5 ball?

Don't most clubs limit groups to 4 balls? I was playing on my own the other weekend, caught up with a 4 ball who wouldn't let me through as they were playing for money with the group infront. Caught up with all 5 of these as they stood comparing scores while I waited 10 mins to play a 99 yard (winter tee) hole. In the bar was just told it must have been a steady round, is this another one to add to the list of why people don't want to play golf these days or want to take it up?

Four balls are the norm for most golf clubs and a two ball or single player will generally be held up due to this, depending on the mood of the four ball.

Some are switched on enough to call you through & others will just blank you even when you are stood at the tee they are on. If you are lucky they'll realise that you'll clear quickly in front of you and then they don't need to be looking over their shoulders constantly.

If looked at from the club's perspective, a fourball, with four greenfees pays better than a two or single if the course is busy.

The last five ball I saw had set out from the clubhouse as a two & a three and joined together once out of sight of the clubhouse.

Luckily I'm retired and can go out towards the end of the day, setting off roughly 30 minutes later than a four/fiveball could get round before losing the light.

At the end of the day, I think they were just being arkward and you'll meet people like that in all walks of life.

I fully understand the usual is a 3 or 4 it's just the attitude of them even joking about holding me up, other courses I've played seem far more willing to let people through especially with signs up about keeping up with play and holding others up don't expect to play a shortish 18 hole course in my own in over 3 hours

James,

Once again we get a comment about a single being held up by the group in front without any reference as to how the course is running. You actually say that the four ball in from had another group in front of them. It is not as simple as 'being held up', it down to how the course is running. Ones station on a golf course is the same and doesn't change depending on how many are in your group.

Dave I appreciate this however my main issue with this situation was how they were playing a personal competition amongst 9 players in 2 groups with a fevers quiet course otherwise, I spent 10 minutes sat at a 99 yard (winter tees) hole whilst after the 4 tee shots they went over to the next tee to compare scores with the 5 ball whilst leaving their bags infront of the green then asking me if I was getting fed up of waiting yet

James, Sounds to me like you were just held up by some rude people and that isnt golf related there are just people out there that are rude. Better luck next time pal

Yh was just wondering if this sort of thing happens often, was thinking of joining there as my first membership but might take another year to improve and spend a bit more at a better quality and more friendly course

I used to play as a single and if I came up behind a four ball I would look at other holes close by and move over if vacant. This didn't happen often (course too busy) so I always tried to join in with others on the 1st tee.

If the attitude of those 9 guys came from Members of a Club then the committee should get involved and any club worthy of being called a Golf Club would do something about them. Even just telling them that five balls are not allowed when they cause a delay.

This is the ignorance of people today.

How long would it have taken for them to let you through?

If that was me I would have let you play through without a moments hesitation.

Russ

James, the rules are clear, any group playing faster should be played through if you are not keeping pace with the group in front - as a single you are still a group and despite most peoples ignorance, have equal standing on the course. When I'm playing as a single, If not waved through, I would catch up on the next tee, ask politely to play through and in most cases it's fine. if not, then call the pro shop - any decent course would deal with the situation for you.

Alternatively, just fire one up behind them, normally get's the message across ;-)

Greg,

Alternatively, just fire one up behind them, normally get's the message across ;-)

To quote you and link with your "any decent course", you would be the one escorted off the premises.

Also, The Rules do not recognise a single player, only the Etiquette of the game. Try getting a 'starting time' on some courses as a single?

David, I thought the ;-) was enough to indicate that my tongue was placed firmly in my cheek, I guess you can't legislate for a complete sense of humour failure. And to quote from the rules of the game' albeit in the etiquette section: " the term " group" includes a single player"

Greg,

Firstly, not everybody knows 'text speak', I didn't know ;-) was "tongue in cheek.

Anyway, lets look at this from a logical view. Today etiquette says that a group (including a single player?) playing faster than the group in front should be let through. What if the course is full of 3 and 4 balls when a single player catches the back group. Does the course now stand aside to allow this single player to move through every group on the course?

A second question then comes to mind. If a 5 ball is playing quicker than a 3 ball, should they be given priority?

