Slow Play in Club’s Match Play Tournament

[CBearse]

So every year my club has a “President’s Cup” match play tournament. And the past few times I have played I have been beaten by the same guy. He’s a 28 Hcp (I’m a 9.8), and plays at an excruciating pace. When I say excruciating I mean 5.5 hours to play 18 holes with only two people in match play. Every year he tears through half the field because his play is so slow it messes everyone up. He’s a nice enough guy and I don’t think he does it on purpose, I just think that’s how he plays. Literally will walk up to the flag if he’s 40yds off the green to look at break. Strange. He just won his first round and I will

be slotted against him next. Any thoughts on how to combat this? 
 

I thought about going to our club pro who sets up the tournament and complaining but they are all aware and I’m not sure what he would do about it anyway. Any advice is appreciated, thanks.

[Nickb333]

Player slower than he does? 

Edited July 7, 2024 by Nickb333
Sp

[Baitkiller]

Lol aimpoint the t box from a sitting cross legged yogi position. Focus on the line you must...

[goaliedad30]

I would make him putt EVERYTHING. And if he has a drop to take, make sure the process is perfect, without helping. Ask him to mark a ball if it's on the fringe anywhere near your line ... And if he cleans it, invoke the penalty. I'd also be watching for any *play out of turn" things and recall shots.

 

When he finally gets pissed off, I would point out that if he plays a little faster, this might stop ....

[caniac6]

Close him out early.

[rooski]

At that point I'd likely start playing with a bit less etiquette since it's clear he doesn't care about anybody else's time. I'd hit my shot and drive or walk up to the green waiting for him while standing near it

 

Maybe could be taken as rude but not sure it's any more rude than what he's doing

Edited July 7, 2024 by rooski

[Archimedes65]

There are a million things that you could do to get under his skin, but perhaps just talk to him?  Has anyone spoken to him about it?  Maybe start by talking to the pro and agreeing on a time limit for each nine.

 

Alternatively, you could do what I do:  don’t play in any of your Club tournaments.  Ours are routinely five and a half hour rounds, sometimes longer.  You couldn’t pay me to play in one of them.

[svlido]

The club should do something about it.  The tournament committee can set a pace of play (usually just under 4:00 for singles match play) and then time each player if your match is out of position according to the aggregate table.  

 

The rule would be 5.6 and the committee procedure can be found in 5H.

 

1st bad time warning, 2&3 loss of hole, 4th DQ.

[stratgolf]

2 hours ago, CBearse said:

So every year my club has a “President’s Cup” match play tournament. And the past few times I have played I have been beaten by the same guy. He’s a 28 Hcp (I’m a 9.8), and plays at an excruciating pace. When I say excruciating I mean 5.5 hours to play 18 holes with only two people in match play. Every year he tears through half the field because his play is so slow it messes everyone up. He’s a nice enough guy and I don’t think he does it on purpose, I just think that’s how he plays. Literally will walk up to the flag if he’s 40yds off the green to look at break. Strange. He just won his first round and I will

be slotted against him next. Any thoughts on how to combat this? 
 

I thought about going to our club pro who sets up the tournament and complaining but they are all aware and I’m not sure what he would do about it anyway. Any advice is appreciated, thanks.

 

Never seen a club tournament play quickly, but that does sound painful. Might be worth complaining about, even if it's just to try and get you matched up against someone else. Are his non-tournament rounds just as slow?

[g_nw]

2 hours ago, Archimedes65 said:

You couldn’t pay me to play in one of them.

✋🏻 I will play for pay 

[xxio]

Bring something to read. Let him see you reading it, while you wait for him to play.

 

When it's your turn, that's when you start your routine. 

Edited July 8, 2024 by xxio

[dcmidnight]

Is this a private club and are 5.5 hour rounds typical at your club?

 

I dont know if this is exaggeration or not but at my club 5.5 hours would literally cause people to turn homicidal. Our stated pace is 4:00, slow rounds like matches can be 4:15-4:20. How is the entire course not stacked up behind him?

 

And frankly if they aren't doing anything about it, the board should fire the entire shop staff. Their job is to police stuff like this for the entire membership.

 

Sorry/not sorry but that kind of crap really bugs me.

 

[mshills]

17 hours ago, caniac6 said:

Close him out early.

This is the right answer. Beat his behind. All the passive-aggressive advice is not going to do it, but here is what I’d do. 
 

Have a chat with him beforehand. Even better, do this in the pro shop with the pro right there. Tell him “look, I’m not going to speed-golf you, but you’re not going to slow-play me either. Our stated pace here is xxxx for a four ball, and there’s zero reason to exceed that for our match tomorrow, don’t you agree?”

[tatertot]

18 hours ago, CBearse said:

So every year my club has a “President’s Cup” match play tournament. And the past few times I have played I have been beaten by the same guy. He’s a 28 Hcp (I’m a 9.8), and plays at an excruciating pace. When I say excruciating I mean 5.5 hours to play 18 holes with only two people in match play. Every year he tears through half the field because his play is so slow it messes everyone up. He’s a nice enough guy and I don’t think he does it on purpose, I just think that’s how he plays. Literally will walk up to the flag if he’s 40yds off the green to look at break. Strange. He just won his first round and I will

be slotted against him next. Any thoughts on how to combat this? 
 

I thought about going to our club pro who sets up the tournament and complaining but they are all aware and I’m not sure what he would do about it anyway. Any advice is appreciated, thanks.

I would ridicule him non-stop. Why in the world would a 28 be checking a break from 40 yards out?

[goaliedad30]

2 hours ago, tatertot said:

I would ridicule him non-stop. Why in the world would a 28 be checking a break from 40 yards out?