Golf Writer Chris Powers Addresses Reader Anxiety Over Slow Play and Course Etiquette in Yahoo Sports Column
In a column, golf writer Chris Powers addresses an anonymous reader inquiry concerning golf etiquette, slow play, and the social anxiety felt by newer participants in the sport. Powers examines the broader cultural stigma surrounding players who took up the game during the COVID-19 pandemic—frequently labeled pejoratively as “COVID golfers” or “COVIDIANs”—and offers practical strategies for managing slow groups without alienating friends.
Anonymous Reader Confesses to Playing in a Slow Group
The column centers on an email from a mid-to-high handicapper who admits to playing regularly with three close friends who started golfing during the pandemic. The reader describes themselves as the most serious player in the foursome, maintaining a strict focus on pace of play while their companions lag behind. Despite the reader’s best efforts to practice ready golf, the group frequently draws complaints from marshals and trailing groups, creating an uncomfortable social dynamic on the course.
Powers validates the reader’s frustration while noting that slow play is not exclusively a trait of newer participants. “There are folks who have played this game multiple decades who still don’t know where to park the cart when they get to the green,” Powers writes, pointing out that established golfers also contribute to course congestion and neglect routine maintenance like fixing pitch marks.
Practical Strategies for Improving Pace of Play Among Friends
To help resolve the friction within recreational foursomes, Powers outlines several actionable mitigation techniques that do not rely on aggressive confrontation. First, he recommends leading by example through proactive positioning, such as walking ahead to one’s ball or taking a cart to a separate shot. When peers struggle with consistent delays, Powers suggests gamifying the round or setting collective targets.
Specific suggestions from the column include:
- Establishing a double-par maximum score rule on the first tee to encourage picking up when a hole stalls.
- Setting a target completion time, such as finishing an 18-hole round in 4 hours and 15 minutes.
- Offering incentives, such as buying the first round of drinks if the group avoids warnings from the course ranger.
Powers emphasizes that speaking up constructively using collective phrasing—such as noting that “WE need to be better in this particular area”—helps prevent individuals from feeling personally targeted while still addressing the underlying pace issues.
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