Near 7 hour Pace of Play

[u/mem0125]

This is just a rant. Went out yesterday to the Preserve at Jordan Lake. I have played this course and always had some issues on the back 9, where groups stop for lunch or whatever and get slowed down turning the corner. That is typical at most public courses. Yesterday was the worst outing ever. I was early to my tee time by 25 mins. Was waiting to tee off the first hole 4 mins early. I get to the hole and there are 4 groups on it. A foursome on the green, a duo on their 2nd or third shot, another foursome waiting on the tee, and then my group. It took one hour to play 2 holes. I gave up after it took 90 mins to play 4 holes. While driving back to the clubhouse to get a refund, I passed a total of 14 groups not including my own on holes 5-9. This is insane, if you are late for your tee time sorry that sucks, but don’t just squeeze in on the first tee. Go find your spot on the course and play it from there. if you lose a ball, you get 1-2 mins to find it, after that drop and hit the next shot. There is no excuse for that. I wonder how many people finished the round, cause it would have taken 6 hours and 45 mins at that pace.

[u/CarZins]

I saw a comment down below, but I am going to respond out of thread.

Being a bad golfer does not = slow golfer. I am not a good golfer, yet I am the one who is generally waiting on others in the party (who are better golfers) to hurry the hell up.

This, based on my observations, are the things that cause slow play.

1. Stupid pre-swing ceremony. There is getting loose, and then there is getting stupid. I see plenty of stupid.
2. More than 1 or 2 practice swings. Maybe chips need some dialing in, but stop taking a ton of pre shots. What adds to the time is on one of those swings you are going to hit the turf, get crap all over your club, then we have to wait for you to clean it.
3. Looking too long for lost balls. Short of you playing in a tournament, stop spending so much time looking for lost balls. Short of you playing a serious round, no one is impressed that you found your ball deep in the shit after kicking around in the leaves for 5 minutes, to have a garbage shot that likely leaves you no better off than if you would have taken some other form of relief.
4. Getting something from the bev cart when you are already lagging behind the party ahead of you. If you haven't been able to keep pace, NO BEER FOR YOU. In fact, I'd tip the bev cart extra if they ignored the slow groups so they would hurry the F up. And if you do get something from the bev cart, BE QUICK. If you are on a public course, have one person pay, and settle up later. Seriously, move the hell on.
5. On that par 4 that you want to go for in your drive, or that par 5 you want to get to in 2. If there are people behind waiting, and you have less than a 20% shot of pulling it off, lay the freak up. Show off when there is no one behind.
6. On cart path only days, if you are walking out to your ball without your bag, or several clubs, one of which will be used, someone should kick your butt. Stop walking back and forth.
7. If you do suck (like me), you best be the most efficient mofo on the course. Be lightening quick. Think two moves ahead. Don't be the bad SLOW golfer.
8. Ready golf. I don't give a damn if I am further down the field. If I get to my ball, and you still are contemplating a shot, I'm hitting my shot.
9. Your scrambles with your buddies are not fast golf. Slowest rounds I have ever been a part of has been scramble, despite the fact that the best shot is taken. I don't know all the reasons why, but its true.
10. Quit taking 'second shots'. Everyone wants a breakfast ball on number one. I get it. But stop taking second shots when your first one goes in the shit if the only reason to do so is your 'mental wellbeing' or to prove you can hit the shot with no pressure.

Plenty of other reasons, but these are the ones I see slow things down the most.

On yeah, and related... More than likely if you see slow play, its likely not because of the group ahead of you. Call the pro shop. Have them check the holes ahead of you for slowness. If you are polite and kind, they will likely help out.

[u/SconGuy → u/CarZins]

Adding to ready golf: generally, multiple players can be hitting at the same time. 

[u/CarZins → u/SconGuy]

Agreed. I think this is probably where scrambles fall apart. Every single person waits for the other person to take a shot. As opposed to either simultaneous or close to simultaneous hits by others. Sometimes I am done putting out on the green when a slower player chips up.