Pace of Play Study Says We're Still Slow, Just Not Always

An important new study by the Three/45 Golf Association shows some interesting details about how fast we play. Here's their release on this crucial topic:

When it comes to Pace of Play, there is good news and bad news.

First the good news: We might not be as slow as we think.

The bad news is it varies greatly depending on where and when you play. Time to play 18 holes can average well under four hours at some courses, but can average over five at others.

The most comprehensive pace-of-play, data-driven technology-based study ever of American golf reveals that the average time to play an 18 hole round is 4 hours 17 minutes. Not surprisingly golfers play faster at private courses—well under 4 hours—and much slower at public courses. Nevertheless, almost 30 percent of all rounds in the study were played in less than 4 hours and only one in 10 rounds exceeded 5 hours.

The study, conducted by the Three 45 Golf Association and a team led by Dr. Lucius J. Riccio of Columbia University, studied more than 40,000 rounds at 175 U.S. courses, with data provided by GPS Industries, which installs state-of-the-art GPS systems in golf carts.

“We were surprised, pleasantly so, by some of these findings,” said Dr. Riccio, author of Golf’s Pace of Play Bible. “Obviously, there is room for improvement. Much more has to be done to reduce the time to play. But the findings demonstrate that golfers are perfectly capable of speedy rounds when play is managed correctly.”

Tee time intervals are a big part of the problem. The Three 45 study demonstrated, for example, that where play is lighter, rounds go faster, not unlike cars on a highway. “Courses with a high number of rounds per day (like a crowded highway) had elapsed times higher than courses with lower amounts of play, adding strong evidence to the importance of tee intervals as the main culprit of slow elapsed times.”

For Riccio, this means that course operators, and not just golfers themselves, need to be educated on the fundamentals of golf’s traffic flow, which has been cited as a culprit in the sport’s weakening participation.  “Tee intervals have to be set to match course and golfer characteristics,” says Riccio. “Each course and every membership or customer base is different. Operators have to manage play based on their unique profile.”

That may mean copying some of the practices of private courses. The “fastest” courses in the study were all from Florida and all private, with Coral Ridge Country Club in Ft. Lauderdale, and Stoney Brook Golf Club in Orlando, averaging just over 3 hours 20 minutes per round. At the slowest courses, Arcadia Bluffs in Michigan and Quarry Golf in Texas, both public access, rounds averaged about 5 hours.

Not surprisingly, the first rounds of the day at all facilities were fastest, averaging 3 hours and 46 minutes, but afternoon rounds averaged 4 hours 21 minutes. Elapsed times also varied by days of the week, with weekdays averaging about 10 minutes faster than weekends.

What was not clear from the study was whether course difficulty played a significant role. Though there was a slight correlation between elapsed time and course length, it was not significant, and “no relationship could be found between time to play and USGA Course Rating,” according to the authors.

Riccio said that the Three 45 Golf Association plans more studies in partnership with GPS Industries. “This analysis proves that with the right amount and type of data—and we got more technology-based data here than anyone has ever collected—we’ll be able to provide courses with helpful suggestions, specific plans and advanced management systems for combatting slow play,” he said.

The study can be accessed online at www.three45golf.org. Golf’s Pace of Play Bible is available on Amazon.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Blind Golfer Pat Browne Belongs in World Golf Hall of Fame

As the Guiding Eyes for the Blind Tournament gets ready to tee off at Mount Kisco Country Club, it's a good time to jump on the bandwagon to get Pat Browne, Jr., elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame. The United States Blind Golf Association (USBGA) has taken up the cause to get the golf phenom chosen for induction in 2015.  Browne, the world’s most accomplished blind golfer, has 70 global blind golf victories to his credit, including a remarkable 23 National Championship titles.  He is regarded as the USBGA’s international ambassador and is a beacon of encouragement for all blind golfers.   

