Golf with PEP – Toronto's Pace and Etiquette Program

The Pace and Etiquette Program is designed to promote enjoyable conditions at Toronto's golf courses: Scarlett Woods, Humber Valley, Dentonia Park, Don Valley and Tam O'Shanter. With PEP, golfers can apply many of the well-established practices found at golf courses throughout Canada and the United States.

Please read through this handy guide. It's packed with useful tips and reminders that will help make your golf game an enjoyable outing each and every time. Our course professionals will be pleased to answer any questions about the Pace and Etiquette Program.

The success of PEP depends on you and your group's ability to:

• Keep Pace With The Group Ahead
• Play Ready Golf – The First Person Ready Plays
• Follow The Continuous Putting Rule
• Practice Proper Golfing Etiquette

Keeping Pace

A foursome tees off once every 8 minutes. When groups follow a consistent pace throughout their game, this 8 minute spread is maintained until the 18 th green. HOWEVER, SOME GROUPS FALL 10 OR MORE MINUTES BEHIND. This backs up play!

On busy days, being polite and allowing quicker groups to play through actually slows down the pace of the game even more. Although one group is waved through, the remaining groups on the course are STILL HELD UP WAITING TO PLAY!

During peak periods, golfers should:

• KEEP PACE with the group ahead of you,
• LOOK AHEAD – NOT BEHIND

DID YOU KNOW? A round of golf should take a maximum of:

• 4 hours & 15 minutes on our regulation size courses. (Don Valley G.C., Humber Valley G.C., and Tam O'Shanter G.C.)
• 3 hours on our executive length course. (Scarlett Woods G.C.)
• 2 hours & 30 minutes on our par three course. (Dentonia G.C.)

It tends to be less crowded during the late afternoon at Toronto's golf courses. If you prefer a more relaxed pace, this may be a better time to play a game. Speak to our course professionals for suggestions about times that suit your pace comfortably.

Slow Play is not caused by tricky greens or a bad slice – these challenges are all part of the game. Slow play results from bad habits and poor course etiquette that waste time and affect course pace considerably.

Experienced golfers point out that a reasonable pace can be accomplished quite easily – without affecting scores! In many cases, golf scores may actually improve due to better concentration and consistency between shots. The more you use our helpful “Time Saver Tips” the more you will enjoy your game of golf.

Always Play Ready Golf

Time Saver Tips

• Proceed safely and directly to your own ball.
• Plan your shot and select your club while approaching your ball.
• Get set while other players are taking their shots and take a maximum of one “practice swing”.
• Hit your shot as soon as safety and courtesy permit.
• Understand the rules of the game – especially those about balls out of bounds, water hazards and lost balls.

Use Your Time Wisely

• NEVER record your score on or near the green.
• Always put your bag or cart at the rear of the green near the exit for the next tee.
• Never offer playing instructions while on the golf course.
• Carry an extra ball, tees, and ball marker in your pocket.

On The Tee

• Play “READY GOLF” - the first person ready tees off!
• The other players in your group should wait, clubs in hand, beside the tee markers, and spot the location of fellow players' tee shots.
• Once all tee shots have been made, each player should proceed directly to his/her ball.

On The Green - Continuous Putting Rule

• Follow the CONTINUOUS PUTTING RULE – continue putting until you have stroked your ball into the hole unless you are restricted by another player's line.
• Park your cart and clubs to the rear of the green in line with the next tee.
• Line up your putt BEFORE it is your turn to putt.
• If extra clubs have been used for chipping, lay them beside the pin on the ground so as not to forget or misplace them.

When The Course Is Busy

• Try to “Keep Pace” with the foursome ahead. Only on “quieter days” is it courteous and effective to wave faster players through.

Finding Balls

• Use trees, bunkers and other visible landmarks as references to help you find errant shots. Don't look for balls for more than 2 minutes.

Between Nines

• Make sure you and your group only spend 8 minutes between nines in order to “KEEP PACE” with the group ahead. You may notice one of our course marshals timing play between the 9 th green and the 10 th tee to keep play moving at a satisfactory pace.

Tips When Using Motorized Carts

After teeing off:

• Decide which player should play their shot first and drive directly to that ball.
• While the first player prepares to shoot, the other player drives to his or her ball, plays the shot then proceeds to pick up the partner WHO IS ALREADY WALKING TOWARDS THE NEXT SHOT! If you cannot drive to the ball take 3 clubs – the one you think is correct plus one more and one less. NEVER WALK BACK FOR A CLUB!

For approach, sand and chip shots, take all the clubs you will need to finish the hole, PLUS your putter. The FIRST PLAYER ON THE GREEN or the player NEAREST THE CUP is responsible for parking the cart. Park the cart to the rear of the green in a direct line to the next tee. The FIRST PERSON TO PUTT OUT should proceed directly to the cart and mark the scores.

Golf Course Etiquette

Our golf course marshals will observe groups as they make their way through the course. Please be considerate of your fellow golfers and the marshals by completing your round of golf within our recommended time period. Follow our general rules of “golf course etiquette”. The marshals are a helpful service for you: they will try to maintain a reasonable pace and are happy to assist you with any problems you may encounter while on the course. It is the marshal's responsibility to monitor progress of play, so please respect their presence and follow any suggestions they may offer.

Please Remember:

• KEEP PACE with the group ahead of you,
• LOOK AHEAD - NOT BEHIND!
• TIPS WHILE ON THE COURSE

Golfers demonstrate course etiquette in many ways. Courtesy for fellow golfers can be shown by maintaining a reasonable pace. Helping to maintain the playing conditions is another way.

While Playing on the golf course please:

• REPAIR YOUR BALL MARK PLUS ONE OTHER ON EACH AND EVERY GREEN
• REPLACE DIVOTS
• RAKE ANY SAND TRAPS AFTER USE
• KEEP CARTS ON THE PATHWAYS AND OFF THE TEES
• RESPECT DIRECTIONAL SIGNS NEAR GREENS AND TEES
• RESEED ALL THE DIVOTS WITH TEE MIX (where provided on par threes)