Every Golfer's Pet Hate...

This discussion topic comes about following my most recent club round last Saturday. I was drawn to play in group 8 (of 10) and as sometimes happens, a last minute withdrawal saw me elevated in to group 7. In the group with me (15 H/C) were three of my closer friends at my Club, Pat (12 H/C), Ian (14 H/C) and a lovely elderly fellow, Max (23 H/C).

These 3 guys I have probably played most with and I knew I was in for an enjoyable day.

By the time we had made our way to the 7th tee, we were already out of sight of the group in front. When we got to 8, we were a hole behind. Standing on 9th tee (a Par 4), I could see the group in front, just moving off the 10th tee.

Up to this point, the groups behind were still well behind and I was checking to see if they were sitting on their bags waiting for us and to the best I could see, they weren't. So I didn't really worry about it too much.

As we hit off the 10th, I decided to put the clock on the group, to see if we were slow. So after noting the time as we teed off, I mentioned to the guys in the group that we had lost a hole already and we should try to up the pace a little.

As we went along the back 9 I noted more frequently that the group behind, only playing in a threesome, was now waiting on us on almost every shot.

On the 11th tee, I suggested to my playing partners that we call the group behind through. They were only a 3 after all and they wouldn't hold us up and they would be able to catch up to the group in front. There were some umms and aahhs, and eventually, no was the group response.

Max had a little trouble along 11 and when we got to the 12th tee, the group ahead were on the 13th green. I hang back after hitting our tee shots and tell the guys behind I am trying to get them through.

Bottom line was we didn't call them through and we finished over 2 holes behind the group in front.

As I was sitting toting up my score, I checked my watch. We had completed the 9 in just under 2 hours....

Clearly the perception was that because we were so far behind the group in front, we were slow, however, the fact we got round in under 2 hours for the 9 means (for me at least) we were quite reasonably paced, if not quicker than some.

Well, when our groups pace of play was raised in the sheds after the round, I was quick to point out that we had gone round the back 9 in under 2 hours and the groups ahead had really set a cracking pace.

This seemed to fall on deaf ears...

The point I ponder is why are some so reluctant to allow others through.

The way I see it, this is about "perception". Despite our group moving along at a steady clip, the group behind was clearly quicker, I feel we should have let them through.

Interesting... (for me at least...)

Cheers

__________________
Every time a golfer makes a birdie, he must subsequently make two triple bogeys to restore the fundamental equilibrium of the universe....

I agree. I had something simular at my club and was told by the club manager that the mens club needed to play faster, because the paying public could not get on until after 1:00PM. My jaw dropped on that one, my yearly membership almost seemed a burden to him... Couldn't believe it.... Still can't.

2 hours for a group of 4 is pretty good.

Just do a little calculation using this model from some pace of play notes used in competitions I have worked. Note these are be tuned for specific courses with special circumstances. eg long walks green to tee.

For 3 players stroke play
11 minutes for each par 3
13 for each par 4
15 for each par 5

At my club they allow 5 balls,sometimes this can be bad.In our group we have gimmies and it speeds play up.There are some other groups in the club that play for money,so gimmies are rare.Get behind a 5 ball that are doing this and its hell.
When we have charitable tournaments we have a circle around the hole, any ball in the circle you pick up.this speeds play up very much so.
Hurt pride is a reason some people will not let you through,they see slowness being a sign of lack of competence.

You didn’t mention what was going on behind the threesome that was behind you. If the other groups were right behind the threesome, letting the threesome play through is just going to make things worse, as you’ll likely still be waiting to hit on the tee box as the next group is walking up. Even bigger log jam.

If it was wide open behind the threesome and they are waiting on every shot, then sure, let them play through if you like. However, a threesome (or twosome or a single) is going to have to expect to wait if things are crowded. There is no way a foursome can be expected to play faster than a threesome, all other things being equal.

It is frustrating when groups do not let faster people through, especially when there is a hole or twos difference in front.

In some clubs during competitions they place officials at strategic holes who will advise slow groups to move faster or fall back and sometimes have course Marshals touring in buggies. This tends to sort it.

Sounds like you kept a pretty good pace young Scragger (McMahon and Morton good pick ups).

I'm very big on calling faster groups through - that's only if my group is slow. Rarely the case with my young legs.....

Another pet hate - well I hate people talking to me during my pre shot routine...

I thought the general etiquette was if you fall more than a hole behind the group in front and your holding up play you should let the trailing group through.

Althogh like kbp says it depends whats happening behind your trailing group, if there is a back log, it can be counter productive letting a group through.

Spiffo

I hope you keep up with the group ahead better that with this thread

Well I am new to the forum and still working my way through all the threads!

And yes I can keep up with the group in front especially if its an auld mans fourball

i almost always let faster people play through because i hate being pushed and i know the people behind hate waiting so i do both of our groups a favor and let them play through

Don't get me wrong, I don't enjoy being stuck behind a clueless bunch of hackers with no command or knowledge of the etiquette of slow play, but I get more annoyed with people that want to run round the course, put pressur eon you and moan if it's even a little slow.

If ya wanna play a quick sport, don't play golf!

And if you want to play as slowly as some people I follow take up chess by post

Hmmm...

Didn't realise there was etiquette involved in Slow Play...

Clearly I still have much to learn about this game...

Cheers

Are course marshalls a US phenom? If you fall behind around here the guy in the cart marked "Customer Assistance" will hold you up while the group plays through. His job is to keep things moving along.