3hrs 20 for 9 holes

Dando

Dando

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I had the pleasure of playing at Farleigh on Saturday and while the course was in great condition (and we had a spitfire fly over), it took 3hours 20 to play the 2nd of our 9 holes (yellow course).

the reason was 3 fourballs of kids who waited for the groups in front the be at least 300 yards away on par 4's and 5's to then hit the ball all of 100 yards and showed no interest in letting us (a 2 ball) through, and they had fallen 2 holes behind by the 2nd green and so we waited on every shot.

Don't get me wrong, I am all for kids getting into the game but shouldn't they be learning about etiquette as well as the fundamentals of the golf swing etc.
 
A quick phone call to the clubhouse/Pro and he come out in the buggy could have sorted that. I read many situations like this, I wouldn't hesitate to phone the club if it was going to affect my game & enjoyment and was early on or halfway around the course.
 
I do find these threads a bit strange as without fail, anyone I have come across who is falling behind the the extend described by the OP has at the very least offered to let me through. Yes there are times when the course is rammed so you just have to suck it up, but I always find that if you are new to the game then you don't really want people watching you on every tee, so you'd happily let a 2 ball through.
 
As posts above, go and have a word or ask the pro to, I played a three ball 18 hole medal yesterday morning in that time, you have more patience than me sir.
 
I went for a practice up the local course last week, happy out until on the 5th tee I ran into a 4 ball of gentlemen old enough to know better. Off they drove, one well, none of the others made the ditch 150 yards away. Two of them ignored me, the other two looked straight at me and then away again, not even acknowledging me or my nods or waves hello. That used to be when my blood boiled.

So I walked at my quick pace behind them and said "don't mind if I just walk past lads?”. One of them turned and said "there's another 4 ball ahead, slow going". I laughed and said "I can see that" and proceeded to skip the next 3 holes and into open territory. I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of my evening.

The point of the message is that there's nothing you can do about the ignorance of other people. In the OPs case they were probably too young to know better, regardless you can't do anything in the immediate present to change people or their actions, all you can do is change how you react to it. I'd much rather miss a few holes and enjoy a reasonably paced round than endure what the OP did. Is it right to have to miss a few holes because of the ignorance of others? Nope. But what's the alternative? Not enjoying it, and for me that's letting the __________* win.

*answers on a postcard
 
Some good comments here. Kids only learn if someone educates them. A friendly, "could we play through lads, we are playing faster than you and that is how it works on a golf course". A thumbs up and a thank you and the kids have learnt something. If no one tells them then how are they supposed to learn? Do it in a friendly way and everyone wins, they learn, they are not intimidated and put off, you get around quicker. If they did know and they were just being awkward then that is a different matter but only you will know that as you were there.
 
Lord Tyrion said:
Some good comments here. Kids only learn if someone educates them. A friendly, "could we play through lads, we are playing faster than you and that is how it works on a golf course". A thumbs up and a thank you and the kids have learnt something. If no one tells them then how are they supposed to learn? Do it in a friendly way and everyone wins, they learn, they are not intimidated and put off, you get around quicker. If they did know and they were just being awkward then that is a different matter but only you will know that as you were there.
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Agreed, only way they'll learn is if you tell them. "Playing through" isn't something they'll see on the telly, so possibly isn't something youngsters necessarily know about.
 
More often than not, the 18th on a Saturday is backed up. The 16th is a par 5 and you can have two groups on the hole at the same time, the 17th a short par 3 backs up with those coming off the 16th and having to wait for people to hole out on the 17th, the 18th blind shot down a bank relies on people remembering to ring the bell, if they don't then you often see a queue on the 18th.

The result is that many times you see groups of 5 or 6 players finishing the 18th together just to reduce the wait.
 
Lord Tyrion said:
Some good comments here. Kids only learn if someone educates them. A friendly, "could we play through lads, we are playing faster than you and that is how it works on a golf course". A thumbs up and a thank you and the kids have learnt something. If no one tells them then how are they supposed to learn? Do it in a friendly way and everyone wins, they learn, they are not intimidated and put off, you get around quicker. If they did know and they were just being awkward then that is a different matter but only you will know that as you were there.
Click to expand...

BiB - I did once say this sort of thing to a couple of young lads we'd just let through but who then proceeded to play at a snails-pace - I suggested that once let through they should play briskly to put clear ground between us asap. But as I was speaking to them I wasn't watching where I was going and walked into a tree - smacking my head off a big branch. Fair do'es to them - they could have burst out laughing at the antics of the auld git - but they didn't and went briskly on their way.
 
Sorry to say it does read like another thread where no communication between the offenders & offended, all we know is that they 'showed no interest' in letting a 2-ball group through, so unless they're forum members and read the thread they'll do exactly the same next time
 
Nothing worse than getting stuck behind and not being able to walk up to your shot and be ready to play it. Ok waiting a couple of moments for a group to clear the green is not an issue, but waiting on tee's for a good five - ten minutes is pain staking....
 
Dando said:
I had the pleasure of playing at Farleigh on Saturday and while the course was in great condition (and we had a spitfire fly over), it took 3hours 20 to play the 2nd of our 9 holes (yellow course).

the reason was 3 fourballs of kids who waited for the groups in front the be at least 300 yards away on par 4's and 5's to then hit the ball all of 100 yards and showed no interest in letting us (a 2 ball) through, and they had fallen 2 holes behind by the 2nd green and so we waited on every shot.
.
Click to expand...

Am I the only one who's confused by this - how can they be waiting for the group in front to be 300 yds if the group is already 2 holes clear by the second hole they are behind them?
 
duncan mackie said:
Am I the only one who's confused by this - how can they be waiting for the group in front to be 300 yds if the group is already 2 holes clear by the second hole they are behind them?
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No you are not! I'm with you on this!

While I can understand them waiting on the 1st of the Yellow course, I'd seriously challenge the idea of them being 2 holes behind after 2! The guys in front would have had to be on or past the tee of the 5th for that to be the case!

If they were, I'd have simply walked up to the kids and diplomatically stated the etiquette guidelines. If they had baulked, I'd have insisted on going through or getting the Pro Shop involved!
 
swanny32 said:
We were just shy of 3 hours for the front nine in my summer singles match on Saturday but that was due to their being a team event on which had 6 groups of 4 but actually playing singles matches so 12 matches in total. It was a tad slow to say the least.
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For a 2 ball that is totally unacceptable
 
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