How to Play Through Another Group

[NM Golf]

14 hours ago, JonMA1 said:

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.

I've actually done this a couple times. Not passive aggressively like the men you describe above, but just basically told the group we were playing through. Last time it happened was late last summer. My buddy and I got out for an afternoon 18 on an empty course. We were moving right along when we caught a fivesome with no one in front of them. We waited on them for a few holes. A couple of times we were done putting and on the next tee box before they finished hitting their drives. So we finished putting on the par 3 12th hole and they were taking mulligans off the 13th tee. We just walked up and nicely told them we were playing through. They kind of stared at us in disbelief, but we hit our drives and off we went. We weren't rude at all just told them how it was. Not sure why they didn't just let us through in the first place, but sometimes people are just either stupid or their egos get in the way. 

[Big C]

3 minutes ago, NM Golf said:

I've actually done this a couple times. Not passive aggressively like the men you describe above, but just basically told the group we were playing through. Last time it happened was late last summer. My buddy and I got out for an afternoon 18 on an empty course. We were moving right along when we caught a fivesome with no one in front of them. We waited on them for a few holes. A couple of times we were done putting and on the next tee box before they finished hitting their drives. So we finished putting on the par 3 12th hole and they were taking mulligans off the 13th tee. We just walked up and nicely told them we were playing through. They kind of stared at us in disbelief, but we hit our drives and off we went. We weren't rude at all just told them how it was. Not sure why they didn't just let us through in the first place, but sometimes people are just either stupid or their egos get in the way. 

I'm all for "assuming the sale" but couldn't you have accomplished the same thing by asking them to play through?

[NM Golf]

49 minutes ago, Big C said:

I'm all for "assuming the sale" but couldn't you have accomplished the same thing by asking them to play through?

We didn't walk up and demand to play through or anything like that. It went something like. "Hey fellas mind if we just play through real quick, we will be out of your way in no time." We did ask, we just weren't taking no as a possible answer. 

[rehmwa]

21 minutes ago, NM Golf said:

We didn't walk up and demand to play through or anything like that. It went something like. "Hey fellas mind if we just play through real quick, we will be out of your way in no time." We did ask, we just weren't taking no as a possible answer. 

that sounds more realistic than how your original version (unintentionally) came across.  Nothing wrong with that.  Almost word for word how I phrase it.

[JCrane]

1 hour ago, Big C said:

I'm all for "assuming the sale" but couldn't you have accomplished the same thing by asking them to play through?

Did I understand you said a fivesome. ?  Where ever I have played they never allowed fivesomes for obvious reasons  and even if they did you would think they would have the common sense to let a twosome go through. Amazing !

[klineka]

49 minutes ago, JCrane said:

Did I understand you said a fivesome. ?  Where ever I have played they never allowed fivesomes for obvious reasons  and even if they did you would think they would have the common sense to let a twosome go through. Amazing !

I've done a fivesome a handful of times, but we always let people through without them even having to ask. We know and fully expect the round to be long when there's five of us. 

[NM Golf]

@JCrane We allow fivesomes after 12:00, and there's nothing common about common sense. These guys would never have let us through, they were clueless. We literally watched them tee off on the two holes prior and they just looked at us, got in their carts, and drove off. 

Edited February 14, 2018 by NM Golf

[cutchemist42]

I will admit that as single, playing through does sometimes effect my club choice.

[rehmwa]

1 hour ago, NM Golf said:

@JCrane We allow fivesomes after 12:00, and there's nothing common about common sense. These guys would never have let us through, they were clueless. We literally watched them tee off on the two holes prior and they just looked at us, got in their carts, and drove off. 

I wonder if they were just as perplexed that you didn't ask or speak up.  Someone's got to break the ice.

That just amazes me.  Not the part about ignoring the play-through.  But the part that there were 5 of them and 2 of you and nobody was even social enough to crack a joke or say something at all.  People are weird and awkward.......and I work in an engineering organization where people tend to stare at their shoes.

 

I caught a 4some on the 17th at a local course once and they asked me if I wanted to play through.  I (thanked them for the courtesy), noted it was pretty late in the round and they should just go ahead and I'll be their gallery.  I asked if they wanted the Waste Management gallery, or the Masters Gallery.  2 guys laughed out loud and smiled and asked for the Waste Management treatment.  1 had no clue and the other was just anti-social non-eye contact guy.....It takes all kinds, but there's decent people out there.  Some really just don't know how to handle open and friendly.

Edited February 14, 2018 by rehmwa

[JonMA1]

5 hours ago, NM Golf said:

Not passive aggressively like the men you describe above, but just basically told the group we were playing through.

I wasn't there to witness visually what happened, but I'd be surprised if there was anything passive about it. But I get your point. Just go up and ask, "hey, would you mind if we played through". For all I know, they did just that and the women freaked out on them.

I'd like to think most of us have a reasonable threshold of what's acceptable behavior both from ourselves and from others, whether we're slower or faster or in front or behind. Obviously, we don't all think exactly the same, but not letting a faster group through is just wrong when the course ahead is open.

I don't mind being behind a group who is a bit slower as long as they're attempting to play ready golf. When I am asked to play through, I try to get through the fairway as fast as possible, even running to my ball at times. I know that probably looks stupid and I usually hear something like "no need to rush". But I'm not going to play through and then take my sweet time.

4 hours ago, JCrane said:

Did I understand you said a fivesome. ?  Where ever I have played they never allowed fivesomes for obvious reasons  and even if they did you would think they would have the common sense to let a twosome go through. Amazing !

You'd hate my home course. For all the good things I can say about it, one of the few negatives is that they will sometimes let large groups out at the same time on a busy day. I've seen as many as 5 carts go out together - and I'm not talking about a league or a scramble.

[Piz]

Playing through is a pleasure.  On the rare occasions that it happens; I always thank the group waving us up, make a friendly remark, and endeavor to reward their courtesy by executing an elegant pass.  Then I thank them again, wish them luck, and head on.  

[JCrane]

5 hours ago, JonMA1 said:

I wasn't there to witness visually what happened, but I'd be surprised if there was anything passive about it. But I get your point. Just go up and ask, "hey, would you mind if we played through". For all I know, they did just that and the women freaked out on them.

I'd like to think most of us have a reasonable threshold of what's acceptable behavior both from ourselves and from others, whether we're slower or faster or in front or behind. Obviously, we don't all think exactly the same, but not letting a faster group through is just wrong when the course ahead is open.

I don't mind being behind a group who is a bit slower as long as they're attempting to play ready golf. When I am asked to play through, I try to get through the fairway as fast as possible, even running to my ball at times. I know that probably looks stupid and I usually hear something like "no need to rush". But I'm not going to play through and then take my sweet time.

You'd hate my home course. For all the good things I can say about it, one of the few negatives is that they will sometimes let large groups out at the same time on a busy day. I've seen as many as 5 carts go out together - and I'm not talking about a league or a scramble.

that is just greedy and it ends up working against them as people will get frustrated and go somewhere else

 

[JonMA1]

16 hours ago, JCrane said:

that is just greedy and it ends up working against them as people will get frustrated and go somewhere else

It might seem that way, but I don't think it's greed as much as just not running the golf side of their business as most courses do. It's a resort and they cater to their guests more than local members. I'm ok with that because of how little my membership costs and how much I like the course.

For the majority of the time I'm out there, I'm not waiting on anyone and nobody is pushing me. There are many rounds where I never see another person. But when they are busy, they're really busy.

Sorry for getting off-topic.

[JCrane]

2 hours ago, JonMA1 said:

It might seem that way, but I don't think it's greed as much as just not running the golf side of their business as most courses do. It's a resort and they cater to their guests more than local members. I'm ok with that because of how little my membership costs and how much I like the course.

For the majority of the time I'm out there, I'm not waiting on anyone and nobody is pushing me. There are many rounds where I never see another person. But when they are busy, they're really busy.

Sorry for getting off-topic.

I do not think you got off topic and I understand your willingness to look the other way, but that does not excuse the way they are running their course. Because they do not charge a lot does not give them the right to abuse the people who support the course.

You are obviously  a very tolerant person and should be given credit for that, but others are not and it only takes a few to bad mouth the course and create a bad reputation for the course and they should consider that when allowing fivesomes on the course. It is like the old saying from the abused wife who says " he does not always beat me. " Food for thought Thanks for sharing

[JonMA1]

On 2/15/2018 at 8:13 PM, JCrane said:

Because they do not charge a lot does not give them the right to abuse the people who support the course.

I think as a private business, they have the right to do what they please. The market and their desire to make a profit should dictate what they do.

On 2/15/2018 at 8:13 PM, JCrane said:

It is like the old saying from the abused wife who says " he does not always beat me. " Food for thought Thanks for sharing

No offense, but comparing a golf course's policy of letting large groups out to a husband smacking around his wife is a poor analogy. Just as a member choosing to stay with that course is nothing like the abused wife defending what her husband does. 

And here's the thing - again, I mean no offense - just because you find a situation intolerable doesn't mean those who do not are too weak to do something about it. We are all different and there are likely things about your course that I'd hate.

There are just too many inexpensive golf options in my neck of the woods and I'm too much of an A-hole for me to be stuck at a  particular course.

[JCrane]

7 hours ago, JonMA1 said:

I think as a private business, they have the right to do what they please. The market and their desire to make a profit should dictate what they do.

No offense, but comparing a golf course's policy of letting large groups out to a husband smacking around his wife is a poor analogy. Just as a member choosing to stay with that course is nothing like the abused wife defending what her husband does. 

And here's the thing - again, I mean no offense - just because you find a situation intolerable doesn't mean those who do not are too weak to do something about it. We are all different and there are likely things about your course that I'd hate.

There are just too many inexpensive golf options in my neck of the woods and I'm too much of an A-hole for me to be stuck at a  particular course.

I agree it probably was a bad analogy especially in these hyper sensitive times  we are living in.where everything is taken seriously, and yes they have the right to send 10 carts out there at a time and yes,people have the right to play somewhere else and that is usually what ends up happening. No need to defend your course. If you are alright with it that is great, It just would not be on my list of preferred golf courses, no matter how cheap it was. Thanks for sharing

[Buckeyebowman]

We've been known to walk or drive around groups that have no idea of golf etiquette! I walked around a foursome of women who were taking a half an hour to play a 140 yard par 3!

As I was walking past them, one woman did bother to ask "Oh, were we holding you up?" Are you kidding me?

[Papa Steve 55]

We had a relatively nice Sunday here, almost 50. 16 members showed up to play. 4 groups. Around the 4th hole a 2 some showed up in back of us. We were a bit quicker than the group in front of us so spent some time waiting. The 2 was pushing us, hitting before we were away from our 2nd shots and hitting while we were walking away from the green. I finally waited for them and explained there was no place for them to play through to, because of the three groups in front. One just looked at me and said "whatever, just keep your head up". The other guy in my cart stood up, all 6'2", and said excuse me? They never hit into us again.