Over half of golfers blame slow play on social media

Over half (55per cent) of golfers believe the use of social media on golf courses is contributing towards the issue of slow play in the game.

900 golfers were questioned about their feelings on social media while playing golf, and while a 64 per cent majority of players said they use social media on the green, many evidently see the downsides of its use.

This view was more common among older players, too, with 70% of over 70s seeing the use of social as a cause of slow play, compared to just 35per cent of under 30s.

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat were the most popular platforms to use, with 39 per cent of those surveyed saying they’ve used Facebook’s ‘Check-In’ feature to let friends know when they’re at a golf course.

Craig Booking, Head of Digital Marketing and Development at Online Golf commented: “The use of social media on the golf course is only going to increase as time goes on, and clubs need to be savvy to these changes. Young people in particular use these platforms while they’re golfing, so if clubs want to encourage a younger demographic, they should use it to appeal to them. However, they also need to be mindful of the effects this has on slow play and older players who aren’t used to it. The simplest way to do that: club social media guidelines.”

For our guide on social media etiquette on the golf course, please visit our website here: http://www.onlinegolf.co.uk/blog/SocialMediaEtiquette.html