Let singles through please!!!!!

[SpannersReady]

I may be missing something but surely it's better to mark your balls on a green and then allow them to play onto the green and putt out. That way by the time you get to your balls on the green to mark them the single is reaching his approuch position. then you are only waiting on him finishing up the hole. When he goes to the next tee and gets ready to drive you are busy putting with your buddies. by the time you are ready to tee off the single is gone.

Otherwise you wait as the single pulls up to the tee, gets his driver un-covered and fishes out ball and Tee. Then you're watching his tee shot putting him under pressure. then you have to wait for him to walk past, play shot 2 and walk away. The chances of him finding some rough under pressure are far more than finding trouble with his 9-iron onto the green. I always get called through from the tee when the group infront is looking for a ball. Last week a 3-ball made me play behind them for the whole 18 holes and it took over 4 hours instead of under 3. I was finished each green before the 2nd guy tee'd off. there were 5+ holes clear infront. I don't understand the mentality that says they should not let me through.

I'm playing a fourball at the weekend and I fully expect to let the odd group through.

EDIT: I feel like you should be able to ask yourself what it would be like to be the guy behind that loses an hour of his day. Not being able to empathise is a classic sign of a madman.

[Lofty Lefty]

Originally Posted by rustyredcab

I disagree with the attitude of some posters here that a single is somehow entitled to play through a group if there is open space ahead of the group. It is a courtesy for the group to extend the offer to the single, but it is not required. The act of playing through delays the group and anytime you are invited to play through, it is kind gesture that says, "We'll finish a few minutes later so that you can tee off, hit your second shot, and get out of our range on this hole while we wait on you, and then you will no longer need to wait on us."

Imagine you are playing as a single on a wide open course. Imagine the ranger drives up to you while you approach a tee box and informs you that another single is going to start on that hole and you will need to wait for him. "He's a fast player so you wouldn't need to wait again after you wait for him to tee off, hit his second shot, and get out of your range." Imagine you are not asked, you are told. This minor delay is exactly what any single is asking of a group that let's him play through. Maybe five minutes delay -- longer if you're walking. Would all you entitled-to-play-through singles be OK with waiting while a single tees off, goes to his ball, and hits his second shot?

The single is not entitled to play through. The group may be generous and offer. IMO, a single or smaller/faster group is entitled to skip a hole.

I have seen written somewhere, whether it be in the rules or the local course etiquette, but I have seen it written that faster groups MUST be allowed to play through.

Doesn't matter if you are a group of 4 and there there is a faster single behind you, or if you are a group of 2 and there is a faster 4-ball behind you. Faster groups must be allowed the opportunity to play through.

Why would any one want to hold someone else up? People can argue the 'shoe on the other foot' argument all they like, but at the end of the day, if the shoe fits - wear it!

[ghalfaire]

I don't play a lot single and didn't read all the eight pages of comments on this thread.  But my regular foursome will always let singles through if there is someplace for them to go. But if the course is crowded and we're waiting a lot ourselves it just further slows play and we don't.  When I'm playing single and the group in front doesn't want to let me play through I use the time to practice and/or play a couple of balls (assuming I don't hold up the group behind me).  If I can't do that I practice patience.

[Lofty Lefty]

I've read a lot of comments about people who let singles through and then end up waiting on them anyway.... Here's a solution - wait 3 holes before letting them through! In my time 3 holes has always been a 'not too bad' amount of holes to be waiting on a slower group, but it also lets you judge how fast the group is behind you.

If we notice a group up our arse on any given hole, we'll try and get a move on right away. If we can't speed up enough, usually by 3 holes, we'll let the group behind play through.

So many times I'll be in a group that gets caught by the group behind, but a hole or 2 later, we're miles in front again...

[BugDude]

If I'm having to wait (by myself or in a 2some having to wait) and a group (1 to 3 people) comes up behind me, I always say, "You're welcome to join in or play through if you like, looks like no one is going anywhere anytime soon.  Whatever you wanna do."  I get a fair number of takers on joining in, which slows our pace of play to a point where we're not having to wait.  Some folks don't want to join, perhaps they are talking business or personal stuff or just don't like playing in front of strangers.  Rarely do people accept the invitation if the group in front of us is holding us up.  On my home course, I usually just skip around the course until I get all 18 holes in.  If the course is packed, I either piddle around and play 2 balls or hit the practice green and driving range and call it a day.  My home course is usually just packed on weekend early mornings...I only play afternoons and evenings at home.

[BuckeyeNut]

Originally Posted by jcard71

I was playing Industry Hills near LA yesterday. Great course!! Played IKE

I tee off alone and by the 5th hole I catch a foursome. They look back and continue playing, so I'm thinking no big deal I'm sure there are plenty of groups ahead and if they waved me to through I would just catch some other group. We then get to an opening where I can see the next 2 holes ahead of this foursome and they're WIDE open! I finally had it and then skipped a hole and the "a holes" and as I was driving by, I got a dirty look like, " where is he going?". I hit my tee shot and never saw this group again...

