How would you handle this?

[NCSU_MSE]

I run up a small non-competitive golf league where I work. Our local course has signed an agreement with us for a block of tee times between 5pm and 5:35pm. Yesterday my group of 3 was 2nd to go out (at 5:09). On the 2nd hole we notice a twosome waiting behind us. At first I thought they might be league players, but I couldn't tell. Anyways, we kept up with the group ahead of us so letting them play through didn't make much sense. When we got to #6 we stopped at the water cooler and there was a big enough gap between us and the group in front of us that we let the guys play through. Well, on #7 another twosome starts to push us. These guys were definitely not in our league group. For the most part they were patient, but on #9 (a driveable par 4) one of the guys pops off a drive that lands about 20 yards right of us in the rough while we are lining up our putts. I seriously thought about going and tossing his ball into the creek that runs next to the hole.

Anyways, the head pro wasn't around when we finished up, but would it be wrong of me to complain about them letting two twosomes go out right in the middle of our block of tee times? We have had a pretty good relationship with this course in the past, so I don't want to ruin that. How would you phrase the complaint?

[leezer99]

If this were the first time it has happened, I would just let it go. Maybe just ask him/her what was up with letting twosomes out during your tee times but don't press him/her for an answer. Just mentioning it is enough to get your point across. You have to remember that the pro is there to generate money regardless of any signed agreement so you aren't going to get much sympathy from them.

[Koth]

But if they signed an agreement with his league, they should be abiding by that agreement. Otherwise, what's the point in signing and agreement?

If it was me, I would see if it happens again next week, and if it does, definitely mention something.

[bkoguy07]

I run up a small non-competitive golf league where I work. Our local course has signed an agreement with us for a block of tee times between 5pm and 5:35pm. Yesterday my group of 3 was 2nd to go out (at 5:09). On the 2nd hole we notice a twosome waiting behind us. At first I thought they might be league players, but I couldn't tell. Anyways, we kept up with the group ahead of us so letting them play through didn't make much sense. When we got to #6 we stopped at the water cooler and there was a big enough gap between us and the group in front of us that we let the guys play through. Well, on #7

Where do you play at? I currently go to UNCC (in charlotte).

[DaSportsGuy]

If it's the first time it happened I would just let it go.

If it happens again I would just ask if they sent anyone off because you didn't recognize them from your league.

[double_j]

If it's the first time it happened I would just let it go.

This is a reasonable approach, although I have a feeling that either the guys knew the starter, went off the back first, or the pro didn't think it was an issue since all of your group got out during the allotted time (i.e, his idea of the agreement wasn't to have your group own the time slot, but rather it was to make sure that your entire group got out during the time).

It's also possible that the pro had nothing to do with it. The starter just didn't know that the twosomes weren't part of your league.

[chriskzoo]

Where were your other groups to tee off after you? For our league I know that we all get there to tee off around 5:30 and usually just mill around the first tee as each 4-som goes off and if anyone not in the league just stepped up and hit it, we would have an issue. That being said, if your league wasn't there and the tee was open at 5:15 with no league groups waiting to tee off, I would, as the starter, assume that everybody had teed off and put out the twosome - of course with the caveat that "you have a league ahead of you, so no playing through."

[Radford Wooly]

If you rock the boat, they may not resign the agreement next year. Pick your battles wisely!

[walk18]

Where were your other groups to tee off after you? For our league I know that we all get there to tee off around 5:30 and usually just mill around the first tee as each 4-som goes off and if anyone not in the league just stepped up and hit it, we would have an issue. That being said, if your league wasn't there and the tee was open at 5:15 with no league groups waiting to tee off, I would, as the starter, assume that everybody had teed off and put out the twosome - of course with the caveat that "you have a league ahead of you, so no playing through."

I was wondering that too, how would they have gotten in between everyone in your league?

[Cussin hacker]

It may be that these guys slipped in while the marshal wasn't around. That happens to our Monday outing some times.

[NCSU_MSE]

Ok, so after asking some of the players in my league, this appears to be what happened:

5:00 - First league group goes out
5:09 - 2nd league group goes out (I'm in this group)
5:18 - Non-league twosome A goes out
5:27 - 3rd league group goes out
5:36 - Non-league twosome B goes out

Apparently the 3rd league group couldn't make it in time for the 5:18 slot, so I guess I understand the course sending off a twosome there (even though we technically have the time reserved).

In talking to the last league group, they said they were hustling and trying to stay ahead of twosome B. They are really good about letting folks play through, but they told me that twosome B apparently skipped a hole to get ahead of them. My group ended up letting Twosome A play through and then got pushed hard by Twosome B on 7, 8, and 9 (with one of the idiots going for the green while we were lining up our putts).

The long and short of this is that I won't say anything to the club pro since we have had a great working relationship to this point, but if this gets to be a habit I'll voice a concern.

[NCSU_MSE]

Where do you play at? I currently go to UNCC (in charlotte).

We play at a bunch of different courses: Rocky River, Highland Creek, Birkdale, etc.

If you rock the boat, they may not resign the agreement next year. Pick your battles wisely!

Fortunately we have several other courses in our area, but I agree. I don't want to be a jerk about this situation.

[double_j]

Honestly, it sounds more like an issue with the players at the course than the course management itself.

Twosomes should generally understand that they're going to be waiting if they're behind a group with more players. And playing through is absolutely not to be expected unless it's fairly obvious that there's a wide open stretch of holes ahead (one hole does not equate to wide open).

This is why many courses have started to explicitly state in their policies that 'groups of less than 4 should not expect to be waived forward'.

[chriskzoo]

Ok, so after asking some of the players in my league, this appears to be what happened:

To be honest, I think you should mention it. I would just put it in the context of "Hey, not a big deal, but last week you put out some groups in between our league groups. I know we have that block of time reserved and paid for, so if you could at least wait until the last tee time we have reserved to put out a group not in our league, we'd appreciate it."

[rickp]

I would let it go this time. If it happens again I would definitely mention it to the pro, it could be just a starter scewup.

I'm not sure about your area but most golf courses in Connecticut are looking for all revenue they can get and a league is easy bucks.

[WUTiger]

I would bring up the matter with the pro or club manager.

If it's a one-time occurrence, the regular starter could have been sick or on vacation, and the substitute might not have known about your league.

Or, as people have described in other threads, they could have been course regulars who thought they owned the place and just took off without permission.

At courses I play the starters are very explicit about telling golfers if certain tee times being blocked off for a group.

[TourSpoon]

I would mention it if you are the league's representative and just casually remark how much the two-some skipped holes, pushed through everyone, and then hit while you were on the green. You are not criticizing the pro and you are making him aware of this group. I guarantee you that there is value in being in bringing in a steady stream of income especially at that time of day.