Pace of Play – Some Data (Division 1)

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Why is the 15 minute Gap so important?

Well, the gap time measures a tee group’s separation from the group immediately ahead. If there is more than about 15 minutes separation, the groups are separated by a full hole.

Once a group loses sight or contact with the group ahead, they sometimes lose their perception of pace and fall behind even further.

The following chart show the actual Play Time and Gap for Division 1 at all Tee Start courses for 2016.

  1. For most groups, the gap separation is less than 15 minutes – GREAT!
  2. If the gap is less than about 8 minutes, the group ahead may be slower and blocking
  3. The yellow highlight – gaps between 16 to 25 minutes – too slow but not critical.
  4. The red highlight – gaps from 26 to 50+ minutes.  These are very serious.
  5. The red highlights usually show a very slow time.
  6. The fast groups in the early tee positions show the course conditions
  7. Slow group early in the tee positions will slow and block several groups behind
  8. Unfortunately slow play problems are magnified on the Shotgun Starts (different data set)

Where were you in these groups?  What could you do to play faster/ keep up? Every group is responsible for enforcing pace of play within their group.

Bottom line:

  • A few slow groups can impact many groups on the course
  • Keeping Up with the group ahead (Minding the Gap) is very important

Everyone can have a bad round.  It is very important to shake off a bad hole or two.  And it is important to all of us for everyone to play quickly, and as a minimum stay up with the group ahead.

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