The IJGA EXPECTS ALL ROUNDS TO BE COMPLETED IN 4 HOURS AND 30 MINUTES OR LESS. We would like to educate both players and spectators on some tips that will help improve pace of play. As we get further into the regular season, and especially now that we are fully staffed with our tournament coordinators, we will be more strictly enforcing pace of play on a regular basis. As the temperatures rise, we want to ensure that no one is spending more time in the heat than is necessary to complete the round. If you follow the simple tips below, there is a good chance that you will never be put on the clock or incur an unnecessary penalty for slow play.

PLAYERS

  • Play ready golf. Do not worry about who is away, if you are ready to play and no one is standing in your way, go ahead and play.
  • If it is not your turn to play and a fellow competitor is searching for his/her golf ball, help them in the search.
  • If you are waiting on a fellow competitor to play his/her shot, during that time, find your yardage and select your club for your next stroke while the competitor is playing their shot and be ready to play IMMEDIATELY following.
  • Be mindful of your pre-shot routine – We have seen several players that are taking far too long – taking multiple practice swings and getting lined up. Please LIMIT your practice swings.
  • If you hit your ball in an area that you believe might be difficult to find or if it might be out of bounds, play a provisional ball. If you find your original in bounds, there is no penalty for playing the provisional, it just saves time so you don’t have to walk back to the previous spot you last played should you not find your original ball.
  • Please walk directly to where you hit your tee shot, unless that would put you in the way of a fellow competitor playing their next stroke. DO NOT walk collectively as an entire group to each of your respective tee shots, one at a time.
  • As you approach the green, recognize where the next tee is and position your golf bag or push cart on the way to the tee, as opposed to the opposite side of the green.
  • If you have a tap in putt, please do not mark and lift the golf ball. Just go ahead and tap the putt in without stepping in any fellow competitor’s line of putt.
  • If you are the first to putt out and complete the hole, quietly walk to the next tee and be ready to play when your other two competitors arrive. Do not tee off until they arrive.
  • Do not stand off to the side of the green after the hole is complete to go over your scores. This not only wastes time, but it prevents the group behind you from hitting into the green. You can compare scores while you are walking to the tee of the next hole.

 

SPECTATORS

  • Forecaddie for your group. You will save the group time that would otherwise be spent searching for balls and you might even save your son/daughter a lost ball penalty situation.
  • Do not trail behind the group you are following. This forces the group behind your son or daughter to have to wait for you to clear the landing zone before they can play. See above – if you decide to forecaddie, you will be sure to never be in the way of the group behind the one you are spectating.
  • Do not walk in the fairways with your son or daughter. Not only is this NOT ALLOWED under our spectator policy, but extended conversations with your child only exacerbates the pace of play issue.