2011 Northern Trust Open: These Guys Are Getting Slower!

Five hours and twenty minutes for the leading threesomes to play their NoTrust Open rounds in cool, sometimes showery conditions?

What I found striking Saturday was just how many people brought up the wretched pace without my usual bitching prompting. Funny how much more painful the plodding, standing, fidgeting and general malaise becomes when it's under 60 degrees.

The causes during a week when there is no rough: faster greens than players are used to here, difficult weather conditions, and worst of all, the consistent inability of players to play "ready golf." Some of the faster players will tell you they don't play ready golf because it won't help, and now it appears that it's a rare moment when players commence their pre-shot preparation and information collation prior to the moment it becomes their turn to hit. I know some suggest this is an etiquette issue, but I say it's good manners gone awry.

While the leaderboard was littered with some of the tour's slowest pokes,  I'm not sure you can blame this one on the J.B. Holmes's of the world (2 minutes, 10 seconds on the 6th green for one putt!). But the boys would be wise not to pull a similar stunt Sunday when a decent crowd (hopefully) is watching.

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As for the finale, almost nothing happened Saturday, which bodes well for a lively Sunday where the leaderboard suggests any number of characters could win. Doug Ferguson reminds us that leader Aaron Baddeley played 22 holes Sunday to grab the lead by one, while Larry Dorman explains that this is Baddeley's most serious run at a title since returning to Dale Lynch.

Bob Harig explains how Vijay, who turns 48 Tuesday, is threatening a rally kill by closing to within 2 of the lead. And John Strege on local boy Kevin Na trying to win for his ailing dad. The PGA Tour wrap up and highlights try to make the best out of a pretty blah Saturday. And here are the tee times. Leaders tee off at 10:30 with a 3:30 ET sign off. Let's hope they can finish on time though this one is just screaming playoff.

Ryan Moore looking sharp Saturday (click to enlarge NoTrust CEO is telling Golf Channel that attendance is up 50%. (click to enlarge) 

Comments

[Someone else]

Any time you have a two-tee start and groups of three, the pace will suck. I saw a group in the 5th fairway behind Freddy today that would have been the first group of #10. Nowhere for anyone to go once they make the turn so why push it if you are the lead group.

[Ky Laffoon's Ghost]

Great pictures as usual, but I've seen crowds that large behind the 18th green at the Liz Murphey Classic at the UGA Golf Course in worse weather.

[Colin MacGillivray]

Change:
Rule 10 Order of Play
10-2 b During Play of Hole
After the competitors have started play of the hole, the first player ready to hit proceeds to play first. If neither player proceeds, the order of play on the tee of the hole being played is sustained.

Delete rest of Rule!

[Smitty]

NoTrust CEO is telling Golf Channel that attendance is up 50%. You mean up to 50%!

[digsouth]

On 'ready golf'....I was struck by PM and Bones not starting to analyze a shot until it was 'his turn', and PM is not short and had plenty of time to get it together on yardarge/stick/elevaton, and only evaluate wind and then rip it.

Honestly, it pissed me off.

When I play with my usual partner and he goes first, he is Howard Coselling his shot, while I am all ready to hit, having done all the evaluation, and just needing to give it a look and pull it. As if having to listen to his slo mota bit hep low buy blow description of his underclubbed pull, is whagt I ant droning in my ear, as I am READY TO GO.

He questions the yardage on every par 3 of a course we have played for over 20 years, walking up to the tee b ox and looking a the YM, ....IT HAS NOT CHANGED: while I being more than one tool if I suspect unusual wind, etc....WTF......SLOWWWWwwww

I am a plumb bobber, but I have done all that b4 my turn. Holmes looks stupid, with his ''stablizing'' move prior to even plumbing. Thank Gawd for DVR.


Peter K: yall are LOSING REAL FANS by showing TOO MUCH PUTTING AND NOSE PICKING AROUND THE GREEN. Come on man.

