Let singles through please!!!!!

I was playing Industry Hills near LA yesterday. Great course!! Played IKE I tee off alone and by the 5th hole I catch a foursome. They look back and continue playing, so I'm thinking no big deal I'm sure there are plenty of groups ahead and if they waved me to through I would just catch some other group. We then get to an opening where I can see the next 2 holes ahead of this foursome and they're WIDE open! I finally had it and then skipped a hole and the "a holes" and as I was driving by, I got a dirty look like, " where is he going?". I hit my tee shot and never saw this group again... Needless to say I didn't catch another group until I got to the 627yd 18th! I then went back and played the hole I missed. Do you guys run into this a lot when you play as a single? I travel a lot for work and play when I have some time and this happens more and more...

Perhaps in your case where there is barely anyone on the course, a single can pass through. But in general, I have no sympathy for singles. What do they expect, because they are playing alone that they should get to pass each and every group they come up on?

The courses I play on do not allow two-somes, much less singles. You are put with someone whether you like it or not. But, I guess that's why there are almost no rounds over 4:20 here on weekends. So, I have no sympathy for singles either. They should do their darndest to join up with someone before they tee off, imo, unless the course isn't busy.

I'm going to disagree with you on this one.  If there's space in between you and the next group and you have a single behind you, why not let them play through.  Now if there's no space, then just grit and bear...in fact, I tend to pair up with another group if there's a 2 or 3 some nearby.  I consider it common courtesy.

The rules at your course is irrevelant.  This course made the decision to let him on as a single and if the course isn't busy which is obvious in this case, then the group should've offered to let him through.  That is a simple gesture that takes a minimum amount of energy.

As a single however, if I'm playing and see a single up in front, I would almost always offer to join him and would accept if someone asked me.

In the case of the OP, I could be wrong but it seemed like he was straggling along by himself on a somewhat empty course, caught this group had to wait for no reason when it was clear as day up ahead.

You seem to sort of be agreeing with him.

According to USGA Etiquette the faster group should be allowed to play through.  It was in 2004 that they clarified this for the single player because prior it was ruled that a single had no standing on the course.  In 2008 they claried that a single is considered a group.

In the situation that you described, the slower group should have waived you through at the appropriate time, especially since there were open holes ahead.

I don't think that you asked for opinions on singles in general, but you got them anyway.  My course only allows singles in non-peak times when play is light.  I did play in Orlando last week as a single (no other pairing available) and wizzed through the front, but then caught a group on 7 that obviously had another group in front of them.  I took my time and after holing out just practiced some short game shots until the fairway was clear.  For the back 9 (with permission and encouragement from the staff) I drove around three groups (there was no way I would expect to play through three groups) and went to 13, finished and then played 10-12.  I prefer playing in a group, but in this case made the best of it knowing that as a single, I am going to run into this.

The only time I play as a single is early in the year when there is almost no one on the course.  I don't really enjoy playing as a single but it gives me time to work on different aspects of my game.  I do always try to find someone that I can join up with though before I go out alone.

I played alone last week and ran into this problem.  There was only 3 or 4 groups out on the entire course and I'm plying by myself because there is no one out there that I can join (both groups were 4somes).  Anyway I catch up to this group on the 3rd hole par 3.  I thought hey they will probably let me through since there is no one in visible sight for the next 4 holes.  But no they didn't and they were not the best either 3 of the guys pulled it left into the water and then decided to re-tee with me waiting patiently well behind the tee boxes.  Fast forward this kind of play continues until I get to the 13th hole were all of a sudden they decide to let me pass through on another par 3.  It took me 3 hours to play 12 holes behind them and only 30 to finish out.  I was literally standing waiting for either the fairway or green to open for about 10 min on each shot.  The par 5's were the worst though because I can usually reach them in 2 where it took this group to 4.

It would be different if there pace of play was more attentative, I don't mind waiting at all.  But I didn't think that was really thoughtful of them.

Are you sure you werent in LA yesterday? :-)

Okay, let me clarify. I always asked to be paired up, always. I don't enjoy playing alone and if I catch up to someone, i always ask if I can join them. In this case there was nobody on the course, nobody in fron of these idiots and they obviously couldn't be bothered to let me through although I would have never held them up.

I also don't care if I get blasted for this, but IMO, it happens more when I run into the HACKS that have no course etiquette.

I am feeling you man...no blasting here...etiquette is etiquette.

I'd always let a single through if they caught me.  First - I've been in that situation and it isn't fun.  Second - it's just more pressure on me to be ahead of a faster group.  If the course is open ahead then let them through.  If you are the last in a long line of groups then everyone just has to play at the pace of the course.

I agree on letting the single play through only if the course play allows for it, but would leave it as a general statement (no need to qualify it as more related to "hacks").  I've seen a-holery attitudes from all skill types - this is a universal phenomenon.

This is a forum and we're all entitled to our opinions and experiences. In my experience, the worse the golfer the less likely they will allow you to play through.

Again this is my personal experience.

Wow I see a lot of people here have "no sympathy" for singles. I don't think singles are looking for sympathy, they're just looking to play through. I mean would it really ruin your day to let a single through when the course is empty? Christ.

I think its good etiquette to let any group (regardless of size) through who is faster than you. The only exception would be if the course is jammed up and there is nowhere to go.  But even then I would try to let a single through. If the course were that packed (on the weekend at city courses in my area) then I'm pretty sure they don't let singles play alone.  They would always get paired up. I've been on both sides of the ball on this one as only a few of my friends golf so I'm alone sometimes. More often than not people let me play through, but there will always be people who are jerks.

This is it exactly.  If there's space open ahead of you and the group behind you is playing faster, let them play through.  It mildly inconveniences you for one hole while you wait an extra two shot's worth of time (one for them to catch you, one for them to get ahead), versus your holding them up every hole for the rest of the round.  If you're already waiting for every shot because the course is full, then there's no need to do so.  Of course, this should only happen when the course is totally full, since otherwise the bottleneck group should be letting the group behind it pass...

I don't understand the disdain for single players.  Why does it bother you to let someone play through?  Heck, singles are the easiest to let pass, since you can basically play a hole alongside them and then let them tee off and get ahead.

Basic etiquette is this... if there is room (at least an entire hole) ahead of you then you either a) play faster to catch up, or b) let the group (single, 2, 3, or 4-some) behind you play through.  Ideally it is on a par-3, which seems to work best (imo).  You wave them up or stand off to the side after you hit your tee shots and let them hit and play through.  You then finish chipping / putting and proceed to the next tee, after the group you just let through tees off.  Ideally, you will now try to keep up with this group for at least a few more holes.

Obviously if there is no room in front, then as a single you are going nowhere and you will have to wait just like everyone else. Because if they let you play through all the groups, then if will just make the round take longer than normal for the 'groups'.

I often end up playing as a single on my way home from work in the summer, doing the 'twilight' thing.  Usually if I see anyone on the tee that isn't a 4-some, I'll ask to join them to keep the course pace of play moving along.  If I can't get past the group in front of me, I'll usually just practice some chips / putts or hit 2 approach shots, as long as the group behind me doesn't catch up.  If I'm running out of daylight, then that's another story.

Jcard71

Yes, I agree, it is happening more and more. Hell those ppl can't even pronounce "etiquette" let alone spell it or tell you the meaning of it. Seems we have turned into a society of Whiskey Tango's.