The USBGA has launched a national campaign to encourage the public, PGA of America professionals, the major golf associations, pro tours and other groups to write the World Golf Hall of Fame in support of Browne’s candidacy in the Lifetime Achievement category.  The legendary Arnold Palmer also is behind the movement to have Browne inducted with the next class of honorees in 2015.

Browne, now in his 80s, remains competitive and an inspiration of hope.  He has been honored by many prestigious organizations for his impressive playing record, as well as his courage and leadership.  Browne won the 1988 Ben Hogan Award, presented by the Golf Writers Association of America; the 2007 Mary Bea Porter Award, given by the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association; and he was elected to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, the Tulane University Hall of Fame, and the Sugar Bowl Athletic Hall of Fame.

Browne, a former scratch golfer and promising attorney, lost his sight in a car accident in 1966.  Instead of leaving the game he loved, he embraced the challenge of conquering the handicap that fate had dealt him.  Of his many record-setting feats, Browne played a 9-home exhibition match in 1990 with U.S. Open Champion Payne Stewart.  Stewart, who competed with a blindfold, lost by 18 shots to Browne and was so humbled by Browne’s prowess that he proclaimed he could never beat him, “even if I practiced every day.”

To join the campaign in support of having Pat Browne, Jr. inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, please e-mail bwaters @ wghof.org and put the words "Pat Browne, Jr." in the subject line.
Browne, who served as the USBGA’s president from 1974-1992, lives in New Orleans.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Putt With Your Feet and Fingers?

You should train your feet, not your eyes, if you want to make more putts, according to AimPoint instructor John Hobbins.  The three-decade PGA professional says your feet may well be the key to rolling better putts because your eyes can deceive you.

There are just too many misleading signals on most greens to allow an accurate read using your eyes only. For example, "Green shapers will often tilt the perimeter of the green one direction while much of the rest of it can go the other way," Hobbins says.  Your eye is drawn to the line formed by the edge of the apron, sometimes without your realizing it, which easily leads to mis-reads. For a better idea of how much your putt breaks, Hobbins suggests walking to the midpoint between your ball and the cup, then turning until your feet tell you you are pointed straight uphill. That will give you a truer idea of the break, especially on greens with subtle slopes.

The AimPoint system used by professionals like Adam Scott and Stacy Lewis starts with this technique, then applies some advanced calculations factoring in the green's Stimpmeter reading. The pros and/or their caddies will measure the breaks for expected hole locations before a tournament begins to gather the necessary data to use the AimPoint system in the competition.

Those of us who don't play golf for a living can use a related, simpler method like Scott did winning the Colonial--AimPoint Express.  Again, start by standing at the midpoint between ball and hole, only keep your feet parallel to the line. With practice, your feet will tell you which direction the green slants and by how many degrees. Most slant only one or two degrees, Hobbins says, although some very extreme contours may be three or four.

Keeping your estimate of the slope in mind, go back to a point three or four feet behind your ball. Extend your arm and hold up the same number of fingers as the degree of slant. Using your dominant eye, put one edge of your finger(s) in line with the hole with the other edge toward the uphill side of the line. That's the aim point for your putt.  It may sound complicated in writing, but it takes about a minute to figure it out in practice.

The AimPoint Express method may sound crazy and look crazier, but it's remarkably accurate. The most important step is learning what a degree of slope feels like under your feet. As you might expect, this takes a little practice.

It also helps to have some expert coaching, which is where Hobbins comes in. He's got the tools, knowledge, and experience to guide you along the path to more one putts. To learn where and when you can experience one of Hobbins' clincis, visit www.greensidegolfacademy.com.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Women On Course Grows the Game

 

Women on Course is growing the game for women. The golf-lifestyle networking organization has tripled membership since being acquired Billy Casper Golf (BCG) in September 2013.  BCG expects membership to grow by 400 percent in 2014 over 2013.  Year to date, about half the new members are either “returning” or first-time golfers.

