'Ready Golf'

Is this the answer to slow play?

 

- Fergus Bisset

In recent years, the scourge of slow play has regularly been considered in this magazine. It’s widely accepted to be a problem that’s hurting the game at all levels. There are many varied suggestions on how to speed up golf, but one of the most practical to implement is that of ‘ready golf’ – encouraging golfers to hit the ball when they are ready to do so, even if it is out of turn.

Ready golf is not a new concept and Golf Monthly has long advocated the idea of golfers using common sense to expedite play in this way where it’s safe to do so. But recent announcements by The R&A have given the idea significant impetus. Firstly, within The R&A’s proposed changes to modernise the Rules of Golf, released this March, an affirmative encouragement of ready golf was forwarded. And more recently came the announcement that The R&A will be introducing ready golf for the stroke-play sections of its 2017 amateur championships. However, The R&A does stipulate that ready golf is not appropriate for match-play competition.

With the governing body laying out the guidelines on what ready golf should entail and leading by example in rolling it out, the concept is potentially becoming reality.

But what does the term ‘ready golf’ actually mean? The R&A gives no official definition, but offers examples of the system in action.

We consider these practical scenarios on the following pages...

- Playing when it is safe to do so if a person further away faces a challenging shot and is taking time to consider their options. If you’re at your ball and ready to play but your playing partner is not, it makes total sense that you should strike your shot rather than waiting.