Is Slow Play on the Golf Course an Epidemic?

If you subscribe to any of the popular golf magazines or watch The Golf Channel, you have probably noticed an upswing in the amount of time spent talking about “slow play”.  Slow play isn’t new to golf but it seems like it has only been in the last few years where some professionals and experts have started calling it “an epidemic” and that it is “ruining the game of golf.”

While an exceedingly slow pace of play can drive anyone crazy, I am not so certain that I would go as far to say that the game of golf is being ruined by slow play.  I play between 40 to 50 rounds a year at courses all over the GTA and central Ontario, and this year, I have even had the privilege of playing some great courses in the States and the on the east coast.  Although I have had my fair share of slower than usual rounds, only once would I say that a round this year was ruined by slow play (picture an overbooked course in the west end of Toronto on Father’s Day where they’re offering free golf for kids).

The issue really isn’t about a round being played slowly that makes most people angry.  If I’m in a twosome, I can accept that I won’t be going anywhere quickly if there’s a long line of foursomes in front of me.  For me, this so called epidemic is really about a lack of etiquette or an understanding of the unwritten rules of golf.  Because of this lack of understanding, the game is occasionally, and needlessly, reduced to a snail’s pace.  I enjoy golf because of the etiquette that has evolved in the game but I sometimes take it for granted that I learned this etiquette at a very young age and that newer players may not fully understand the finer points of the unwritten rules of golf.  To make things even more confusing, some of these etiquette rules should be broken in order to make the round more enjoyable.  For example, many of us have been taught to play honour golf, where the person with the lowest score on the last hole shoots first.  We’ve also been taught that the person furthest from the hole is away, and that we should wait for them to shoot before we take our turn.  For the most part, honour golf is the most enjoyable way to make your way around the course BUT when it’s busy, everyone should be playing ready golf. 

While most golfers understand what ready golf is, surprisingly few people play ready golf.  If a group is behind you, and if a golfer is ready to hit and is standing on the tee-deck with a club in their hand, and the person who is technically supposed to hit is cleaning a club or a ball, or is trying to make a club selection, then by all means, whoever is ready should step up and hit.  I have seen a lot of golfers not want to break protocol though, and in doing so, hold up the pace of play.  If that’s the case, then a simple, “I’m ready” is enough to let your group know that you understand you’re not technically supposed to be away, but for the sake of the sanity of everyone around you, you’re teeing it up.

Ready golf should also be played on the fairways and around the greens.  If a foursome is scattered all over the fairway, the person who has reached their ball first should hit as long as it is safe to do so.  Too many times I have seen a person stand beside their ball on one side of the fairway, waiting for a playing partner to reach their ball when the honour to hit is really only a matter a few yards.  The same goes for around the greens.  A person who is standing at their ball and waiting to chip while the person with the honour is parking the cart or is taking a long route around the green to their ball, should usually chip away (unless a ball needs to be marked, etc.).

I am not suggesting that golfers need to speed their way around a course and I am certainly not trying to eliminate the etiquette of the honour system, but there is a big difference between an enjoyable pace and a glacial crawl around the links.  If every group on the course played ready golf just once every hole, and it saved about a minute of playing time per hole, the average foursome might play at a pace 15-20 minutes faster than if they played honour golf. 

Ready golf is only one way of improving the pace of play.  Over the coming weeks, I’ll post a few more entries about how golfers can improve their enjoyment of the round without having to run around the course.  In the meantime, Bushwood would love to hear from you.  Leave a comment.  Let other golfers know what you do to ensure that you play within the recommended time.

If you’ve enjoyed this entry please sign up to follow the Bushwood Blog and to leave comments.  To sign up for Contests and Promos and to follow the exploits of Caddyshack Carl, be sure to follow Carl Spackler on Twitter:  Carl Spackler @bushwoodblog

Introducing Caddyshack Carl: Bushwood's Latest Blogger

Hello all.  Caddyshack Carl here.  I am thrilled to be taking over the writing and reporting duties for the Bushwood Blog.  There was a lot of talk about what my first blog should be about.  Some said that I should offer golf tips, while others suggested that I should write about two-time Master’s champion Bubba being a fan of playing and practicing at Bushwood.  Yes, the coming posts will feature all of that stuff and more but after a lot of debate, it was decided that the Bushwood course itself should be the star of Caddyshack Carl’s first entry.  Starting today, I’m going post the first of a series of eighteen entries, each one describing each hole and how different Bushwood golfers like to play that hole.  We’ll look at the hole from a pro’s perspective as well as through the minds of mid-to high handicappers.  Let’s get down to it…

Hole #1: Par 4 

Tees = Red: 300 yards, White: 357 yards,  Blue: 389 yards  Gold: 400 yards

I love this opening hole.  It is a fair opening test but can put you into bogey trouble early in your round if you’re not careful.  The first hole provides golfers with the chance to score well early provided they keep their tee shot in the fairway.  Despite the sand trap, there is a little room for error left but all of the rain this year has made the rough deep and thick so a shot at the green will require some strength and smart club selection.  Don’t miss right!!! The large pine and shorter trees can wreak havoc with a second shot and will often take away your chances of making par.

