Forum > Rants

Chris Hooley

I know this will have been covered numerous times before but need to get it off my chest.

Had an early afternoon tee on Friday just gone. I was expecting a slow round as it was a nice day and a Friday to boot. Myself and a guy from work turn up on the tee and there are two four balls in front of us. Not a problem obviously and we wait patiently. The first fourball tees off and 3 out of the four make the fairway and away they went. The second fourball enquired as to our tee time and went first as their tee time was before ours. Again no problems there.

The fourball tees off and a couple of them end up near/in a water hazard (the same one for both). A third guy has driven probably 30 yards short of these guys. At this point all four of them wander off to the water hazard to look for the two balls even though the guy 30 yards short is safe to play. Anyway 45 minutes later we walk to the 4th tee box where the 4 ball has finally teed off (they were teeing off when we tee'd off from the par 3 3rd. Most of them hit into the trees so they let us play through which was good and the first real chance they'd had to do so. Top marks to them imho.

So, onto the 5th and we tee off, finish the hole and walk to the par 3 6th tee. The next fourball (with no one in front of them holding them up) had literally just teed off with one of them making the green. At this point we hoped to be played through but werent. In fact the guys didnt even say hello to us or nod or even acknowledge our presence. Odd but there'd be plenty of chances to be played through.

We played the 6th and 7th without having to wait for shots and had expected the fourball to be already teed off on the 8th and walking down the fairway (as we had given them a few minutes on the 7th tee). To our surprise they were still stood on the tee (no one ahead) and hadnt even tee'd off. We arrived, no acknowledgement, they teed off and off they went. Second chance gone.

Finish the 8th and 9th and get to the par 3 10th. We're both at the tee, no one ahead, they hadnt gone, didnt let us through. 3rd chance gone.

This cycle happened twice more and combine that with the annoying habit they had of leaving bags/trolleys on the wrong side of the green, not replacing divots, not repairing pitch marks I was rather ticked off.

Walked off the course 4hours and 45 minutes later. For a two ball. ARGGHHH!!!!

John Pettitt

I can understand your frustration and the second fourball should have called you through, as you were a faster group. Unfortunately this type of behaviour is far too prevalent on courses these days.

The only option is to either bear it, or find yourself a private club where they separate fourballs and twoballs at different itmes of the day from different tees. In fact any really good club will not even have a starting sheet.

John Flood

Chris,

I'm sorry but I would have asked to be played through (politely of course). I wouldn't have waited like you did.

John.

Chris Perry

I'm with both John's on this.  I hate slow play with a passion as I know it causes me to lose my concentration and my scores suffer.  I would let them get away with it the first time but when it became obvious they weren't going to offer the second time round I would ask. 

And 4 hours 45 for a two ball is nothing, try 5 hours as a SINGLE!!!!  Managed to walk off the 18th at 9:45pm (fuming). 

Chris Hooley

John P - Indeed. I've noticed a drop in overall etiquette in the 18 months I've been playing. Not good :-(

John F - I was tempted but I shouldnt have to really and wasnt sure at the time where I stood rules wise as my R&A pocket book wasnt in my bag.

Chris Hooley

John Flood

Chris,

The rules state that "if the group in front lose a hole then the faster group should be allowed to play through"

I must say that regardless of if I had my rule book or not I would have still asked to be played through.

My brother hated playing with me cos I'd not be afraid to ask anyone & once asked 4 rather LARGE gentlemen if we could play through, they asked why so I asked them if they wanted us their backside (not literally) the remaining round or would they prefer to enjoy a relaxing round of golf? They chose the latter.

Matt Collins

John is right, i agree.

Huh, did I just say that!

Slow play drives me nuts-I just don't understand when people won't let you pass.  It's equally bad, if not worse, when players are so quick they are right up you-I do my best to let them pass, so I can play at my pace-which is relatively quickly

Chris Perry

Chris H,

Yep.  The four-ball in front of me were stuck behind a group of 12 workmates playing matchplay.  They were putting from 2 inches whether it mattered or not.  The first group were over two holes down when they shook hands on the 14th and all three groups then walked off.  It took us 30 minutes to complete the last 5 holes. 

Martin Goodman

I got stuck behind an incredibly slow (and not very good - but that's irrelevant) threesome on Saturday.  They were swilling cider and very slowly meandering around.

Eventually, as I played on in the rain and they were sheltering, one of them asked me for (and I quote) 'a light, innit'.

Mother nature had the last laugh, however, as on the 9th tee a thunderstorm and torrential rain halted proceedings.  I chose to shelter (but not much was afforded) in some trees but couldn't move as there was a lot of lightning, some accompanied by deafening simultaneous thunder from overhead!

(I later found out that you should stand in a bunker during a thunderstorm.)

Mike Emery

I was out on my own for a round a while back and caught up a fourball on the 12th tee, with a fiveball (the joys of municipals) on the hole in front. One of the guys on the tee said something like 'pointless letting you through, they're playing slow in front of us' which I thought was a bit of a joke as I could easily have played through both groups. I was in a good mood though and the weather was nice, so I didn't mind sitting around for a while laughing at one of them taking about 10 practice swings in the bunker and spraying sand all over the place!

Technically would you say the fourball were right to not let me through?

John Flood

Michael,

If they were keeping up with the group in front then I'd probably say yes but common sense should prevail in these situations

Russell Middleton

You could always phone the pro shop and tell them what is going on!

I don't think asking to play through is wrong, just do it politely.

I'm looking at the 'Rules of Golf 2008 - 2011' book, it states on page 27 - Etiquette (Pace of play).....    

It is a group's responsibility to keep up with the group in front.  If it loses a clear hole and it is delaying the group behind, it should invite the group behind to play through, irrespective of the number of players in that group.  Where a group has not lost a clear hole, but it is apparent that the group behind can play faster, it should invite the faster moving group to play through.

Russ 

David Lythgoe

Martin,

The experts say lay down in the bunker, or in fact any depression.

Heres a bit of Roundhay Folk Law. - Once a Fourball was lapped by another Fourball.

TheLyth

Martin Goodman

David Lythgoe

Many bunkers get water running off the green through them. Having seen the news about those cows being killed by standing in a puddle, I wouldn't even say the Bunkers are safe anymore.

Lightening strikes the Flag and conducts through the water and zaps you in the bunker. Ugly!!!!!!!

Paul Everett

John Pettitt

John Flood

John,

shouldn't you be in bed preparing for your game tomorrow??

John Pettitt

John Flood

Stuart Govan

Last night I played behind a fourball who talk two and a half hours to play 8 holes. Me and a two ball and another single player teamed up while we waited, but when the group in front noticed we were not so up their backsides they got even slower! Fortunately they walked off after 9. My first nine? 45. Second nine? 39. I don't mind waiting, but not 5 or 6 minutes on each shot.

Alex Turner

when i play with my dad or someone because we are high handicapers we are slower but we let people through at he first opportunity

Paul Everett

Thanks John P, I was going to follow up with the rest of the quote but got caught up in something else.

Alex, if you are like me you dont like people breathing down your neck whilst playing. It really puts me off my game if I think I am holding some one up. I too prefer to let those behind through at the earliest occassion.