Playing Through

[arbitrage]

What is the proper etiquette for playing through? Is it the responsibility of the group in front to invite the group behind to play through, or is it the responsibility of the group behind to ask to play through?

The group in front of us yesterday played very slowly and was approached by the marshall three times. They never offered for us to play through and we didn't know if it was in our power to ask to play through.

Thank you in advance.

[Steven McFarlane]

The group infront should let you play through them...I always let the guys play through me.. Mr.Generous i may say so

[knock-down]

Slow players are usually clueless and don't even know what "play through" means.

I just politely ask them, "Hey, mind if we jump ahead of you here?"

And if they refuse, I hit into and over them. They're ruining my round, why not reciprocate!?

[Madriver]

What is the proper etiquette for playing through?

if asking politely doesn't work...and they refuse to let you play through....call the clubhouse or 911 and report a group of strange looking men (of possible Middle Eastern decent) are pointing up in the air every time a jetliner flys overhead. Explain that they are jestering meanicingly at the planes with long stick like objects. If nothing else, I would think that they will soon be detained long enough for you to play through.

[niblick]

I played a par 3 course to work on my short game yesterday afternoon, and the group in front of me had 8 people! The last to hit from their group on the second hole took 8 strokes and advanced the ball about 15 feet.

Thankfully, one of them was actually a golfer and waved me up immediately. :)

I won't ask to be let through if the group ahead of me is keeping pace, whether that pace is slow or not. I don't mind asking though, if they're falling behind.

[ragontona]

Speaking of par 3's, the "wave the group up" rule is probably the least-followed rule on the golf course.

Example: Your group tees off on a par 3. When you get up to the green, you mark your balls and let the group behind you at the tee box tee off. Then while they're coming up, you finish out the hole.

I don't think I've ever done this, or even seen it in practice.

[iacas]

Speaking of par 3's, the "wave the group up" rule is probably the least-followed rule on the golf course.

I've done it before, but rarely. It doesn't seem to save a whole lot of time. Seconds, really, instead of the minutes it's supposed to save.

[knock-down]

Waving people up saves time if they are walking.

[iacas]

Waving people up saves time if they are walking.

Yes, I know when it's supposed to save time. I'm suggesting that it rarely actually saves time. By the time the people on the green have waved marked their balls and waved the guys behind them up, they could have putted out and been off the green. Waving them up just seems to make it more likely that they'll wait a little bit on the next tee.

The theory is sound. In practice, and in my experience, I've not seen it save much time at all.

[cdriver]

Yes, I know when it's supposed to save time. I'm suggesting that it rarely actually saves time. By the time the people on the green have waved marked their balls and waved the guys behind them up, they could have putted out and been off the green. Waving them up just seems to make it more likely that they'll wait a little bit on the next tee.

I have had the same experience. I, too, believe that it does not save time. If the group behind is pushing us, a par 3 seems the best time to let them through with the least amount of fuss. Just waving them up does not help anything, it only creates a logjam at the next tee.

[FoosIason]

Yeah I get this a lot at the course I play.... I am a fast player and I can keep up with a 2 some in carts if I wanted to. But the group in front of you should offer to let you go through. And if they don't in my case Im stuck between a rock and a hard place due to I work at the golf course, and that wouldnt look very good. But you may want to consider sending them some "air mail" although now you are just as bad as they are. To say the least.

[TurtleWoods]

I don't know what the actual textbook ruling is (if there is one) but Golf being a gentleman's game it's pretty easy to figure this one out.

If you're waiting on the group in front to pick up the pace, then the gentlemanly thing to do is to be patient.

If you're the group in front hacking away in the rough, then the gentlemanly thing to do is to play the group behind through.

Of course, occasionally you get the group that doesn't understand that golf is a gentleman's game in which case you can act all smug and arrogant with your nose in the air looking down at them like they're unworthy when you bump into them at the 19th hole... hah!

At my club, the marshall would help by 'suggesting' that the slow group play the fast group through... the club penalizes slow play.

[soSoJeffCC]

About waving people up on par3's. I'll only wave people up if there's a backup at the next tee. There's no point waving people up if it's only going to lag you behind from the group in front of you. Most of the courses here are well packed, so most of the time there's alot of waving up.

[arbitrage]

I am trying to digest the responses to the thread. To my understanding, it is up to the group in front of me and the marshall to keep up the pace of play. I am not supposed to be the one to ask to play through. Am I correct?

[LarryK]

I am trying to digest the responses to the thread. To my understanding, it is up to the group in front of me and the marshall to keep up the pace of play. I am not supposed to be the one to ask to play through. Am I correct?

The ideal situation is for the group in front to extend that invitation, but it is certainly NOT a breech of etiquette for you to politely ask for the privilege -- especially if it is obvious that they have fallen behind with a full open hole in front of them.

If not, if the next group in front of them is within a half a hole of the group you are "pushing", what is the point of playing through? You can't leap-frog everybody. And those groups who do try to bull through everyone are unspeakably rude.

[Norm66]

As a beginner, especially if my wife is along, I'm becoming an expert in offering to let folks play through. My method has been to finish the hole we're playing when the faster group comes along and wait for them to get to the green. Then I make the offer and if it's a twosome or solo player we just sit tight. If there's a foursome and they're still chipping up onto the green we might go ahead and tee off at the next hole. That way seems to be the most efficient for us and them. Thus far people seem to appreciate it.

[Madriver]

with regards to ettiquite...singles basically have no "rights" on a golf course. In other words, if a single is baggering you about slow play he or she is out of line. As to wether you as the fast playing group should ask...not really. If you are obviously pushing the group in front, let them know you are willing and ready to tee it up, hit, and move quickly through by waiting at the tee or fairway position from behind. The group in front should have the werewithall to realize that you are ready and want to play through. They should then wave you to play up. All players should be ready to go. As stated before, unless there are several holes open in front of the slow group, playing through may not get you very far, hence the reason for the slow group to make the call as to wether or not to let the faster group through.

[MdGolfer1982]

Interesting thread- I have a twist of the same question.. close enough that it doesn't deserve its own thread.

the other day I was out- and the group in front of us was slower- with about 2 clear holes open in front of them. We weren't waiting too much- but def. some on each hole. At the turn- they went to get food- and we just jumped on the next tee and went by them. The problem was of course- that they drove up to the 10th tee- while our last guy was hitting his shot... so they had to wait for us to play out of their way.

Because they weren't there- we didn't ask- and once we hit- we were ready to play. That was the only time they waited for us the whole back- but should we have waited for them to drive the whole way back up- before passing them?