Keep in mind that the hole often plays shorter than it appears as it’s downhill and the prevailing winds are often at your back.  Long hitters playing the whites might want to consider a 3 wood or even an iron off the tee (like Andrew from men’s league does) as the creek might be in play for them if they choose driver.  Even long drivers playing Blues and Golds should consider the conditions carefully before they pull out the big dog.  In dry conditions, I’ve seen the creek and surrounding long grass swallow long running drives.  Red tee hitters should focus on keeping the ball on the right side of the fairway, cutting the distance to the green on their second shot. 

The second shot for Blue and Gold golfers should be an easy wedge or low iron to the green if you’ve struck your tee shot well.  Depending on your strength and distance, Red tee hitters or White tee hitters might have the creek to contend with.  Low to mid handicappers shouldn’t be afraid of going for the pin here.  This green is generally soft and receptive to any high flight shot.  High handicappers should aim for the centre of the green, knowing that long putts on this hole are makeable.  For all levels, chose your second club carefully—I would rather be short and chipping/putting from the front of the green, than trying to lob a ball close from a bad lie behind the green.

Once you’re on the dancefloor, recall the speed of the practice green and consider the back to front slope.  This green generally has very little break but often plays faster than its soft surface suggests.  It’s not lightning, but even after a rain, I’m usually long on most putts over 15 feet. 

Pro Tip:  Pro Scotty says, “High off the tee.  I don’t want any roll into trouble or into the rough.  Even if you’re short, fairway, fairway, fairway.”

Proshop Robby and Sean both say, “Driver off the tee (Golds)”.

Red Tee Tip: Bushwood regular Lucy says, “I don’t have the strength to hit the green in two so I lay up at the creek and go for the green in three.  My third shot is usually a low loft shot that runs off the fairway onto the green.  This is one of the easier greens so I have a chance to make a putt for par.  If not, a two putt still gives me bogey and that’s not a bad start me.”

Mind Blowing Fact: Bubba hit an iron from the Gold tees and flew the creek.  He is able to generate a ball speed of 194mph (312km/h).

Thanks for reading.  If you’ve enjoyed this entry please sign up to follow the Bushwood Blog and to leave comments.  To sign up for Contests and Promos and to follow the exploits of Caddyshack Carl, be sure to follow Carl Spackler on Twitter:  Carl Spackler @bushwoodblog

Favourite Club

What's your favourite club? No, I'm not talking about the bar down the street, I'm talking about your golf club. 

One of the weekly games that our Ladies' League plays, I will call it 'Take it or Leave it', only lets them play with a few clubs. The rules of the game are:

1. Take your putter
2. Choose 3 other clubs
3. Leave everything else behind in your car
4. Using only those 4 clubs, play golf

Sounds daunting right? Yes, it has its challenges, but this is what's great about it. Some ladies take the easy route and choose their 3 favourite clubs to accompany the putter. But if you wanted a challenge, you should take your 3 weakest clubs. Why? Because this way you are forced to use them and practice making them work for you. 

For example, I am terrible at using hybrids. I just can't get them to work to my advantage. So when I carry my whole set of clubs with me, I often opt for a club I'm more comfortable with. Yes, it's great to hit a nice shot, but I'm losing out on a) getting use of my hybrids and b) I never give myself the chance to learn to use them.

This way, with only 3 clubs and a putter, when you're out on the fairway and your favourite clubs are in yards away the car, you have no other choice but to learn how to make it work for you.

So next time you're out for a less-serious round, play Take it or Leave it. Choose 3 clubs and putter and play your round. What will you do? Take the easy way out, or the hard way out?

Online Dating

This is a weighted title. Those two words hold a lot of heat. A recent trend? I'm not so sure it's still 'recent', but it is definitely still trending. It started with E-Harmony, then Match.com, and now plenty-of-fish and ok-cupid. The online dating service is expanding. 

This topic has been heavily discussed and now it's time to take it to the Bushwood Blog. I've been avoiding this topic for a while now, and I think it's finally time to face it. 