Golf is a strange game and just to show how silly it can get, some years ago we played a quick nine at the end of the day. There were 7 of us so we teed off as a 3 & 4. After six holes we were waiting for a two ball at every shot so we make a 7 ball for the last three holes. We were reported to the committee for this and had to appear before them. Why? Someone had jumped from the 5th green to the 8th tee and had to wait for us. Just a footnote, the handicaps of our 7 ball were, 3 pros, a +1, 2 scratch and a I hcp and we walked off the 9th green 1hr and ten minutes after we started.

David, I'm surprised at how many people don't get this, and it's so simple - no matter what size your group, and how busy or otherwise the course, if you fall than one hole behind the group in front, you have two choices

1. Speed up and catch the group in front

2. Let groups (and yes despite popular missconception, does include singles) playing at the correct pace play through.

It doesn't matter if you are a 2 ball or 4 ball (or 7 ball!), you must keep up with the pace of play on the course. If you are keeping up with the group in front, and they are likewise, than you have no need to let anyone through.

Sorry about the text speak - I guess having teanage children rubs off!

Greg,

The big issue here is "if you fall more than a complete hole behind" and not the fact many have stated that if the group is moving faster than the group in front even though that group is playing at the same pace as groups in front of them. The content of many posts about speed of play is the thinking that if you (yes even a single) are playing faster than the group in front you should be waved through. Even when there is no room in front!

Returning to the original post - I've very occasionally come across groups playing in 5 balls at my home (Municipal) course. It has never been acceptable, but five of us turned up this morning (Boxing Day) and they all wanted us to play as a 5 ball. I'm Secretary of my golf club, so I declined and went home (gave the excuse I was unwell). On busier days when we have had 5 players, we have gone out as a 2 and 3 ball, but surely it's even easier if there are 9 players who all want to play for money in a friendly competition - 3 x 3 balls should be moving reasonably quickly. Either way, 14 years go when I first retired - I used to go out as a single, and I would never expect to be let through - that way I was always pleasantly pleased when I dd get let through. When it became obvious I was not going to get let through - I tended to play 2 or 3 balls and treat it as an opportunity to get some practise.

At the end of the day I don't expect to be played through as a single on a course full of 4 balls that would cause delays for everyone not just myself and terry I do regularly play an extra ball or have a few extra putts for practice my only issue mainly was the 5 ball and the attitude of the 9 players overall. Altered my decision about joining the club now spent the money I had ready towards membership on the Xmas sales at a well know golf shop and going to join a club at a tougher course once I get to be a more consistent golfer

Here's another reason for 5 balls. I played at Temple Newsham in Leeds Boxing day which is a municipal and has two courses. I haven't played it for ages but it was a last minute thing. There were a few groups playing the bottom course which I assumed was a society so we played the top course I'm sure that they wouldn't have set out more than a four ball. There are few points on the course where you can easily miss a couple of holes or end up on the other course. This happened twice with two different sets of five balls . The lads were obviously lost but didn't hinder our game. I wouldn't have liked to sort a winner out from the cards submitted that game. I hope you all had a merry X'mas and a Happy new year to you.

Only last week I saw our course manager send out a 5 ball, well, it's just not right is it?

On Saturday at my course I witnessed a 5 ball which had an average hcap of around 4. They had a 3 ball behind them but did not once hold them up, in fact they finished there round about 30mins ahead of that group. I think the reason they did it was because there was bad weather arriving pretty quickly so they didn't want to be caught in it.

When we got in the clubhouse almost everyone was talking about it so I don't imagine it will go unoticed by the committee or pro?

The problem becomes if new members or high hcap players see this & assume that it is 'ok' to do & then you've opened up a BIG can of worms!!

This does highlight speed of play if people are willing or do have a reason to not hang about.

I spent 20 years working in the golf industry and it probably won't come as a shock to you when I say that many members of golf clubs are rude, boorish and ignorant. The tales we could all tell would fill a very depressing book. I try to play late in the day in summer to avoid them - weekends are awful too. However we often have no choice - worth speaking with secretary/manager and explaining what happened; it might get a result. Courses should have rangers but most clubs are struggling to pay existing staff at the moment.