5
G
olf industry
leaders gathered
at the USGA’s
headquarters in Far Hills,
N.J., to share research
findings and make
recommendations to help
solve one of the game’s
long-standing challenges–
pace of play.
In his opening speech
at the Pace of Play
Symposium, USGA
executive director Mike
Davis explained that
the industry must work
together to tackle causes
of slow play. “We don’t
see this simply as a
USGA initiative,” he said.
“Pace of play is an issue
that we need to address
collectively in order to
develop a roadmap.”
Lou Riccio, a professor
at Columbia University
and a pace-of-play analyst,
added that pace-of-play
discussions typically focus
on the behavior of golfers,
yet the role of facility
owners, course managers
and others is of equal if not
greater importance. “This
is an integrated challenge,
and one with many
stakeholders,” he said.
Key takeaways from the
day included the sharing
of practical measures to
avoid slow play, such as
setting tee time intervals
that are appropriate for
individual golf courses and
avoiding putting too many
players on the course at
any one time. Matt Pringle,
the USGA’s technical
director, also stressed the
importance of properly
measuring the factors that
most influence pace of
play. “We need to approach
this problem and base
our decisions on fact and
information,” he said.
ASGCA was represented
by members Jeff Blume,
Tripp Davis and Forrest
Richardson, and Director
of Programs Aileen Smith.
Blume and Davis currently
serve on the ASGCA
Board of Governors, and
Richardson (a former
Governor) regularly
presents on the topic at
golf conferences.
Much of the event
was devoted to the
presentation of data
compiled by studies of
golfer movement around
the course, and how
many aspects of the
management of the game
affect pace. As Tripp Davis,
ASGCA, commented
in a follow-up: “A lot of
what we heard from the
scientists really ends up
being common sense: the
lead group determines the
pace of play. If too many
players are pushed onto
the course in too short a
time frame, log jams occur;
the longer it takes to get
from green to tee, the
longer it will take to play
the course, for example.
“Where I find the science
has more application is
in the flow of play,” he
continued. “A good flow
does not necessarily
impact the total pace,
but it does impact the
experience a player has.”
DIGEST
Industry leaders tackle pace of play
Pace of play
“Base our decisions on fact and information,” said the USGA’s Matt Pringle
New courses
for South Korea
Pace of Play Pledge
To help tackle pace of play,
the USGA is encouraging
golfers to sign its Pace of
Play Pledge. Already, more
than 185,000 people have
signed the agreement, which
includes promises to:
• Identify ways that I can
pick up the pace
• Practice ‘ready golf’
during stroke play
• Serve as an example for
those around me
• Embrace opportunities to
play nine holes
• Play more quickly, play
better and have more fun!
Find out more at:
Two new world-class
courses, designed by
ASGCA architects, have
opened in South Korea.
The South Cape Owners
Club course, designed by
Kyle Phillips, ASGCA is
located on the coastline
of Namhae Island and is
the centerpiece of a luxury
golf resort community. “We
incorporated a links feel
into what is not a true links
landscape. Every hole has a
view of the sea. It is one of
the most striking coastlines in
golf,” said Phillips.
Jim Engh, ASGCA has
also completed work on the
Jangsu Golf Resort course,
located in the North
Jeolla Province. This is the
first time that Engh has
designed in the country,
but, like many of his other
projects, Jangsu occupies
rugged mountain terrain.
“We chose to use the
natural valleys and ridges
to play up, down and
across this exciting land,”
said Engh. “I believe that it
is unlike any other course
in South Korea.”
Phillips’ South Cape course
Engh’s Jangsu Golf Resort course
Photo: Mark Thawley
Photo: USGA/Jonathan Kolbe