Lets weigh the pro's and con's:


PROS
-get to know someone first before going on a date
-no awkward conversation of if the person is interested in a relationship or not (otherwise, why would they be on the website)
-matched with the right personality (or so the websites claim)
-time saver
-avoid the awkward 'asking out' interaction in public

CONS
-lacks originality
-minimal effort (could be a pro?)
-no physical interaction
-lacks personal touch
-LOTS of fish in the sea (almost too many to weed out)
-lose the ability to interact in person and feel the first spark

So here's the dilemma: online dating has spread beyond its original target group of 35 year olds and up. Now, it encompasses almost every age group. You have to be 18 to join, but really? 18 year olds don't need to be on a dating website. That's just wrong. Today when I came home, my roommate told me about her friend that was going on a date with someone she met on Match.com. First of all, what 21 year old needs to pay for an online dating site. We are in our prime to go out and meet people, especially in university. Second of all, what 21 year old MALE is likely to go on an online dating site...probably not someone I'd want to date. So as a female, is the online dating pool limited? 

I just don't know which way to go on this debate. Yes, it's great for meeting people if you don't have the opportunity to. But if you do have the opportunity, get out from behind the screen and meet them on your own time at your own pace.

What are your thoughts? 

Golf Gadgets

While trying to come up with a topic for my next posting, I decided to do some research. I did some googling and came across a product that...well, I don't really know what to say about this product.

So, before I tell you what it is, lets play a guessing game. See if you can figure out the product from these hints:

1. Goes in your golf bag
2. Provides you with one of the necessities of life
3. Has two physical states: solid and liquid
4. Battery operated
5. Completes your golf game

Stumped yet?? It's the Drink Dispensing Driver (highlight over the blank area to see the answer)

After reading the product description here, http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/20130422/drink-dispensing-driver/ I discovered that it isn't actually a useable golf club. Thank goodness! But for $89.95, you can disguise your drinks in this golf club look-a-like. Powered by 2 AA batteries, this product claims to hold 54oz (about 6 cups) of liquid while maintaining the temperature for up to 5 hours.

For those of you who love to give gag gifts at Christmas, I think this will be the perfect thing. Although it comes at a hefty price ($89.95...seriously!?) it would be interesting to see if it actually works. 

But before you think about ordering this item, take a look at the image - it appears to be just half a driver shaft with an attachment to what looks to be inside a pocket in the golf bag. Rip off! For $89.95, I expect a full golf club shaft.

Regardless, it's an ideal solution to quenching your thirst on the course before the Beverage Cart makes its rounds. Or of course, just grab a good-ole fashioned water bottle like everyone else does...

    VS

Labour Day Weekend

Well everyone, it's officially the Labour Day Long Weekend. The last weekend of the summer before the kids all go back to school and life gets a little more chaotic. Juggling the different emotions that everyone has getting back into a routine can be a challenge. And on top of that, there are school/work lunches to be made, clothes to be laid out the night before, shopping to be done, and I'm sure I left a few things out.

Handling and coordinating a smooth transition back into 'life' can be difficult. Here are a few handy tips to remember:

*The kids are feeling anxious - just remember, anxiety is a normal hormonal reaction, especially with change going on. Keep your cool and remind yourself that 'this too shall pass'. Take it minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day.

*The stress is causing your grey hair to come out - well, this too is a natural reaction. Handle your stress as best you can by getting a daily organizer to strategize and plan out your days and weeks. And most importantly, stop by Shoppers Drug Mart for that root touch up kit.

*Shopping for new outfits - ugh, the dreaded shopping day. Remember to keep your patience in tact, and just go with the flow. Eat a good breakfast and bring water with you. You never know when you're going to get a stress headache and need to hydrate.

*Back to school/work lunches - the handiest tip for lunches is to do it the night before. Not only will this save you time in the morning, but you can also sleep easy knowing there's one less thing to get done tomorrow. A piece of fruit, a sweet treat, something to drink and a solid PB & J sandwich will always do the trick in a pinch.

So, for all of your adults that are easing into the 'new year', that which is the school year, remember to keep your cool and go with the flow. Organization is one of the most helpful things you can do for yourself to save both time and energy.

And lastly, since you are all under more stress this weekend, use that extra day for yourself. Grab your clubs and come up to Bushwood for our Long Weekend Golf and Cart Specials. And if you aren't a golfer, that's fine too! Come into the Caddyshack for a cold beer or two or three!

See you there ;)

Sizzling Summer Season

As summer draws to a close and labour day approaches, the golf summer season is drawing to a close as well. Bushwood has had a great summer season with great prices! And just because summer is ending, doesn't mean the great deals are ending too.This labour day weekend, Bushwood is the place to be. With awesome golf and cart combos, it's the perfect way to wrap up the summer season and tee off into the fall. 

As the saying goes 'when one door closes, another one opens', the same goes for trends in golf. With the fall golf season approaching, new trends are emerging. Recently, the talk of the (golf) town has been the peak of teenagers taking over in the industry. We are seeing amazing talent in young golfers on the televised golf tournaments.

Referencing back to a previous post, 'The Truth About Youth', it just goes to show that the youth of today have a strong interest in golf and they are going far with it. Hopefully this trend of youth golfers will continue into upcoming seasons and be passed down to the even younger generations!