Company management cites several contributors to the dramatic growth:

• A new, compelling value proposition for new members in partnership with brand-name golf and lifestyle product manufacturers and service providers

• Addition of exciting signature, weekend resort destination and custom events (more than 2,000 at 200 “official sites” in 25 markets) for members

• Participation in Women on Course golf and non-golf (social) events is up by more than 150 percent as women, no matter their skill levels, are increasing looking to play golf with other women

• The addition of 150-plus private and public BCG-managed properties attracting female golfers and non-golfers in their respective communities

• BCG’s marketing bandwidth and customer-relationship management programs reaches millions of golfers nationwide

• Widespread industry promotion, through GOLF 20/20’s “Image of the Game” program, about golf’s fitness benefits, including burning 2,000 calories walking 18 holes

• Women comprising nearly 20 percent of the active golf population is holding steady, and 33 percent of new golfers are women (source: National Golf Foundation)

“The scale and connections of Billy Casper Golf are powerful,” says Donna Hoffman, President of Women on Course which she founded in 2005.  “Our membership growth affirms that females are responding exceptionally well to our welcoming social and business networking environment.”

“Women on Course typifies the short- and long-term vitality of the game,” says Peter Hill, Chairman and CEO of BCG, the largest owner-operator of golf courses, country clubs and resorts in America. “By introducing and keeping women connected to golf, we aim to meaningfully lift the U.S. female participation rate in the next three years.”

Women on Course removes intimidating barriers causing females to overlook the game.  It provides fun, supportive and interactive settings for business and stay-at-home women to experience the golf lifestyle without primary focus on competition and score:

• A “Play Your Own Way” mantra means beginners and course-ready golfers learn fundamentals and etiquette

• A “Score 5 to Survive” rule – tee shot, fairway approach, chip, two putts – promotes practice without slow play

Fashion, fitness, travel and luxury components surrounding the world of golf are incorporated into Women on Course programming.  Members enjoy free gifts; special access to private clubs; discounts on greens fees, apparel, equipment, wine and other products; golf and educational resources; contests; and forums.

Women on Course hosts golf, lunch, happy hour and wine-spa activities in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Scottsdale, San Diego, San Francisco, Washington, DC and smaller markets.  Upcoming three-day resort destination weekends are at Kingsmill (Williamsburg, VA), La Quinta (Palm Springs, CA) and Gran Melia / Trump International (Puerto Rico).

Countless success stories about Women on Course members include:

• Enhancing golf skills and protocol for new business connections and career advancement

• Establishing lifelong friendships with like-minded women

• Helping beginning golfers with fundamentals and advanced players refine their games

• Prompting families to spend time together on and off the course

• Learning from dynamic guest speakers at events

• Mixing and mingling with women from all age groups with diverse and interesting backgrounds

For more information:  www.womenoncourse.com,

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Old Oaks and Century Host US Open Sectional Today

A strong field of 80 golfers will take their shots at qualifying for the U.S. Open today at Old Oaks CC and Century CC in Purchase.  The contestants will play a round on each course, with a mere handful going on to Pinehurst for the big show in a couple of weeks.

Local contenders in the field include Brian Gaffney of Darien, CT, who made a double eagle on the 508-yard, par-five 12th hole at Bedens Brook Club while earning medalist honors in local qualifying. Gaffney, who shot 3-under 69 in the first round qualifier, qualified for his first U.S. Open in 2012. He is the head professional at Quaker Ridge GC.

Steve Scott, head professional at Paramount CC in New City, NY, will contend as well. Scott was the 1996 U.S. Amateur runner-up to Tiger Woods, losing in 38 holes.  He played on the PGA, Web.com and Canadian Tours was a member of two USA Walker Cup Teams, in 1997 and 1999.

Cameron Wilson, 21, of Rowayton, CT, won the 2014 NCAA Division I Championship just last week, defeating Georgia Tech’s Oliver Schniederjans with a 10-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole. Wilson, a senior at Stanford, qualified for the 2012 U.S. Open at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, and has competed in three U.S. Amateurs.

