Rules · Tip
Keep a Good Pace
Part of our rules programs. Build a program with it
Rule 5.6b asks everyone to play promptly. Once it's your turn, try to hit within 40 seconds. Usually faster. Most slow play comes from waiting until your turn to start getting ready. Get ready early instead. Figure out your yardage and club while others play. Read your putt while others putt. Take two or three clubs to your ball if you're unsure. In stroke play, hitting when ready is encouraged, if it's safe.
Step by step
- Get your yardage and club early.
- Read your putt while others putt.
- Bring a couple of clubs if unsure.
- Hit when ready if it's safe.
- Aim for 40 seconds or less.
Why it works
Most of the time a round takes is spent waiting and deciding, not swinging. If you do your thinking while others play, your own turn only needs the setup and the swing. Small savings at every shot add up across a group, so the whole round moves at a steady rate.
Common mistakes
- You wait until it is your turn to find your yardage.Check your distance and pick a club while the player before you is hitting.
- You walk to your ball with one club and then walk back for another.Take two or three clubs with you if you are unsure of the shot.
- You start reading your putt only after the other players have finished.Read your line from the side while others putt, as long as you stay out of their view and path.
How you'll know it's working
- You are standing over the ball ready to hit as soon as the previous player finishes.
- Your group stays level with the group ahead without you having to hurry.
- Your pre-shot routine feels the same length on every shot, and you rarely need to walk back for a club.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Play a few holes with a set routine, such as yardage, club, and one practice swing, and do each step as soon as the other player has hit.
Harder: Try to be ready to hit the moment it is safe on every shot for a full nine holes, and keep your own turn to 40 seconds or less.
Common questions
How long should it take to hit a golf shot?
Rule 5.6b asks you to play promptly, and 40 seconds after it is your turn is a sound limit. Most shots can be done faster than that.
What does hit when ready mean in golf?
It means you play when you are ready instead of waiting for the player farthest from the hole, as long as it is safe. It is encouraged in stroke play because it saves time.
