Do You Mind Getting Paired up?

[Bucki1968]

I recently had a long conversation with the general manager at the club that I belong too (wife too). As with most courses, during this pandemic, our membership has grown. This had to lead to some slow play issues. The one thing that I have noticed is that many of these people are playing twosomes and there are even some singles worked in. Which of course makes no sense and backs things up even more. I was told that many of the members don't want to be paired up. This is a private club so I guess the staff won't really do anything about slow play because of what everyone is spending. I suggested that the club send out emails to encourage people to play together (especially at the busiest times of the week). I also suggested that they start also emailing some common golf course courtesy rules because many of the new members don't know any of them. I'm just wondering how everyone else feels about getting paired up? My wife and I don't mind. I have always sort of excepted it as part of the golf course common rules (especially during busy times). Sometimes it sucks, but I have found that 90% of the time, it's fun/good. To me....it's part of the game. I've met lots of interesting people.

[Yukari]

90% of my rounds are played as a single and I always get paired up with strangers.  I don't mind getting paired up at all.

But at a private course, I can see why some people would not want to get paired up as they are paying a lot more than at public course.

[Big C]

As someone who plays the majority of my golf at municipal public courses, getting paired up is the norm and you really come to expect it. 

If my group is a 3 some, I would probably prefer not to be paired up with a single, but I don't mind when it happens. 

And if I'm going out as a two some or a single, then I am hoping to be paired up. Golf is a social game and playing as a foursome is just more enjoyable to me. 

In those rare cases where I want to work on something specific, hit multiple balls, etc. - I will play the back 9 at first dawn and try to be the first person out on the course, or play 90 minutes before sunset.

[DaveP043]

I don't mind getting paired up, I prefer it most times.  My home club has also had a great increase in play, and I think most members understand that space on the golf course is in shorter-than-normal supply.  I think most of us want to share that scarce commodity with our fellow-members as much as we reasonably can.  I can't say I've heard anyone really resist getting paired up, and lots of us will actively encourage the pro shop to fill our groups if we have less than 4.

[nevets88]

I don't like being paired up, but for the purposes of slow play and for the greater good, I am fine with it. The thing of it is where I am, being paired up means being paired with slower players. Many people where I am are just plain slow players. I try and tactfully speed things up without being obvious about it, but that only goes so far.

[SEMI_Duffer]

I haven't had it happen, yet, in the few times I've played so far, but, being retired I've usually been able to hit the courses during the less busy times.

I think I would look at it as an opportunity to meet someone new, with whom I might possibly develop a relationship where we'd play together regularly.

[iacas]

I added a poll and take issue with two of the things you wrote.

1. Twosomes on the course don’t make for “slow play.” A course with foursomes and twosomes will play faster than a course with a bunch of foursomes. It will often feel more disjointed, and the pacing will have starts and stops depending on the hole design (penal, reachable par fours and fives, the locations of par threes, etc.). But play won’t be slower overall.
2. Especially this year, and especially at a private course, if people don’t want to pair up, they shouldn’t have to, what with COVID and all.

I “mind” slightly being paired up with someone. If I have a threesome, I’d rather not have some fourth stranger join us. I don’t mind much, but given a choice, I’d prefer to keep my threesome. Particularly since I’m often doing a little bit of a playing lesson or something.

Courses with full tee sheets (even during certain times), and more public courses than anything else, should encourage full foursomes at those peak times, or they’re leaving a lot of money on the table. So I understand that, and when I do have a threesome, I’ll often try to book into an open time only a short while before (like a day or two out, i.e. they’re not full) or I’ll book an off-peak time to minimize my chances of having a stranger thrown in.

[ChetlovesMer]

I'd rather get paired up than play alone. I end up getting along with nearly everyone I meet. I also don't care what you think about my game. Sometimes I play well, sometimes not so much. Either way, I usually enjoy myself. So, for me its a no brainer, pair me up. 

I can only think of one exception. I was playing in a tournament at a somewhat unfamiliar course. I was in the last group to tee off on the first day. Our group was only going to be a threesome. Which is silly because they should have moved things around so that the first group is the threesome, because it can be painfully slow playing in the last group of a tournament and as a threesome it could be absolutely brutal. 

Anyway, there was a local guy who wanted to play the course that day and the clubhouse guy came out and asked if we could let him join us even though he was not in the tournament. ...Weird but, Okay, I thought perhaps it won't make everything "feel" so slow and perhaps I could glean a little local knowledge off the guy. So, I said sure he can play and he can ride along with me. Turned out to be a huge mistake. The guy was certainly nice enough, and he played well. The issue was that he is a smoker. Big time. Now, don't get me wrong, If you want to smoke I'm not going to judge you. I'm also, I think, very tolerant of cigarettes' smoke. But this dude literally chain-smoked at least 2 cigarettes per hole. It was a still day and with the slow tournament play he and I were sitting in the cart together waiting a lot. By hole 12 or 13 I started getting a migraine. I ended up letting him drive the cart the last 5 holes or so and I just walked grabbing clubs off the cart when needed. 

