. Alot of our problems seem to be more associated with overbooking.
[/quote]

Oy vey, what course in MD was that? Rocky point and Pine ridge are the same way.

[Borthwick]

My tuesday league usually gets through 18 in 3.5 or less, but that's on a private course and most of us walk. Saturday mornings is closer to 4. I played a public course a few weekends ago that would be near impossible to walk. There are 4-5 holes with over two hundred yards between green and next tee. I despise those types of courses and once I play them, I don't go back.

[swanry30]

5 1/2 during the summer where i frequent. HORRIBLE. on the same day i can get to the course at 5:30 pm and play 9 in a 1 1/2 hours. courses need to actually enforce marshals and properly space groups off the tee. three groups on the first hole is not a good start. courses who have it right space groups out to where you never see the group in front of you on the same hole. you move - keep rhythm. figure it out.

[Golfinnova]

Only saw it one time which was several years ago at the first event for Golf Channel Amateur Tour for DC. Round took 6.5 hours and almost got stopped by darkness.

Regarding what is going on now, it's a recipe for disaster because those short-term gains will be lost when word gets around and the pro will find himself with an empty course over time. I know that it is prime season right now with the cooler temps but there should be courses with better pace of play.

[BadBilly429]

I live in MI and to be honest with you I dont see the economy affecting golf much here other than the prices, courses have definetely dropped their rates, and the twilight and off season spring and fall rates are really good.........that being said, most courses around here are still jammed up on the weekends, my play schedule is every Friday at 5 pm 9 hole round with my wife and best friend usually, every other sat 18, and every sunday 18 weather permitting. We usually try go get out around 9-10 am on the weekends and we usually try to frequent courses where carts are mandatory. In my eyes one of the biggest problems is walkers, on the weekends before 3 pm Im sorry but I feel all courses should be cart mandatory. If you want to play twilight and walk, fine by me, or during the week or on a league fine by me also. The other problem around here is big egos on the course, guys that didnt hit a 200 yard drive and they are 220 out on the fairway and waiting for guys to clear the green. Also the time spent lining up putts and not playing ready golf. I feel as though if your average on your 9 hole league is something like 45-50 playing from 6000 yd tees, if you spend more than 30 seconds or so lining up a putt, your just a donkey!

[Golferpimp1]

This is percisely why I joined a private club. In the last year ive played 1 round at the club over 4.5 hours. Out of the 15 or so ive played at public courses, over half of them were over 5 hours, and 2 of them were over 6 hours. Its awful!

[RedFire]

I can't stand slow play when it can be avoided. It seems like no one in Stl playing public golf has heard of "ready" golf. Everyone just rides around in the carts and hunts each others' shanks. yuk.

I had to pick up my ball today on a par 5 with 190 left on my 2nd. I just went ahead to the next hole. I had waited 10 minutes, between the time on the tee/in the fairway.

My friends and I joined a local club for the summer, and it was pretty good. Great during the week----I played a couple 9 hole rounds at about 1:20 or so. The weekends seemed slow, but would only take 4.5 hrs---compared to 5.5+ at the good public tracks.

[golfdad907]

Reflection of our current society. It wouldn't be very PC to force people to be consderate of others. It's a walk in the park that 'they' paid for. There's a pretty decent course at a Marriot nearby, used to be a Westin when course was built. Played there for years, now they let hotel guests play in jeans. Half never have played a course of this nature and shoot a zillion. Played there one afternoon, guys in front of us finally on 9 tee box, wave us through, then we start getting out of carts to head to tee and they take off....WTF?

That's why we play early, one of first 3 tee times or play elsewhere. Usually we can be done in about 3:30 or less. Too bad have to get up before dark to have a reasonable round (time wise). I occasionally go out on a nice afternoon and play til dark, I usually can get 27 soemtimes 36 in. Mid morning rounds (after 930am to 200pm) are truly excrutiatingly slow which is brutal. I find Bloody Mary and a cig make the day go by faster.

[bma725]

Wow, I guess we've got it good around here because that sort of pace of play is unheard of in these parts. I've played one round all year that was longer than 4:30, and it was still under 5 hours. Even at the courses that are usually packed, slow play still means getting done in under 5 hours for sure. Anything slower than that just doesn't happen.

[tfish]

this is the reason i love twilight/super twilight golf. can play nearly as fast as you want.

4.5 hours feels like a huge drag. 5.5 is boring/demoralizing. hate waiting on tee boxes. hate even more watching the 4some on the green ahead of me reading each putt from 18 different angles, and then missing it.

if i owned a course, i'd have a (reasonable) timer on each hole. if you didn't get your ball in the hole by the time the clock expires, you gotta pick it up and move on to the next tee box.

[BogeyDog11]

[quote name='One_Putt_Blunder' timestamp='1284599283' post='2699110']
We took our time and played in 3:20 last Fri, I would just walk off the course if I was on a 6 hour pace


[/quote]

+2......with refund in hand.

