Should the number of holes be reduced?

Letree

Rory was interviewed yesterday and he remarked that the popularity of golf is declining slightly. He says that people just don't have the 5 or 6 hours spare to spend on the golf course.

What would peoples opinions of reducing the number of holes from 18 to 14 or even 12 holes.

él statutorio

Or even 9......

You don't have to play 18 holes every time you know.....

Letree

él statutorio wrote: »

Or even 9......

You don't have to play 18 holes every time you know.....

I mean for weekend competitions etc.

FixdePitchmark

Golf is too slow and long.

I target 3 to 3.5 hour rounds after that - it is a once a month 4+ hr round.
Away playing golf for 6 hours is a joke.

I target leaving playing and back in 4 hours total.

Even that is too long - 3 hours or less should be the real target.

Manach

That time seems to be on the high scale.
Usually play with a friend, first thing in the morning - 3.5 - 4 hours.

slave1

When you're out, you're out, travel time etc is fixed, if it was 27 holes I'd prefer it. I'm a big Rory fan but what he said about the problem being at grass roots and not at pro level is a load of bollix, those guys spend ages over their shots, you see this more in full coverage tournaments and not the typical ones where you just see the shot being struck. But I agree courses are too long for the average Joe and spending time looking for balls is a killer but that is course design and not 'us' IMHO.

Senna

Christ I get out of the house of 4 hours, don't take that away from me!!!

PARlance

Senna wrote: »

Christ I get out of the house of 4 hours, don't take that away from me!!!

Played a round in under 3 hours one morning in a quick 2 ball. I had to stay back practicing for an hour after it. Can't be letting herself think a 3 hour round is possible

Letree

Senna wrote: »

Christ I get out of the house of 4 hours, don't take that away from me!!!

I'm actually quite happy for it to stay at 18 holes as i have plenty of time free at the weekends. I just wonder what the future of golf is in an ever busier world.

tayto lover

If you can't give it the time then give it up.

Golf is to be enjoyed. I don't like slow play but it's not a race either.
If i'm away for 6 hours then so be it.
It's only twice a week.
I like a pint after a game and maybe a sandwich with the playing partners.
The other half knows the score and accepts it so what the Hell.

Senna

Exactly, my home course is a par 68 and we can tee off in a 4 ball at 8am, be in the club house well before 11.30 and home not long after 12. If it was a longer round, I still wouldn't mind.
Thats a nice pace, never rushed but never slow either. I don't like too long a travel to golf, my old course was nearly an hour away, so 6+ hours away was normal for a quick round, a slow round took up your full day, that was a pain.

Wichita Lineman

If I wanted to race around I'd join an athletics club not a golf club! Having said that I am not a slow player and am always ready to take my shot. Courses need to manage their rough to cater for the average joe and that would speed it up. I'd agree with less holes for beginners and or kids - if they wanted to play less then they could. 18 holes in 4-4.5 hours is quite acceptable for a fourball and long may it continue.

The guys on TV pass on bad habits to us lesser mortals by making some people think the longer they spend hovering the better they will be. If you want to take 8 practice swings before every shot I suggest the range is the place for you.

m1ck007

Should the number of holes be reduced? No. Should there be harsher penalties on slow play for pros and amateurs alike? Yes.

Rikand

Letree wrote: »

Rory was interviewed yesterday and he remarked that the popularity of golf is declining slightly. He says that people just don't have the 5 or 6 hours spare to spend on the golf course.

What would peoples opinions of reducing the number of holes from 18 to 14 or even 12 holes.

The problem isnt the 18 holes. The problem is the people who take 5-6 hours to play them. Disgraceful behaviour.

Rikand

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Golf is too slow and long.

I target 3 to 3.5 hour rounds after that - it is a once a month 4+ hr round.
Away playing golf for 6 hours is a joke.

I target leaving playing and back in 4 hours total.

Even that is too long - 3 hours or less should be the real target.

Maybe 3 hours around par 54's like corballis is doable. But on real courses in a 4-ball. Its just not doable

Montgolfier

I need all 18 holes, the first 4 I'm only warming up and I need the other 14 to put in a respectable score.
If time is a problem play pitch and putt or remove all the rough so guys don't spend time searching for balls.

braddun

5-6 hours with a beer in the hand

dan_ep82

I'd say he meant in the US, they seem to have real issues with slow play

Rikand

Letree wrote: »

Rory was interviewed yesterday and he remarked that the popularity of golf is declining slightly. He says that people just don't have the 5 or 6 hours spare to spend on the golf course.

