Corporate Golf Services » Pace of Play

Playing out of turn

Barb Hanson — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 20:55:06 +0000

Barb Hanson

In The Rules of Golf, Rule 10 is “Order of Play.”

It states that on the tee, the person who scored lowest on the previous hole, or in the case of match play, the player who won the previous hole, goes first.

In the fairway or on the green, we probably all know that the ball farthest from the hole is played first. But what are the consequences if you play out of turn whether it be on the tee, in the fairway or on the green?

In match play there is no penalty for playing out of order, but your opponent may immediately require you to cancel the stroke you just made and make another stroke in the correct order.

Likewise, in stroke play there is no penalty unless two players have agreed to play out of turn in order to give one of them an advantage.

However, in the interest of pace of play (especially in a stroke play situation), it’s often a good idea to play out of turn just to keep the game moving. As long as there is no intentional advantage or safety issue, go ahead and play the shot.

Move That Cart!

Barb Hanson — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:03:47 +0000

Motorized carts are an important part of golf for those who wouldn’t be able to play the game without them. However, for most of us, a short walk is not a problem and, in my opinion, should be utilized more often by carters. I believe that much time is wasted when a person is simply sitting in a cart waiting for the other person to make a shot, walk back to the cart, put away their club and get back in.

During that time, a golfer could be selecting a club or clubs, assessing the distance for their own shot, walking short distances to their ball or moving to a more forward tee. Communication between cart partners is essential to time-wise use of the cart.

The prevailing assumption is that the use of motorized carts speeds up play. Only if they’re used efficiently!

Move to the next tee!

Barb Hanson — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 15:31:26 +0000

Scorekeeping should always be done after you’ve moved away from a hole, whether en route to the next tee or while teeing off on the next hole. It seems like we should be able to remember a score that long!

Club Selection

Barb Hanson — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 01:25:47 +0000

Club selection should be done efficiently and decisively. It’s important for overall pace of play as well as for your mindset when you take the shot.

What should you consider as you select your club? Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

How far am I from the center of the green?
Where is the hole located on the green – front, middle or back/
Is this an uphill shot where I should take more club or a downhill shot where I should take less club?
Should I take more club to carry a hazard?
Is the wind a factor – either for or against me?

Once you’ve got the club in your hand, there should be no more thoughts about which club you’re holding. Your mind should go to the target and stay there. Let your body make a confident swing