Pace of play · Guide
Which holes create congestion on a golf course?
Congestion almost always starts on one or two holes. Typical bottlenecks are par-3 holes where everyone waits for the green to clear, long par-5 holes with a challenging approach, holes with a long walk from the previous green, and holes with heavy rough or water where ball searches take time.
Typical bottleneck holes
- Par 3s where the group ahead must clear the green before the next group can play.
- Long par 5s with a narrow or demanding approach shot.
- Holes with a long walk from the previous green to the tee.
- Holes with thick rough, water or out-of-bounds that cause a lot of ball searching.
- The first and second holes, which set the pace for the entire round.
How the bottleneck is found
A bottleneck shows up through two signals: the time spent on the hole itself is higher than expected, and the tee waiting time for that hole is long. If the waiting time is long but play time is normal, the problem lies on the hole before it. GolfAppen measures both per hole and shows exactly where play stalls.
Measures that work
- Set a realistic expected time for each hole – not the same time for all of them.
- Consider signage or clear information on the holes that create congestion.
- Review tee placement and rough mowing on holes with a lot of ball searching.
- Adjust the tee interval if the bottleneck occurs early in the round.
- Re-measure after the change to see if it worked.
Frequently asked questions
- How do we know which hole is creating the congestion?
- By measuring both play time and waiting time per hole. A long tee wait means the problem lies on the previous hole, not where the queue appears.
- Is it always a par 3 that's the problem?
- Often, but not always. Long par 5s and holes with heavy ball searching or long walks are just as common as bottlenecks.
- Can a bottleneck be eliminated entirely?
- Rarely completely, but it can be reduced significantly with a realistic expected time, clear information, and a tee interval matched to the course's actual capacity.