5 Ball

[Nick_Toye]

Hi,

Just wanted to clarify some etiquette here, I'm still new to the game and I try and play by the rules. Now I've always heard that a 4 ball is the maximum. Me and my Dad were stuck behind a 4 ball for the front 9, but in the back 9 another player joined them and they went round as a 5 ball. Not once did they think to let us through, and it be honest it wasn't until the 16th hole that we were waiting, but we still had to wait.

There was hardly anyone else on the course, nobody in front of them, and a 2 ball around 6 holes back on us. So:

1. Should they have let us play through when the 5th guy arrived?
2. Should they even be doing it regardless of how many people were on the course playing behind them?

Like I say I don't really know 100% what's fair and what isn't, but I thought they should have split into a 3 and a 2 at the very least.

 

[Hacker Khan]

I saw a 7 ball when I was in the US!

I think no matter how many you have, you should let people through if you are holding people back. Even if they have more in their group behind you. Not sure if its official and in the rules but normally 4 is the limit, I'm sure some courses state that on the scorecard.

But in a way I'd rather be coming up to a 6 ball that lets me through that a 3 ball that doesn't if I am waiting all the time.

 

[SVB]

Nick,

No, a 5 ball is not normal and would not be allowed at 99.9% of courses.

Dispite this, as has been said, the overriding consideration is pace of play of the group - a slower group must let a faster one (and a single is a group in this case) through. No questions.

Simon

 

[duncan mackie]

Nick,

No, a 5 ball is not normal and would not be allowed at 99.9% of courses.

Dispite this, as has been said, the overriding consideration is pace of play of the group - a slower group must let a faster one (and a single is a group in this case) through. No questions.

Simon

exactly - put another way, if you are holding up a 5 ball you should let them through even if you are a 2 ball!

 

[steadyeddy]

5 balls are allowed at our course but only as long as they are not holding up play in any way.
I don't see a problem with that.

Nick,

No, a 5 ball is not normal and would not be allowed at 99.9% of courses.

Dispite this, as has been said, the overriding consideration is pace of play of the group - a slower group must let a faster one (and a single is a group in this case) through. No questions.

Simon

 

[Slime]

5 balls are allowed at our course but only as long as they are not holding up play in any way.
I don't see a problem with that.

Nor do I.
I once saw a 7 ball playing in France, they were a few holes ahead of us.
By the time we caught them up they'd opened up a hamper & were having wine with their picnic on a large mound behind a green.
The sun was out, they were taking all day to play and a large part of me wished they'd invited us to join them ............................ it was a lovely scene, they were just so relaxed about the whole deal.


Slime.

 

[GB72]

Not allowed at most clubs but I have seen a number of incidents where a group of mates split into a 3 ball and a 2 ball then join up just as soon as theyvare out of sight of the clubhouse

 

[HomerJSimpson]

They should have let you through when they were a four ball. Even more so when the other person hooked up. It's definitely not permitted at my club to play as a five

 

[Leereed]

I think most people would not care as long as they don't hold you up.if it was 5 players spraying it all over and looking for balls, then that's a different matter.

 

[duncan mackie]

They should have let you through when they were a four ball. Even more so when the other person hooked up. It's definitely not permitted at my club to play as a five

Don't understand what you are trying to say - at no point when they were following the 4ball were they waiting so why on earth should a group stop and call through the following game just because it's got fewer players?

Everything is about pace and the number of players in the group is not relevant.
If we had a 5 ball held up by a 2 ball the issue of why they were playing as a 5 would be incidental to the issue of why the 2 ball was playing that slowly, and/or didn't let them through!

 

[CharlieWebb]

I know if that happened at my club they would have been warned by the 'old fogey committee. I think it is wrong to play in a five ball. It slows play down for other groups, and surely for the five ball itself it can't be enjoyable because it would take roughly 20 mins per hole! They should have let you through in the first place, but it is inexcusable to not let you through when the 5th player joined.

 

[ManinBlack]

5 balls were recently banned at our club due to poor etiquette on the part of a few. We used to play a 5 ball at times and had some cracking "skins" games. Often we'd be held up up by the fourballs in front of us. It's not how many, it's how quickly you play.

 

[GB72]

Would be interested as to whether a 5 ball actually took longer than a 3 and a 2 balling the group split.

 

[Leereed]

Would be interested as to whether a 5 ball actually took longer than a 3 and a 2 balling the group split.

I bet a five ball would be faster.less time waiting for greens and fairways to clear

 

[patricks148]

occasionally play in more than 4 ball during winter, usually a 5 ball. only when the course is quite and its not holding anyone up.

one one occasion we played as a 6 ball and 4 four ball let us though, but they were not happy about it

 

[Imurg]

Free the Goswick 8...:rofl:

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Don't understand what you are trying to say - at no point when they were following the 4ball were they waiting so why on earth should a group stop and call through the following game just because it's got fewer players?

Everything is about pace and the number of players in the group is not relevant.
If we had a 5 ball held up by a 2 ball the issue of why they were playing as a 5 would be incidental to the issue of why the 2 ball was playing that slowly, and/or didn't let them through!

Read the second line of the OP "Me and my Dad were stuck behind a 4 ball for the front 9" and so there was an issue with pace of play even before the fifth member arrived

 

[North Mimms]

Read the second line of the OP "Me and my Dad were stuck behind a 4 ball for the front 9" and so there was an issue with pace of play even before the fifth member arrived

When I read it, I noted that the OP saw the fifth player join them at the 10th so the group was in sight, but the 2 ball didn't actually have to wait until the 16th. This implies that the group ahead was no slower than the 2 ball behind for at least 5 holes on the back 9

 

[bladeplayer]

Free the Goswick 8...:rofl:

Cant believe that took 15 replys to appear mate :thup:

 

[bladeplayer]

When I read it, I noted that the OP saw the fifth player join them at the 10th so the group was in sight, but the 2 ball didn't actually have to wait until the 16th. This implies that the group ahead was no slower than the 2 ball behind for at least 5 holes on the back 9

I read the same and was thinking either the 2 ball were practicing alot or by golly they are slow not to catch a 4/5 ball till 16 ..
As has been said tho so long as your not holding up others, work away

On a side note we have 3 ball comps in our place , a few times one or 2 of the last groups have lost a player , they still wont allow a 4 ball out at the last tee time , meaning 2 2balls behind a field of 3 balls or a 3 ball and 1 person misses out ..

common sense lacking at times