With tons of golf lingo, terminology and slang out there it can be tough to keep track. That’s why we’ve put together this article on understanding ready golf so you can figure out what this saying really means.
What is ready golf?
Ready golf is a commonly used term which means golfers should play when they are able to shoot. Rather than when furthest from the hole.
This newer form of playing golf used to be considered much more inappropriate on the course. But has become more and more common as the golf community looked to find ways to improve the game.
Since 2019 it has officially become accepted by USGA and the R&A that golfers may be allowed to play ready golf without penalty.
Why Play Ready Golf?
Ready golf has become more popular as of late. This is because this style of playing golf greatly improves the speed of the game. Instead of having to wait for the furthest player to get his clubs in order and get to his next shot, any member of your foursome may hit.
This greatly improves the speed of the game and allows golfers to complete their rounds much quicker. Ready golf has been implemented into many courses. And the vast majority of the time has resulted in a considerable increase in the pace of play.
What to know before playing ready golf?
One thing you must make sure of before playing ready golf is that all members accept this play style. Many golfers still believe that furthest from the hole should be the next golfer to shoot. So talking with your group prior to playing this style is important.
It is also important to discuss the type of golf you are playing. If you are planning to play stroke play the most common form of golf then playing this faster style of golf is perfectly fine.
Though if you are playing match play then this type of golf should not be played. In match play, you are scoring who wins each hole. By having the closer drive to the hole you are able to force the other golfer to shoot first.
This is a fairly big strategic advantage which is then eliminated if you aren’t playing furthest from the hole shoots next.
This is why the USGA advises against ready golf when playing match play but encourages it in stroke play.
Conclusion Thoughts
We hope you enjoyed our guide and learned something new about golf. Do you have any questions regarding this article or any of the information we included on it? if so we encourage you to reach out in the comments below.
If you did enjoy this guide and are looking to learn more we suggest you check out some of our other articles such as our guide to understanding doglegs or golfs scoring terms.
