Players – Your Responsibilities
Very few golfers would admit to being slow players but we can all do our bit to play a little bit faster.

Keep up with the Group in Front

  • Do not worry about the group behind – keep up with the group in front.
  • If you feel that your group is falling behind take responsibility and bring this to the attention of the other players in your group.
  • React positively to the situation.
  • If your group is behind there is no need to run but try to catch up quickly.
  • If you lose a clear hole and are delaying the group behind invite the group behind to play through.
  • If there is no group in front of you and you are delaying the group behind invite the group behind to play through.

Play at a Good Pace and Keep Up
You should always play at a good pace. The committee may establish pace of play guidelines that all players should follow. It’s a group’s responsibility to keep up with the group in front. If they lose a clear hole and delay the group behind, they should invite the group behind to play through, irrespective of the number of players in that group. Where a group has not lost a clear hole, but it is apparent that the group behind can play faster, they should also invite the faster moving group to overtake them.

Lost Ball
If you think your ball may be lost outside a water hazard or is out of bounds, to save time, play a provisional ball. Players searching for a ball should signal the players in the group behind them to play through as soon as it becomes apparent that the ball will not easily be found. They shouldn’t search for three minutes before doing so. Having allowed the group behind to play through, they shouldn’t continue play until the group coming through has passed and is out of range.

Be Ready To Play
You should be ready to play as soon as it’s your turn to play.

When it is not your turn to play use your time wisely to prepare so that when it is your turn you are ready to play.

  • Put your glove on, check your yardage, and assess the wind strength and direction.
  • Decide on the type of shot that you are going to play.
  • Select your club.
  • When it is your turn to play, play promptly.
  • Decide on the shot and execute it.
  • You only need one practice swing.
  • You do not need to waggle the club back and forth and round about again and again.

At the Putting Green

  • Assess your line, repair pitch-marks on the green and remove loose impediments while others are playing.
  • It is not necessary to look at your line from every angle.
  • You do not need to have an alignment mark on your golf ball and ensure that it is perfectly aligned to the hole before every putt.
  • Move off the green as soon as all players in your group have holed out and mark score cards at or on the way to the next tee.
  • When at or near the putting green, leave your bags or carts just off the green on the way to the next tee, which will help speed up your exit.
  • When the play of a hole has been completed, leave the putting green quickly.

If each player took a few seconds off their pre-shot routines then the cumulative effect would be very significant.