PACE of PLAY POLICY

 

Introduction

This is a policy with the aims and objectives of addressing “slow play” as recommended by the rules of golf. It is to be adopted to ensure competition rounds are played at a prompt pace to make golf more enjoyable for everyone, by:

 

Background

AGC has encouraged a culture of playing 18 holes of golf in a time of approximately 4 hours and 20 mins

A round time allowance (RTA) is set by management for each round, based on judgement of the prevailing conditions and nature of the event.  All members, male and female are expected to conform to the RTA.

The best way to meet RTA is to stay no more than a shot behind the group in front, not a shot ahead of the group behind.

The same guidelines apply to non-competition golf and social players.

For competition play, prescribed penalties are sanctioned for groups who do not or will not comply with the RTA. Those penalties range from a warning to penalties to a suspension of playing rights.

These sanctions are only applied when good reason exists and can be appealed to the Captain /Match Committee.

At all times, it is the member’s responsibility to be aware of the Pace of Play Policy and accordingly, adhere to that policy whilst golfing at AGC. The final appeal and decision on any appeal lies with the Office Bearer, the Club Captain/ Match Committee or nominated person/s.

Round Time Allowances

4 hours 20 mins

 

 

AGC Management set and adjust RTAs at any time during the year to accommodate special conditions or circumstances.

COMPLIANCE & PENALTIES

The ideal result would be to avoid any penalty applications by gaining the willing compliance with the majority of the membership. This can be achieved with strong and effective communication of the Policy combined with informed and willing member support.

The last resort compliance option is the application of penalties. The sanctions, as a last resort option, are available to address those members or groups whose playing times go outside the agreed and published RTAs, do not heed counselling or warnings and have shown or show, no inclination or commitment to speeding up.

Identifying a slow group or a slow player

The gathered data for that competition day is to be reviewed the day after the competition has been completed.

A group or groups are behind the field if they fall more than a hole behind the group in front of them.  The Captain, Vice-Captain (or an authorised person) shall approach (email/phone call) those players in the group and ask for reasons why they fell behind. If there are not substantial reasons for the delay, based on facts, the group will be given an official warning.  

Who Can Apply Penalties?

• The Club Captain
• The Club Vice Captain
• The General Manager of Operations Manager or his/her authorised person

 

 

Appealing Penalties:  

A member who is penalised, may appeal the penalty by contacting the Club Captain within 24 hours of the penalty being levied. The Club Captain will review the facts and make a decision and that decision is final. Other than decisions that involve suspension of playing rights (with such decisions being made by the Board), any decision by the Club Captain on Pace of Play issues is not subject to appeal — it is final.

Repeat Offenders:

These players, after the application of 2 or more Pace of Play penalties, and with the approval of the AGC Board, are firstly banned from all competition events pending the results of a compulsory meeting with the Captain/Vice Captain Match Committee. Such problem players are then (after the meeting) only able to play with other nominated members (who are fast players) or they can only play at certain off peak times on the relevant competition days until they can demonstrate a faster rate of play.

Penalise Group Or Single Players?

Pace of Play penalties always apply to the group, not a single player.

If the penalty is to be applied for exceeding a RTA, each player in the group is penalised. That is a basic, non-negotiable part of the process and promotes group accountability for Pace of Play.

Should it become obvious that a single player is constantly part of a Pace of Play problem, that player will be privately approached by the club Captain or Vice-Captain for a discussion on the subject.

Getting Groups To “Speed Up” Without Penalties Or Threats:

Members of the AGC Board of Directors, will work informally with groups that are lagging to alert them of the problem and encourage increased speed. In the vast majority of cases, this may be all that is needed. 

It is the responsibility of the lowest marker in a group to take appropriate action to speed up the group’s pace of play.  Tips for increasing a group’s pace of play are contained in the last section of this policy.

 

Players Late for their Tee Times: 

This is not acceptable practice and greatly handicaps keeping the fields on time. In the context of speeding up play, the late players may be accommodated later in the field if possible and the other members of the group just hit off without the late player at the nominated time. The group does not wait for a later player.

 

 

A Group Hitting Off Late:

With the introduction of RTAs, the actual scheduled hit off time becomes the time at which the clock starts ticking. It is in the group’s interests to tee off on time and meet the RTA parameters.