What would peoples opinions of reducing the number of holes from 18 to 14 or even 12 holes.

Gotta admit. If i only played 12 holes of golf, I'd certainly have the time to get to a lot more award shows.....

GreeBo

You only need 9 holes for handicap purposes these days.

12 is great fun in winter, but the problem is people, not the course in the vast majority of situations.

superhooper

IMO Its all stage of life relevant really. If you have small kids 4-5 hours out brings a lot of pressure on everyone.Early morning tee times are always in demand and can't always be got plus you could be UP several times during the night!! There is nothing worse that saying to your spouse that it could be 4 hours but might be 5 etc.etc. I actually love the 10 hole comps in the winter as I can get more of them in and back Rorys point up. I find that in my club many of the members are quite senior and time at the weekend isn't that precious and golf is more of a day out and more power to them. So in general golf memberships are not so suited to the parents of younger families hence I will have to give up my membership for a time.

Russman

GreeBo wrote: »

but the problem is people, not the course in the vast majority of situations.

This ^^^^ absolutely.

If people just paid attention and were ready to hit when it was their turn, a huge element of the problem (if not all of it) would be solved right away.

There's a load of rubbish gets thrown out about golf not being a race whenever slow play is mentioned. No, of course its not a race, but 3.5-4 hours isn't racing, people miss that point IMHO. Even at that, there still should be enough leeway to do the trivial things like light up a cigarette, take a p1ss, look for the odd lost ball etc. etc.

alxmorgan

Russman wrote: »

This ^^^^ absolutely.

If people just paid attention and were ready to hit when it was their turn, a huge element of the problem (if not all of it) would be solved right away.

There's a load of rubbish gets thrown out about golf not being a race whenever slow play is mentioned. No, of course its not a race, but 3.5-4 hours isn't racing, people miss that point IMHO. Even at that, there still should be enough leeway to do the trivial things like light up a cigarette, take a p1ss, look for the odd lost ball etc. etc.

Amen. Preach on brother, preach on.

HighLine

To the Op's question - Should the number of holes be reduced? - Certainly not.

Should people be ready to play when it's their turn? Yes.

Should Keegan Bradleyesque pre-shot players be relegated to playing on their own.... at night time? Yes.

Should Mr. 20 practice swings be the recipient of a 9-iron wrapped around his neck? Yes.

Should the guy who insists on using a poker chip as a marker have it shoved up his own hole? Yes.

Should the guy who always waits until his playing partner has finished putting before beginning the process of reading his putt from every angle imaginable, be placed at the 100 yard marker board at the local range and used as target practice? Yes.

That is all.

Zardoz

GreeBo wrote: »

You only need 9 holes for handicap purposes these days.

Thats an interesting development ,I wasnt aware of this until now ,my club doesnt seem to be promoting it or even implementing it .

I rarely play 18 holes now due to the time involved and also due to back and knee injuries.
I usually play 9-12 holes in the evenings as I can play to my handicap of 5 but after that the body usually starts to act up and I will be sore for a few days afterwards as my home course is very hilly and tiring.
I honestly dont know how some of the older guys get around 18 holes .
2 balls around 9 holes = 18 holes for me most of the time.:)

GreeBo

Zardoz wrote: »

Thats an interesting development ,I wasnt aware of this until now ,my club doesnt seem to be promoting it or even implementing it .

I rarely play 18 holes now due to the time involved and also due to back and knee injuries.
I usually play 9-12 holes in the evenings as I can play to my handicap of 5 but after that the body usually starts to act up and I will be sore for a few days afterwards as my home course is very hilly and tiring.
I honestly dont know how some of the older guys get around 18 holes .
2 balls around 9 holes = 18 holes for me most of the time.:)

Our mens club dont do it, but the ladies do, my mum often plays 9 hole comp.

gman127

I think we're dancing around the real issue here - the 40+ hour working week!!

Leaves no time for golf!

Dr Devious

Reduce the time spent looking for balls from 4 to 2 minutes and play a provisional if you think your in bother from the tee. Forget about about the honour on the tee, if someone scratches a hole they should be on the next tee waiting to pull the trigger to keep it moving. Realistically It'll never happen, when all is said and done, there are people who are fast and efficient about most things walking, talking, eating, drinking driving etc etc, then they're are others who are moderately paced about the same things and of course those who are bloody slow, droll and deliberate about everything. Slow play hasn't suddenly crept in to the game in recent years, its been there since the dawn of golf, pity is some are better at it than others.

mister gullible

Just hit your fecking shot and walk on. The country is full of ditherers who would play better if they just woke up. Would drive anyone mad!

charlieIRL

I don't think the amount of holes should be reduced, when I plan to play a round of golf I allow adequate time for it. I never head out thinking "i need this to be an x hour round ttone home by y"

charlieIRL

GreeBo wrote: »

You only need 9 holes for handicap purposes these days.

