I find it completely unbelievable the number of times that I have been enjoying a beautiful day, on a lush green golf course, scoring well and enjoying the company only to have it ruined by the selfish players ahead of me who can't seem play at a reasonable pace.

While I notice others playing slowly with the fabulous discount golf clubs and often find myself held up, especially on weekends, I am not a particularly good golfer. I play fairly consistently to a 15 handicap and have done so for about 10 years now. The peculiar thing is that I have discussed my concern with many golfers who are both much better and much worse than I and they all have similar complaints about slow play. If all these people are complaining about slow play then who is responsible for all the slow play?

I know that most of the time that you're on the course and complaining about slow play you're doing your part by keeping up with the group ahead of you and usually it appears as though the group ahead of you is also doing their part. The comment is then made from someone in your foursome that it must be a group up ****her ahead that is slowing everyone down. The problem is that everyone is saying this and nobody seems to be able to find the group slowing everyone down!

Golf is meant to be a social game and should continue to be so. If it were not there wouldn't be an issue of slow play - there wouldn't be any golfers on the course! Ready golf does not mean that you cannot converse throughout your round or tell jokes to your golf partner, it merely means that the person who is ready to go next hits their ball and the group moves on. Further, when playing ready golf it is important that each golfer is aware of where the other players’ balls are so that they are always aware of when a shot might take place with the discount golf clubs and so that they can curb the volume of their conversation while these shots are being taken.

Ready golf is simple. Be thinking about what kind of discount golf clubs you are likely going to hit before you actually stand over your ball. As you are walking or driving towards your ball guess at the distance to the pin and evaluate the lie so that when you arrive at the ball you have at least narrowed down the club you are going to hit to one or two at the most. Watch other golfers in your foursome from where you’re going to hit your next shot rather than standing next to them for ever shot and then proceeding to your ball. When on the green look at your putt while others are making theirs. Certainly don't 'try that putt one more time' or you might end up with an approach shot in your ear.

Golf is an old game with many traditions and etiquette that should be respected when possible. I get that! However, when the game is to the point where I avoid playing golf on the weekends because of five and half hour rounds there's a problem.