One answer to slow play.....

[Garland Bayley]

Rich put forth possible rules modifications to deal with long rounds due to ball searching. To bring this back on topic for the website, I would simply remind folks that one of Alister MacKenzie's principles for golf courses was the complete absence of the need to search for balls.

That should explain my sheep advocacy.

So Rich, don't advise the R&A on rules, just take your business to places that follow the good Dr.

[John Kavanaugh]

Photo boys ain't helping matters.

[Sean_A]

JakaB

You are barking up the wrong tree...Sheehy is a very fast player...one of those 2.5 hour a round guys.  I will bet that if Sheehy is standing around its because he has time to do so.  

I freely admit to being a wing walker.  I detest walking fast (even before I wrenched me ankle) so I don't have much choice if I am to keep up. Nobody seems to mind...if they do it hasn't ever been mentioned to me.

I also like the sheep method of speeding play.

Ciao

[Jim Hoak]

One other reason for slow play--in the US vs. the UK--is a rules issue of sorts--our handicap system.  We are to post every score we play.  In the UK handicap system, they only post scores made in competition.  If we changed our handicapping/posting rules, US golfers would not be so consumed with finishing every hole in order to post a score.  The USGA does advocate that players pick up their ball when they are not relevant to a hole and estimate their score, but most US golfers don't--they insist on finishing out and taking up more time.

[Brent Hutto]

Or the ever popular "just put me down for double" then they go ahead and plumb bob their4-footer for an 8.