Walking Off the Green Early

[phillyk]

I know on the PGA Tour, some pros will walk off to the next tee early, but it seems rare.  They usually hang out on the edge of the green when they finish, to wait for the other guys.  I played in a tournament recently, and it annoyed me a little at first, but then I sort of got used to it.  The amateur that I was paired with (kid headed off to college golf), when he holes out, will immediately walk off the green and head to the next tee.  Doesn’t wait for us to finish or anything.  I would understand if it were a pace issue, but the rounds were played is 4.5hrs or less, which was nice.  It wasn’t just him either, I saw others doing the same.  I don’t know if they were pros or ams though.

Is it a competition mindset thing? At first I thought it was bad sportsmanship or something, but I doubt he or any others mean it that way.  I think of these competitions as something fun to go play in.  Him it was all business, it seemed like. I couldn’t bring myself to do it when I finished first on a hole.  Just didn’t seem right.

[DaveP043]

8 minutes ago, phillyk said:

I know on the PGA Tour, some pros will walk off to the next tee early, but it seems rare.  They usually hang out on the edge of the green when they finish, to wait for the other guys.  I played in a tournament recently, and it annoyed me a little at first, but then I sort of got used to it.  The amateur that I was paired with (kid headed off to college golf), when he holes out, will immediately walk off the green and head to the next tee.  Doesn’t wait for us to finish or anything.  I would understand if it were a pace issue, but the rounds were played is 4.5hrs or less, which was nice.  It wasn’t just him either, I saw others doing the same.  I don’t know if they were pros or ams though.

Is it a competition mindset thing? At first I thought it was bad sportsmanship or something, but I doubt he or any others mean it that way.  I think of these competitions as something fun to go play in.  Him it was all business, it seemed like. I couldn’t bring myself to do it when I finished first on a hole.  Just didn’t seem right.

I've read that this practice is endorsed in some junior golf circles, as a pace of play thing, but have never seen it myself.  I do wonder how he can attest the score of another player if he doesn't stick around to watch them finish, at least most of the time.  

Edited August 5, 2020 by DaveP043

[Darkfrog]

Can't speak to the situation you described, but I do this all the time in casual rounds. After my putt is holed, I check for any stuff I may have left on the green because I am a chronic towel loser, and then walk to my bag somewhere off the green to record my score and any notes for the hole (GIR/nGIR, quality of shots, penalties, etc.). Then if the next tee box is more than a short walk from the green, I usually start walking, just to keep pace with the rest of my group who are usually in carts.

[kamaaina1]

I was always taught to wait for other players to finish the hole.  Common courtesy as well.  But now, walking off early may be more prevalant during this Covid era. 

[Bonvivant]

I've always seen this as extremely rude. If you were playing in ~4.5 hours I'd assume some waiting was going on. I don't understand this at all.

[phillyk]

18 minutes ago, Darkfrog said:

Can't speak to the situation you described, but I do this all the time in casual rounds. After my putt is holed, I check for any stuff I may have left on the green because I am a chronic towel loser, and then walk to my bag somewhere off the green to record my score and any notes for the hole (GIR/nGIR, quality of shots, penalties, etc.). Then if the next tee box is more than a short walk from the green, I usually start walking, just to keep pace with the rest of my group who are usually in carts.

Going to the bag or cart within 15yds or so is fine, I get that for putting stuff away and marking things down.  But walking 50+yds out of much eye sight is a bit extreme. Maybe he does peak to see if we make the putt or something, but regardless, it’s odd to me.

[Darkfrog]

22 minutes ago, phillyk said:

Maybe he does peak to see if we make the putt or something, but regardless, it’s odd to me.

Don't understand why someone would do it in a competitive setting. I haven't participated in many competitions, but in each one we all hung around the green to confirm scores after each hole. Definitely odd.

[Double Mocha Man]

44 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

I've read that this practice is endorsed in some junior golf circles, as a pace of play thing, but have never seen it myself.  I do wonder how he can attest the score of another player if he doesn't stick around to watch them finish, at least most of the time.  

