Time Check Speeds Up Golfers on Parks Department Courses

After more than a month of a pilot program designed to speed up play on Los Angeles city-run golf courses, the Department of Recreation and Parks has reported overwhelming support for the program among 987 golfers polled at Wilson, Encino and Rancho Park courses.

Asked if they favored the Go-Golf program, which calls for an 18-hole round to be played in 4 1/2 hours or less, 932 players (94%) responded affirmatively.

Originally, officials considered banning players from the course if they fell behind the time limit after nine holes. However, that aspect was rejected, at least for now.

One recent weekend, times for 18 holes averaged 4 hours, 18 minutes at Encino, 4 hours, 21 minutes at Wilson and 4 hours, 25 minutes at Rancho Park, the city’s busiest among the department’s 13 courses.

‘How Did We Do?’

“The psychological effects of the time check at the end of nine holes has helped speed up play,” said Department of Recreation and Parks spokesman Al Goldfarb. “Some players don’t wear watches, and at the end of nine, they’ll ask, ‘Hey, how did we do? Did we break it (time limit)?’ ”

Goldfarb quoted one player at Rancho Park as saying, “It’s the first time I ever played Rancho on a weekend in less than 4 1/2 hours.”

Rancho Park course manager Clyde Blake said groups are reducing playing time an average of 30 to 35 minutes per round, permitting “six or seven more foursomes a day on the course.

“Most of the comments are that they like the program and want stronger marshaling,” he said. “I guess everybody was just tired of taking so long to play.”

Not at All Pleased

However, one man who was urged to speed up after his group had fallen one hole behind at the sixth tee wasn’t pleased about being rushed.

“He told us to get off his back,” Blake recalled. “He was ready to take our head off.”

Blake explained the need for faster play, then left the man in peace for the remainder of his game.

“We found out,” Blake added, “that he played the course in 4 hours and 12 minutes. Then he came up to apologize. ‘I was a little hasty,’ he said. ‘I thought it would ruin my game, but it didn’t. I’m in favor of it.’ ”

Besides signs with Go-Golf slogans posted on courses, cards listing hints on how to play faster are distributed to players. Among the tips: “Tee off as soon as the group in front is clear,” “Help search for lost balls after you hit your ball,” and “Mark scores after you leave the green.”

Recreation and Park officials will meet Friday to discuss the possibility of adopting the program on a permanent basis, starting in January. Meanwhile, the pilot program will continue through this month.