Playing through

[saevel25]

I have never scene that before at any course, that requires you to let faster players through. If a player is fast enough to pass the people that i play with, they are flying. But rarely do i play were there is not a couple 4-somes infront of me or the group i play in. So its usually tough luck.

The idea that you shouldn't wait on your next golf shot is a bit absurd expectation. I know golf courses like to get turnover, they get more money, but as long as its not a crazy wait, i am fine with it. I think people get to bent out of shape over this, relax and enjoy the course and the round.

[Brad_MB]

  Kieran123 said:

Me and a buddy were playing yesterday, and caught up to a foursome ( older guys and girls, maybe 60? ) on a teebox who were not ready to tee off yet. The 2 ladies proceeded to hit 3 off the tee, we waited maybe 7 or 8 minutes before they even left the teebox, and we weren't even acknowledged....some people just shouldn't play golf.

This was exactly how it was. There was an old man who had to of been 70, and an older lady neither of which hit the ball any remarkable distance... but at least they weren't rolling it down the course. I never did purposely speed up to catch them, they just played extremely slow. Every time I caught up to them was when the lady was teeing off her tee and the guys were on the fairway. I never found an appropriate time where I could ask them where I could play through otherwise I would have.

I didn't expect that I shouldn't have had to wait to take my shots, but not 5+ mins a hole for 6 holes.... they were soooo slow

[injury]

  zeg said:

Almost every course I've ever played (certainly every one I've ever noticed one way or the other) posts that you are required to let faster groups play through if there's open space ahead. There's no exception for being on pace; if there's open space ahead, you let the group on your heels through.

I've seen that request, but it's also usually mentioned that a single has no standing. So some take that to mean they can ignore singles.

It's a rare occurance for someone to wave me through if they've already tee'd off. However if I catch up and am sitting on a teebox with them I've yet to not be asked if I'd like to play through as a single. Sometimes I accept, but if I'm really practicing I decline since I know when I'm playing with others I'll be stuck waiting and I need to get used to it, and it keeps me from rushing around.

[James_Black]

My uncles won't let a 1 ball through.
They say "they have no right to be on the course"

[cougar978]

  Kieran123 said:

Me and a buddy were playing yesterday, and caught up to a foursome ( older guys and girls, maybe 60? ) on a teebox who were not ready to tee off yet. The 2 ladies proceeded to hit 3 off the tee, we waited maybe 7 or 8 minutes before they even left the teebox, and we weren't even acknowledged....some people just shouldn't play golf.

That's where a 300-yard bomb to offer some 'encouragement' comes in handy (kidding).

[Brad_MB]

  James_Black said:

My uncles won't let a 1 ball through.

I really don't like playing alone, but I only have 3 friends that golf and we work completely different schedules. I'd rather play alone than not play at all ya know

[James_Black]

  Brad_MB said:

I really don't like playing alone, but I only have 3 friends that golf and we work completely different schedules. I'd rather play alone than not play at all ya know

I'm the same.

But if you get stuck behind old people that's what they'll think. It's happened to me a good few times, I normally skip ahead a few holes

[sean_miller]

  cougar978 said:

That's where a 300-yard bomb to offer some 'encouragement' comes in handy (kidding).

That actually works. If we're > 300 yards out and balls drop on the fairway in the 270 to 300 range - especially if all 4 players do it and they're in carts - they're getting a free pass on the next tee. We typically don't see them again for the rest of the round.

[trickymicky69]

  James_Black said:

My uncles won't let a 1 ball through.

I always let a single through, and if I am walking I will always let people riding through as well.

Its not about rights, its about being polite.

[mad max]

  PooN said:

Sometimes on days where playing through isn't an option (groups as far as the eye can see sort of deal) I will hang around the green and practice chipping/sand/putting, or hit a couple balls on an approach shot. Sometimes you just gotta turn lemons into lemonade.

That is fine but make sure no one is behind you when you do this. I can be very annoying when the group in front of you putts out and then doesn't vacate the green in a timely manner even if their is no place to go. If you can it is advisable to join up with another group when the course is slow. I will probably get ripped for this but sometimes I have played in a 5 some if the course is backed up and a 2 some and a 3 some are both waiting on the same tee or a single catches up.

[Bullitt5339]

I play alone quite a bit, and honestly, I prefer it that way. I love nothing more than to finish a round of good (for me, at least) golf in 2.5 hours.

This Saturday evening, I went out to play 18, and I've been fighting a sore ankle, so I grabbed a cart and rolled out. I ran into a group on the 3rd tee, and they immediately offered to let me play through. I didn't run into another group until hole 13, where there was a 4-some teeing off. 2 40-somethings, a 70ish year old, and a guy in his late 80's. They were playing from 3 different tees, and frankly took forever. I caught them on every tee box, and even asked to play through once, and was ignored. (or maybe they didn't have their hearing aides turned up enough). I found myself getting extremely frustrated waiting 10 minutes between each shot, and my game went downhill quickly. I even stayed on one of the par 3's and hit quite a few practice shots into the green to try to let them get out in front of me, but it was no use, they were still looking for their 2nd shots when I got to the teebox.

I absolutely hate running into people like that on the course. What was worse was when we got back to the clubhouse, one of them didn't see me standing there, and was laughing about holding me up. His comments were something like "It's good to be a member sometimes". Until I walked up to him, and showed him my membership card and told him I hope for his sake with that attitude he never ends up in front of me again.

[zeg]

  injury said:

I've seen that request, but it's also usually mentioned that a single has no standing. So some take that to mean they can ignore singles.

That used to be written into the rules, but the rules wised up to the fact that singles are a fact of modern golf reality. Per the rules of golf, a single golfer has equal rights as any other group.

From the first section (Etiquette) of the Rules of Golf:

  None said:

It is a group's responsibility to keep up with the group in front. If it loses a clear hole and it is delaying the group behind, it should invite the group behind to play through, irrespective of the number of players in that group. Where a group has not lost a clear hole, but it is apparent that the group behind can play faster, it should invite the faster moving group to play through.

Edit: Also, regarding priority on the course, there is no longer any bias against groups of a single player, although the Committee *does* have the right to override this. Nonetheless, I personally think the disregard or distaste some hold for single golfers is downright rude.

  None said:

Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, priority on the course is determined by a group's pace of play. Any group playing a whole round is entitled to pass a group playing a shorter round. The term "group" includes a single player.

[Vintage]

I always let a single play through, even if we are keeping pace. I just assume they are slowing their pay to not rush us, so I will always offer. Sometimes, they take up on the offer. Sometimes, they don't, saying they are playing a couple of balls just working on different stuff and are in no hurry. But I always make the offer out of common decency.

[CarlSpackler]

I feel your pain. I have been tempted to take a folding chair along with me and a golf magazine to pass the time waiting for a wave. I've been known to sack out on the tee box waiting.