Etiquette: Having lunch after 9

[David-Dj Bryant]

I'm a weekend warrior at best and have a question on etiquette:

We were playing a round the other week and after 9 holes we stopped at the club house and had lunch.

When we got back on to the 10th we were behind 10 other groups so we naturally waited. Another group approached and someone in their group said rather rudely we forfeited our spot by stopping for lunch.

What's the proper thing to do here? I have no idea what normal etiquette is but to me I would think that a) The golf course I would suspect likes having a four-some stop and do a $100 bill at the club house, b) On a busy day, we would never get back on the course lol.

[Dave2512]

Having lunch at the turn is a quick stop at the snack bar at best. If you sat down and ate in the restaurant yeah you lost your place. If you made it back on the course at all I'd be surprised. Most of the courses I play have signs asking golfers to call in an order on the 8th tee so they can run in and grab it.

[geauxforbroke]

Can't say I've ever stopped for a sit down lunch, either. Probably best to check with the pro shop or starter before doing so. While I'm sure they appreciate your spending money at the restaurant, they would probably rather not have the flow of golfers interrupted.

[WUTiger]

It all depends. Around these parts, any lunch is pretty much "on the go." On slow days, groups might eat a quick hotdog in the snack bar, then move on.

I always eat before I play, and then have a power bar at the turn. Also, staying inside too long in summer leads to cold back muscles.

In your situation, the guy who announced forfeiture was probably enforcing his policy, not the course's.

It may be a regional thing. Years ago, my wife's uncle and aunt invited us to play golf with them at Cape Fear C.C. in Wilmington, NC. It's a lovely, older course with a nice clubhouse.

When we stopped at the turn, we went in and had a full Sunday lunch. About 45 minutes later, we went out and played the back nine. About half the foursomes ate lunch, and the flow back onto the course was smooth.

Anyone, is full lunch after 9 holes a Southern custom?

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by David-Dj Bryant

I'm a weekend warrior at best and have a question on etiquette:

We were playing a round the other week and after 9 holes we stopped at the club house and had lunch.

When we got back on to the 10th we were behind 10 other groups so we naturally waited. Another group approached and someone in their group said rather rudely we forfeited our spot by stopping for lunch.

What's the proper thing to do here? I have no idea what normal etiquette is but to me I would think that a) The golf course I would suspect likes having a four-some stop and do a $100 bill at the club house, b) On a busy day, we would never get back on the course lol.

You are living in the past, or at best at an exclusive private club.  On a typical weekend at most courses any stopping at the turn had better be 5 minutes or less.  When I was working as starter if a group wasn't on the 10th tee by the time I saw the next group coming down the 9th fairway, I scolded them over the PA system and told them if they didn't get off on 10 in 2 minutes, they would lose their place.  If that happens, they don't get back on until there is a break in the tee sheet.  The days of a leisurely lunch between nines is as extinct as the dodo bird.

[Dave2512]

Originally Posted by geauxforbroke

Can't say I've ever stopped for a sit down lunch, either. Probably best to check with the pro shop or starter before doing so. While I'm sure they appreciate your spending money at the restaurant, they would probably rather not have the flow of golfers interrupted.

That's probably not a bad idea or unheard of but I suspect the pro shop at the places I frequent wouldn't be crazy about one group tying up two spots on the tee sheet. There would have to be an empty slot to put them back out in between groups making the turn. I have a tough time getting out on the back 9 as a walk on single on anything but the slowest days.

[thescarecrow]

Grab a drink/snack if done without holding up those behind  OK

Have a sit down lunch, you have just forfeited your place in the field ............. Waiting behind 10 groups on the 10th hole seems extreme.

9 hole course ?

[mchepp]

The culture in the US is no lunch. Or at least a "on-the-go" as mentioned by others.

In Japan when I played there it is a requirement. But golf there is an all day event, including stretching, playing 9, lunch, cup of tea, play 9 more, shower, sauna, then noodles. Taiwan was the same way.

I have played some private clubs in the US where we did stop but the course was empty so it didn't matter.

I think for this case you lost your turn.

[geauxforbroke]

Originally Posted by WUTiger

Anyone, is full lunch after 9 holes a Southern custom?

