Etiquette Advise Needed on Slow Play and Playing Through

[Chrimbo]

On Saturday I was paired with a couple of guys who made us a three ball and in front of us was a four ball. After a few holes we started catching them up but at no time did they offer us to play through, one of them admitted they were spending too long looking for lost balls but mentioned it was a competition (the general feeling from my playing partners was that it wasn’t an official one). One of my playing partners was letting it get to him so being new to the game suggested that he ask if we could play through, he told me that it wasn’t the done thing.

On Monday I was out on the course on my own and again after a few holes was being held up by a four ball, which was the tail end of a group of society golfers. By the time we got to the ninth they still hadn’t tee-ed off by the time I had reached the tee, no offer was made for me to play through. I don't normally like playing through but they were so slow it was painful.

I ended up waiting for them to get out of range for what seamed an age. The three ball behind me commented that they looked like ‘the four ball from hell’ as each one was looking for their balls. I apologised to them and asked if they wanted to go ahead but they said not to worry, as they would only get stuck behind them sooner. Whilst waiting to make my second shot on the tenth a young lad in the group behind the three ball behind me asked if I was playing solo, I said yes and he then told me I shouldn’t be holding them up. I pointed out to him that group in front of me were playing slow so I could only go at their pace, he then muttered some comment which I didn’t catch.

By the time I had got to the twelfth the group in front of me gain still hadn’t tee-ed off and but now I was getting annoyed and again they were looking for lost balls. The group behind me caught me up again and I mentioned about the comments from the group behind and they made the offer to play with them, which I accepted. They also made the comment that a four ball doesn’t have to give was to a three ball. If it wasn’t for their kind offer I would have probably given up on the round as I was getting so frustrated.

So I have the following questions :-

1. Is it considered bad form to prompt the slow group in front of you to let you play through?
2. Should a solo player give way to a group even though the group in front is holding him/her up?
3. Does a four ball not have to give way to a three ball no matter what?


I now understand why slow play frustrates people as each round took over four hours and lots of hanging around.

 

[Espada]

Slow players who won't let people through are somewhat annoying without a doubt. I have also witnessed bad form on the part of the fast players behind where one of the slower (who weren't actually that slow) was having some problems which. The person behind actually started hurling abuse down the fairway. Clearly this behaviour is equally wrong.

 

[Parmo]

Unless there is a clear hole in front I don't let people through, that is the rules is it not?

How about single balls joining others or playing early or late rather than inbetween groups and moaning about slow play?

 

[Putting_Green_Pro]

i once made the mistake of allowing a two-ball to play infront of me. after a frustrating 30 minutes waiting for them to move from the green (on the 2nd hole) i hurled my down the fairway in anger and then left. did i mention that was at the third hole. I was probably in the wrong for getting so angry but I had already been waiting for 15 mins for them at the tee so i didn't waste anymore time.

 

[colint]

You shouldn't let a game play through if you're playing as fast as the game in front will allow, what's the point ?

I don't think there's anything wrong with a polite enquiry to play through if it's obvious that you're playing faster. If I'm in a slow match I always prefer to let people through rather than be looking over my shoulder all day.

If I'm playing alone and not bothered about a full round, I'll sometimes ask if I can just skip the hole if it's clear ahead

 

[USER1999]

The rules on the sizes of groups changed a few years ago. Previously odd numbers had no standing on the course, but now (unless there is a local rule) singles and 3s have equal standing. As a result, all groups are now equal.

 

[EchtLoon]

1. Is it considered bad form to prompt the slow group in front of you to let you play through? No, if they are holding you up continually, then ask. I've done it in the past, and you can usually tell by their response whether there was any chance they would have let you through unpromted before hell froze over.


2. Should a solo player give way to a group even though the group in front is holding him/her up? Never. Solo players have just as much standing on the course now as any grouping, priority is with the quickest group


3. Does a four ball not have to give way to a three ball no matter what? Double negative, but I take it you mean does a four ball have more standing than any other grouping? In which case, no they don't, see #2.

