Today’s post is about “pace of play”.

Clocks are placed in stratigic locations to remind players about Pace of Play. (Copyright USGA/Matt Rainey)

These days, we always seem to be in a rush. Whether it be to get to work, to get home to watch a TV show, to bypass the slow walker in front of you because those extra 2 seconds that you will save will matter in the end…

Lets take a step back and think about golf. The perfect “slow” and “boring” sport.

Golf. It’s a sport for the young, the middle aged and the old.

It’s a sport that is good for the mind and the mental game.

It’s a sport where it’s acceptable to head out on the course and play on your own and it’s a sport that you can play in a group. Yet still, everyone seems to be in a rush.

My grandfather,  will be 90 on October 25th. He golfs every other day with a group of three other men in their 90s.

It’s possible that the group in front of them are business men out for a round making a deal.

It’s possible that the group behind them is a family with a ten year old kid teaching him or her how to swing the club for the first time.

It’s very likely that the groups behind and in front of the above groups are frustrated about their pace of play and want to play faster. Instead of rushing around and getting impatient on the course, which in the end causes stress and anger, remember that everyone has a story-everyone is out on the course the a reason. Yes, there is a maximum time to play 9 or 18 holes, but if the group in front of you is just a little bit slower than you would want, take a step back and enjoy how lucky you are to be playing one of the greatest sports out there! It’s a sport where you have to focus on a little white ball, select clubs based on distance and leave all of the stresses of life behind.

And remember…that ten year old kid might just be the next Jason Day!