some clubs still have the single player has no status, but not many.
what i cant understand is why you would want someone up your backside all the way round, letting a single through on an empty course takes not time at all.
Argument on course
- Thread starter HPIMG
- Start date
what i cant understand is why you would want someone up your backside all the way round, letting a single through on an empty course takes not time at all.
Swango1980
Well-known member
It is difficult to know what to make of this.
On one hand, your club may well have the policy that a one ball has no standing on the course and your Captain is simply informing you of their position. I'd be surprised if the club had that policy, unless it was a famous, well renowned course that is fully booked for tee times. But I suspect that is not the case, if you are finding it easy enough to frequently play as a 1 ball, and these chaps going out in a small group themselves.
Another possibility is that the Captain is none the wiser. He has talked to them, or others, and heard the "one balls have no standing" mentioned frequently. Most of the time people say this, they simply don't have a clue themselves. But they've heard it so many times, they believe it is an official rule. And it is not unusual for a Captain to be equally as ignorant on such issues. Yes, they are Captain and I'm sure there are a whole host of reasons they earnt that position. But it is not often the case they got there because they are a rules guru, king of etiquette or an expert of handicaps. So, if you truly want to get to the bottom of this rule, it might be best to ask where you can find these club rules have been documented.
clubchamp98
Journeyman Pro
Ours are on the website!
Steve Wilkes
Well-known member
Just because a club has a Single Golfer has standing rule, I still don't think everyone has to stand aside to let him through just because he is in a hurry to get round, cause he has a time booked at the gym
^^^ This. With bells on.
Our captain is a lovely fella. He’s done great things this year. But he is the most clueless man I have ever met when it comes to the rules, and not much better when it comes to many etiquette issues.
Not the first time I’ve said it, but it all boils down to a combination of common courtesy with a huge dollop of common sense thrown in.
Which is precisely why we constantly read accounts like the OP - because too many lack one or both.
doublebogey7
Head Pro
In my expereince Captains have no more and no less knowlewdge of the Rules of Golf then any other golfer, so he thinks its still a rule, like many others do. Almost the worst person in an official capacity in a golf club to carry out this sort of mediation in my view. The club secretary should almost always be the first port of call.
Common curtesy for one and golf course etiquette that you should let faster groups through for two.
GB72
Money List Winner
Sadly for a sport that sells itself on etiquette etc, I have seen a surprising lack of even the most basic levels of it on a number of golf courses. Ironically it was often members who harked on about the sanctity of etiquette and tradition who were the worst offenders. Life would be so much simpler if everyone actually practiced what they preach in the clubhouse.
Swango1980
Well-known member
What does it matter what he is doing after the round? Would they even know? Perhaps there should be conditions on letting a player through. Ask them what they are doing after the round. If they say they are off to the gym, then say "ahhh, we would have let you through, but we won't stand aside and let you do that because we don't believe playing quicker than us and making the gym at a reasonable time is an important enough"
P.S. Do you play in a 2 ball early in the morning, and sometimes have a 1 player behind you that you don't let through. Leading to some arguments and dealings with the Club Captain?
clubchamp98
Journeyman Pro
Yes agree.What does it matter what he is doing after the round? Would they even know? Perhaps there should be conditions on letting a player through. Ask them what they are doing after the round. If they say they are off to the gym, then say "ahhh, we would have let you through, but we won't stand aside and let you do that because we don't believe playing quicker than us and making the gym at a reasonable time is an important enough"
P.S. Do you play in a 2 ball early in the morning, and sometimes have a 1 player behind you that you don't let through. Leading to some arguments and dealings with the Club Captain?
It’s funny how people see things like this.
Some very poor attitudes.
He might be going to care for an elderly relative.
Grizzly
Well-known member
This is the crux of the slow play/etiquette issue - in circumstances like this, the slower group experience almost no delay if they allow the faster group to tee off, then walk the hole together. I've been on both sides of that, and it is so simple if everyone starts from a place of wanting to keep the game moving. Sadly, a lot of people don't care about others' enjoyment of their game, and clubs are really poor about calling out their more long term members.
Swango1980
Well-known member
I think you are missing something here. Even when they do this (lets assume it is a Par 4), once they get to where they hit their drives, the group being let through have to play their second shots. The slower group stand aside and wait. The quicker group then need to walk towards the green, the slower group stand aside and wait. The faster group then need to play their chip shots / greenside bunker shots / putts. (messing about the green can sometimes take the longest time). The slower group stand aside and wait. Only when the faster group clear the green, can the slower group then start to play their approach shots.
