# What's your opinion on a 5 ball?



## CGod (Feb 22, 2009)

Hello everyone

I am new to this forum and look forward to contributing to the many threads, it looks like a great forum.  I am a subscriber to Golf Monthly and have been meaning to join this for sometime now.

I had an issue at my club yesterday and would welcome your comments/thoughts.  F or the last few weeks now I have seen a five ball on the course on a saturday morning.  Last week they had two young juniors behind them and didn't seem to be letting them through. I approached them yesterday to inform them that I thought they should not playing as a five and was greeted with disdain.  They seemed to think they were ok as they were not holding anyone up and they didn't agree with the rule.  I informed them that the rules were not open to interpretation.  Much arguing ensued.

I am in my 30s and these chaps are in their 60s.  I got the feeling they objected to being challenged, perhaps by a newer member.  

I would love to know if you think a 5 ball is acceptable if they are not holding anyone up.  I am considering approaching the committe.

enough from me - let me know what you think.

thanks in advance.


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## theeaglehunter (Feb 22, 2009)

From what I know it is very much wrong, however a local rule could of course make this perfectly acceptable but I would be very surprised if such a thing existed. Find out for sure and if they continue to commit the offense approaching the committee may be the correct action. 

Oh yea and welcome to the forum.


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## Herbie (Feb 22, 2009)

Welcome and were they all actually playing?

Ive seen this at one or two clubs before, Its wrong (unless ordained in local rule), but having said that, if the course is quiet and they affect no one, I really couldnt care less.

Trouble is, if you come across a group doing this and it is affecting others you can almost guarantee the people doing it are likely to be troublesome b*****s who care about little or feel they have some sort of special privilages, either way you wont get a decent reception by approaching them.


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## AlchemyGolf (Feb 22, 2009)

If they were all playing then a 5 ball is out of order and not allowed at every club im aware of in my area!


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## wackygolfer (Feb 22, 2009)

I played a match at a championship course in Devon and we caught 5 men up on 18th tee, I presumed there was a 3 ball and 2 ball but was told by my opposition that a 5 ball is allowed as long as they did not hold anybody up.

I just think it is plain crazy!


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## USER1999 (Feb 22, 2009)

I have played behind a nine ball playing skins before. It isn't that unusual. Wrong though.


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## medwayjon (Feb 22, 2009)

Sounds like something the old farts would do at my place to avoide breaking up their little lovey-dovey cliques.


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## Imurg (Feb 22, 2009)

At the end of the day it doesn't matter how many are in the group as long as they don't hold play up. If they let groups through it is irrelevent how many are in the group. However, if they don't then the deserve all the abuse they will undoubtedly get.


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## Cernunnos (Feb 22, 2009)

I've played a course where certain holes are shared between front nine & back nine, but with different tee off points. Thing is & the irony is a local rule was brought up that made the two groups each tee off in turn, but finish together, before each group turning in different directions for their next holes.This means potentially on a particular hole it means an 8 ball could be found playing.

I've come accross occasions where two groups will end up melding into one as one group as it plays through the other over one hole in order to keep play moving.

Normally groups at most courses will be limited to 4. I've even been to some clubs where the maximum group allowed is 3. And heard of places that only allows pairs.

To be honest I prefer groups being as two's, as this imo is the best format. Though I really see nothing wrong with groups of 5 or 6.


So my opinion on 5 ball play is I doubt a group this size would take any more time than a 4 ball to get round a course, so why not.


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## HomerJSimpson (Feb 22, 2009)

I'd be having a word with the committee as I think a 5 ball is unacceptable. I'm not sure that 4 ball maximum is laid in stone anywhere but it is the accepted norm throughout the golfing world. If its just a case of mates not wanting to split up the problem needs addressing if only for the way they treated you for doing the right thing and challenging them. There will come a time (probably in a couple of months) when the course will be busy and 5 ball will create havoc behind.


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## TonyN (Feb 22, 2009)

My thoughts are, its just not golf!

Welcome to the forum!


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## Farneyman (Feb 22, 2009)

Shouldnt be allowed under any circumstances.


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## CGod (Feb 22, 2009)

Thanks to everyone for your responses - they are really appreciated.

I am going to seek further clarification about the rule at my club - i am fairly certain it is a max of 4.

If it is then I am going to put in a formal complaint.


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## Dodger (Feb 22, 2009)

There is no rule in golf to say a 5 ball is not allowed it is however frowned upon and I have been guilty on a few occasions and indeed have been the subject of letter from the commitee regarding this a couple of years back when on a Tuesday night we had 5 of us turn up for our usual knock about and there was only us and a 3 ball that had set off a good 30 mins prior to us on the course so we made a 5 ball and flew around in 3 hours and indeed caught the 3 ball up at the last so to me we did bugger all wrong but the letter was written after one of the 3 in front had a whinge to the commitee(just as well we didn't catch him earlier or he would have been recieving 5 warning shots to signal'please let us through').

We did point out that we did what we did because of the fact the course was dead and we would not have done it otherwise but took the slap on the wrists and it still remains a standing joke with the pro each time only 5 turn up for our school despite the pro not having a problem with our 5 ball!


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## thecraw (Feb 22, 2009)

You can play a 24 ball if you like, there is nothing in the rules of golf that say hat you cant play a 5 ball. There may be a local rule in place which says no no, but a 5 ball is allowed under the rules of golf. 

I have played in a few 5 balls in my time and even an 8 ball over 16, 17 and 18 during our weekly sweep as the light was fading fast.

Then again I would always allow a faster group to play through if they caught us up!


