David M:
My good friend -- just keep this in mind regarding slow play at public courses -- the issue begins and ends with management to properly assess it's own situation and how best to correct it. The inmates do not -- or should not -- run asylum!
Many public clubs simply operate by the belief that if they pay "lip service" to the issue everything else will follow -- i.e. let's put up signs that speak to the issue but then do nothing concrete. You know that is nonsense, but management at most clubs that I have seen over the years throughout the country do not want to deal with slow play. The primary emphasis is on collecting fees -- nothing more and nothing less.
Ask yourself this --
1). Does management effectively provide orientation to their staff. Or do they simply give a walkie-talkie and some sort of badge that says "ranger" and send them out onto the course.
Many courses hire seniors or teenagers to do the task. Obviously, many of these folks can do the job but does management effectively train them to do it. It's clear management does orientate staff to operate the cash register -- right?
2). Have you ever seen how many staff fail to properly speak to the paying public? Some of these retired Marine types simply bark out commands and have little customer service savvy.
3). Is the course properly assessed for bottle-necks that generally develop each and every day. Is the staff positioned at these holes to move things along.
4). I agree with you that a "rewards" system can be developed that helps promote faster play. Groups that habitually play slower should be denied prime tee times. Just like your driving record a complete file can be developed that demonstrates whether the player understands the "rules of the road" when playing.
5). Let's not forget that management at many clubs develops a comfy relationship with certain groups who frequently play golf week after week. Is management prepared to deal with these types of people or do they simply target those less connected like the women or junior players?
6). Ask yourself this -- when management permits all the food goodies to be shuffled to the buffaloes playing each week how does this assist slow play or is it just a way for the customer to fork over more $$ while causing more slow play situations to develop?
David, in the final analysis -- management runs the asylum -- not the inmates. A well thought out plan can be assessed -- but it needs to be followed-up upon each and every day. Most clubs are not interested because if they were the whole notion of the creep and crawl rounds you see at many public courses would not happen.
Most facilities view slow play as a no win situation. They simply see it as a way by which the paying customer will be "rushed along" and not appreciate what is happening to their "time" on the course. Most management groups that I have seen over the years don't understand the harm that slow play does do the vast numbers of people who want to play golf without having to do the weekly crawl towards six hour play.
Management is the force that must be diligent -- I don't doubt things can change with human behavior but there must be a consistent carrot / stick philosophy that's ready to tackle it because expecting the lone individual or group to take this on by themselves is not realistic or plausible.
I would ask any person to ask their course management how they address slow play? The answer, or lack thereof, of that question will tell you what's their primary objective. I guarantee you that if you ask most management personnel if rounds being played are up or down in regards to their financial botton line they will know THAT answer.
