What Is Ready Golf?

Golf is an extremely time-consuming event and when you have hundreds of players split into different groups, you will need to watch the time. There is only so much sunlight during the day and golfing organizers try to make sure that none of this is wasted. Following a strict schedule is important for a functioning tournament.

If the group is lagging, you might hear the term “ready golf” The term simply means that players should speed up play and each player can hit when ready. It slightly deviates from the traditional etiquette often associated with golf. However, the show must go on, especially when one group is catching the other at a rapid pace.

Breaking Etiquette

Traditional golfing etiquette is something that most players like to follow and since golf is a gentleman’s game, the rules and etiquette will help to keep the game flowing and avoid any contradictions and possible hindrances.

The proper way for each hole to be played is for the hitting order to be determined by the player the furthest from the hole. This means that someone who makes it close to the green or hole off the tee might be the last one to play the shot that gets them on the green. The player farthest back from the pin will have to go first.

When it comes to teeing off, it could be slightly different and you will find that the players with the worst score will often go first. While this does put more pressure on the player, the leaders will have the advantage to help them sustain their lead and even extend whenever it is possible. The term is often coined as the “leader’s advantage”.

As mentioned, the game might be slow and if some players veer off course too often, it could cause the group behind to catch up to them. Another factor is that the weather could be turning bad or it might be going dark. The term ready golf often comes into play to ensure that players can finish the round as soon as possible.

Modern Golf And Ready Play

In modern golf, event organizers are trying to make sure that every golfer gets a fair chance to play their rounds. The ready play rule is becoming recommended in the golf rule book and even though some older players believe it is playing out of turn, it helps to speed up the game slightly. More players are having the opportunity to get their shots in and make their rounds.

Continuous putting is another area where ready golf is often used. If a player consistently misses a few puts and they land the furthest from the hole, the etiquette states that they need to continue playing before the closer players have the opportunity to hit. The ready play has made it so that players can now break this cycle.

One of the benefits is that one player does not need to hold up an entire group anymore. While the players need to stick to the pace of the group as much as possible, they can catch up while the others continue.

Ready play can help alleviate some of the pressure on weaker players or those having a bad they. They are no longer rushed and will not feel like being judged by the other players. Many players can use this to their advantage and potentially play some great shots to get themselves back in the game.

Wrap-Up

Many of the older players have an issue with the rule and like to stick to the traditions of the game. If you do not have event organizers at your social event, you will have to follow the etiquette. However, if all the players can agree to the ready play rule, you could implement it. We would recommend making sure that everyone is on board and you do not have any objections when integrating the rule into your social game.