COLUMN: Take your time on the course, just don't take mine

I'm currently sitting on a tee box waiting on the very slow group in front of me to get far enough away that I can hit. After two holes of doing this -- and watching them take more time than necessary to play each hole -- I decided I would begin writing my next column ... and I had the even better idea to write about the steps people can take to help keep a good pace of play as well as keep the course flow moving smoothly.

I tend to play a lot of rounds by myself, meaning I am going to have a quicker pace of play than groups with two or more. Generally, a single walking is still faster than a twosome riding.

People who haven't spent much time on the course don't always know that proper etiquette is to let a faster or smaller group behind them "play through," but it is something they need to learn (you can use your own judgment but, if they keep having to wait on you, you should more than likely let them through).

It's easy to do. After putting out on a hole, you can simply wait on the next tee box while the group behind you putts out, then tell them to go ahead and hit on the next tee.

This will help decrease the chance of a holdup, especially on those nice days that everyone thinks they should go to the golf course, and it will also lift the weighty feeling of being rushed up from your shoulders, placed there by the group behind you constantly being on your tail.

It is sort of like when you are driving on the interstate in the left lane, trying to pass the semis, and there is that one car driving as close to you as possible while you have no way to get over. It is very annoying and when you finally get the chance to get back in the right lane they zoom past you and the traffic doesn't seem as jammed.

Some days, the course is too packed to let people play through, meaning if they pass you, you will both be waiting on the next tee because they had nowhere to go.

If this is the case, you can work on how you manage the course in order to keep a nice pace not only in your group but on the course as a whole.

Some suggestions:

1) Walk and chew your thoughts at the same time -- While walking or riding to your ball, begin thinking about your next shot, like how far it might be, what club you would use or how you will play it.

2) Cheat if you want, but do it quickly -- If you are going to play by the rules and you hit a ball you think may be tough to find, hit a provisional ball. If you aren't playing by the rules, then limit your search to a minute or so and just drop a ball and go on.

3) Don't forget you have legs -- If you are sharing a cart with someone, don't drive to the first ball and sit while they hit. Go ahead and drop them off, drive to your ball and let them walk to the cart as you are hitting (This hasn't killed anyone as far as I know).

4) Dorky golf pants have pockets for a reason -- Carry an extra ball and ball mark, as well as some extra tees, in your pockets so you won't have to go back to the cart if you need to use one of these things.

5) If you're ready, just go -- When on the tee, or anywhere else if you can, play ready golf. This means play in order of who is ready, not who is furthest from the pin. Don't wait for your friend to finish his text message before he hits just because he is three yards behind you ... just go ahead and hit. Maybe he will get the hint, or maybe you'll get a text that says, "WTH y did u hit b4 me?"

6) Park in the right place -- Leave the cart or bags on the side of the green that is in the direction of the next tee (never in front of it) so you can putt out and move on quickly to the next hole.

Basically, just always be ready to hit your shot. A good pace of play will always be better for your game.

This doesn't mean rush, just to stay smooth. Playing too fast doesn't allow you to fully think about your shots or options, which can add strokes (and make you take longer); playing too slow makes it really easy to lose your focus.

I understand that playing for the day doesn't mean you are out to make everyone on the course happy but it is just a form of respect.

You could be the best player, but no one will want to play with you if you feel you are entitled to taking as long as you want to play your round and hold everyone up.

As Phil Mickelson said, "The object of golf is not just to win. It is to play like a gentleman, and win."