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Slow Player

• nivlac 2,188 Posts

  Tue, Jul 14 2009 3:11 PM

  TechnicalFoul:

  Anything slower than that is unnecessary and could also be considered rude.  If a person wants to really study each shot, he/she should fly solo.

  You have 90 seconds.   It is common courtesy to allow a player his full clock time, not to decide when you think they should hit it based on your personal philosophy.  Considering that many players must swing through 8 times before they can get a meter that isn't jumping around erratically, it's the least you can do.

  You'd absolutely hate to play with me.  I'm under 30 seconds almost every shot aside from off the tee.  Sometimes I'll even call out 'clock' to let people know I'm gonna need up to an additional 90 seconds to line up my putt.

  If anyone ever tells me to speed up my play I'll show them the wall at which they can direct their statement towards and I will also kindly tell them where to shove it.  I didn't get to where I am today by rushing through my shots.

  And to stay on topic I support having the option to select a time limit of 90, 60, 45 or 30 seconds.

• Doublemochaman 2,009 Posts

  Tue, Jul 14 2009 3:35 PM

  Aha!  Nivlac... which brings us to a more improtant issue.  You are, arguably, one of the best players on this site.  And have one of the best icons, as well.

  Question:  Do you usually use most of the 90 seconds planning out your shot?  What. would you say, is your average time, whether playing with others or by yourself?

  I only ask because I'm wondering if I am too fast, and therefore don't score as well.  If the secret might be in deliberation and precision?

  Looking for enlightenment. 

  Thx,

  Double

• nivlac 2,188 Posts

  Tue, Jul 14 2009 3:45 PM

  I probably play faster in solo play because I'm looking to maintain a solid rhythm.  Once you get into the swing of things (no pun intended) you start making more consistent contact on the swing meter.  The fact that there is rarely a shot that I haven't seen at least once before helps to cut down on the shot preparation a lot.  If I'm in a familiar place, say 160 yds out  on BP #6 I just draw, aim and fire.  If I know the shot it can take as little as 10 seconds.  If I don't know the shot then I'll take as much time as I feel I need to make sure I'm comfortable with what I'm about to do.  I had a shot from an odd yardage today on BP #5 that was between wedges for me.  I actually sat there a good 3 minutes trying to visualize all options so I could figure out the best way to approach it.  My result?  3 feet short, although I did mishit because I lost my rhythm sitting there for too long.

  In multiplayer, all hope for rhythm is lost for me.  I often have meter stutters, particularly in larger groups and I mishit a LOT more because of it. Consequently, I get myself into more 'new' areas in multiplayer that require I take much more time making sure my aim is correct and that I'm really concentrating on hitting the jumpy meter.  If something just 'feels' wrong, I swing through and try again.  Plus, I tend to BS a lot in multiplayer because I'm in it for the social element and not the competition.  As anyone who's played with me can attest, I'm a talker. :)  Half of my shot clock is usually wasted because I'm just blathering away.

  Each player is gonna have his or her own personal preference.  tibbets wastes very little time between shots when he's on the course.  He can finish an 18 hole round in around 20 minutes.  That's a pretty stiff pace if you think about it.  You just gotta find that comfort zone that works for you and don't let anyone intimidate you into rushing or changing up your style.

  Practice is important as everyone always says, mostly because you get to see so many shots.  Once you come back to shots you've hit before, the comfort factor goes way up and you'll probably find yourself hitting it quickly to get that ryhthm going.

• Snaike 3,678 Posts

  Tue, Jul 14 2009 4:35 PM

  TechnicalFoul:

    When you play with someone on here, it is common courtesy to pull the trigger by the time the clock gets into the 50's, at the absolute latest.  70's is normal, 60's if you are really studying a shot from a couple different angles, 50's if you are having a career round and are faced with a 30-foot bender on the last hole to break your PR..

  TechnicalFoul ... you have your own clock, to which I say no.  Just 'no'.  If you want to race through, perhaps we should just ask you to fly solo.

  Again, this is not a race.  What you think should be 'courtesy' is your fantasy.

  Each player is ALLOWED 90 seconds for a reason, and reasons Nivlac already outlined.

   Unless and until WGT institutes graduated, or optional, timing restraints, you should always allow players full use of the shot clock.... 

