From: "kathy lessa" <kathy.lessa@execnet.com>
Newsgroups: rec.sport.golf
Subject: sick to death of slow
Date: 14 Apr 92 11:03:45 EST
Reply-To: "kathy lessa" <kathy.lessa@execnet.com>
Distribution: rec
Organization: Executive Networks Information

DK>Saturday I walked off a course during a tournament just prior to
DK>finishing the 12th hole.  We had teed off 4 hours earlier.  I figured
DK>it was going to take at least another 2 hours to finish the round.  I
DK>left the course knowing it would not speed up me getting home since
DK>I rode to the course with people still in the tournament.  I was just
DK>no longer having fun playing golf.  I love golf.  I hate waiting to
DK>play golf.  Waiting 15 minutes to make a shot is crazy.

Boy, I really agree with your anger about the long game.  Sunday, my
regular foursome teed off at 9:07 and finished at 2:50!!!!!  On EVERY
hole, we were standing waiting to tee off at or BEFORE the time the
foursome ahead of us were teeing off.  That's absolutely ridiculous.

I decided to chime in, because I've seen SEVERAL times, over the time I've
been reading this area, comments about slow female golfers.  And I hear
the guys at the course I play make comments too.  Well, my foursome is ALL
female, and we are ALWAYS waiting on the GUYS in front of us to finish up.

Here's my pet peeves about these slow players.  First, this is a public
course.  No one here is ready to go to the Masters.  No one here has
$100,000 riding on each putt.  Yet they *play* as if they do.  Here's a
typical scenario.

Foursome is at the tee box.  Even though it's a par-5, and there's not a
hope in HELL that they'll encroach on the players ahead, they wait to tee
off until the group ahead is actually SINKING their putts.

Now, all this time they've been standing at the tee box waiting, you'd
THINK they'd have been pondering what club to use, where to direct the
ball, etc.  But NO!  Only when the group ahead is putting does A approach
the tee box, and place his ball.  Then, he steps back about 20 feet behind
the tee, and 'eyeballs' the course.  Finally, after 4 or 5 practice
swings, he swings.  He ambles back to his cart, and B gets out of his
cart, ponders his clubs, checks the wind, etc. etc.

Now why the heck aren't B, C, and D preparing for their shot (mentally, if
not physically) while A is teeing off?  And why aren't they ALL preparing
while waiting for the time to tee off?

This sort of behavior continues throughout the game, and THAT is why
people are slowed down.  I think the idea of penalties is *great*.  I love
golf, but really I can't dedicate six hours for one game every weekend
because I have other things I need to do.  And sometimes I like to get in
a round after work, when I get off early, and OFTEN end up losing the
light for the last couple of holes SOLELY because the jerks ahead are
piddling about.

Before someone says, "Well, you only *get* better by taking this much time
for each shot!", let me add this.  I've been playing less than a year, and
I'm regularly golfing in the 90s, which I personally am quite pleased
with.  I have been paired up with people who've played for *much* longer,
and play with the same above-mentioned SLOW techniques, whose score is
regularly higher than that.  I really don't think it has that much bearing
on your level of play.  I'm not saying people can't take the time to line
up shots and think of what they're doing.  They should just use their time
more wisely.  While other members of your foursome are hitting, think
about what *you* are going to do, plan your club selection, etc.  There's
just no sense in waiting around for 3 other people to hit, THEN ambling
over to your ball and THEN thinking, "gee, what club should I use????"

<whew> glad I got that off my chest.
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