[Greenie]

[quote name='flipmode' timestamp='1284658867' post='2700216']
[quote name='Greenie' timestamp='1284398424' post='2694205']
Hi everyone, I had to take a few weeks off from golf. It was time for a break. In my last round I set a new record. A record for the longest round ever. A 6 1/2 hr. round. Yep I couldn't believe it. I woudn't say there was any one group being the problem. It was just wall to wall people. I mentioned to the ranger they overbooked and he laughed. He said they don't turn away business in todays economy .
I ran into an old friend last week. A guy that has time to play golf 5 times a week. I asked him how golf was going. He said he was tired of 6 hr rounds and cut back his play. He showed me a rain check from last week he got. He said 9 holes took 4 hrs so he got a rain check. He said the course was way overbooked too and the manager said you got to get it when you can. Is this the new trend? Everyone come out and get in line.
My friend and I went out in the drizzle yesterday afternoon to play hoping that the rain and Football would open up the course. There were only a few people there and we had the course to ourselves. He said it was the most fun he had all yr. When I asked him why he said "it was nice not having to play a 6hr round for a change." He isn't a complainer so I never knew it bothered him too. Is this the normal round now days? I can understand prime time Sat and Sun but we go out around 1p.m. on the weekends and mid mornings during the week to try and avoid the heavy usage times.
I know there is alot of topics about slow play. I know we all hit that group of slow players. Alot of our problems seem to be more associated with overbooking.
[/quote]

Oy vey, what course in MD was that? Rocky point and Pine ridge are the same way.
[/quote]


LOL.. Rocky Point and Pine Ridge still like? . I played both of those courses a few times yrs. ago. A few rounds at those courses was all I needed, for me to know, what a slow round really was.
The course I played my 6 1/2 round at happened to be a VA. course. Goose Creek over in Leesburg.
My friend showed me his rain check from Rattlewood in Mt Airy. He said 9 holes and 4hrs. was all that he could handle. I never had a slow round at Rattlewood myself .

[Prairie Golfer]

I'd walk off my home course if my front nine took longer than 2.25 hours. My longest round of the year is just 4.25 hours. Last Sunday's round at the U of I's Orange Course took about 3 hours with an 11am tee time thanks to Da Bears.

[farmer]

I went on a golf trip last year with 7 other guys. There was one rank beginner, three hacks, two players (I'm putting myself in that group) and two guys who could at least make contact. We started at 1:00 and staggered off at around 7:00 on both days. The biggest issue was that these two courses had some forced carries and the rough just off the fairway was ball grabbing. We estimate that our groups lost around 100 balls. Longest two days on a golf course ever, and we found ourselves having to wait from time to time. We were clearly about two tees too far back, but overall, the group wanted to try the backs. Point being, players need to be realistic about ther abilities. If you can't hit but 200yds, 6000-6200 is plenty. On a course that has a lot of play, the rough needs to be kept at a reasonable length. Lots of people regard balls as dear family members that cannot be abandoned. Even for good players, big, fast potato chip greens slow down the game. I understand that owners, private or muni, need to make money, but arranging their business around 5 or 6 hr rounds cannot be good. It seems that all new courses are advertised as "championship" when sadly there just aren't a lot of championship players.

[Golfinnova]

[quote name='Greenie' timestamp='1284776577' post='2702597']
[quote name='flipmode' timestamp='1284658867' post='2700216']
[quote name='Greenie' timestamp='1284398424' post='2694205']
Hi everyone, I had to take a few weeks off from golf. It was time for a break. In my last round I set a new record. A record for the longest round ever. A 6 1/2 hr. round. Yep I couldn't believe it. I woudn't say there was any one group being the problem. It was just wall to wall people. I mentioned to the ranger they overbooked and he laughed. He said they don't turn away business in todays economy .
I ran into an old friend last week. A guy that has time to play golf 5 times a week. I asked him how golf was going. He said he was tired of 6 hr rounds and cut back his play. He showed me a rain check from last week he got. He said 9 holes took 4 hrs so he got a rain check. He said the course was way overbooked too and the manager said you got to get it when you can. Is this the new trend? Everyone come out and get in line.
My friend and I went out in the drizzle yesterday afternoon to play hoping that the rain and Football would open up the course. There were only a few people there and we had the course to ourselves. He said it was the most fun he had all yr. When I asked him why he said "it was nice not having to play a 6hr round for a change." He isn't a complainer so I never knew it bothered him too. Is this the normal round now days? I can understand prime time Sat and Sun but we go out around 1p.m. on the weekends and mid mornings during the week to try and avoid the heavy usage times.
I know there is alot of topics about slow play. I know we all hit that group of slow players. Alot of our problems seem to be more associated with overbooking.
[/quote]

Oy vey, what course in MD was that? Rocky point and Pine ridge are the same way.
[/quote]


LOL.. Rocky Point and Pine Ridge still like? . I played both of those courses a few times yrs. ago. A few rounds at those courses was all I needed, for me to know, what a slow round really was.
The course I played my 6 1/2 round at happened to be a VA. course. Goose Creek over in Leesburg.
My friend showed me his rain check from Rattlewood in Mt Airy. He said 9 holes and 4hrs. was all that he could handle. I never had a slow round at Rattlewood myself .
[/quote]

I lived about 10 minutes from there and absolutely hated that course, just the epitome of slow. Would rather go to Westpark or Brambleton.

[hzppby]

haven't plyd over 4 1/2 hr round at my club in forever. Usually right under 4 hrs. with 6 hr round must be waiting on every shot.