Ball on wrong fairway - who has priority?

[graham57]

I have an etiquette question, and couldn't find a thread with the answer: If I hit my tee shot (or any other shot) onto the parallel fairway, and there is a group playing that hole towards me, what is the correct sequence of play? I tend to feel that I am the one who is in the wrong place and therefore disturbing their play, so will typically wait until they have all played their shots and have started walking before running out and playing my ball back onto my own fairway. Discussions with fellow golfers at our club have produced no clear opinions on this. Maybe there is no hard and fast rule, and you just apply common sense, but if there is a recognised way to handle the situation, I wouldn't like to ignore it.

Any advice?

[Mr22putt]

IMO...they have the right to play without being interfered with....but.....if you are ready to hit and they see you, they are not in danger of your shot (including a poor shot) and they are not near their golf balls....then fire away.

[vangator]

The other group has the right of way.

[RayG]

THEY have the right of way. If they are preparing to play, then you wait. Unless they feel that they can allow you a shot before they get themselves going. Usually give a hand signal or something to let you know.

[Golfingdad]

If I can run out there and hit my ball before the first guy is ready to tee off, then I'll do it.  However, if they're about to start teeing off, then I have to wait until they're all done.  Hopefully my playing partners just keep on playing the hole without me and I don't really slow anybody down.

[Patch]

If the other group is not ready to hit, and I am not hitting my next shot towards them, then I will take the initiative and play my ball. If my poor shot is disturbing to anyone, in anyway playing their fairway, then I let them do their thing.

There have also been times when it was prudent on my part to just run out, pick up my ball, drop in my own fairway, and  take the penalty.

[vangator]

If the other group is not ready to hit, and I am not hitting my next shot towards them, then I will take the initiative and play my ball. If my poor shot is disturbing to anyone, in anyway playing their fairway, then I let them do their thing. There have also been times when it was prudent on my part to just run out, pick up my ball, drop in my own fairway, and  take the penalty.

What rule is that? :-) The Prudent Rule? Just teasing. I've done the same.

[trickyputt]

Just a hypothetical, imagining every player hitting into the wrong fairway all at once. The fellow on 18 should go first and get out of the way so that the rest could fall in line and play asap. Starting with the person on the 1rst hole would jam things up. That said, I just take the situation at hand with care for the other players game like I would have them not mess up mine. Then I will do unto my ball.

[Fourputt]

If the other group is not ready to hit, and I am not hitting my next shot towards them, then I will take the initiative and play my ball. If my poor shot is disturbing to anyone, in anyway playing their fairway, then I let them do their thing.

There have also been times when it was prudent on my part to just run out, pick up my ball, drop in my own fairway, and  take the penalty.

Just out of curiosity, what rule do you use that will allow you to pick up the ball and carry it to your fairway?

[trickyputt]

My rule is dont get hit by the guy thats about to tee up on you.

[David in FL]

My rule is dont get hit by the guy thats about to tee up on you.

Which is exactly why you let them hit first, and then play your shot after they have. Really no danger. Let your group play on, keeping an eye on your subsequent approach. Then the onus is on you to play quickly so as not to delay play behind you.

[trickyputt]

[quote name="trickyputt" url="/t/78754/ball-on-wrong-fairway-who-has-priority#post_1087524"]My rule is dont get hit by the guy thats about to tee up on you.

Which is exactly why you let them hit first, and then play your shot after they have. Really no danger. Let your group play on, keeping an eye on your subsequent approach. Then the onus is on you to play quickly so as not to delay play behind you.[/quote] Sometimes my onus gets itchy when I have people behind me. Its bad enough waiting to take my shot, but have someone else waiting on my waitingzzz is an opportunity to admit I am not shooting par that day and should move on to speed course play.

[Dave2512]

So glad we don't have many courses like that around here. Pretty much impossible to interfere with play due to errant shots on any adjacent holes.

[graham57]

Thanks for the contributions, everyone - they mainly confirm what I was doing instinctively.

On our course there are several holes running parallel to each other, as the course kind of threads its way through the hills. I think it's a typical feature of courses in hilly locations or of seaside links, where the whole course tends to run out and back between the beach and the dunes.

[Undr Par]

the easiest way to handle this situation is just hit better drives and stay off of another fairway ...jk we all do this lol....

I've always handled this by waiting it out and letting them tee off or play their 2nd shots etc...whatever the case maybe, I figure I'm getting away from my fairway and going into their's so they have 1st right to hitting their drives.

[HanNL]

Apart from being polite and let them play first, it would be most sensible to only let them play first if they are on a later hole, and for them to let you play first if you are on a later hole. (to prevent play slowing down)

[RickK]

THEY have the right of way. If they are preparing to play, then you wait. Unless they feel that they can allow you a shot before they get themselves going. Usually give a hand signal or something to let you know.

That is the way we have always looked at it.

[Spitfisher]

I have always understood it as, 1 player should not hold up 2-4 players. the 1 being on the wrong fairway should yield to the others person or groups- Unless of the other group waves on.