Fast play isn’t accomplished by hurrying. It is accomplished by simply not wasting time!

Slow rounds are a result of an accumulation of tiny time wasters. Strategies like parking your cart beside the green (while keeping all 4 tires on the cart path); bringing the rake into the bunker with you and entering the bunker close to your ball; avoiding story-telling and jokes on the tee with an open fairway ahead; getting ready to tee off and realizing you broke your tee on the previous hole and now you have to go back to the cart to get a new tee; waiting for the group in front of you to clear the green just in case you hit the shot of your lifetime.

If the average round of golf for a foursome takes approximately four hours to complete and each player in your group shoots 90, that is a total of 360 shots for the foursome. If you break down the round by time, a typical four hour round consists of 90 minutes of travel time from tee to green, 30 minutes for delays such as looking for lost balls, stopping at the bathroom, ordering from the concession or beverage cart and general housekeeping on the course. This leaves 120 minutes or 20 seconds per shot, for each player to prepare and hit a shot. This may not seem like enough time to plan and complete your shot, but it is plenty of time if you are ready to hit when it is your turn. 

It’s the little things in life that count!

If each player in your group takes an extra 10 seconds to plan and hit a shot, that’s 3600 seconds more – we now have a FIVE HOUR ROUND! 

How can you and your group contribute to fast–paced golf?

• Before beginning your round, make sure you have enough tees in your pocket to play the round (two or three should do it), a ball marker and a green/divot repair tool.
• Be aware of your position to the group in front and keep up with that group.
• Be an advocate in your group for staying on pace and alert other players in your group if you feel your group is falling behind.
• Be ready to play your shot and be prepared to hit out of sequence if a player is not ready or able to hit.
• Don’t start a conversation on the tee if the fairway is open.  
• Watch intently in case you or your playing partner hits an errant shot so you can easily identify a landmark when looking for the ball.
• Don’t forget to carry a second ball with you so you won’t need to go back to your bag/cart for another ball if you hit your first ball in a hazard (or out of bounds) and need to re-tee or hit a provisional ball
• Shorter hitters should hit as soon as the group ahead is out of their way, regardless of the honors.
• Park your cart or place your bag in a position where the group behind you can hit to the green after your group walks off the green and it is on your way to the next tee.
• Place your spare clubs on the green on the exit route to your golf cart or bag.
• The first player to finish the hole is responsible for replacing the flag immediately upon completion of the hole.
• Record your scores on the card on the way or at the next tee, not at the green.

Chilliwack Golf Club has established an achievable pace of play of 4 hours. Maintaining pace of play should not be the burden of our Players Assistants; the responsibility is yours and your playing partners! Players Assistants are here to remind golfers to catch up should they fall out of position. If you are asked to play from the 150-yard marker on the next hole or to skip a hole entirely it is a requirement, not an option. It’s not fair for one group to ruin the golf experience of every group behind them.

Chilliwack GC is making an effort to master the art of fast play. Do your part so that our golf course can become an advocate and leader for proper pace of play.

Fast play isn’t accomplished by hurrying, it is accomplished by simply not wasting time.  
Thank you,

Charles Emard
Chilliwack Golf Club | Players Assistant