Okay, now the funny part. It was a cool day and we tee'd off late morning. So the first time the beverage cart girl came around I got a cup of coffee from her. He went on and on about how I shouldn't drink coffee because the caffeine was going to kill me. 

[mcanadiens]

I'm also a public course player and, especially this year, its been book a tee time with multiple people or risk getting shut out.  Before I found a regular group to play with I might have been paired up three times and simply couldn't get out at all four or five other times. So getting paired up beats the heck out of the alternative.

That said, I missed being able to go out by myself like I used to before covid and course closures. Some days, I could play Kittyhawk's executive course and have the place all to myself or very nearly. That gave me a chance to hit extra balls and work on different things without having to worry about slowing anyone up. Not having that definitely hurt my game this year although it is obvious why they had to shut that course.

 

[CarlSpackler]

I don't care as long as they know golf etiquette and aren't a total 💩head.

[DeadMan]

Doesn't bother me. I play a decent amount as a single, and all but maybe 2 of my experiences with random strangers has been fine. 

[Double Mocha Man]

1 hour ago, Big C said:

In those rare cases where I want to work on something specific, hit multiple balls, etc. - I will play the back 9 at first dawn and try to be the first person out on the course...

Ah, you don't have the Superintendent Nazi like at my course.  "No back nine for you."  Our head greenskeeper won't let anyone on the back 9 until the first group off #1 turns.  I used to provide $1500 to $1800 in revenue to the course by going off the back nine just before others turned.  I would time it.  Now with the new guy... no go.

[dagolfer18]

Playing most of my golf as a single/twosome, I don’t mind being paired up at all. My home club (semi-private) will give you your own tee time unless the course is jam-packed, but I often find myself joining up with others, even if it’s just the last few holes.

As for whether I prefer playing with others, I guess I really don’t have a preference. When it’s just me and I have a long wait, I’ll look at my phone till I’m clear to hit, so I’m never bored. When I’m paired up, the people I’m paired with often have funny or cool stories to tell. In fact, in a round I played about a month ago, one of the guys I was paired with told me about how he went to the Masters in ‘94 and worked as a translator. Most people I’ve played with are easy to get along with, and I think there was only one occasion, maybe two (out of probably 50) where I was paired with a jerk. 

[Double Mocha Man]

When I go out as a single I don't mind at all being paired up with a threesome.  The big problem is remembering everyone's name from that 15 second introduction period on the 1st tee.  I have a trick I use but it doesn't work every time.

[ASD Dad]

I played as a single 99% of the time in the past.  Now I play with my kid.  Back then I preferred being paired up unless it was a slower day and I wanted to hit two balls or I was working on my swing.  It was just nice to go play with someone else.  

I did NOT like being paired up if they were an obnoxious player!  I had a few that were real crazy guys throwing clubs, swearing every other word and drinking too much.  Thankfully that was a rare occurrence.  

[Bucki1968]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

added a poll and take issue with two of the things you wrote.

1. Twosomes on the course don’t make for “slow play.” A course with foursomes and twosomes will play faster than a course with a bunch of foursomes. It will often feel more disjointed, and the pacing will have starts and stops depending on the hole design (penal, reachable par fours and fives, the locations of par threes, etc.). But play won’t be slower overall.
2. Especially this year, and especially at a private course, if people don’t want to pair up, they shouldn’t have to, what with COVID and all.

I didn't mean to imply that twosomes make for slow play. What I should have said is that I see three or four groups of them in a row. Why not just pair them up? And I do agree with not making people pair up, however, I might pair them up during the busy times of the day/year. I think if you let them know up front that they might get paired up, maybe they would decide to play later/earlier when it's not as busy?

[boogielicious]

1 hour ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Ah, you don't have the Superintendent Nazi like at my course.  "No back nine for you."  Our head greenskeeper won't let anyone on the back 9 until the first group off #1 turns.  I used to provide $1500 to $1800 in revenue to the course by going off the back nine just before others turned.  I would time it.  Now with the new guy... no go.

 

When they run the numbers, maybe they will revert back. I always found it baffling.

[Vinsk]

I voted that I mind. But I’ll never just refuse, I just don’t prefer it. I totally agree with @iacasand @nevets88.