Summer golf is a joy for much of the U.S. — more daylight frees up late-afternoon tee times, and warm temperatures make it pleasant to play at all hours.
Here in Arizona where I’ve lived for the better part of a decade, though, summer golf is wonderful for an entirely different reason. It’s cheap! The reason? There aren’t too many of us who are willing to endure 110-plus degrees to play a round of golf, so courses drop the green fees to rock-bottom prices to entice us. It works! This year, my mom and I paid a one-time fee of $159, which grants us $20 rounds from mid-May to mid-September.
Crack-of-dawn tee times are the ideal way to go to avoid the worst of the daytime furnace, but with school back in session, the earliest I can make it to the course is around 8:30 a.m.. By then, it’s already 95 degrees and rising fast. My mom and I have played more than a handful of rounds together already this summer, and the 8-10 a.m. timeslot has been surprisingly busy. Recently, with a number of groups ahead of us, we opted to play the back nine first. We sailed around in 1 hour and 20 minutes, then hole-hopped a bit to finish our front nine. We finished all 18 holes in two hours and 45 minutes, and I was shocked to play my best round in more than a decade.
What gives? Like most players, I abhor slow play, and I couldn’t help but think that my performance was fueled in part by the brisk pace we were able to employ. Not having to wait on players ahead meant we could enjoy a steady rhythm, as well as avoid standing around waiting in the 113-degree heat. Playing quickly is my preferred mode — everyone wins! During a post-round chat with my mom, we discussed our love for playing fast and the tactics we employ to do so. Given all the recent discourse we’ve endured about how to fix the scourge of slow play, I’ve listed our strategies below. Maybe they’ll help you to shave some time — and strokes! — off your next round too.
*Disclaimer: Most of these tips are often only relevant when riding in a cart. But some are equally applicable to walkers too!
Simple steps to play golf fast
1. Tee off quickly
As someone who plays the forward tees, I usually don’t have the ability to go first if I’m playing with group-mates who play a longer set of tees. So, I often end up waiting for those playing partners to get themselves together to tee off. This can sometimes take an agonizingly long time. There’s no reason you can’t be ready to hit immediately upon arrival to the tee. And once one player kicks things off, it generally motivates the rest of the group to get in gear too.
2. Write your score on the next tee
Avoid the inclination to record your score on the same green you just finished. Instead, do it while your playing partner is teeing off on the next hole.
3. Don’t be afraid to drop and walk
I see it all the time: a group ahead that is committed to shuttling around to each player’s ball, in playing order, criss-crossing the fairway and taking forever. You don’t need a gallery of your playing partners to watch every shot you hit. And don’t be afraid to drop off your playing partner at their ball and pick them up after you hit, or vice versa. Also, if you’re inside of 100 yards, walk up to the green with an extra club or two while the other person drives the cart around.
4. Play ready golf
This one is obvious, but needs to be said. Unless you’re in the club championship and are playing honors golf, hit when you’re ready. If your partner is farther from the green than you and taking forever and you’re at your ball ready to go, just go! Especially around the green.
5. Invest in a distance-measuring device
For most of my young golf years, I was a walk-it-off player when it came to yardage. But that’s not conducive to fast golf. That was slow, 6-hour-round, wait-on-every-shot college golf. A few years ago, I got a GPS golf watch, and using it has been a game-changer. Yardage measurement is immediate, leading to quick club selection and shot execution.
6. Leave the pin in
This is something I think most people are comfortable doing since the 2019 rule change, but it’s very helpful for fast golf. Don’t waste time pulling the pin.
7. Putt ’til you finish
Maybe this is controversial, but I don’t think casual rounds require the ceremony of cleaning, marking and extensively reading every single putt. Unless there is visible mud on the ball, just hit it! Look at the break of the putt, but don’t spend ages reading it. And if it’s within five feet or so, just finish and move on.
8. Take 1 practice swing — max!
Golf is tiring, and playing in extreme heat is especially so. Don’t waste energy by taking multiple practice swings. Take one at most — and none is ok too.
9. Stop looking for golf balls
If you lose your ball, one reconnaissance drive is sufficient. If it isn’t immediately visible, re-hit or drop. Please don’t waste everyone’s time looking for a ball.
