Focus during slow play

[crazyIvan60]

Does anyone have any good advice for maintaining focus during extremely slow rounds?

I played hookey yesterday afternoon to get in 18.  I started out great, birdied 2 of the first 3, then at #6 ran into the backup.  On almost every hole, we arrived at the tee box to watch the group in front tee off.  And they weren't the backup.  It was many groups ahead, so no way to play through.  I held it together for the rest of the 9, but just lost focus and played bogey golf most of the rest of the way around.

I was hoping that a few (or all) of you have figured out some way to maintain that focus through those times. 

I appreciate any/all advice.

[Lagolf31]

I pop in a dip of Copenhagen, crack a beer and bounce balls on my wedge.  "You might be a redneck if...."   

[br61]

In some of my tournament rounds away from my home course, I try to keep myself busy between shots. At my home course, I'm thankful that everyone here consider 3 1/2 hour rounds as a slow round at my home course. I played 30 holes from 11:30 until 4:30 with a hour break in between rounds because I was needed at work.

My club pro has a favorite story to tell, apparently someone was complaining that his front 9 was taking too long because he was behind a group the whole  front 9. So in front of him, he called a course in Springfield, MO to ask what is their normal weekend round pace, they said 5 1/2 hours. So this person shut up and walked out of the door even though he had completed his front 9 in less than 90 minutes.

[SC Golfer]

I have the same problem.  I can only try to chip balls around the teeing areas for so long.

[Sillybodkins]

If you are going to play competitive tournament golf these days, slow play is going to be a problem that you are going to run into.

Just like playing under pressure, slow play is something that you have to get used to.  I am not saying that slow play is right; in fact I hate it.  But, there is not much you can do about it when it happens, so you really just have to accept it.  When you play, you only have to concentrate when it is your shot.  When not, have some fun with your buddies, tell stories, think about girls, etc......

[crazyIvan60]

I asked one of the asst pros at my course this weekend about it.  He says he tries to keep his hand/eye coordination active by bouncing balls on a wedge, etc.  Says it keeps his muscle/brain coordination in tact while waiting around.

Come to think of it, I used to juggle while waiting around (20+ years ago).  It also had the effect of unnerving my match play opponent on an occasion or 2....

[drewspin]

Slow play is a taint-licker.

The only way to cope is to keep it literally one-shot at a time and have some sort of "game time" trigger for you to begin your pre-shot routine, after you play, a trigger to shut down mentally.

[TimL]

There is always a hold-up at #8 (a 200yd par3) at my home course. I've been known to juggle, bounce balls on a wedge, but two things really help me keep my concentration going and not get fed up. 1) I will NOT watch the group ahead, even go so far as turn away from them and 2) will NOT pick up the club I'll be using until it's my turn to hit. If I feel the need to stay loose and swing a club, I'll take the opposite club I'm going to be using. i.e. a driver on a par3 or a wedge on a par 4 or 5. It's also a great time to get some energy food into me or rehydrate, so that takes my mind off the wait.

[mesquite2]

5 1/2 hours?? Don't they have anybody working there? I would go crazy at that pace & it would be my last time there. I play at a public course that offers memberships ( used to be private) in a group of 20-30 & we usually play in 4 hours or LESS!

[Avatar]

I expect it during tournaments so it doesn't bother me too much. I do some chipping and stretching to say limber.

However, during casual rounds I really have to work on staying patient.