Pursuant to the Sepulveda Men's Golf Club Operations Manual, there are specific penalties for Slow Play.  The club has specific remedies for slow players during tournaments:

Rule 12.   
Slow play is not to be tolerated.  A tournament official, or a course marshal at the request of a tournament official, shall issue warnings to groups that are behind.  The Committee may penalize the slow players(s) two strokes after two warnings. If the slow play continues after the slow player(s) have been assessed penalty strokes, the Committee may disqualify such player(s).  Other members of the slow players’ group shall not be penalized.


 
The club has made official recommendations for speeding up play.
Some of the recommendations are counter to what we learned as rules of etiquette.
So some players will have difficultly adopting these measures.
The club needs to take a leadership position and state that the slow play measures supersede the traditional rules of etiquette.

Policy on Speeding Up Play

All members are required to keep pace with the group in front of them during our tournaments.

 • If there is a chance a ball could be lost or out of bounds.  Hit a provisional.
 • Help each other out.  Pay attention to what the other people are doing and try to watch
    where their balls lands.
 • When using a cart, drop off one player at their ball and the other player should drive to
    their ball and get ready. Take 3 clubs, one more and one less than the one you think
    you are going to use in case you change your mind.
 • When searching for a ball, the search party should only be 3 players.  
    One by one the other players should be heading to their own ball and hitting their
    approach shot, then rejoining the search party and rotating with another player.
    After the 3 players have hit, this should be approximately 5 mins. which is the
    maximum allowed time under the USGA rules. At that point the ball should be
    deemed lost and the player should go hit their provisional. If you follow this method
    it should self time the 5 minutes and your group will not lose much ground on the
    group in front of you. Never join a search party if you don't know where your own ball
    is.
 • SMGC plays ready golf, not honors golf.  Be at your ball and ready to hit as soon
    as it is your turn. That means all decisions, as much green reading possible,
    etc. is done prior to your turn.
 • Pace of play begins at first hole.  Keep pace at the start, golf courses get most
    upset when the tee times after tournaments get pushed back.  
    Don't be nervous about etiquette or playing with someone you don't know.  
    Introduce yourselves on the first tee and discuss that everyone is aware they
    are playing ready golf.
 • If you can take a shot without distracting another player, even if it isn't your turn.
   Go ahead and hit.
 • Players riding in carts along with walking players can drive ahead and locate
    balls for everyone in the group.
 • Conversations should be on the move and second in importance to playing
    the round. It is not impolite to put a conversation on hold and go to your 
    ball and hit a shot.

Your group is out of position, how do you catch up?

 • When you are behind, proceed to the next tee and tee off while the other 
    members in your group finish out.
 • In extreme cases, you can even break the group into two twosomes and
    then try and re-pair once you've made up ground.

Penalties for Slow Play

Failing to keep pace during tournaments may result in your group being assigned later starting times in subsequent tournaments and/or 2 stroke penalties as described in the Operations Manual.

The Slow Play process follows these steps:

1.      Inform the players. Through the newsletter, web pages, and tournament 
         sheets, the players will be aware of the slow play measures and potential
         penalties in place.
2.      Measure slow play. Perceived slow play is similar to drivers on the freeway:
         the guy behind you is always driving too fast and the guy in front of 
         you is always driving too slow. We'll do our best to measure playing times
         at tournaments.  Players should be aware they are being timed.  
3.      Inform the players. The club will let players know they are slower than
         others. The club will inform slow players of the measures suggested by
         the club to speed up play and potential actions if the players continue slow play.  
4.      Act on the players. The tournament chairman, as a first step, can move slower
         players to the back of the field starting times. If starting order is not an
         effective incentive to speed up play, then implement rule 12 above.