As a general rule, I would say no. I've played a handful of very nice private clubs. Even at those, lunch is typically just a snack or grab something from the grill and go. Besides, those places would require you to shower and change before you enter the dining room anyway.

[David in FL]

Yep. Lost your spot. Grab a snack or a hotdog at the turn. Save the sit-down meal for after the round. Having said that, I have played at a handful of clubs outside of the U.S. where virtually everyone was expected to take a significant break at the turn. The 10th tee was managed much like the first, with a starter to keep everyone in order, and moving when it was (finally) their turn to go off on 10. Felt like a giant speed bump right in the middle of your round of golf! :~(

[Fourputt]

The only time recently I've done anything similar to that is when my brother and I played The Old Works in Anaconda, Montana.  In that case we had an 8 AM tee time, played 18, then had lunch and went out to play another 18 at a discounted rate.  This was also on a weekday, so the course was relatively open.  For us, this was a destination - we drove up from Idaho Falls the day before and stayed overnight, played 36, stayed another night and played 18 the next morning before driving back south.  My brother and I did that a couple of years in a row, then decided that the 3½ hour drive wasn't worth it.  There were lots of nice courses in Idaho closer to his home to play.

[Dave2512]

My favorite is holiday weekends at my parents club. They set up a grill, steam tables and cold bar right next to the 10th tee. The weekend after July 4th we headed down the 10th fairway with brats and cherry cobbler. Some of the nicer courses have touch screens on the carts. Can punch in your food order, run in and grab it at the bar. I wouldn't doubt the days of credit card readers on carts is soon.

[rustyredcab]

If the course has starters and rangers, someone should have politely let your group know that five minutes at the turn is the max -- or you risk loosing you place.

If there is no one near the ninth green, they should have told you on the first tee.

That said, if there is a long backup on ten, and your lunch did not create a gap where you should have been, then I would say the "You lose your turn" guy is also a bit off. You're in front of his group be it five groups ahead or one. Heck, if there were ten groups on the tenth tee that all came from the ninth green, you should have been able to find your original place in line unless lunch took longer that it took ten groups to play the ninth.

[David in FL]

The only time recently I've done anything similar to that is when my brother and I played The Old Works in Anaconda, Montana.  In that case we had an 8 AM tee time, played 18, then had lunch and went out to play another 18 at a discounted rate.  This was also on a weekday, so the course was relatively open.  For us, this was a destination - we drove up from Idaho Falls the day before and stayed overnight, played 36, stayed another night and played 18 the next morning before driving back south.  My brother and I did that a couple of years in a row, then decided that the 3½ hour drive wasn't worth it.  There were lots of nice courses in Idaho closer to his home to play.

36 holes with a nice leisurely lunch inbetween makes for a GREAT day! :-)

[jetsknicks1]

[VIDEO][/VIDEO] Hot dog and a beer at the turn, the lunch of champions.. ;-)

[SloverUT]

Originally Posted by WUTiger

It all depends. Around these parts, any lunch is pretty much "on the go." On slow days, groups might eat a quick hotdog in the snack bar, then move on.

I always eat before I play, and then have a power bar at the turn. Also, staying inside too long in summer leads to cold back muscles.

In your situation, the guy who announced forfeiture was probably enforcing his policy, not the course's.

It may be a regional thing. Years ago, my wife's uncle and aunt invited us to play golf with them at Cape Fear C.C. in Wilmington, NC. It's a lovely, older course with a nice clubhouse.

When we stopped at the turn, we went in and had a full Sunday lunch. About 45 minutes later, we went out and played the back nine. About half the foursomes ate lunch, and the flow back onto the course was smooth.

Anyone, is full lunch after 9 holes a Southern custom?

No, that is not a southern custom.  At least not one that I am aware happens.  When I play we may grab a hot dog on the go at best.

[ridenemwild]

In the south golf is usually played in the morning BC of the heat. Start at 8-8:30 finish close to 12 and enjoy a nice meal with your group afterwards. If you play in the afternoon then you try to end around 5 for cocktails and supper afterwards.

[mvarley84]

I've stopped for lunch at the turn a few times...depends on how the course is moving. The course I usually play maybe has a foursome every other hole....on a busy day. So stopping for a bite to eat in the clubhouse doesn't slow things down at all. We just slide in an appropriate gap in play and carry on.