 

 

High Markers and Senior Members: 

Often, high markers and senior members simply cannot keep up with the required Pace of Play. This is a particularly delicate matter in that some of the club’s most senior members may be affected. These members are given consideration and their golfing needs accommodated where realistically possible. Unfortunately, it is a fact of life that the vast majority can and will meet the RTA figures and has expressed a clear desire to do so as it does increase the majority’s enjoyment of the game. This being so, the majority must be accommodated, within reason, first, and then the minority organised with the best remaining options.

For a Member in this category, he or she must consider tee times that best accommodate their situation and not cause a potential problem by falling behind and delaying the whole field.

It is common knowledge that many high markers, not always senior members, are slow because they are having lots of hits or cannot find their ball on multiple occasions. It is not reasonable that these high markers should constantly slow down the field and reduce the majority’s enjoyment of the game.

New Members and Pace Of Play:

It is critical that new members are alerted to the Core Values of the Club very early in their membership process, which is why the AGC Board of Directors encourage new members to attend the New Member Evenings, which are organised regularly throughout the year. Each new member are responsible for familiarising themselves with the AGC Pace of Play policy and Golf Etiquette in general.  

Managing RTAs:  The responsibility for the day to day management and implementation of the Pace of Play Policy belongs to the AGC Board of Directors, namely Captain and Vice-Captain and the AGC General Manager, and appointed staff.

TIPS TO SPEED UP PLAY

Before Teeing Off ….

• Be aware of your actual hit off time and the relevant first tee.
• Be at the first tee several minutes BEFORE the actual tee off time.
• Sort out the scorecards, ball selection, any side games etc. BEFORE the actual hit off time arrives.
• Be ready to tee off immediately upon arriving at the tee block, and deal with any card marking etc. AFTER teeing off

When You Are Playing ….

• Move between shots at a brisk pace, and be ready to hit as soon it is safe and your turn to do so.

(Generally, the player whose ball lies furthest from the green hits first.)

• Watch not only where your ball goes but also where the balls of other players in your group go.
• Find your ball first and if safe and practical to do so, play your shot before going to help find another player’s ball. Remember that the rules of golf limit the time to search for a lost ball to 3 minutes.
• Promptly work out the distance, club, and shot type as soon as you arrive at your ball, ( do not start that process only when it is your turn to hit ).
• If your group is falling behind the group in front, adopt a “hit when ready” routine while observing safety and courtesy at all times.
• Keep up with the other players in your group at all times.
• Avoid multiple practice swings – the Club has a practice area that is perfect for that activity.
• Play a provisional ball if you think your ball may have gone out of bounds or into an area in which it may be hard to find. The rules of golf allow for that to be done.
• Become familiar with the basic rules relating to a ball going into a hazard, a lost ball and an unplayable lie.
• When approaching a green, look for the route to the following tee and park your bag/buggy on a line between the flag and the path to the next tee.
• Mark the card at the tee between tee shots rather than holding up play while everyone stands around and marks their cards.

On And Around The Greens ….

• When approaching the green, look for the route to the following tee and park your bag/buggy on a line between the flag and the route to the next tee.
• If your ball is the most distant from the hole, and it is your turn to putt first, move promptly to your ball on the green and have it cleaned and ready to put as soon as the other players get to the green.
• Avoid endless examinations of lines and borrows – there is no evidence to support a “more study = more putts holed” case for most club golfers.
• The player most distant from the hole putts first and the other players line up their putts while waiting.
• However, if the most distant player is not ready to putt and you are the next most distant from the flag, it is OK to play your putt whilst the other player gets to his or her ball.
• Avoid commencing the ball cleaning and line up process only when it is your turn to putt. Do those jobs whilst others are putting so that you are immediately ready to putt when it is your turn.
• Putt out ( do not mark and rest ) unless the putt out would interfere with another player’s line or there is a very good reason to wait.
• After you have putted out, and if you are not called upon to attend the flag, move to the exit point on the green that is in line with the route to the next tee.
• When all players have putted out, promptly vacate the green and move to the next tee.

Ready Golf

Ready golf is a commonly used term which indicates that players should play when they are ready to do so, rather than adhering strictly to the “farthest from the hole plays first” stipulation in the Rules of Golf.

Ready golf is not appropriate in match play due to the strategy involved between opponents and the need to have a set method for determining which player plays first. However, in stroke play formats it is only the act of agreeing to play out of turn to give one of the players an advantage that is prohibited. On this basis, it is permissible for administrators to encourage ready golf in stroke play, and there is strong evidence to suggest that playing ready golf does improve the pace of play. When ready golf is being encouraged, players have to act sensibly to ensure that playing out of turn does not endanger other players.

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