 

[StuartDykes]

My personal opinion is that common sense should be used, what will speed up play in general on the course.

If you are holding someone up, only let them through if it will be advatageous to the whole course. Will your delay waiting for them to get to the tee, and then your wait till they are a safe distance away, will that actaully achieve anything other than waste time, especially if there are more players infront.

Likewise, if you are holding someone up how easy is it to let them through? Will the whole course be helped by allowing the to pass.

People spending too much time looking for balls is a pet hate of mine aswell.

Really, I think too many people, not just in golf but everywhere, are too caught up in the rules. Perhaps it is asking too much for someone to use common sense nowadays, but Il ask anyway. Could everyone not use commonn sense?

 

[Chrimbo]

1. Is it considered bad form to prompt the slow group in front of you to let you play through? No, if they are holding you up continually, then ask. I've done it in the past, and you can usually tell by their response whether there was any chance they would have let you through unpromted before hell froze over.


2. Should a solo player give way to a group even though the group in front is holding him/her up? Never. Solo players have just as much standing on the course now as any grouping, priority is with the quickest group


3. Does a four ball not have to give way to a three ball no matter what? Double negative, but I take it you mean does a four ball have more standing than any other grouping? In which case, no they don't, see #2.

Thanks for clearing that up, as I wasn't sure I was concerned that I was doing something wrong in my ignorance of the finer points of golf etiquette.

 

[EchtLoon]

My personal opinion is that common sense should be used, what will speed up play in general on the course.

If you are holding someone up, only let them through if it will be advatageous to the whole course.

Disagree 100%. Faster groups should be let through without fail imo, as indeed is now stated in the etiquette section of the rules.

Most players seem unable to use common sense to let a faster group through when their own group have lost the pace, so no way would I expect them to become more aware with the added burden of working out whether it would help the course as a whole.

It should be simple, you are playing slow, have been caught by a faster group, let them through. unfortunatly too many men treat it like letting a car out from a side road in a traffic jam, and turn it into macho thing.

 

[clubchamp07]

IMO, the art of calling people through died years ago. Slow play pisses me off. A few Saturday's ago we were the 2nd 4ball on the course. (in a competition). The ranger/strater was sailing about in his cart. He spoke to the 4ball infront of us. They held us up every shot. While passing one of the said 4ball asked me what the ranger's problem was, he told me that his 4ball were 5-10 minutes earlier than normal. To which my reply was, shame you aren't 15-20 minutes earlier. He just looked at me and walked on. After the round they were spoken to again by the ranger, one of the guys came over to us and asked if they had held us up. We just looked at him and laughed, then told him we had to wait on every shot. He couldn't belive it.

On the topic about asking to play through, I would be infavor of that, I would ask as I have done so in the past. If they say no, they get reported.

Players now a days seem to think if they aren't out on the course for 4 - 5+ hours their doing something wrong. I think it's a case of watching to much golf on Television.

 

[FourRight]

IMO I think how busy the course is should always be taken into consideration.

If the course is busy and everyone is waiting to play their next shot, then there is nothing to gain by letting the group behind through.

If however the group in front is not keeping up with the group in front of them, then they should be letting you through.

As i see it, there are a lot of golfer out there that know the rules of golf, but have no understanding of the etiquette that also needs to go along side it.

 

[pigmeister]

If the group infront of you is holding you up and they have lost a hole then yes, a word on the next tee is in order. "Do you mind if we come through, we are waiting on every shot. Thanks". That all i would say to them.
Playing behind a society is a bit different as they have booked a block of tee times. We have this problem at my course and we just have to follow them round. I will admit i am fortunate that i have two courses at my club, but sometimes depending on the date, we still get held up. We play 2 balls on the John O`Gaunt course and 3&4 balls on Cathagena on even dates, it switches around on odd dates.
As for going out as a one ball during a busy day i really cannot see the point. You surely knew it was going to be slow. Couldnt you have waited for a game with a 2 or 3 ball?
As for letting a one ball through if i was in a 3 or 4 ball and the course was busy they would have wait im afraid, i really do think its a silly rule. Although it would not happen at my course.