Needless to say I didn't catch another group until I got to the 627yd 18th! I then went back and played the hole I missed.

Do you guys run into this a lot when you play as a single? I travel a lot for work and play when I have some time and this happens more and more...

I can't believe this thread missed my attention!!

Brother, I know of what you speak!  I jokingly consider myself a professional "walk on single" ......because I have done it 1000+ times.  Hahah

Here is my take on single golf:

1. I never EVER tee off as a single unless I know what is up in front of me.  I'll ask the starter, or if there is no starter, I'll ask the guy at the cash register.  If I know it's jammed up with 4-somes, I wait to get paired before I tee off.

If I know there is a 4-some in front of me and a 2-3some ahead of them, I play away...... I play fast enough that I will come up on them so darn fast, they will either wave me through, or I will get close enough to ask to play through to catch the group ahead.  If I ask...the request is always granted.  If they did frown, I'd just skip ahead anyway and smile/wave as I drive by.  Don't let it bother you...........

If there are obvious 2 holes open ahead, I don't mess around............I skip the hole without thinking twice because I know I have plenty of time to play a make-up hole.  I wouldn't let it bother you too much because it happens....

With that said, I can definitely feel ya'.....  been there many times.  I just fly past.....................no worries.

[BuckeyeNut]

Originally Posted by mtsalmela80

Perhaps in your case where there is barely anyone on the course, a single can pass through. But in general, I have no sympathy for singles. What do they expect, because they are playing alone that they should get to pass each and every group they come up on?

This is KEY:

Is there an open hole ahead?  .....then yes, the single should be waved.  If you are following a group and there is no gap, then no.....the single is SOL..

my 2 cents....if the group ahead is a 3-some, it's up to the single to request to pass through to catch and join them.  It's up to that 4-some to accept or decline.....if they said no, I'd just drive ahead, but that's just me.

LOL

[BuckeyeNut]

Originally Posted by Elvisliveson

The courses I play on do not allow two-somes, much less singles. You are put with someone whether you like it or not. But, I guess that's why there are almost no rounds over 4:20 here on weekends. So, I have no sympathy for singles either. They should do their darndest to join up with someone before they tee off, imo, unless the course isn't busy.

That's BS dude....you live in Jersey for Gods sake.  There are obviously slow times when less than 4-somes play..................

that aside, most courses accept tee times for 2-some's.  Yea, they will probably be expected to be paired during peak times...but that's besides the point.

[jshots]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNut

I can't believe this thread missed my attention!!

Brother, I know of what you speak!  I jokingly consider myself a professional "walk on single"......because I have done it 1000+ times.  Hahah

Here is my take on single golf:

1. I never EVER tee off as a single unless I know what is up in front of me.  I'll ask the starter, or if there is no starter, I'll ask the guy at the cash register.  If I know it's jammed up with 4-somes, I wait to get paired before I tee off.

If I know there is a 4-some in front of me and a 2-3some ahead of them, I play away...... I play fast enough that I will come up on them so darn fast, they will either wave me through, or I will get close enough to ask to play through to catch the group ahead.  If I ask...the request is always granted.  If they did frown, I'd just skip ahead anyway and smile/wave as I drive by.  Don't let it bother you...........

I always ask as well. I guess it depends on the course layout and such but if there is ever a situation where you would be able to play through... meaning that a slow group doesn't have anyone in front of them and presumably when you start they aren't much past hole 3 or 4, just ask if its ok to drive or walk to the hole ahead of them and start there and play the first few holes afterwards. It doesn't always work out that you can do that but i've done it plenty of times and the pro always tells me that its fine as long as I don't mind not getting to play the first holes that I skip if it gets busy or something...

sure its not a big deal for a group to let a faster group or maybe two play through. But if you get very many more than 2 it definitely starts to suck for the slow group.

[BugDude]

I've seen 4somes take over 10 minutes just to putt out, and that's after everyone and their ball is on the green inside of 20 feet from the hole.  They mark their ball, get way back and read the putt, then walk around behind the hole and read it again, then practice putt from the halfway point, get back and read it again while they plumb bob, adjust their ball, go through the process all over again, then get over the ball and practice putt 8 times, just to pull the trigger and leave it 8 feet short and go through the entire process all over again.  And the next 3 guys do the same thing.  HIT THE FREAKING BALL ALREADY!!!  They're not that good and they watch way too much golf on TV and think their putt that is worth 25 per player on the 3rd hole should take as long as a putt for the US Open on the 72nd hole.  And they do this all freaking day on every freaking shot!!!  Really????

