What would you do? Wait or jump the tee?

[rehmwa]

I'm going.  If possible, I'd try to find a way to let them know in a friendly fashion.  One poster noted it above - "Hey, we're not stopping so we'll jump ahead.  It's pretty backed up behind you, and we clear at least our group pretty quick".  Smile and go.  Don't wait for the 'possible' argument.

Edited February 18, 2020 by rehmwa

[phillyk]

Definitely going.  No matter if the bags are there or not. If that group is not ready to tee off and you guys are, go for it.  

[Sandy Divot]

If those guys were not close to being ready, I'd go. If they were close, and they had a big gap in front of them, I'd ask, or skip the hole.

[3jacker]

Members should take preference above guests at all times. 

You should have advised them that you were playing thru at the 9th tee.  If they complained about it to the pro, he should have advised them they are welcome to not come back.

I wouldn't pay membership dues to a place that doesn't put members first.

[Groucho Valentine]

Meh. Its your money. If somebody wants to skip around and its doesn't bother anyone elses game, have at it. 

[3jacker]

Sure, but that's not what I was saying at all.

It's my money, it's my club, and they are guests. I wouldn't hesitate the play thru a group that was that far out of time.  I wouldn't try to sneak past them though, I'd advise them as to why we were already on the tee when they returned from the snack shack.  

I wouldn't hold it against them for the rest of eternity.  I'd just play through. I might even tell them to have a nice day as I drove off.

Edited February 18, 2020 by 3jacker

[FlyingAce]

I would have called the proshop as soon as the group was a full hole behind. 

If they decide to take a lunch break, I would just walk up and play the hole. You cannot hold your spot by leaving your bags at the tee box. 

[Double Mocha Man]

44 minutes ago, FlyingAce said:

I would have called the proshop as soon as the group was a full hole behind. 

If they decide to take a lunch break, I would just walk up and play the hole. You cannot hold your spot by leaving your bags at the tee box. 

The 10th tee needs to have a sign you can flip:  Golfers in grill having lunch (polish dogs)... please go ahead of us.

[Bonvivant]

8 minutes should give you time to get to the green, not the middle of the fairway. You didn't know how long they were going to be though.

I'm playing right away if I get there, especially if the entire hole is clear. I wouldn't be as pressed about it if they were keeping pace (their empty bags on tee but group in front in fairway). They won't catch me and so there shouldn't be an issue. 

[djake]

I don't see an issue in jumping a group at the turn if they stop for a bite to eat and you don't.  Handling it with kindness almost always works plus thanking them for spending more money at your Club should be appreciated.  Any cash from guests is money ahead.

I would talk to the Pro Shop or someone about scheduling Guests with the first tee times in the morning.  I would think that many of these golfers are first time players on the course and no matter what anyone says, first time golfers on a course are always slower.  They don't know the ins and outs of a hole, trying to figure out where to hit a tee shot and losing golf balls more frequently is more the norm then not.  I would want to push Guests out of the earliest slots to help stop with the back log that happens.

[Buckeyebowman]

We've jumped ahead on occasion, but it usually has to be something fairly extreme. One time we were playing a course out of town. We make the turn, and on the 10th tee there's a group in front of us that we didn't see the whole front nine! Where did they come from? Did the starter let them out on the back knowing we were making the turn? And we weren't late making it! 

Well, we waited on 10, and when we get to 11 tee, there are these jamokes hacking it up well under 200 yards from the tee! I told my buddy, "Let's go around!" Never saw that bunch again. We never got back around to play the hole we skipped, because the course had gotten pretty full by the time we'd have wanted to do that, and we didn't feel like screwing anybody. So, we played 17 that day.

[bkuehn1952]

Tell the group in the halfway house you are playing through and there is no need for them to rush.  I would deliver the news while the others tee off.  It can be awkward when the other group saunters up while you are teeing off unless you said something.

I learned a long time ago when you have an opportunity to go, take it or you almost always regret it.

[Seenya]

Whatever happened to just asking to play through?

[Bonvivant]

6 hours ago, Seenya said:

Whatever happened to just asking to play through?

In this situation there is no one right there to ask, and if I'm not stopping for a drink/snack, I'm not bothered with even asking. 

A secondary thought here is that, at least for me, whenever I ask anymore most people say no. Most slow players think they are keeping a good pace when they aren't. It is courteous to ask, but when the answer is no more than half the time and they aren't even around, I'm just going for it. 

[phillyk]

7 hours ago, Seenya said:

Whatever happened to just asking to play through?

I don’t see this situation as playing through. I see it as first come first serve on the turn. You go to order food and have to wait a bit with an open tee, I’m going. I don’t see that as rude. Maybe they could have asked earlier in the front 9. 

[p1n9183]

8 minute window es a LOT !!! you also took 5 mins to finish 8th hole so this group ahead of you took 13 minutes to have a snack!! at my home course that´s at least penalty or DQ. You are only allowed to stop 5 minutes if your pace with the group ahead is good, if not you cannot stop. 

In this case i would let the other group know and tee off ahead of them, reinforcing the fact that they where 1 or more holes behind the next group.  

[Darkfrog]

Jump the tee. I do this all the time. When I arrive at the 10th tee, if the group in front of me is ordering food, I tee off first, and then quickly find one of the players in the group ahead and kindly inform them that I (or we if I'm grouped up with people) am playing through while they wait for their food. Never had an issue with it before.

My home course has a sign on the 8th green informing players that they need to call in their food/drink orders at the 8th green / 9th tee, and that stopping to get food at the turn forfeits your place. Of course, it is rarely observed, or enforced.

[Killa]

Last time I was out I was with my buddy and a random older gentleman. We spent pretty much the first 7 holes waiting for two older couples that seemed to just be driving around in their carts loosing balls all over. After 7 the older gentleman said goodbye and went home. It was the first time playing the course for me and with this tempo we would never finish 18 as the sun would set well before that. So I asked my buddy if a teebox near us was number 10. And we skipped 8 and 9 and played the 10. We still played behind a foursome that wasn’t bothered to let us play through but they kept reasonable pace. At the end we went back for 8 and 9 and just finished in the twilight. 


And for the OP - I’m skipping without blinking an eye or asking or telling anyone in that situation. If they say anything about it I’ll directly call the proshop to tell them about the logjam. 
 

But on most of the courses I play they would’ve already been told to skip a hole by the marshal.