12 is great fun in winter, but the problem is people, not the course in the vast majority of situations.

When I was handing in my 3 cards I handed in a 4th of 9 holes I had played in between them (only a couple over for the 9) and the card wasn't considered!!

searay

18 holes is the right number in the summer for the main competitions.

Our club's first 12 holes loop back to the clubhouse so the midweek competions and winter leagues are run over the 12 and it boosts the numbers playing and entering those comps. We can all play the last 6 if we've time and the weather is ok.

In the short winter days, I find it's easier to get out for 12 and it makes frost delays less of an issue. Similarly 12 holes in the showers doesn't feel like an ordeal and it's enough to keep the game going.

superhooper

charlieIRL wrote: »

I don't think the amount of holes should be reduced, when I plan to play a round of golf I allow adequate time for it. I never head out thinking "i need this to be an x hour round ttone home by y"

Fair enough, but I'm just wondering if there are many others on here with small kids?

GreeBo

superhooper wrote: »

Fair enough, but I'm just wondering if there are many others on here with small kids?

anyone I know with small kids either plays before 9 or after lunch, as before 9 is much faster and after lunch usually means nothing to rush home to.

tayto lover

When my kids were small I played at 7 am and was home by 12 or 1 o'clock.

stockdam

gman127 wrote: »

I think we're dancing around the real issue here - the 40+ hour working week!!

Leaves no time for golf!

That's my problem. If and when I get to the course then I'd like 72 holes or as many as I can play before dark.............floodlit courses would be cool as well as ones with undersoil heating

stockdam

tayto lover wrote: »

When my kids were small I played at 7 am and was home by 12 or 1 o'clock.

You rotter. So you left your wife and kids for 17 or 18 hours!

Rikand

stockdam wrote: »

You rotter. So you left your wife and kids for 17 or 18 hours!

Rotter ?

More like legend!

Sean_pop

No!!

Some people spend that time and much longer in the Pub.

superhooper

superhooper wrote: »

Fair enough, but I'm just wondering if there are many others on here with small kids?

GreeBo wrote: »

anyone I know with small kids either plays before 9 or after lunch, as before 9 is much faster and after lunch usually means nothing to rush home to.

Yes I mainly played the early tee times if I could get them as they were really hard to get.

charlieIRL

superhooper wrote: »

Fair enough, but I'm just wondering if there are many others on here with small kids?

my kids are 9 & 11!!

But with me, I only play weekday golf as I just don't have the time during the weekend with the kids activities and sports so I head out after work and i'm home when i'm home!! Only played one Sunday this year and the few Saturdays with the society.

digginz

It wouldn't be that much of a change if golf was reduce from 18 to 15 holes and it would save around 40min

I'm happy to play 18 but if it was changed to 15 I wouldn't mind

alxmorgan

Keep it at 18. But let's keep it moving. No need to race. But 4 hours is plenty for a fourball. I do it all the time with a wide range of handicaps.

It's the guys not being ready to play who are mostly to blame.

Sean_pop

It will always be 18 holes!!

superhooper

charlieIRL wrote: »

my kids are 9 & 11!!

But with me, I only play weekday golf as I just don't have the time during the weekend with the kids activities and sports so I head out after work and i'm home when i'm home!! Only played one Sunday this year and the few Saturdays with the society.

So it probably gets harder to get out as the kids get older depending on what they are into. I would think Soc golf is my future.

alxmorgan

superhooper wrote: »

So it probably gets harder to get out as the kids get older depending on what they are into. I would think Soc golf is my future.

Thing I find with society golf is it takes much longer. Longer travel, start later, guys not as used to playing etc all add to the time.

First light Sunday morning is the trick with young kids. Home by lunch

Mickiwi

Just before having a family myself I received the best advice from a few older mates who already had kids. "Make sure you start as you mean to go on". 18 Holes every Sunday without fail.... rain, wind whatever... 4-5 hours once a week is not too much to ask. If the weather is so bad the course is closed then the range it is! Personally would not want to see any courses built shorter, hate the fact that some courses go to 12-14 holes in winter, but a round and a bit of practice never hurt anyone..

I have had a couple of mates take the "year off" golf when starting their family and a game of golf for them is a now rear thing with months of planning...