Pace of Play during Competitions

This is the time to have a look at the last golf season in Quebec and Ontario and to have a look on how was the Pace of Play (PoP) in different organizations.

GOLF QUEBEC – provincial

The PoP system at Golf Quebec is extremely effective. We are working with a group PoP and the results are overwhelming. We never go over 4 hours and 30 minutes, for the slowest groups. The Montreal Association also uses the same system, I think, and they also have a very good Pace of Play

The other regions don’t have referees and from what I heard from players; PoP is closer to 5 hours like in the good old days.

MACHINEX OPEN – Great Lakes Tour

Laurier Golf Club was the host of the first Machinex Open. We played both days of the competition in group of 2 players with the slowest group at 3 hours and 45 minutes. Players were very happy to play in groups of 2.

CANADA CUP – Victoriaville Golf Club – Great Lakes Tour

We played in groups of 2 for the last 2 days and the slowest group was timed in less than 4 hours. Many players told us they would like to have more tournaments with groups of 2 players.

Great lakes Tour (GLT)

Except the 2 tournaments in Victoriaville all our events were in the Toronto region. We have a local rule that states that a group will be penalized 1 stroke if they complete the 18th hole more than 20 minutes past the previous group. We also monitor the time after 9 holes and if a group is out of position, we give them an official warning. Group are always in time and under 4 hours and 40 minutes.

EAST COAST PRO TOUR (ECPT)

Only in operation for 3 years, we don’t have, yet a PoP system in place. I am the head referee and most of the time I am alone on the course. I must monitor a few holes to make sure every group is in position, and I give out warning. If a group does not come back in position after a few holes, they will get a one-stroke penalty. We manage to play under 4 hours and 50 minutes. Time is much better when we have the possibility to have intervals of 11 minutes. We make it in 4H30 minutes.

PGA TOUR

On the PGA Tour and on the Mackenzie Tour tournament that is in the Montreal region since 2018, the management of Pace of Play is very annoying for the referees. And it does not even give satisfactory results. The stopwatch is still in use. Players know quite well how to by-pass the system. That is why we see, over the weekend groups of 2 players taking much more than 4 hours to complete the round.

INTERVALS BETWEEN GROUPS

Some golf clubs continue to have the Club Championship or other tournaments in groups of 4 players with 8 minutes intervals, and members get upset and don’t understand why it take more than 5 hours for a round.