Other notables in the field: Lee Janzen (1993 and 1998 U.S. Open champion); Web.com Tour winners Kevin Foley, Jon Curran, Jamie Lovemark (2007 USA Walker Cup Team) and Jim Herman; amateur Nathan Smith (four-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion; three-time USA Walker Cup competitor); Michael McCoy (2013 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion); amateur Cameron Wilson (2014 NCAA Division I individual champion); amateur Brandon Matthews (2013 U.S. Amateur quarterfinalist; alternate for 2013 U.S. Open).

The qualifiers are open to the public, by the way, and spectators are encouraged to attend.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Tee It Up with the Pros

2013 ATBF Golf & Tennis Tournament participants

Looking for a chance to play with the pros? You can tee it up with some of the area's best players at the John Vanbiesbrouck Pro-Am to be held at Tamarack CC in Greenwich. Although this is the 26th year for this highly-successful event that raised money for a great cause, it's the first time the format will feature pros playing with ams. Should be great fun!

The Alan T Brown Foundation (ATBF) and the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation team up for the annual golf - tennis tournament and banquet that raises money to support scientific and medical research to help people living with motor disabilities and paralysis.

Pairing teams of four amateurs with PGA pros from the tri-state area, the John Vanbiesbrouck Pro-Am will take place August 11, 2014. Pros will be competing for $10,000 purse and amateurs for bragging rights and fabulous prizes, with the day culminating in a cocktail reception and awards banquet.

Honorees for this year’s event will be Guest of Honor John Rosasco, Senior Vice President of Public Relations and Player Recruitment at the Madison Square Garden Company, and Jim Cesario, Spinal Cord Injury Program Outreach Coordinator at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC, who will receive the Standing Tall Award.

There are still amateur and pro participation slots, along with corporate sponsorships available. For more information, call Chrissy Oliva directly at (212) 944-8727.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Charities Benefit from New Nicklaus Golf Balls

The Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital get a boost every time someone buys the new Nicklaus Golf Balls, which were designed, tested and perfected under the active supervision of the legendary Jack Nicklaus.

Available exclusively at www.nicklaus.com and through pro shops at the more than 200 Nicklaus Design courses in the U.S., a percentage of the sales price is donated to the charities.  Consumers using nicklaus.com to purchase balls at essentially a wholesale price also receive free shipping.  If via FedEx delivery services, an additional donation is made to St. Jude.

Available in three specially-designed models, each golf ball accommodates a specific player type.  A color-coding system makes the selection process extremely easy.  The Nicklaus White ball is designed for golfers who typically tee off from the forward or white tees; Blue is for those who prefer the middle or blue tees; and Black is for lower-handicap golfers who might use the back or black tees.

“By simply knowing the tees golfers play, we can estimate swing speed ranges,” says Nicklaus, winner of more than 120 professional tournaments, including a record 18 majors and 73 PGA TOUR events.  “So, we conceived the balls based on each golfer’s unique ability, be it an everyday player or professional, to score better and enjoy the game even more. All you need to know is the tee you play from.”

The Nicklaus team assembled experts in materials, technology, engineering, design and manufacturing to develop the product.  Launched roughly seven months ago, the high-performance, made-in-the-USA Nicklaus Golf Balls have already won media-bestowed awards for providing golfers with exceptional control, feel, spin and distance.

Online sales save golfers money because distribution costs typically built into product sold through traditional retail channels have been reduced.  This allows Nicklaus Golf Balls to be priced attractively at $28 to $32 per dozen and generate greater charity donations. Visitors to nicklaus.com can also make voluntary contributions; to date, nearly 80 percent of consumers have opted to make a donation.

“We wanted to reduce consumer confusion associated with selecting a ball, create high-quality options for all players, and give back to those in need in the process,” says Howard P. Milstein, Co-Chairman of Nicklaus Companies.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf