How to Play Through Another Group

[NM Golf]

3 hours ago, iacas said:

That's BS, though, from a certain perspective. People mistakenly use that all the time.

Let's say @NatalieB and I are playing. We're fast, and there's only two of us. We're behind a foursome A. They're behind a foursome B. They're behind a foursome B. Ahead of that foursome… nothing.

But foursome A thinks "there's no gap so we shouldn't let them through." Even foursome B might think that. Yet there is a gap, and within about four or five holes, we can play through.

So, word of note to others out there… don't always assume that because there's not a gap IMMEDIATELY in front of you, that there isn't a gap at all. There may be.

Yeah, but you will see in my original post that I said the course is packed group after group. If there is a gap two groups in front of you then...there IS a gap, therefor you can and should be allowed to play through. I will say this though, there is a limit to this. If there is a twosome behind six foursomes and that gap is four holes in front of you, you are probably screwed, not to mention by the time you played through all of them you probably slowed the entire course down behind you.

 

3 hours ago, iacas said:

It's faster to have the balls up by the green. The group playing through can hustle to the green a bit, the other group can dawdle along behind. It's faster, though, to get them into a smaller area.

That's why playing up on par threes is the way to go. Same idea - everyone hits their "approach" shot and the group playing through putts out first.

Not that it really makes much difference in the matter, but 8 people on a green is IMO is a pain. Someone will always be in someone else's line, people walking in other's lines. To me it's just easier to do it in the fairway. Either way just do it if you are the slower group. Nothing worse than waiting on a slow group with no one in front of them.

[iacas]

2 hours ago, Fourputt said:

The only problem with letting such a twosome play through multiple groups is that most players aren't as efficient as those of us who have the experience and understand that there are both good and bad ways to do it.

Even if you do it "badly," it creates a gap ahead that players will fill in.

2 hours ago, Fourputt said:

I've seen too many groups fall a full hole behind while they wait for the group that played through to finish the hole.

That's the example: but players can just fill in that gap. Just like if you took an extra bit of time to look for balls and didn't wave the group behind through… you'll just play the next hole faster, and they'll catch up to you again then, too.

1 hour ago, NM Golf said:

If there is a twosome behind six foursomes and that gap is four holes in front of you, you are probably screwed, not to mention by the time you played through all of them you probably slowed the entire course down behind you.

That doesn't have to be true at all.

1 hour ago, NM Golf said:

Not that it really makes much difference in the matter, but 8 people on a green is IMO is a pain. Someone will always be in someone else's line, people walking in other's lines.

They don't all play out the hole together. The waved through group plays their shots, so there are only four balls with lines to worry about. Occasionally a ball close to the hole will be in the way, but you just deal with it. It's still far more beneficial to do this cross-over at the green than in the fairway.

[NM Golf]

6 minutes ago, iacas said:

That doesn't have to be true at all.

All due respect, but I have worked at golf courses for over 20 years, it's true. Maybe in a perfect world everyone could play at their respective pace, play though all the groups slower than them, and a twosome could finish 18 holes in 3 hours on a packed course; but this is the real world and it just doesn't happen.

The course where I work gets over 100,000 rounds a year. On a Saturday in the summer we begin tee times at 6:16am. We send off a group every 8 minutes from then until about 12:00pm when it begins to slow down. If somehow a twosome gets sent off by themselves at 7:16am there is no way they are playing through the six foursomes out in front of them. And if they even tried they would bog down everyone else. 

[Fourputt]

30 minutes ago, NM Golf said:

All due respect, but I have worked at golf courses for over 20 years, it's true. Maybe in a perfect world everyone could play at their respective pace, play though all the groups slower than them, and a twosome could finish 18 holes in 3 hours on a packed course; but this is the real world and it just doesn't happen.

The course where I work gets over 100,000 rounds a year. On a Saturday in the summer we begin tee times at 6:16am. We send off a group every 8 minutes from then until about 12:00pm when it begins to slow down. If somehow a twosome gets sent off by themselves at 7:16am there is no way they are playing through the six foursomes out in front of them. And if they even tried they would bog down everyone else. 

I worked as a starter for 5 years on a busy public course, and I experienced the same issues.  It just doesn't happen as smoothly as Erik seems to think that it should.

[iacas]

1 hour ago, NM Golf said:

All due respect, but I have worked at golf courses for over 20 years, it's true.

Your experience is not universal.

And all I said was that it doesn’t have to be true. I’ve seen it done.

Six groups in front is not the same as “a packed course.”

[NM Golf]

45 minutes ago, Fourputt said:

I worked as a starter for 5 years on a busy public course, and I experienced the same issues.  It just doesn't happen as smoothly as Erik seems to think that it should.

Like I said, in a perfect world. Unfortunately we do not live in one.

[iacas]

36 minutes ago, NM Golf said:

Like I said, in a perfect world. Unfortunately we do not live in one.

All I'm saying is that I've seen it happen. I've been a part of it happening. And the world wasn't miraculously perfect at that moment. It was just people doing what they're supposed to do (and not on a "fully packed" course).

[colin007]

If I'm playing thru on a par 3, I try to save time by just making a hole in one. If it's a par 4 or 5, out of consideration I will drive the green.

[Moxley]

Problem with this is you'll never get everybody following the same protocol here, so while you can establish the best way in principle, it just won't work, except, perhaps, for clubs who are pretty much limited to members & their guests.

Just got to be alert & hope for the golfers ahead to have enough consideration to allow you through when beneficial.

[Osnola]

I do not  play on weekends.  During the week I try to be in the first group out in the morning.....

If I play on a weekend, it is usually on Sunday afternoon when others are watching NFL...

[Nutsmacker]

I was always of the mindset to let players play through on the next par 3 if possible.  It seemed to be the easiest way to get it done and over with.  When you try to do it on a Par 4 you got people that are in the way and you have the group you are playing through hanging over you and you end up rushing and not playing your typical style.  It is much easier and less disruptive to let a group play through or play through yourself on a Par 3.  But, I have done it a number of different ways throughout my golf life...it just seems like a par 3 is the ideal place to do so.  

[dave s]

No easy way or answer to this conundrum.  Late last season, the group in front of us was having major difficulties on a pretty tough course and not good (rain) conditions.  They wave us (a 3-some) through on a par-3 hole. 

The rest of the round, our 3-some waited on the group in front of us and the 4-some we played through waited on us.

Sometimes a round of golf is just slow-going.  Speed golfers who press the issue will cause more issues when they press your group to play through.  It's actually pretty rare to pick up any time or pace when you play through the group directly in front of you.  Unless of course, you and the group wanting to play through are the only 2 groups on the course.

dave

[rehmwa]

18 hours ago, colin007 said:

If I'm playing thru on a par 3, I try to save time by just making a hole in one. If it's a par 4 or 5, out of consideration I will drive the green.

thank you sir.  you truly have a giving heart

3 hours ago, dave s said:

No easy way or answer to this conundrum.  Late last season, the group in front of us was having major difficulties on a pretty tough course and not good (rain) conditions.  They wave us (a 3-some) through on a par-3 hole. 

The rest of the round, our 3-some waited on the group in front of us and the 4-some we played through waited on us.

Sometimes a round of golf is just slow-going.  Speed golfers who press the issue will cause more issues when they press your group to play through.  It's actually pretty rare to pick up any time or pace when you play through the group directly in front of you.  Unless of course, you and the group wanting to play through are the only 2 groups on the course.

dave

this ^^  in essence all 'playing through' did was you switched places.  I don't like to even think about playing through unless it's wide open, or there's a group right there I can combine with.  One might even consider that overly aggressive 'speedsters' might not be compatible with an activity that requires courtesy and patience.  Bowling has a pretty regimented timeline.....

Edited February 13, 2018 by rehmwa

[JonMA1]

5 hours ago, rehmwa said:

I don't like to even think about playing through unless it's wide open, or there's a group right there I can combine with

Same with me. Even then, unless the group in front is really slow, I'm fine slowing down a bit.

---

A couple years ago while walking alone, I let a twosome in a cart play through at the second hole. The four women ahead of us were fairly slow with no one in front of them, yet would not offer to let the twosome play through. I kept catching up with two at every tee box and each time they seemed more and more agitated by the group in front. I slowed my pace down a bit because there wasn't anyone behind me. Finally, while on the 5th hole, I start to hear shouting and arguing coming from the 6th fairway. What I remember the most was a sarcastic "PLAY GOLF MUCH?!!" in a man's voice, answered by "ASS!!" in an angry woman's voice.

I still laugh about it to this day. When the two men had apparently given up on an invitation and simply played through, the women took exception. Gotta love that golf course drama.

Needless to say, I thought it best not to push that group for the remaining three holes.

[JCrane]

I feel better when someone tells me to play through. I try to be careful with judging slow play. Sometimes a group has a bad hole or loses a ball, but picks up the pace on the next hole or two, but I have found if they are consistently slow they usual realize this and offer to let you play through. At least that way if you have a bad hole or two you do not have to feel bad. 

I like playing through on the tea box myself rather than trying to find balls on or near the green, but for the most part I have found most golfers are pretty easy to work with on this issue and the ones who are not should probably choose a time that is less popular like midnight LOL

[HJJ003]

If things are busy or they course is overbooked there is not much that can be done with playing through another group. The only time it drives me crazy is when I get behind a group that is obviously not there to play Golf but more to just jack around. That’s fine and all but at least let me play through. I am often sent out as a single at my home course, and it never fails I get stuck behind a fivesome with 6 holes left and dark approaching. Those groups never seems to want to let me play through even refusing to look at me as I drive up to the tee box as the last guy in their group tees off lol.

[tinker]

If your playing golf and you have to let a group play through chances are your group plays too slow. That’s poor golf etiquette. Speed it up, your not playing the US Open .

[iacas]

2 minutes ago, tinker said:

If your playing golf and you have to let a group play through chances are your group plays too slow. That’s poor golf etiquette. Speed it up, your not playing the US Open .

I've played in some reasonably fast foursomes that will let singles and doubles through.

If you're letting the same sized group or, heaven forbid, a larger group through, you may be playing slowly. Yes.