 

[viscount17]

As for letting a one ball through if i was in a 3 or 4 ball and the course was busy they would have wait im afraid, i really do think its a silly rule. Although it would not happen at my course.

then you should be reported and rightly so; though I suspect from the final comment that either your course pairs players up (which is not universal) or it has made a local rule that solo players, despite the R&A rule change, are still lepers.

 

[Herbie]

There are four schools in reality, those who simply do not know how they should behave and need guidance and education, and next in line are those who know the rules and etiquette but are fickle or gullable followers and choose when they will abide by the rules based on the action of the un-delegated leader of the group they are in, then come those who follow the rules fairly and respectfully at all times, and lastly there are those who's goal in life is to deliberately annoy the hell out of everyone knowing little will be done, like the driver who drives at 38mph in a 60 limit when people cannot overtake for various reasons, or the ass who wants to pay by cheque in a long queue at the supermarket checkout, Im sure you get my reasoning?

This will happen and will continue to happen until all golfers discuss this problem in their club openly and insist the club do more to encourage better behavior, indeed, do more to enforce better etiquette on the course.

 

[3offTheTee]

The answer is simple: Page 27 Rules of Golf. Pace of Play:

'It is a group's responsibility to keep up with the group in front.If it losess a clear hole and it is delaying the group behind it should invite the group behind to play through, irrespective of the number of players in that group'

We played behind a 5 ball last month ex captain ane were held up for 12 holes.Need I say more. The comment that the group cannot go anywhere is irrelevant.

 

[Twire]

The answer is simple: Page 27 Rules of Golf. Pace of Play:

'It is a group's responsibility to keep up with the group in front.If it losess a clear hole and it is delaying the group behind it should invite the group behind to play through, irrespective of the number of players in that group'

We played behind a 5 ball last month ex captain ane were held up for 12 holes.Need I say more. The comment that the group cannot go anywhere is irrelevant.

But a little further on under Priority on the course it states "Unless otherwise determined by the committee, priority on the course is determined by a groups pace of play".

I read that as if your playing quicker than the group in front, you have priority and they should let you play through.

So straight from the rules book these two pearls of wisdom contradict each other.

 

[Macster]

We've just come back from a weekend away where we played as 3 4Balls, and on our last round, as the last 4 out, we were followed by a 3 Ball, who were'nt pushing us, and it al worked fine until about the 7th.
Suddenly, a sole golfer apppeared on the tee behind us, as we waited for the green to clear.
After a hole, I suggested that perhaps we ought to let him thru, but one of our group said 'what's the point ? He's only gonna have to wait on every shot for the group ahead, and just delay us even more', which in reality is quite right in that situation, so its tough cookies.
On any other day at my own course, and with clear holes ahead, sure anyone can come thru if they are quicker, but a sole player shouldnt automatic rights to expect to 'play thru' whatever the situation.

Common sense really ?

 

[Imurg]

I posted this the other day - can't find it now but its in the ettiqutte section of the rules:-

Pace of Play
Play at Good Pace and Keep Up
Players should play at a good pace.The Committee may establish pace of play guidelines that all players should follow.
It is a group’s responsibility to keep up with the group in front. If it loses a clear hole and it is delaying the group behind, it should invite the group behind to play through, irrespective of the number of players in that group. Where a group has not lost a clear hole, but it
is apparent that the group behind can play faster, it should invite the faster moving group to play through.

So, in essence, if you have lost a hole on the group in front you should invite groups behind you to play through. You should also invite them through if you are playing slower but have not lost a hole. Its all very simple and is there in black and white in the rule book. If you're going to stick to the rules then you need to abide by these as well.

 

[Twire]

If you're going to stick to the rules then you need to abide by these as well.

It is in the rule book Imurg, but unfortunately it's in the etiquette section.