Etiquette & Slow Play

[Slab]

If I'm off the green but closer than 3 PP's then I'd probably fancy my chances of holing out so I'd quite like to see three (at least) other putts towards the hole to see what info I can get

But I'd need to balance that against the fact that I'm not playing in a comp and the score is immaterial to my h/cap

On the other hand though its the home of golf and comp or not my friends will ask (for years to come) what I shot around the Old Course, so every stroke does count because its dam difficult to pop back to try & beat it
(maybe a bit like jammed against the flag off the tee on a par 3 and not letting it drop but just picking it up for the gimmie becasue its not a comp)

Can you imagine that once in a lifetime experience of walking down 18th onto the green and ultimately picking your ball up cos its in gimmie range. I doubt there's anyone on here who wouldn't putt out, so why would the 10th be any different

Big fan of ready golf though and would like to see the honour practice scrapped (if you've just shot a bird your groups gonna give you the tee anyway, otherwise lets just play)

 

[patricks148]

four and half around the old course with caddies in a 4 ball in June is positively flying round.

I'm surprised the caddies tried to speed up play maybe they have been warned. I wish the guys at our play would. Only interested in the tip, so let guys who TBH would struggle to break 100 off the yellows, play from the whites. ours is getting a no go zone during the day.

I'm a big fan of ready golf, all our bounce games are played this way and some comps as well if it just among our normal group

 

[Blue in Munich]

A few people have hit the nail on the head here without realising it.

OK, so you all want to enjoy what is one of the best experiences in golf and I don't blame you. However, LOTS of people want to play the Old course and demand for tee times is extremely high. How difficult did you guys find it to get a time or how early were you queuing up at the starters hut? If people were allowed to dawdle round then even fewer would get to play it so play promptly and give others a chance as well :thup:

This.

i've played the Old Course and been kept moving by the marshals, I've played Bethpage Black where we weren't kept moving by anybody and it was nearer 6 hours than 5. I know which I prefer, and I didn't feel that I'd had extra value at Bethpage for being on the course over an hour more.

 

[selwood90]

Bethpage looks simply fantastic. What an experience that must of been. Hopefully going to get to play St Andrews next year. Fingers crossed!

 

[chrisd]

If it's that busy they should build another course!! :lol::lol:

 

[Radbourne2010]

I played there in late April (4pm) with a couple of young American students & a lovely guy from Oslo after just showing up at the Starter's Hut at 2pm. The Professor from Oslo hired a caddy & the two students carried. Weather was a atrocious, wind, rain, hail, etc. We hacked around over the first two holes (nervous, cold, wet, etc.) then after letting two smaller groups through we decided to play ready golf after some advice from the caddie, moved up to the Yellows from the White Tees & never saw anyone else for the rest of the afternoon/evening.

Only time I'd insist on playing in turn is in a Matchplay scenario obviously, or a major Championship Medal round where every shot counts. Otherwise, once I've reached my ball I'll play it unless I'm in someone else's way who is behind me.

Fulfilled a dream yesterday by playing The Old Course, for me it was everything I wanted from the day and more.

I went through the ballot on my own and was put in a 4 Ball with an Aussie, a Yank and a Bulgarian, all nice guys, the Yank and the Bulgarian had caddies, the Yank like me was playing it for the first time, the other 2 had also played it the day before.

Now, I had no intention of racing around and intended to enjoy every minute and also expected some good and bad Golf, anyway after 2 holes one of the caddies decided we were dropping back and asked us to play ready Golf, everyone agreed we would, but we also pointed out that it was a 2 Ball ahead of us.

The Bulgarian, who spoke perfect English, chose to ignore the ready Golf bit and insisted we play in turn, who had the honour on the tee, marked his ball then putted out 2-3 times from within 8 inches ( caddies were giving gimmees from 12 inches) etc, I totally get he may of wanted to have the full experience, but it did lead to some frustration when on the 10th he was just off the green but closest to the pin and we other 3 were on the green, I thought as he was off the green he should come on and then etiquette of who puts first takes over. We all stood including his caddy waiting for him to play, he then walks to his bag to get a drink, his caddy then asks him to play and he refuses as he is closest, both Caddies told him he should come on the green and that's why they had not attended or removed the flag, as him and the caddies discussed the point, we other 3 played.

I'm not bothered which order we play in so long as everybody else agrees.

We finished in 4hrs 25mins which the Caddies remarked was probably 20-30 minutes slower than it shoukd of been.

Thinking about it overnight I expected somewhere in the region of the round taking 5hrs so was better than I thought, but having 1 in the group not willing to play ready Golf and the caddies getting us to play a bit quicker, really did give the impression of a slow round, so maybe sometimes it's more about the pressure we allow others to put on us rather than playing our own game.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Didn't think 4.5 hours was too bad but I do think the Bulgarian guy sounded like an idiot. Surprised the caddies didn't put more pressure on and force him to ready golf

 

[hovis]

Everyone should play ready golf. Looking around and asking "who's turn, who's honour, who furthest away" just get on with it.

I played a national comp in Aberdeen and a chap in my group was first to hit from the fairway. He pissed about that much and then went in his bag for a drink! It was at this point i took my shot. He said it was bad etiquette. I said he was joke.

Thank god this was a practice day as it was putting me off my game

 

[3565]

Some on here won't give a putt in a two bob knockabout but now want people to pick up on the home of golf!?!?

If the caddy tried to rush me along without real good reason, I'd carry my own bag and let him go back in to find another.

:thup: Yep totally with you on this, I'd do the same.

 

[user2010]

For £175 a pop, I`d want to put 2 balls down and play them.....BOTH.:thup:

£175 to play a tarted up Municipal!!! Wow.

People have more money than sense.

 

[Jack_bfc]

No problem with ready golf.. But I hate feeling rushed and if i was paying top dollar I would want to hear the ball hit the bottom of the cup 18 times....

No gimmies.....