The final round of the Farmers Insurance Open in January took more than five hours to complete, drawing the ire of on-course TV commentator Dottie Pepper, who said: “I think we need a new word to talk about this pace-of-play issue, and it’s respect. Respect for your fellow competitors, for the fans, for broadcasts, for all of it. It’s just got to get better.”
Pepper might as well have been speaking for all of us, as slow play is a major issue at every level of golf. The good news is that the PGA Tour and the LPGA both have plans in place to start to address the issue. Should you be victimized by slow play during your next round, it’s good to have a strategy in place to remain in control of your physical, mental and emotional state. Here are three things we recommend to remain even-keeled and not allow golf’s snails to spoil your round. —With Dave Allen
1. KEEP YOURSELF BUSY
Instead of getting annoyed at the group in front of you, look away and do something to prevent negative emotions from boiling up. Talk to one of your playing partners about a recent trip or what you plan to have for dinner. If you’re not a talker, scroll through pictures of your loved ones on your phone. We’ve had players entertain themselves by counting the dimples on their golf ball or doodling in their yardage books. The point is, keep yourself entertained.
2. RESTART YOUR ENGINES
When it’s nearing your time to finally tee off—say, about a minute or two out—start getting loose. If you’ve been sitting around in a cart or standing still for several minutes, your body is liable to get tight, and it’s easy to lose your feel and sequence of motion. The hips are especially vulnerable. An effective stretch is standing leg circles. Brace yourself with a club or the cart and make circular motions with each hip and leg. This works the inner thighs, hip abductors and glutes, and helps get these important muscles ready to perform again.
3. STICK TO YOUR ROUTINE
Most important, do not tee the ball up until it’s your turn. The worst thing you can do is peg it and then spend several minutes thinking about the shot while waiting to hit. This disrupts the sequencing and timing of your pre-shot routine, which begins when you’re committing to your decision. Keep your good-performance routine consistent, no matter what—and make sure your body is activated before you get back into “play mode.”
• • •
LYNN MARRIOTT AND PIA NILSSON, two of Golf Digest’s Legends of Golf Instruction, are co-founders of VISION54 in Scottsdale.
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