Doesn't seem that it would help the pace of play, unless same guy gets to the next tee and hits his drive (while the guys back on the green are still putting out).  Nevertheless, pace of play is determined by the slowest golfer in the group.  Unless you leave him/her behind.  So to me it just seems rude/selfish/self-absorbed.  If I am wrapping up my 2 putt and out of the corner of my eye some guy is already down the path, back toward me, that would tick me off.  Now, if he's headed to the restroom or the beverage cart, that's different.

[phillyk]

23 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Doesn't seem that it would help the pace of play, unless same guy gets to the next tee and hits his drive (while the guys back on the green are still putting out).  Nevertheless, pace of play is determined by the slowest golfer in the group.  Unless you leave him/her behind.  So to me it just seems rude/selfish/self-absorbed.  If I am wrapping up my 2 putt and out of the corner of my eye some guy is already down the path, back toward me, that would tick me off.  Now, if he's headed to the restroom or the beverage cart, that's different.

That was it too, he would stand on the tee and wait for for us to get there. If he had honors, he may not have even tee’d up his ball yet when we get there.  Pace wasn’t going to be much affected.

[Big C]

If your group is not out of position, then I agree it seems rude. 

The only time I will start walking to the next tee is when we are obviously falling behind. And usually then I will acknowledge by saying something like, "hey I'm gonna go tee off so we can keep up the pace."

Whenever possible, I will wait for everyone to putt out. In a casual round, it's just a courtesy. And in a competition, it's a necessity if you are attesting to their score. 

10 minutes ago, phillyk said:

That was it too, he would stand on the tee and wait for for us to get there. If he had honors, he may not have even tee’d up his ball yet when we get there.  Pace wasn’t going to be much affected.

Yeah, in this case, there is really no justification for this behavior.

[Double Mocha Man]

I can see it maybe as a match play ploy.  Make you opponent feel de-valued, and of little consequence.  Get under his skin.  However, I take my golf as a social thing...

Phil, did the guy talk much?  Did he have anything of interest to say?  Did he socialize at all after the round?  Did he spring for margaritas for the group?

[phillyk]

Just now, Double Mocha Man said:

I can see it maybe as a match play ploy.  Make you opponent feel de-valued, and of little consequence.  Get under his skin.  However, I take my golf as a social thing...

Phil, did the guy talk much?  Did he have anything of interest to say?  Did he socialize at all after the round?  Did he spring for margaritas for the group?

He did not talk much. He did more yelling at himself than anything else. Great player, but has some emotional control/expectation management to do. Not drinking age yet, a beer or two probably would’ve helped.

[Sandy Divot]

nobody has to pick the stick up, so I go to my bag as soon as I finish.

[GolfLug]

This would be great. I would never 3-putt.  😉

[dagolfer18]

That gets on my nerves too. I played in a tournament today, and I generally would wait by my bag or on the edge of the green for the others to finish, and the guys I was playing with did the same. But I’ve had people do that before. I’ve had people walk to the next tee after they’ve putted out, leaving me on the last green alone. Occasionally one or more of the others in my group will have teed off by the time I get to the tee. It ticks me off. 

Edited August 5, 2020 by dagolfer18

[bkuehn1952]

In both tournaments and casual play, I am like most here; hang around the green, tend the flag, pick up someone's wedge but also watch everyone hole out.  Of course with COVID, I won't touch someone's club but most tournaments allow touching/removing the flag.  If it is a tournament round, everyone is marking for someone else so one has to remain near the green.  Walking away seems like a bad habit that should be addressed.  Someone not as nice as @phillyk is going to educate that young man one of these days.

 

[CarlSpackler]

I will head to my cart if we are falling behind. I will start heading to the next hole if we are really behind. I wouldn’t do this in a competitive round. I have to attest his score and want to be sure he isn’t cheating. 

Edited August 5, 2020 by CarlSpackler

[Double Mocha Man]

23 minutes ago, CarlSpackler said:

I will head to my cart if we are falling behind. I will start heading to the next hole if we are really behind. I wouldn’t do this in a competitive round. I have to attest his score and want to be sure he isn’t cheating. 

If my opponent walks off on me I'm taking that 10 footer.  And that's what I'll report to him on the next tee!  If he walks off enough I'll have drained about 250 feet of putts for the round.