   

• tibbets 1,043 Posts

  Tue, Jul 14 2009 5:01 PM

  That being said, adjustable shot-clock options should be in the works as one of the hosting options.  It'll keep the fast and slow players from having to deal with one another.  To each, the other is annoying, and the only "right answer" is to be able to set up a multiplayer session with the parameters that one sees fit.  Whoever joins that group gets the option of seeing what they are getting into, and can decide if they want to proceed or not.  It's just one of the many adjustable things that the hosting player should be able to set as an option.

• TechnicalFoul 16 Posts

  Wed, Jul 15 2009 9:34 AM

  Maybe so Snaike, but on a real golf course, whether you are playing at the roughest muni or a country club, it is common knowledge that you are expected to play in 4-4.5 hours!  It's posted everywhere and on every scorecard.  You won't play in 4 hours if you take 90 seconds per shot.

  Again, on a real golf course, if you happen to be paired with someone you don't know and who is better than you, it is golf etiquette to ensure that they aren't waiting on you to dig your ball out of the trees or reach in your bag for the "golf ball retriever".  You must speed up your play.

  I love this game both online and in real life, but I play quick in both. You, tibbets, and nivlac are way better than me and actually play this game for $.  The other 99.9% of the people on here just want to enjoy the game and see if they can get better, and it shouldn't be at the time expense of others!

• Doublemochaman 2,009 Posts

  Wed, Jul 15 2009 9:47 AM

  I once played an 18 hole round of golf in 2 hours and 20 minutes!  It was at Bandon Dunes and the rain was coming down sideways and the wind was howling.  But I was by myself and had a caddie, who begged me to quit after 14 holes.  I told him I'd carry the bag but he had to continue.  Tipped him $100.  It was at Christmastime.

  I wish WGT would put up Bandon Dunes and Pebble Beach.

• Snaike 3,678 Posts

  Wed, Jul 15 2009 11:30 AM

  TechnicalFoul:

  ...

  Maybe so Snaike, but on a real golf course, whether you are playing at the roughest muni or a country club, it is common knowledge that you are expected to play in 4-4.5 hours!  It's posted everywhere and on every scorecard.  You won't play in 4 hours if you take 90 seconds per shot.

  Again, on a real golf course, if you happen to be paired with someone you don't know and who is better than you, it is golf etiquette to ensure that they aren't waiting on you to dig your ball out of the trees or reach in your bag for the "golf ball retriever".  You must speed up your play.

  To which I agree whole-heartily... but I must point out that is true on a real golf course.  On the real course, you are totally engrossed in the game, in the experience... you are 'present', it is 'live' and 'real-time'.  Besides the odd adult-beverage, the snack at the turn, and/or the good natured ribbing of the rest of the foursome, golf is all there is to do while you are there.

  But this is not a real golf course.  We are playing a game with many, many other distractions in each of our real world lives.  If you were to somehow able to guarantee that every player in the game would be able to stare at the monitor, waiting with baited breath for their next shot, playing virtual 'ready-golf', then yes... anything over 30 seconds should not be tolerated.

  But that is fiction and not reality.  So, we have a game that we all play at a different pace, even though we may be paired.  Unless and until, as stated earlier, WGT institutes a graduated clock system.

  TechnicalFoul:

  ...

  I love this game both online and in real life, but I play quick in both. You, tibbets, and nivlac are way better than me and actually play this game for $.  The other 99.9% of the people on here just want to enjoy the game and see if they can get better, and it shouldn't be at the time expense of others!

  ..  A few things wrong with this statement.  Tibbets and nivlac may be way better than you, but I am not.  My ranking is higher than yours and you have won more money than I have.  I do not play for money here, as I am not good enough ..(actually, it's because my putter hates me.)  I too, just want to enjoy the game and see if I can get better...  but with the myriad of other things to do while playing, the timing of play just isn't an issue.

  Again.. you are allowed 90 seconds in the game.  Use it or not, it is allowed.

  We should push for variable shot clocks, as stated in an above post.  Until that happens, I am sorry to say, you will be forced to wait for slower people.

• RoadWarrior28 29 Posts

  Thu, Jul 16 2009 2:42 PM

  Chat while the opponent is lining up. When it's your turn, chit or get off the pot.

• southsideduc 22 Posts

  Thu, Jul 16 2009 4:21 PM

  Of course you are allowed 90sec, but that's because on some putts it might take that long to line up a complicated shot.  In other words, 90 sec is worst case scenario.  There's no reason to be taking 70 seconds to tee off or even on second shots.  This is the equivalent of those guys who take 10 practice swings in the tee box out on the course.  Are they allowed to do that?  Sure, but it's rude and annoying none the less.