Lesson 4: Playing at the Right Pace
Golf has one of the most important and most often broken etiquette rules of all: play at a good pace.
A round of golf for two people should take about two and a half to three hours. When golfers play too slowly — taking too long to decide on a club, searching for a lost ball for ten minutes, walking slowly between shots — it backs up every group behind them and can ruin the whole experience for a dozen people.
Playing at a good pace does not mean rushing. It means being ready — knowing your next shot before it is your turn, walking directly to your ball, and keeping the game moving.
A helpful idea is called ready golf: instead of waiting in strict order, whoever is ready to play goes first. This is encouraged in casual rounds and keeps the game moving nicely.
Etiquette: Keep up with the group ahead of you. Be ready to play when it is your turn. If your group falls a full hole behind the group ahead, let the group behind play through.
Have you ever been waiting for something to start — a movie, a meal, a game — while someone else was taking a really long time? How did that feel? How is that feeling connected to pace of play in golf?
Walk a hole on the course with your parent and time how long it takes from one tee to the next green, doing everything the slow way: searching for clubs, walking slowly, taking extra practice swings. Write down the time. Now walk the same hole doing everything the efficient way: ready to play, walking directly to the ball, no unnecessary delays. Write down that time. How different is it? Multiply the difference by 18 holes. How much time does efficient play save in a round?