It is why letting groups on a packed course is often counter productive. However, I still agree with the general view that if you're letting someone through, it is a good idea to hit your tee shots first before doing so. That way, if any of you do carve them into the trees, it at least means you'll have a bit more to look for them, while the group you are letting through get past, without feeling you need to rush onwards (albeit I'll not complicate things with the whole 3 minute search time
)Canary_Yellow
Journeyman Pro
I think you are missing something here. Even when they do this (lets assume it is a Par 4), once they get to where they hit their drives, the group being let through have to play their second shots. The slower group stand aside and wait. The quicker group then need to walk towards the green, the slower group stand aside and wait. The faster group then need to play their chip shots / greenside bunker shots / putts. (messing about the green can sometimes take the longest time). The slower group stand aside and wait. Only when the faster group clear the green, can the slower group then start to play their approach shots.
It is why letting groups on a packed course is often counter productive. However, I still agree with the general view that if you're letting someone through, it is a good idea to hit your tee shots first before doing so. That way, if any of you do carve them into the trees, it at least means you'll have a bit more to look for them, while the group you are letting through get past, without feeling you need to rush onwards (albeit I'll not complicate things with the whole 3 minute search time
Whilst I agree with what you're saying in the context of a busy course and two groups with more than 1 person in them, in the situation of a solo player playing through a 3 or 4 ball, assuming the course is empty ahead, the 1 ball will have cleared the landing area on the next hole before the 3 or 4 ball have finished putting.
I had one of my most enjoyable moments playing a quick 9 holes at lunch time a few years back. A group held me up (single player) for the first 5 holes of the par 3 course. We reached the 6th, the only par 4 and I was on the tee at the same time as them. I asked to be let through and one of them grumbled away, basically saying no, but we'll let you through next hole, which made no sense as the par 4 was the best time to do it. Cue the singles have no standing point, yada yada, then eventually the others in his group made him see sense and let me through. The par 4 is only about 230 yards or something, and I hit a beauty of a high cut with my driver straight onto the green for a tap in eagle. I set off towards the green at speed, wished them a good round (to which the grump said that wasn't going to happen as I'd spoiled it) and I was gone and off the green before they'd even reached their balls.
IanM
Journeyman Pro
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Crikey. Life's too short. Stuff the lot of them.
You either want to stay there as a member, or you don't. If the former, I'd be saying that you don't have time any more nonsense and you consider the matter closed. Alternatively, you can move.
In fact, I stopped reading the developments a while back as "life is indeed too short!" You may have already reached this conclusion. I hope so.
You either want to stay there as a member, or you don't. If the former, I'd be saying that you don't have time any more nonsense and you consider the matter closed. Alternatively, you can move.
In fact, I stopped reading the developments a while back as "life is indeed too short!" You may have already reached this conclusion. I hope so.
Grizzly
Well-known member
I don't think I am, but its cool to disagree. In my experience, both groups would probably play their second/approach shots before the faster group approach the green to putt out etc, and the delay is relatively short, and usually a one off.
Orikoru
Tour Winner
It's impossible to let someone through without a small delay to your round, but the point is it's the decent thing to do to accept that small delay to avoid giving someone else a massive delay. The ones who don't let anyone through are just too selfish to accept an extra 5 minutes on their round to save another human being 30 minutes on theirs.
sunshine
Well-known member
I think you are missing something here. Even when they do this (lets assume it is a Par 4), once they get to where they hit their drives, the group being let through have to play their second shots. The slower group stand aside and wait. The quicker group then need to walk towards the green, the slower group stand aside and wait. The faster group then need to play their chip shots / greenside bunker shots / putts. (messing about the green can sometimes take the longest time). The slower group stand aside and wait. Only when the faster group clear the green, can the slower group then start to play their approach shots.
It is why letting groups on a packed course is often counter productive. However, I still agree with the general view that if you're letting someone through, it is a good idea to hit your tee shots first before doing so. That way, if any of you do carve them into the trees, it at least means you'll have a bit more to look for them, while the group you are letting through get past, without feeling you need to rush onwards (albeit I'll not complicate things with the whole 3 minute search time
You should play your approach shots together and all walk up to the green together. Then the quicker group putt out first and move on to the next tee while the slower group putts out. By the time the slower group gets to the next tee the quicker group is usually already up the fairway playing their second shots. Or looking for balls in the trees and waving the slow group through
clubchamp98
Journeyman Pro
That might be a good new rule..I think you are missing something here. Even when they do this (lets assume it is a Par 4), once they get to where they hit their drives, the group being let through have to play their second shots. The slower group stand aside and wait. The quicker group then need to walk towards the green, the slower group stand aside and wait. The faster group then need to play their chip shots / greenside bunker shots / putts. (messing about the green can sometimes take the longest time). The slower group stand aside and wait. Only when the faster group clear the green, can the slower group then start to play their approach shots.
It is why letting groups on a packed course is often counter productive. However, I still agree with the general view that if you're letting someone through, it is a good idea to hit your tee shots first before doing so. That way, if any of you do carve them into the trees, it at least means you'll have a bit more to look for them, while the group you are letting through get past, without feeling you need to rush onwards (albeit I'll not complicate things with the whole 3 minute search time
”You can look as long as you like if you let someone through until they leave the green..”
sunshine
Well-known member
Unless they are wearing black socks with shorts