[rustyredcab]

One of the slowest rounds I've ever played was with two other guys who were good but not great, and a guy in a masters program for PGA Pros. Very hard course from tees way too far back for me. I just made major swing changes. Had no business playing Cog Hill -- home of next weeks FedEx Cup event. The three of us took forever to get onto the greens -- looking for balls and hitting plenty of shots. The young PGA pro was fast tee to green because he hit every green in regulation. But once we got on the green, he had a long pre-putt routine that never changed and never started until it was his turn to putt. If he left himself a 2 footer, he'd mark and when it was his turn, go through it all again -- read from three sides, do the halfway practice stroke... The combo of slow to the green players and one slow on the green player made for a long round. If he'd played with three guys like him, they'd finish in under four hours. If we'd have replaced him with another hacker, we'd have finished in near four hours. Together, we finished in 5.25 hours.

Regarding pre-putt routines: if my short putt is not conceded, I will take it seriously, line it up, check my line, and then hit it when I'm sure. (I have done all the green reading when it was someone else's turn but I want the line on the ball going where I plan to hit the ball.) When I take my time, I expect to make them all. If I rush, I'll make most of them. If you want to speed up play on those 2.5 footer "gimme" putts, then concede the putt.

[BugDude]

For me, when playing on my home course it doesn't take but 10 seconds max to read my putts because I've played 90% of my golf on it for the last 14 years.  There's not much guesswork to the subtle nuances of the greens at this point.  The people who crack me up are the ones that do all of the fancy green reading and plumb bobbing just to leave a 20 foot putt 8 feet short.  They would have likely had a better chance of making it or leaving it gimme distance if they had just walked up and hit it.  I also find for me the more time I spend over a putt the worse I do.  That goes for my entire game.  Make a decision, hit the ball, and roll.  The faster I play the better.  That hurts me in a lot of other circumstances when I am in with a slow group because I have gotten so used to playing fast.

[colin007]

best way to let people (like me) thru is to tee off, yell back to the single to go ahead and play thru, and then play up the fairway trailing the single, letting him putt out and continue on.

[BugDude]

I played 18 holes by myself this evening in 1 hour 50 minutes and played through (at thier invitation) 3 groups on the front 9.  A 2some on the 3rd tee, a 3some on the 4th tee, and a 4some on the 7th tee.  The 4some on the 7th tee had teed off and then let me tee off.  I was walking off the 9th green as they walked off the 7th green.  The 3some I played through on the 4th tee was hitting their approach on the 5th hole as I teed off on the 9th hole.  It didn't cost any of the groups more than 2 minutes to let me zoom through.

[Klutten3]

Glad to hear that golf etiquette isn't completely forgotten in some places!

Originally Posted by BugDude

I played 18 holes by myself this evening in 1 hour 50 minutes and played through (at thier invitation) 3 groups on the front 9.  A 2some on the 3rd tee, a 3some on the 4th tee, and a 4some on the 7th tee.  The 4some on the 7th tee had teed off and then let me tee off.  I was walking off the 9th green as they walked off the 7th green.  The 3some I played through on the 4th tee was hitting their approach on the 5th hole as I teed off on the 9th hole.  It didn't cost any of the groups more than 2 minutes to let me zoom through.

[camper6]

A golf course posted a notice asking for ways to improve the speed of play.

One guy replied:

"Rename the course Santa Anita"

[jetsknicks1]

Originally Posted by BugDude

For me, when playing on my home course it doesn't take but 10 seconds max to read my putts because I've played 90% of my golf on it for the last 14 years.  There's not much guesswork to the subtle nuances of the greens at this point.  The people who crack me up are the ones that do all of the fancy green reading and plumb bobbing just to leave a 20 foot putt 8 feet short.  They would have likely had a better chance of making it or leaving it gimme distance if they had just walked up and hit it.  I also find for me the more time I spend over a putt the worse I do.  That goes for my entire game.  Make a decision, hit the ball, and roll.  The faster I play the better.  That hurts me in a lot of other circumstances when I am in with a slow group because I have gotten so used to playing fast.

^^^^Everything that needs to be said.

[iacas]

Today, at Whispering Woods, I was let through as a single by five groups. On nine holes. All without asking and, honestly, because the weather was so nice, all without attempting to even look like I was in the slightest hurry at all.

Hole 1 (Par 4), I waited on my approach shot.

Hole 2 (Par 3), a twosome waved me up before they left the tee.

Hole 3 (Par 5), a foursome waved me up for my second shot (a 4I to the front of the green) while they were looking for a ball.

Hole 4 (Par 4), nothing.

Hole 5 (Par 4), waited on a husband/wife.

Hole 6 (Par 3), waited again.

Hole 7 (Par 5), the foursome ahead of the husband/wife pair let both them and me through on the tee.

Hole 8 (Par 4), the husband/wife let me through.

Hole 9 (Par 4), a twosome waved me through while they were looking for their really short tee shots.

Again, I did this all without looking like I was in a hurry at all. I wasn't. I propped my feet up and played on my phone a few times when I got too close to some people.

I ran into four foursomes on the tenth tee and decided to just head home. They'd have probably given me the old "there's nowhere to go" thing (and they'd be right, at least kinda…).