Pace of Play Policy
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
PACE OF PLAY POLICY 5.6b Prompt Pace of Play A round of golf is meant to be played at a prompt pace. Your pace of play is likely to affect how long it will take other players to play their rounds, including both those in your group and those in following groups. You are encouraged to allow faster groups to play through. 1.Pace of Play Recommendations. The player should play at a prompt pace throughout the round, including the time taken to: • Prepare for and make each stroke, • Move from one place to another between strokes, and • Move to the next teeing area after completing a hole. A player should prepare in advance for the next stroke and be ready to play when it is his or her turn. When it is your turn to play: • It is recommended that you make the stroke in no more than 40 seconds after you are (or should be) able to play without interference or distraction, and • You should usually be able to play more quickly than that and are encouraged to do so. 2.Playing Out of Turn to Help Pace of Play. Depending on the form of play, there are times when players may play out of turn to help the pace of play: • In match play, the players may agree that one of them will play out of turn to save time. • In stroke play, players may play “ready golf” in a safe and responsible way. 3.Committee Pace of Play Policy To encourage and enforce prompt play, the Committee should adopt a Local Rule setting a Pace of Play Policy. This Policy may set a maximum time to complete a round , a hole or series of holes and a stroke, and it may set penalties for not following the Policy PACE OF PLAY POLICY Rule 6-7 provides that "The player must play without undue delay and in accordance with any pace of play guidelines that the Committee may establish," and thereafter prescribes penalties for slow play. Below are the guidelines: MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE TIME Maximum allowable time is the MAXIMUM time deemed necessary by the Committee for a group to complete its stipulat- ed round. This is expressed in a per-hole and aggregate time format on the chart provided to the players. A group’s maximum allowable time begins at its assigned starting time, or if the starting time is delayed, at the adjusted starting time. Time associated with playing the game, e.g., for rulings and walking times between holes, is included in all maximum allowable times. OUT OF POSITION A group is out of position when it completes play of a hole (replaces the flagstick) later than the maximum allowable time given AND: a) Reaches a par-3 hole that is clear of all play b) Reaches a par-4 or par-5 hole which is clear of all play, or which is not clear of all play but which becomes clear of all play before all players in the group have played their strokes from the teeing ground. TIMING/GROUP OUT OF POSITION MONITORED BY RULES ROVER If a ruling or some other legitimate delay occurs which causes the group in question to be out of position, that group is expected to regain its position within a reasonable time. If no such legitimate delay occurs the group will be placed on the clock immediately. When a member of the Committee determines that a group is out of position, all players (or a specified individual) in the group will be timed by a Rules Rover. A player(s) concerned about a non-responsive (slow) fellow competitor(s) in the group should request a Rules Rover to monitor the group in case it may become or is liable to penalty. Information gathered at any time by a Rules Rover or another member of the Committee may be used by the Committee during the review process to determine whether a group or player(s) is in breach of these guidelines. Other than on the putting green, the timing of a player's stroke will begin when it is his turn to play and he can play without interference or distraction. Time spent determining yardage and other conditions (such as wind) will count as time taken for the next stroke. On the putting green, the timing of a player’s stroke will begin after he has been allowed a reasonable amount of time to mark, lift, clean and replace his ball, repair ball marks and remove loose impediments on his line of putt. Time spent looking at the line from beyond the hole or to the side of and/or behind the ball will count as part of the time taken for the next stroke. A player is permitted a maximum of 40 seconds to play a stroke. (Note: This 40-second time limit includes the first play- er to play from the teeing ground, fairway, or near or on the putting green.) Any player in a group being timed who exceeds the maximum allowable time to play a stroke will be informed as soon as practicable by the Rules Rover. Note: The Committee reserves the right, at any time, to time a group when deemed necessary. Further, if the Commit- tee determines a player to be unreasonably slow, he may be timed individually at the Committee’s discretion regardless of whether his group is out of position. Players should also be aware that the Committee may assess a “bad time” to a player in a group which is out of position if the player makes no effort to help his group get back in position. An example of this would be a player who delays play between shots or holes. PENALTIES The following are the penalties, in sequence, for any player in a group being timed who takes more than the maximum allowable time to play a stroke after timing of the player’s stroke begins: 1st bad timing exceeding the allotted time – Warning 2nd bad timing – 1 stroke penalty 3rd bad timing – Additional 2 stroke penalty 4th bad timing – Disqualification Note: If a group being timed regains its proper position, any previous “bad times” will be carried over for the remainder of that round in the event that group requires additional monitoring. Any player who has a bad time(s) will be reminded of the bad time(s) if he or his group requires additional timing during the round. Metropolitan PGA, 49 Knollwood Road, Suite 200, Elmsford, NY 10523 | 914-347-2325 | met.pga.com | @MetropolitanPGA | facebook.com/MetropolitanPGA .