Keeping a 4 Hour Pace - Pace Of Play Helpful Hints

These suggestions come from GOLFERS (men and women), from books, from professionals and from all of the birdies that got away.

Before I run down a list of suggestions for speeding up play, it is important to note that many of these tips have nothing to do with rushing your play, but rather with simply being ready to play, and with using common sense and good etiquette on the course.

A good pace of play is an important element in having a fun experience at the golf course. It's often a combination of little things not done that wind up contributing to slow play and on-course traffic jams. Here are some tips for making sure that your pace of play is as brisk as it should be. Remember: pace of play isn't about rushing your shots, it's about being ready to take your shot when it's your turn, and behaving efficiently on the course. The bottom line is, as soon as it's your turn to play, you should be ready to step right up and make the stroke. Most experts say that a good pace of play not only increases enjoyment of the game, it can actually improve one's game. Standing around on every shot allows the muscles to cool down or limbs to stiffen up. A brisk pace can help keep a golfer loose. Pace of play can be boiled down to two simple phrases: be prepared and be ready to play.

Use the groups ahead of you and behind you to gauge your pace. If the group that teed off directly in front of you is pulling away - putting a full hole's distance between them and your group - you need to speed up. If there's no one in front of you holding you up, but you are holding up those behind you, either speed up or allow the trailing group to play through.

Here are some tips for speeding up slow play on the golf course:

• After hitting the tee shot, each member of a foursome (or any group) should proceed directly to his or her ball. The group should not travel as a pack, going to first to one ball, then the next, and so on.

• While walking (or riding) to your ball, use the travel time to begin thinking over your next shot - the yardage, which club you'll use, and so on. Begin preparing before you get to your ball.

• If sharing a cart, don't drive to the first ball, wait for the first player to hit, then head to the second ball. Drop the first player off at his ball, drive on ahead to the second ball. (Unless you might get hit!) The first player should walk over to the cart as the second player is playing their shot. Or, you can park in between two balls.

• If you are the passenger, and you have already hit your shot, sometimes it is better for you to drive the cart to the green, and allow the driver to hit their shot.

• When using a cart on a cart-path-only day, be sure to take a couple of clubs with you when you walk from the cart to the ball. This way, you won't have to return to the cart if you discover you didn't bring the appropriate club.

• Carry a few extra tees, ball marks and a spare ball in your pockets so you don't have to return to your golf bag to retrieve them, should you find yourself in need of one.

• Whenever you are going to your ball, always take the club you think that you need, plus the next one shorter, and the next one longer. This will eliminate the need to go back to the cart.

• If you think your shot might have landed out of bounds or be lost, immediately hit a provisional ball. Don't walk ahead to search, only to have to return to the original spot to replay a shot. If you are helping to look for a ball, hit your shot first, then go help look for the lost 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. Having allowed the group behind to play through, you should not continue play until that group has passed and is out of range.

• Limit your search for lost balls. Don't spend more than a minute searching - or just immediately play your provisional. (If you are playing by the rules with the five minute limit for looking for a lost ball, wave through any group behind that is being held up by your search.)

• Never hold up play because you're in the middle of a conversation. Put the conversation on hold, take your stroke, then continue the conversation.

• On the green, begin lining up your putt and reading the break as soon as you reach the green. When it's your turn to putt, be prepared to step right up and take the stroke.

• Leave your bags, golf carts, or extra clubs to the side of the green, and in the direction of the next tee, never in front of the green. This will enable quick movement off of the green TOWARD the next tee.

• Never stand on or next to the green after holing out in order to write down your score. Write it down when you reach the next tee. This way the group behind you can hit into the green as soon as you drive off.

• Play "ready golf," which simply means that order of play is based on who's ready, not who's away. This means that if you are ready to hit your ball, go ahead and do so. You do not need to adhere to the etiquette rules of golf where the person most far from the hole plays first. (In a tournament, you should adhere to the etiquette rules.)

• Put on your head covers when the next player is hitting.

• Clean your clubs while someone else is hitting, not when everyone is waiting for you to hit.

• On the green, the first one in the hole should "man" the flagstick. Be ready to put the flagstick in the hole after everyone has putted out.

• Limit your practice swings (this will also make the round much less exhausting). Work on building a concise pre-shot routine. If your pre-shot routine is a lengthy one, it's probably in your best interests to shorten it anyway. Limit practice strokes to one or two at the most.

• Each group should have their own "marshal" that will monitor the group's pace of play, and the group's position in relationship to the other groups. If someone is taking too many practice swings or taking too long to look for a ball, the "marshal" should talk to the slower player in private. No one should get mad or have hurt feelings – it is the "marshal's "job". This is just a way to keep up a good pace.

• Once you reach your maximum score, pick up your ball.

• Practice is prohibited, unless the group is playing at a fast enough pace to allow time for practice. During a tournament, or a mini-tournament, practice is NOT allowed.

• Have your glove on and be ready to hit on the tee.

• Try to decide what club you will be using while the others are playing – before your turn to play.

• If you're the type who likes to offer tips to playing partners, save it for the driving range, or do so only when you are sure that you are not slowing down play.

• When waiting on the tee for the group in front to clear the fairway, don't be so strict about order of play. Let the short hitter - who can't reach the group ahead anyway – hit first.

• Don't bother marking lag putts - go ahead and putt out if it's short enough.

• Leave your cell phone in the car.

• Walk at a good pace between shots.

• When chipping around the green, carry the club you have chosen for chipping, plus your putter.

• Unless you are in a tournament, once you have reached your maximum score, pickup your ball.