Pace of Play

This section has been compiled in order to encourage golfers to improve their pace of play on the course. The following are common sense guidelines which, if you follow will improve your pace without sacrificing your enjoyment of the game.

Prior to Teeing Off

• Pay for your game and collect your score card at least 10 minutes earlier than your scheduled tee off time.
• Ensure that you have all the necessary equipment, such as balls, tees, sand bucket, divot repairers, scorecard and pencil or pen.
• Arrive at the first tee five minutes prior to your allocated tee off time.

On the Course

• All players must maintain their place in the field, which is immediately behind the group in front and not ahead of the group behind. This is a group responsibility and not an individual one. All members should be proactive in addressing the slow play problem.
• Should your group fall a clear hole behind (e.g. you are on the tee of a four or five par hole and the previous group has already left the green) and it is delaying the group behind, than make an effort to catch-up to the group in front (i.e. Two players should go and tee off after putting out, and leave the other two players to putt out).
• No more than five minutes is allowed to search for a ball. If you can’t find your ball in 5 minutes you must proceed by enforcing the golf rules governing the conditions under which your ball was lost. If more than one ball needs to be found, split up and search for all the balls at the same time.
• If you hit a ball that you think may be hard to find, or it may be out of bounds, please hit a provisional ball.
• Go to your ball and get ready to hit your next shot as soon as it is feasible; i.e., not impeding another player’s shot or endangering yourself. Don’t always wait for your mate to play before going to your ball.
• Leaving your golf bag, buggy or cart strategically placed to side of the green nearest the next tee.
• Cart users should be particularly aware of the extra time taken in sharing a cart and look for ways to speed up play, for example, move ahead of walkers to look for possible lost balls, try to position the cart for easy access when leaving the green to reduce the number of times that you have to get in and out.

On the Green

• When you reach the green, move to your ball and repair any pitch marks. Where possible, line up your putt prior to your turn to putt.
• Except in match play, and where you will stand on someone else’s lie, when you start putting, continue until you have holed out. If playing a par or stableford and you can no longer score on that hole, pick up your ball and let others continue.
• The first player to finish putting should take control of the flag and be ready to replace it in the hole when the final player has completed the hole. Cards should be marked as quickly as possible after completing the hole, but it is best to mark the cards at the next tee. Please mark your card when it is not your turn to play and remember, at all times your place in the field is immediately behind the group in front and not in front of the group behind.

Marking Cards

• Cards should be marked as quickly as possible after completing the hole, but it is best to mark the cards at the next tee. Please mark your card when it is not your turn to play and remember, at all times your place in the field is immediately behind the group in front and not in front of the group behind.