And is it just me , but dos anyone else want to wring that ladies neck about the beer and wine and cupcakes. MOST ANNOYING TV VOICE EVER.

Finally, not that I care, because *it was not on the putting surface*, but the camera caught Freddy spitting again on Saturay.

[Concerned golfer]

A few years ago, in the fall and by special permission, we played a 6500 yard course as a twelvesome followed by another twelvesome. It was a money game with partners selected by lot after the game. We were held up briefly by a twosome who kindly let us through. When you putted out you went directly to the next and hit, sometimes more than two at once. No rabbit ears allowed.
We played in three hours and three hours and five minutes respectively.
A most enjoyable day it was indeed.
And, by the way, we walked.

[jjshaka]

What a sad crowd behind the 18th, hopefully today will be better.
Also, if any player takes 2 minutes for 1 putt, they need to be given a penalty.

[digsouth]

@concerned golfer...

hey, that is simply Willie Nelson rules at his 9 holer down the road:

''no more than 12 in a foursome''

check it out.

http://www.pedernalesgolfclub.com/rules.php

[Jimmy]

This reminds of the "I'm a feel player" issue that someone wrote about a week or two ago. Just as there is no one who admits to be mechanical in their approach there is not one person who ever admits to being slow. Whenever someone raises the issue of slow play on a website like this we're always treated to a long list of posters who insist on telling us about all the people they know who are slow. The problem is simple; no one thinks they are slow. The solution is not so simple but I say penalize the bastards. By the way, like all of you, I'm a feel player who plays very quickly.

[Vwgolfer]

It's time for a shot clock.

[Nick Faldo's Personality Coach]

I used to run state Junior Events. Our associaton would run 50+ events during the summer. What these professionals don't realize is that they are creating a whole generation of horribly slow players.

We have kids who were replicating these pre shot routines (and 95% don't know what or why they are doing it) and making 5 1/2 rounds the norm.

With yardage booklets, hole location sheets and range finders the problem only gets worse. Kids who couldn't break 95 are standing on the tee calculating whether the yardage on a par 3 is 168 or 172 yards. Brutal.

[Dsl]

I've been saying it for years: the bastards that got to baseball pitchers also made their way into golf. These preshot routines are nothing more than a make-work project for shrinks. Watch very closely and you'll notice that pitchers, golfers and free throw shooters look like severely afflicted OCD patients.

[John R]

I like VW's idea of a shot clock. The rules official could carry it like a standard. Nothing like a sweeping second hand to get everyone off the dime. A big air horn blast to indicate when time is up. And no timeouts.

[Used to be Former S&T Convert]

They should implement a shot clock for these guys. A big ass clock behind on each tee and behind the green. Clock starts when it is a players turn. When the clock hits 00 either add a shot or put a hefty fine on the player and post it on the scoreboard. Until there is a downside for playing slow, nothing will change. I would be nice and give the players get 3 resets a round.

[Ky Laffoon's Ghost]

What the Personality Coach said. Until this year I attended more than a few Larry Gilbert Foundation and high school golf events. These boys and girls make JB Holmes look fast. Instead of a shot clock, I recommend a shock collar.

And what dsl says! Sandy Koufax pitched 4 complete game victories in the World Series. Game times were 2:09, 1:50; 2:34, and 2:27. Of course TV has a lot to do with stretching out games, but our current TOUR stars need to study the Koufax pre-pitch routine and stick with it.

[Terry]

Slow play is why the game is not growing. Play ready golf and speed up, for all of us.

[We don't have all day]

Is this you:

write your score down on the edge of the green, rather than on the next tee?
walk from your cart to your ball with 1 club in your hand (rather than that 2-3)?
drop your buddy at his ball, wait for him to hit, get back in the cart, THEN drive to your ball?
plumb bob EVER?
don't realize that YES, YOU'RE UP?

Stop doing these things, you're killing the groups behind you.

[Mike B]

Ryan Moore looking good? Really? That's what the bag boys at the local P&W look like when they are required to wear ties ...