Pairing [General, non competition]

[johnny2balls]

in a nutshell, yes you were in the wrong.  And it is very odd behavior that I have never witnessed in the thousands of rounds of golf I have played. I have been in many 2 and 3 somes when players were added and I have never seen myself or any person in my group get upset about it. I've never seen it.  Your reasons as to why seem very odd to me.

[saevel25]

depends, i usually play by myself, and have been tried to be paired up before. Depends on my mood, most of the time i just like to play 9 by myself, and i dont' care if i am stuck behind people. I can enjoy the day with the best of them, i a will chip around and putt around, i always make sure i am not holding someone up to get on the green though.

If its on vacation, like Myrtle beach, they usually don't give you a choice, and we undestand they are trying to maximize there profits there, being a tourist city. But in a local place, most places are OK with letting a single go. But i think if you don't want to join up with a single thats fine, the starter should have kept his cool.

[ghalfaire]

I have been on both sides of the issue because I play single sometimes and get paired with other and have not filled a foursome and had the course fill the empty slot.  I guess I just expect that at any public course.  I can't remember over the years only one unpleasant experience with with this (a fellow that gave a lot of free advice while he fired a 110 round if he had learned to count and read the rules) and all the other time it worked well and I enjoyed the company.  So I think you should expect this at most courses that if you show up without a foursome you're going to play with some new friends.

[aschroeger]

Good replies.  Thanks again for the feedback

[SamW]

I'd be very surprised if this happened in the UK for a few reasons.

- there would be an assumption that your chosen playing partners were the people you wanted to play with, you might be asked if you minded if a single joined you but it wouldn't have been put like you say it was to you.

- not many courses would have accepted a tee booking from a single anyway as they have no standing on the course and generally have to fit in with other play.

- 4 ball stroke play isn't generally allowed unless its in better ball teams of 2 (you are not supposed to hole out if your score won't count for the hole), most courses will only allow an individual stroke play or match play round with a max of 3 balls because of speed of play.

So this shows that things are quite different everywhere.

[DocWu1948]

Originally Posted by aschroeger

Am I in the wrong to be upset at this type of thing o refuse to be paired with a stranger?  I asked a few guys locally here about this experience and they claimed its fairly common to be paired up with other golfers you do not know.

There's your local knowledge answer. It's the same where I live too. You expect that the course will slot in singles when it's busy. As a person who plays as a single 10% of the time, I count on that. In fact, when I know our group has an open slot, I will volunteer that at the Pro desk that we're amenable to an extra player. In 10 years of golf, only met one guy that was unpleasant.

However, most starters around here do ask if  a group will take a single, expecting to hear "of course". If someone is against it, why stick a poor single with him.

[lville lefty]

Originally Posted by TheGeekGolfer

4-somes are the norm, not the exception...especially on the weekend.  Also, don't be surprised it it's really busy to pair up your cart, too (if you're riding).  It can be annoying, but just like sitting next to someone on an airplane or in the movie theater, you don't 'have' to talk to them.  But, you'd be surprised at the great people you can meet with the right attitude.

You are exactly right about meeting some great people.  Not too long ago on a trip to Grand Cypress in Orlando one of the guys in our foursome came down with a bad back so we sent him off to the chiropractor and showed up at the course as a threesome.  We were asked to have fourth join us.  Turns out the guy worked for Cadillac.  He was there to look at the property for a dealer incentive trip.  We had a fun round and he was a fun addition to our foursome.  But get this, at the end of the round the guy says, "how would you like to play again tomorrow on our tab ($150 per round) and play a scramble against my foursome."  His foursome included a lady pro, a trick shot artist, and another Cadillac employee.  So the point of the story is never turn down an opportunity to meet someone new on the golf course.  I'm sure it does not always work out well but then again sometimes it will be better than expected.

Oh, and by the way we had our butt kicked in the scramble and lunch was on us.