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## viscount17 (Feb 23, 2009)

playing as a solo one time I caught up with a 4-ball at a par 3, which we played together with the intention of my passing through.

the course manager just happened to pass by at the time and gave us all a firm lecture on the iniquities of playing as a 5-ball, and was only slightly mollified on being told of the situation.


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## CarpeDiem (Feb 23, 2009)

Yesterday I was playing in a 5 ball of Juniors, only played the front 9 like this and met nobody apart from a 2 ball on the 13th. One member of the group was playing his own game and the rest of us were playing foursome match play. Does this still count as a 5 ball because only 3 balls were in play at any one time?


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## madandra (Feb 23, 2009)

Welcome to the forum. 



Dob them in to the committee and split up this hareem.


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## KeefG (Feb 23, 2009)

Whats my opinion of a 5-ball?  They should all be hung, drawn & quartered


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## Macster (Feb 23, 2009)

Shouldnt be done as far as I'm concerned, and it certainly isnt at my club.

If it becomes the norm, even if they let groups thru, it becomes a pain in the @rse, lets face it, who enjoys playing thru ???

It just breaks your concentration, - waiting to be waved thru, - playing thru with everyone standing around while you play, and then you feel hurried to get out of the way.

Bad form.  Report them.


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## andiritchie (Feb 23, 2009)

True Chris nothing worse than being asked to play through then knocking your tee shot OB


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## Atticus_Finch (Feb 23, 2009)

Whats my opinion of a 5-ball?  They should all be hung, drawn & quartered 

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Certainly not allowed where I golf. 
I would eighth them as well


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## Imurg (Feb 23, 2009)

Not condoning the attitude of the guys in the OP, but, if you are NOT holding anyone up, where is the problem of playing as a 5 or 6? Sure if the course is busy its a non-starter but if the place is deserted??? Does it really matter?


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## John_Findlay (Feb 23, 2009)

A 5 ball is not acceptable. End of. Don't care what age they were. Doesn't make them exempt.


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## Imurg (Feb 23, 2009)

But why John? 

I'm interested to know why, and I say this again, if they are not holding up the course, why do people have an issue with it?

If they are the only 5 on the whole course - I just don't get the objection.


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## John_Findlay (Feb 23, 2009)

My view is that if you allow it then it's going to set a precedent. People will then expect it even when it's busy. I don't know of any decent golf club in the land that would allow one unless the course had no-one else on it, but most likely not even then. A five ball simply takes too damned long. What next? 6 balls, 12 balls? Where do you stop.

At the end of the day if you read the Rules of Golf they make provision for games involving a maximum of four balls, whether that be 8 players or 4. Anything involving more than that is just taking the piss. Go out in a two and a three ball like the rest of us. Why do they think they are so special?

And in cGod's example the five ball clearly was holding up other players.

Harumph. 5 balls indeed.


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## Canfordhacker (Feb 23, 2009)

So what would happen if 5 people were tied in a PGA tournament? How do you play a sudden death playoff in two groups without giving a huge advantage to the group behind?


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## John_Findlay (Feb 23, 2009)

You don't Canford. The biggest playoff has been six people and they teed off together. But the course isn't open to anyone else during a playoff so it's not an issue in those circumstances, which are extremely rare.

Answer me this. When Tournaments are delayed because of rain nowadays, as they often are, why don't the organisers put the pros out in five or six balls instead of 3 balls off two tees? Could it possibly something to do with over 500 years of tradition of playing no more than 4 balls in a group.

At the end of the day the delay between an individual playing his shots in a fourball is about the most a man can bare and it keeps the round at an acceptable length of time. 

On a separate matter I'm looking forward to the Champions League tomorrow night. I hear the teams are 26 a side so that the fans get to see the full squads.


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## Doh (Feb 24, 2009)

True 

There is no rule that says you cannot have a five ball.
We have a weds comp where people just turn up on the day and usualy go out in four balls if there is a five ball left at the end then they will go out as a fiveball.

The manchester alliance sometimes play a six ball in a foursome format (alternate shots) so they can get round in time during the winter.


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## Canfordhacker (Feb 24, 2009)

You don't Canford. The biggest playoff has been six people and they teed off together. But the course isn't open to anyone else during a playoff so it's not an issue in those circumstances, which are extremely rare.
		
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Which would suggest that Imurg's original premise of "if it doesn't interfere with anybody else then it's OK" Teeing a full field up in 5 balls after a rain delay patently would interfere and slow things down


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## Smiffy (Feb 24, 2009)

But why John? 

I'm interested to know why, and I say this again, if they are not holding up the course, why do people have an issue with it?

If they are the only 5 on the whole course - I just don't get the objection.
		
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I do tend to agree.
OK if I were stuck behind them it would get my goat, but as Imurg says, if nobody else was on the course why get so uptight?
I know it's not the "done thing" but I can't honestly see the problem.
We were in the position the other week where we had a nice fourball arranged and a mate of mine rang at the last minute to see if he could join us.
We either had to tell him to bugger off (which we wouldn't have done anyway) or split ourselves up into a 3 and a 2 (which wasn't as much fun to be honest). We ended up doing the latter, but if the course had been completely clear, and no-one objected we would rather have played a five ball in this instance.


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## CarpeDiem (Feb 24, 2009)

If you play in France they have 5 balls, so it seems that only in the British Isle's we don't find it socially acceptable. The answer seems to be that if the course is empty then it doesn't matter, only if you hold people up it's wrong.


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## bobmac (Feb 24, 2009)

Although there is nothing in the rules against it, if you play a 5 ball and you are seen by anyone, you are inviting criticism.
Dont invite trouble as you will only make things worse if there is a problem between juniors and adult members.


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