Should a group be allowed to decline to be paired with others?

[GolfLug]

2 hours ago, Golfingdad said:

I vote no for a couple of reasons.  Number 1, just because you reserved a tee time for a twosome does not mean that the other pair that is joining didn't also.  The computer tee time systems at all of the courses around here require you to enter the number of players and when you enter "2," it doesn't give you the whole tee time, but rather just those two.  If I log on afterwards, the tee time is still available for a twosome.  The time doesn't "belong" to either pair any more than the other.  Incidentally, almost unanimously, the courses out here will not allow singles to reserve tee times. So if you reserve as a threesome, then you have acquired the entire slot.  And that brings me to me next and most important point:

I have played as a single quite a few times in my life, and I have played as part of a group that had a single join us, or two twosomes, or a twosome with two singles (even played once as 4 singles getting paired up) etc ... point is that I've played with strangers more times than I can count.  And I have .............

wait for it ................

.................. never, repeat, NEVER, had a negative experience with strangers.  No arguments over music, cigars, alcohol, ball marks, rules, or whatever other nonsense seems to be documented in so many threads on TST.  No fist fights, no nothing.  The worst of the experiences has been "indifferent" and the best have had me making new golf buddies to play with again.

This ^^^. Great post. I will not say I have never had a negative experience, but it has never been more than being paired up with a group and they turn out to be slow. Certainly NOTHING of a personal nature. The golf (course) has given me much in life.

 

 

[Zekez]

I buck the norm.  If I go out to a course with a tee time as a single, twosome or threesome I should be allowed to play that way.

 

Is it a rule that tee times are for 4 people?  I always thought when a tee time is reserved then it is for the number of people playing at that tee time, be it 1,2,3, or 4.

[Big C]

55 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

I started this thread because I've always expected to be paired up when I'm not part of a full foursome, unless traffic on the course was really light.  When I read on the "disrespect for singles" thread discussions of how disruptive a bunch of single players could be on a full course, I wondered whether that actually ever happened, and how it could be allowed to happen.  Hence this thread and poll.  

I hear you, and I would have guessed that was your stance on it. 

There might be a regional thing going on as well, where people who play rural courses or in less trafficked areas are not accustomed to being paired with strangers. But as anyone who plays in a large metro area can tell you, getting paired up is the law of the land here.

And that even holds for the big ticket public courses as well. Last year, I had the privilege to play Pelican Hill for a work outing with some clients. There were 3 of us total, and at $300 per player, I kind of assumed that we would have the time to ourselves. Nope - they paired us up with a single to complete the foursome and sent us on our way. Thankfully, they let us use 3 carts. And fortunately, the single was a great guy and it turned out to be a really enjoyable round. 

[hockeyref18]

I feel you should have to share the tee time with another single or twosome.  I have had very good experiences with people joining my twosome or threesome.  I never had any issues over anything with another player who joined my group.  I have actually continued to play with multiple people that I have been paired up with by accident.

[No Mulligans]

I voted no.  But really I'd say no unless the group you are sent to join as a single are being jerks about it.

[DaveP043]

42 minutes ago, Zekez said:

Is it a rule that tee times are for 4 people?  I always thought when a tee time is reserved then it is for the number of people playing at that tee time, be it 1,2,3, or 4.

I'd guess that for the vast majority of courses, the management reserves the right to combine groups as they see fit, and they'll generally choose to do it to maximize revenue.  They may not explicitly tell you that when you reserve your time, but I bet its in the fine print somewhere  That's what I expect to encounter wherever I play golf.  I know its not a hard and fast rule everywhere, in fact I mentioned one rather famous course where you reserve the time, whether you have two, three or four players.  I posed the question as "should" you have the right, and you've said that yes, you should.

[No Mulligans]

I play a course (Balboa Park Golf Course) that has an 18 hole course and a separate 9 hole course.  On the 18 they are strict about creating foursomes and calling groups to the tee box when they are on deck, just as I'd expect.  The 9 though seems to be treated as the redheaded step child.  Players just walk over there and are often left to figure it out for themselves.  Last Saturday I reserved as a twosome while on deck another twosome was standing there.  I asked them what their tee time was and if they were waiting for additional players in their party.  They were a twosome and their tee time was the same as ours so we were actually a foursome.  The reservation system paired us up, the starter didn't bother to tell us.

Tee times are for 4 people unless the reservation system or starter can't pair people up. At the courses run by the city of San Diego (Torrey Pines, Balboa Park, Mission Bay), the reservation screen looks as follows.  Sure you can book as a single, twosome, or threesome but the reservation system will leave the remaining slots open for someone else to fill, 7:00am below is an example of that.  Also, the starter will fill up available slots if there are walkons.  Because of Torrey Pines popularity, you'll pretty much never play there as anything but a foursome unless it is a twilight round.

