Ready Golf is a pace-of-play strategy in golf designed to speed up the game by encouraging players to be ready to play their shots as soon as it is safe and reasonable to do so, rather than strictly waiting for their turn based on traditional rules like "farthest from the hole plays first." It emphasizes thinking ahead, moving quickly to your ball, selecting your club, and being prepared to hit when it is your turn or even playing out of turn if it does not endanger others or break match play rules
. Key principles of Ready Golf include:
- On the tee, the player with honors should be ready to hit first; if not, another ready player may go ahead
- On the fairway, all players should proceed promptly to their balls, select clubs, and be ready to play without unnecessary delays, avoiding moving in a group or caravan
- On the green, players should line up putts and prepare while others are putting, and putt continuously if it does not interfere with others' lines or require excessive time
- In stroke play, playing out of turn under Ready Golf is encouraged if it speeds up play and is safe, with no penalty for doing so
- Ready Golf is not generally applied in match play due to strategic considerations, though players may agree to play out of turn to save time
Overall, Ready Golf is promoted by golf organizations like the R&A, USGA, and NGF to improve the flow of play, reduce slow rounds, and enhance enjoyment on busy courses
. It is about being ready to play when it is your turn, not playing only when you feel ready