[Steel]

I don't understand the big problem, yes the ranger should have asked you more appropriately, but it should not have been a big deal.  I often play as a single, if you don't like the person, don't talk to him, if he has poor etiquette, just correct him, ask him to stop moving, stop talking, please don't walk in your line etc.  believe me it is no picnic going out as a single, take your problem of one stranger and multiply it by 3.  I have had some rounds where I get paired up with 3 idiot's I just ignore them and playe my round. On the other hand you never know who you will meet and become friends with, I met one of my best lifelong friends joining up on the course and that was over 20 years ago, he was also an ex NCAA university player and taught me how to really play the game to a high standard, it would have been very difficult to reach a 4 handicap without his help.  I have also been paired up with famous actors, professional athletes and top professionals in their field, last year I played with the head of Mitsubishi Corp. Canada and a UN Economist who had traveled and lived all over the world.   99% of the people you meet on the course are worth meeting, keep an open mind

[aschroeger]

Originally Posted by Steel

I don't understand the big problem, yes the ranger should have asked you more appropriately, but it should not have been a big deal.  I often play as a single, if you don't like the person, don't talk to him, if he has poor etiquette, just correct him, ask him to stop moving, stop talking, please don't walk in your line etc.  believe me it is no picnic going out as a single, take your problem of one stranger and multiply it by 3.  I have had some rounds where I get paired up with 3 idiot's I just ignore them and playe my round. On the other hand you never know who you will meet and become friends with, I met one of my best lifelong friends joining up on the course and that was over 20 years ago, he was also an ex NCAA university player and taught me how to really play the game to a high standard, it would have been very difficult to reach a 4 handicap without his help.  I have also been paired up with famous actors, professional athletes and top professionals in their field, last year I played with the head of Mitsubishi Corp. Canada and a UN Economist who had traveled and lived all over the world.   99% of the people you meet on the course are worth meeting, keep an open mind

The big problems were

1) I didnt know that was common practice

2) the ranger was a class A jerk.

Like I replied a few times.. Now I know.... thanks

[Chief Broom]

As a guy who has played as a single countless times and joined up with complete strangers I still understand the OP's desire to spend quality time on the golf course with his buddies.  When you join up with a stranger politeness dictates that you go out of your way to be nice and include the stranger in your conversations, etc.  While doing this can be rewarding as other posters have pointed out (gotta love the guys who got a free round the next day simply because they were polite), it can also be a distraction if one of your goals that day is to reconnect with your friends.  The truth is though that if you want to be sure your group stays together, then you have to make sure you fill out your foursome otherwise the course may insist that they fill out your foursome for you.  The OP just needs to chalk this one up as a lesson learned.  If I were the OP though I would have discussed this with the pro shop after the round.  The ranger should have been willing to accommodate the OP's desire to not take on a stranger, especially given that the course was not crowded.  Certainly the OP's group might have had to lose their place on the tee sheet, but they were paying customers and as long as a customer is being reasonable in their requests the course should do whatever they can to make those customers happy (and want to come back again).  This is just common sense and good customer service.  It sounds like the ranger is probably used to getting his way and having golfers go along with whatever he says.  Staff like that can make a bad impression on the people the course ultimately depends on.  Ironically this ranger was probably an unpaid volunteer who trades his time as a ranger for reduced greens/cart fees.  Sometimes these guys can be the worst sort you'll meet on the staff because they feel entitled to do whatever they want simply because they don't get paid.  The club pro, hospitality folks, greens keepers, etc. all know that their pay checks depend upon the people who come out and patronize the course, but the volunteer doesn't feel like he owes anyone anything because he's doing it for free (never mind that everyone else out there is subsidizing his discount).  In reality courses are better off without people on staff who don't realize where their priorities belong.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by SamW

I'd be very surprised if this happened in the UK for a few reasons.

- there would be an assumption that your chosen playing partners were the people you wanted to play with, you might be asked if you minded if a single joined you but it wouldn't have been put like you say it was to you.

- not many courses would have accepted a tee booking from a single anyway as they have no standing on the course and generally have to fit in with other play.

- 4 ball stroke play isn't generally allowed unless its in better ball teams of 2 (you are not supposed to hole out if your score won't count for the hole), most courses will only allow an individual stroke play or match play round with a max of 3 balls because of speed of play.

So this shows that things are quite different everywhere.

Very interesting.  Did not know that.

Brandon