Tips to Speed Up on the Golf Course

Rory McILroy’s dominating victory at the U.S. Open last month could be an important one to the weekend golfer. If McILroy is indeed ready to become the next golfing legend (and yes, it’s too early to know if he is) one can only hope the casual golfer emulates his pace of play.

The legacy Jack Nicklaus left for golf was one of prolonged excellence, unfailing grace and, unfortunately, slow play. Nicklaus seemed to stand over crucial putts forever. The fact that he made most of them convinced a generation of golfers that slow was the way to go. If you’re going to hit the ball 65 times, being slow over the ball isn’t such a bad thing.

But a weekend golfer may shoot 90, which, if he takes as much time over a putt as Jim Furyk, means a lot of golfers are going to be waiting on tees to hit. Add in the dubious impact of golf gurus who preach visualization and such and the five-hour round of golf suddenly became part of the landscape.

Those wondering why the sport’s popularity has leveled need look no further.

McILroy is the antithesis of this. He doesn’t even take a practice swing on the green. If he and Angel Cabrera can win a few more majors, an entire generation of golfers may be inspired to pick it up.

Until then, local courses are doing what they can.

“It’s a huge deal,” said Mark Castelhano, director of golf at in Ellington. “If people play a round that takes them five hours the first thing they say is that it’s a nice course but it takes forever.”

Castelhano says Rolling Meadows tries hard to enforce a 4 ½ hour pace of play. The time it should take a foursome to finish each hole is printed on the scorecard, which makes it easier for rangers to tell a group to pick up the pace.

“We use a ranger and a starter and they just give friendly reminders,” said Jon Ellingwood, associate pro at . “We try to let them know that if there is a group in front of you leaving the green you should be ready to hit in the fairway.”

For Manchester, which is a semi-private course that mixes in public play, the task is a little easier because they can use 10-minute intervals between tee times instead of the 8-minute intervals found on most public courses.

“We still do some 260 rounds, all of them in under 4 ½ hours with public play mixed in,” Ellingwood said. “We try not to let a group become even half a hole behind.”

The USGA has made improved pace a point of emphasis this season with it’s Tee It Forward initiative, which asks golfers to play tees more suited to their ability. The program may not make a huge difference at courses such as Manchester Country Club, which measures 6,339 yards from the blue tees, or Airways Golf Course in Suffield, which tops out at 6,000 yards.

But at Cedar Knob in Somers, which stretches to 6,700-plus yards or Rolling Meadows, which tops 6,800 yards it makes a big difference.

“To me that’s the starter’s job,” Castelhano said. “If they see a group playing from the tips they need to study the swings and maybe suggest everyone will have a more enjoyable time playing from a different set of tees.”

The USGA suggests using driving distance as a method for determining which set of tees to play but most golfers overestimate how far they hit the ball. A better method is to multiply the distance you hit your 5-iron by 36. If you hit a 5-iron 175 yards then you should look for tees at about 6,300 yards.

Finally, here are two simple suggestions for improving your pace of play.

1. Be ready to hit: Most of the time, you can obtain yardage and select a club or line up your putt while others are playing. This way, when it’s your turn, you are ready to play. The most significant drag on time comes from people who are not ready when it’s their turn.
2. Try Ready Golf: Golf is a sport with good manners but if everyone agrees there is no reason to adhere slavishly to the rule that states the farthest from the hole plays. If you’re ready to hit and you will not interfere with someone else’s play, there is no reason to wait.

AROUND THE GREEN

Tommy McCarthy, the former Tolland High standout, won the CSGA’s One Day Tournament with a blistering 9-under 62 at Twin Hills Country Club in Coventry on Monday. McCarthy was eight shots better than Rob Tedoldi, who plays out of Tallwood Country Club in Hebron.

Ronald Hanson (Ellington Ridge) won the Siderowf Division with a 71.

Manchester Country Club hosted the Connecticut Radio Information System fundraiser. CRIS is a radio reading service for the blind and disabled. A fine report on the event can be found on.

State Open qualifying will continue through July 11, with qualifiers coming at the Country Club of Woodbridge and Laurel View Country Club.

Those looking to have local league or tournament results published can send them to matteagan@comcast.net.

HOLE OF THE WEEK

Each week, we will highlight one of the top holes from an area golf course. Peter Jacobsen once said, “It’s easy to make a hard hole. It’s hard to make a great hole.” We’re looking for great holes, not necessarily hard holes.

However, we start with a hole that is both. The sixth at Manchester Country Club is 410-yard par four from the blue tees. The tee shot must be kept out of the trees that run along the left side of the fairway but still be far enough to the left to allow a look at the green, which rest of plateau.

Two well-struck and well-shaped shots are needed to reach the green in regulation. The hole is, understandably, rated the No. 1 handicap hole on the course and yet, if one is willing to accept it from the start, a bogey 5 is a relatively simple score to make. This is the essence of a great hole and one of the reasons we begin with No. 6.