Course Etiquette - Am I wrong?

[GaryK]

Just to reiterate - the course was quiet yesterday which is as per usual mid-week in the afternoon.
The competition was a roll up stableford and checking on HDID, there were the grand total of 15 players that entered.
Hopefully this puts some perspective to my gripe.

For busier comps at weekends (usually around 40 players), the club manager blocks out the entire morning through to around 13:00, so little chance of a singleton catching up with those playing the comp.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Just to reiterate - the course was quiet yesterday which is as per usual mid-week in the afternoon.
The competition was a roll up stableford and checking on HDID, there were the grand total of 15 players that entered.
Hopefully this puts some perspective to my gripe.

For busier comps at weekends (usually around 40 players), the club manager blocks out the entire morning through to around 13:00, so little chance of a singleton catching up with those playing the comp.

At my place taking a card out for a mid-week roll-up stableford is just one little step above casual golf - and some cynical folks might say it's just a way of being able to play through other groups - or as here - decline to offer a following group the opportunity to play through.

 

[GaryK]

I agree - not letting the singleton through when they were an isolated pair playing a comp and just part way through the round, rather then nearing the end, feels to me like spite.

SLH - what makes matters worse was that it wasn't a pair, but a threesome. Add to that, one of them plays off 28 and having watched them, 28 is most definitely way too low for the abilities (or lack of) that were on display. One example being 5 yards behind a ditch (90yds from green), said player knocks his ball into the ditch.
Not meant as a nasty comment, but this just adds to the fact that they should have invited me to play through.

I didn't previously mention that I observed marking of scorecards whilst still on the green instead of immediately proceeding to the next tee.

I will verify whether there is a committee LR around single player standing.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

SLH - what makes matters worse was that it wasn't a pair, but a threesome. Add to that, one of them plays off 28 and having watched them, 28 is most definitely way too low for the abilities (or lack of) that were on display. One example being 5 yards behind a ditch (90yds from green), said player knocks his ball into the ditch.
Not meant as a nasty comment, but this just adds to the fact that they should have invited me to play through.

I didn't previously mention that I observed marking of scorecards whilst still on the green instead of immediately proceeding to the next tee.

I will verify whether there is a committee LR around single player standing.

Or in future you catch them up and approach them before or after they have tee'd off on the next hole and say (as I did once) 'Hi guys - see you are doing a card today and I'm sure that you won't want me up your backsides all the way around - so makes sense that l just play through and get out of your way - OK?'

 

[richart]

Just to reiterate - the course was quiet yesterday which is as per usual mid-week in the afternoon.
The competition was a roll up stableford and checking on HDID, there were the grand total of 15 players that entered.
Hopefully this puts some perspective to my gripe.

For busier comps at weekends (usually around 40 players), the club manager blocks out the entire morning through to around 13:00, so little chance of a singleton catching up with those playing the comp.

is the 10th an official starting point with booked tee times ? If not haven’t you pushed in and lost your status? We have a rule where if you start on the tenth, there must be no one on the 9th. When you get to the 1st hole you have no priority, and have to let all those beginning their round tee off first. Local rule. Perhaps your clubhas similar ?

Personally wouldn’t grip about being held up for three holes maximum. You did ask for opinions.

 

[Orikoru]

is the 10th an official starting point with booked tee times ? If not haven’t you pushed in and lost your status? We have a rule where if you start on the tenth, there must be no one on the 9th. When you get to the 1st hole you have no priority, and have to let all those beginning their round tee off first. Local rule. Perhaps your clubhas similar ?

Personally wouldn’t grip about being held up for three holes maximum. You did ask for opinions.

How would the group know whether he started on the 10th or not though? This just boils down to common decency at the end of the day.

 

[richart]

How would the group know whether he started on the 10th or not though? This just boils down to common decency at the end of the day.

They probably wouldn’t and not my point. Can a single player, or any group start on 10th and have any status ? I don’t know answer so asking. Might be a local rule they don’t.

I am surprise op didn’t ask to be let through when he was on the tee with group ahead. Surely that would have been better than leaving course after 18th and discussing in clubhouse. That must have interrupted his round as I assume he was intending to play front nine.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

They probably wouldn’t and not my point. Can a single player, or any group start on 10th and have any status ? I don’t know answer so asking. Might be a local rule they don’t.

I am surprise op didn’t ask to be let through when he was on the tee with group ahead. Surely that would have been better than leaving course after 18th and discussing in clubhouse. That must have interrupted his round as I assume he was intending to play front nine.

Exactly. And if not on the 1st tee then whenever later on he was able to do so. Just ask the rhetorical question in the nicest, most considerate and non-aggressive way and 'dare' them to refuse and justify themselves...

 

[jim8flog]

Many have here have mentioned that single players have standing as part of the etiquette section in the rules of golf.

This not strictly true as the Pace of Play section of the etiquette rules give each club's committee to set their own rules

Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, priority on the course is determined by a group’s pace of play. Any group playing a whole round is entitled to pass a group playing a shorter round. The term “group” includes a single player.