1 hour ago, Zekez said:

Is it a rule that tee times are for 4 people?  I always thought when a tee time is reserved then it is for the number of people playing at that tee time, be it 1,2,3, or 4.

 

[billchao]

I voted option 2. If they purchase four greens fees for the allotted time, nobody should be able to tell them they have to pair up with someone. If they only purchase 2 of the 4 slots, the course has the right to pair them up with others.

[rehmwa]

A time slot in golf is like a row on an airplane flight.  (I should have voted for the "only if they buy all 4 slots")

Yet I doubt most would tell the airline that no one can sit in my row since I bought one seat and then declared "it's My Row"

[Pendragon]

3 hours ago, Zekez said:

I buck the norm.  If I go out to a course with a tee time as a single, twosome or threesome I should be allowed to play that way.

 

Is it a rule that tee times are for 4 people?  I always thought when a tee time is reserved then it is for the number of people playing at that tee time, be it 1,2,3, or 4.

I'm curious if your insistence on being able to play as a single has any limits as far as day of the week, time of day, etc.

Somebody smarter than me (actually, it was rehmwa a few posts below) brought up the situation where, when you book a seat on an airplane, you certainly don't get to keep others from sitting in seats adjacent to yours. That might not be the most pertinent of analogies, but it has some merit. There really doesn't need to be "a rule" about 4somes. Golf courses rely on filling up their tee sheets in order to maximize profits and, ultimately, stay in business. 

Courses are closing right and left and, if everyone felt like you did, even more would be plowed under for housing, vineyards, or whatever. As many others here have pointed out, I. too, have had the good fortune to meet quite a few really great people when we've been paired up on the first tee. On days when few people are on the course, most courses would have no problem whatsoever having you play as a single. But let's be realistic...course owners and managers need to be able to run their businesses as they see fit. Most of the time that will probably mean that you won't be able to play as a single.  

[iacas]

This is pretty much what I was going to say.

5 hours ago, Big C said:

Both the second and third responses to the poll question are correct. If a twosome/threesome wants to play alone, they have the right to pay for all 4 green fees. Most of the time, the course won't even know there are fewer than 4 players (not alot of munis around here have starters at the first tee box). 

Short of that, you are getting paired up almost every time on a busy course. That's the way it has been and always will be. I would imagine those of us who have played most of our golf on crowded SoCal courses are incredulous that it's even in question.

Either the second or third option is legit.

[Piz]

Perhaps this situation is analogous to booking a table at a restaurant.  When the place is empty you can sit just about anywhere you'd like.  When it is busy you cannot expect to occupy a four-top all by yourself.  

[Swungover]

I voted no because it is the golf courses business to operate efficiently. Secondly, as a retiree that plays at least 3 weekday rounds, I show up as a single most days. And get paired up with some of the nicest people. Just happy to be out playing the game of golf..

[WUTiger]

I've asked to join twosomes or threesomes before, and the players usually let me in.

The people who declined me were either a couple in which the wife was a new player, or a group who appeared to be "talking business."

My home course is semi-private with lots of annual-fee members, and we know each other as if we were at a private club. That makes it easier to get into groups.

Sometimes the starter will put me with "out of towners" so I can show them the way around the course.

[Scotsclaff]

I've no problem playing with new people.I did it in the States a few times,never had a disappointment.

[Valleygolfer]

7 hours ago, Slice of Life said:

I'll agree that if it's either they pair you up or turn 2 people away from the course, that's one thing...but if there's any open slots at all, you should be able to decline. Just one man's opinion.

I think you are correct here however I think that the one who declines playing paired up has to move to a later open tee time regardless of if they have reserved the current time. The later tee times are still sellable up until the tee time.

[dennyjones]

2 hours ago, Piz said:

Perhaps this situation is analogous to booking a table at a restaurant.  When the place is empty you can sit just about anywhere you'd like.  When it is busy you cannot expect to occupy a four-top all by yourself.  

Things must be different in mid-Michigan.    If I go to any local restaurant, empty or crowded, if I'm by myself, I can sit anywhere, except maybe a 6 person table.  

I play regularly as a single and almost always expect to be paired with others but it has only happened once this year in the 40 rounds that I have played.  

[Papa Steve 55]

7 hours ago, GolfLug said:

I voted no. Can't think of ANY reason to not want to pair up. I am assuming an instructional round with the course pro is not inclusive in this discussion.

My bro in law wanted to try the game out. After a few trips to the range I booked us a slot as twosome. I requested we stay that way and explained the situation. The course had no problem, put us out in off peak time. Beginners are nervous, they don't want to try and learn the game in front of others. And the flip[ side is experienced golfers may not want to watch him slash his way around the course.

I have never had a course ask for my handicap when I booked rounds as a single, asking to be hooked up. It is more fun playing with people your own skill level, too much administrative stuff I  guess.