We give single players standing where I play

 

[bladeplayer]

I have mentioned this here before . In summer I often play in the tuesday comp and grab last tee time to cut down on time taken off work .
So three of us tee off 5pm ish.. playing the first ther wil b single or maybe 2 singles waiting to play .
So we call them through on the 2nd

3 of us On the 3rd tee and there is a single puttin the flag back on 2 . Wait and let them play .mayb even tee off together and let them finish first and move on

Playing the 4th, short par 5 there is a guy waiting to play as we are putting .so we let him through on 5

By 7th or 8th ther will be more . Most of these will go in off the 9th or play 10/11/18 and we are stuck out playing a 3 ball stapleford comp until 9 or after

Has happened a few times
What would ye do in this instance ??

 

[Papas1982]

I have mentioned this here before . In summer I often play in the tuesday comp and grab last tee time to cut down on time taken off work .
So three of us tee off 5pm ish.. playing the first ther wil b single or maybe 2 singles waiting to play .
So we call them through on the 2nd

3 of us On the 3rd tee and there is a single puttin the flag back on 2 . Wait and let them play .mayb even tee off together and let them finish first and move on

Playing the 4th, short par 5 there is a guy waiting to play as we are putting .so we let him through on 5

By 7th or 8th ther will be more . Most of these will go in off the 9th or play 10/11/18 and we are stuck out playing a 3 ball stapleford comp until 9 or after

Has happened a few times
What would ye do in this instance ??

Imo, the larger groups should let smaller groups through whilst they still realistically feel they can conclude their round. You choosing to go out late to best benefit you (less time off), shouldn't imo mean that you refuse to allow people through when feasible. I'm not in anyway saying you do that, just using your example.

 

[Imurg]

I will verify whether there is a committee LR around single player standing.

I'm pretty sure there isn't. And never has been. CVG was a member for 15 years and hadn't heard of one.

Officially, the 10th is only a start point if there's nobody playing the 9th and with agreement from the shop.
It's a very casually run club and not much will change.

 

[GaryK]

I'm pretty sure there isn't. And never has been. CVG was a member for 15 years and hadn't heard of one.

Officially, the 10th is only a start point if there's nobody playing the 9th and with agreement from the shop.
It's a very casually run club and not much will change.

Popped over to the clubhouse this evening for a quick jar (only 5 min walk from my house) and not only is there no local rule in place, the club doesn't even have a committee!
You're somewhat right in that it is indeed a very casually run club, but a lot will change when HS2 carves right through the middle of the course - the club will cease to exist.

Interestingly enough, the long established members that I talked with this evening (including last year's mens captain) all thought that old ruling was still in place, whereas it initially changed in 2004 and was subsequently updated in 2008 by clarifying that a "group" also means a single player.

 

[Orikoru]

I actually find it frustrating to see so many debating whether a single player 'has standing' or not, in this day & age. I couldn't give a toss if my club gives singles a standing or not, if I'm in a group and holding someone up, I will let them through. That's it. To refuse to let someone through when you're holding them up because of someone antiquated rule about 'standing' is pathetic and rude. These people need to grow up and let go of their ego.

 

[Slab]

I actually find it frustrating to see so many debating whether a single player 'has standing' or not, in this day & age. I couldn't give a toss if my club gives singles a standing or not, if I'm in a group and holding someone up, I will let them through. That's it. To refuse to let someone through when you're holding them up because of someone antiquated rule about 'standing' is pathetic and rude. These people need to grow up and let go of their ego.

I guess some courses need to consider the commercial impact of single groups taking tee times when they might otherwise have 2,3,4 players on that same slot (given that there's not an limitless capacity each day)

Giving a single no priority is one way to encourage larger groups

 

[Orikoru]

I guess some courses need to consider the commercial impact of single groups taking tee times when they might otherwise have 2,3,4 players on that same slot (given that there's not an limitless capacity each day)

Giving a single no priority is one way to encourage larger groups

Yes from the club's standpoint that makes sense. But in practise, if you keep a single behind you purely because 'they have no standing', then you're a bit of an arse.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

All said - singletons have to act responsibly as they can cause mild chaos and upset if they jump about the course (as singletons often do) and multiple groups find themselves letting him through.

 

[Sweep]

Maybe it’s just me, but on the odd occasion I play on my own I make sure I don’t interfere with anyone else on the course. It’s hard not to catch up a four ball but if it’s a two ball in front I just take my time. You never know what you may be disrupting. The group ahead may be playing an important match or just having a bounce game. So I stay clear if possible. I also think that groups playing too quickly behind are as annoying as a group in front playing too slow - as long as I (we) haven’t lost ground in the group in front which I always try to keep up with.
Thst said, whilst I would never ask to be let through if I was on my own, I would always let someone through before they needed to ask.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Maybe it’s just me, but on the odd occasion I play on my own I make sure I don’t interfere with anyone else on the course. It’s hard not to catch up a four ball but if it’s a two ball in front I just take my time. You never know what you may be disrupting. The group ahead may be playing an important match or just having a bounce game. So I stay clear if possible. I also think that groups playing too quickly behind are as annoying as a group in front playing too slow - as long as I (we) haven’t lost ground in the group in front which I always try to keep up with.
Thst said, whilst I would never ask to be let through if I was on my own, I would always let someone through before they needed to ask.

Nope - it's not just you. Though might just be us two - though I doubt it

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Very simple at my place (to a degree). Players can go off the 10th but if groups coming off the ninth get around before the group standing on the tee can get all shots away then the one from the ninth have precedence.