Oddsocks
Ryder Cup Winner
At the weekend me and a few pals played a course in sussex which prides itself on being one of the oldest courses around. Established in 1893 its ones of the more traditional courses around and 2 things really got my back up!
We were on the first tee getting ready to go off as a 4 ball, when two young guys (in their late 20'd/early 30's) come over to the tee. Now i didnt see any point in us going off as a 4 ball, only to have to stop and let a 2 ball through so we done what i beleive is the right thing, and advised the 2 ball they were welcome to go off first even though their tee slot was 10 mins after ours as we didnt want to hold them up or delay play. The two guys were very happy that we had said this and even come across as very shocked of our offer. I get the impression this is something that doesnt happen often at this club. Nerves got the better of them on their tee shots but within minutes they had completed the 1st hole (a short par 4) and were gone.
Situ #1) Next up its us and after 3 good drives and a shonkey short iron (not me) we are under way. We are up playing our second shots when we notice another 2 ball on the tee, at this point i say to the other guys that we should let them through on the par 3 second and let them clear off and we are all agree'd. We play onto the green and then the boys behind drive as expected. As we finish on the green a friend walks to the side of the green to get he's trolley (located on the middle right edge of the green) when one of the players behind plays, clearly the green is not clear for play and the ball pitches with no shout or warning and clouts my friend straight on the knuckle. When my freind turns around there is a hand guesture that indicates the guy is sorry so we move onto the second. Now as we play down the second one of the old boys behind comes up and appologises and after a laugh and a joke we advise we are letting them through straight away, they reply with " dont worry, we'll skip the second and push ahead of you on the third " Although we didnt see the point as they would be missing the hole, we thought no worries and continued our game. Now im still slightly pissed at the fact they played for the green before it was cleared, but clearly there is no hard feelings, everyone has had a laugh and a joke so no harm done.
Situ #2) We proceeded to play at what i would call a fairly quick pace but by no means slow, and come the 9th hole we are still a hole clear on a trailing 3 ball that has been one clear hole behind they entire front 9. On the 9th my partner pulls he's drive into the tree's and while looking we notice the 3 ball have finished on the green and are walking to the tee. Before they have got to the tee we have cleared to each side of the fairway and wave them through instantly, infact if im honest before they were even ready to play their shot. They play through and to my amazement only one of the guys thank us, with the other 2 completely ignoring us, even though they were playing through at a very slow pace and by letting them through had slowed our game by around 10 mins as we couldnt play our second shots until they had cleared the green and had tee'd off the tenth as the tee box was behind the 9th green.
so we contine with a great game, and finish up winning the back 9 after losing the front 9 and halving the match on a superb spring day.
After putting the clubs away we venture into the club house and ive got to say what happpened next is shocking.
The 2 ball that pushed through after hitting my playing partner were complaining to the other 3 about us holding them up (yeah right we hadnt even had chance to let you through let alone held you up) complaining they had to miss a hole just to get in front of us. The 3 ball replied that he found that weird as he has never been waved through so quickly (nice, would have been nice to receive a thanks for it)
And now the best bit, as we leave we see the club notice board and 2 of the 3 ball were very seniour members of the club. The 3 ball was made up of the current captain and chairman of the club we were playing at, yet the only one who had thanked us for letting them through was a general non ranked member.
How can captains and chairman not even have the courtesy to thank people for letting them through and delaying their game in favour of theirs. We see many threads on here about slow play and not being called through, but the ignorence was shocking!
It was such a shame as the day was a fantastic day with staff in the club house & pro shop being great, the 2 ball we let tee off first being very polite. Im more gutted as ive never considered joining a club that is not local to me. the club in question is around 22 miles from me but the staff of the club and the charactor of the course is still tempting me to part with some cash as a member, but the members/committee sort of put a cloud over what was a very nice day on a challenging course in great condition.
We were on the first tee getting ready to go off as a 4 ball, when two young guys (in their late 20'd/early 30's) come over to the tee. Now i didnt see any point in us going off as a 4 ball, only to have to stop and let a 2 ball through so we done what i beleive is the right thing, and advised the 2 ball they were welcome to go off first even though their tee slot was 10 mins after ours as we didnt want to hold them up or delay play. The two guys were very happy that we had said this and even come across as very shocked of our offer. I get the impression this is something that doesnt happen often at this club. Nerves got the better of them on their tee shots but within minutes they had completed the 1st hole (a short par 4) and were gone.
Situ #1) Next up its us and after 3 good drives and a shonkey short iron (not me) we are under way. We are up playing our second shots when we notice another 2 ball on the tee, at this point i say to the other guys that we should let them through on the par 3 second and let them clear off and we are all agree'd. We play onto the green and then the boys behind drive as expected. As we finish on the green a friend walks to the side of the green to get he's trolley (located on the middle right edge of the green) when one of the players behind plays, clearly the green is not clear for play and the ball pitches with no shout or warning and clouts my friend straight on the knuckle. When my freind turns around there is a hand guesture that indicates the guy is sorry so we move onto the second. Now as we play down the second one of the old boys behind comes up and appologises and after a laugh and a joke we advise we are letting them through straight away, they reply with " dont worry, we'll skip the second and push ahead of you on the third " Although we didnt see the point as they would be missing the hole, we thought no worries and continued our game. Now im still slightly pissed at the fact they played for the green before it was cleared, but clearly there is no hard feelings, everyone has had a laugh and a joke so no harm done.
Situ #2) We proceeded to play at what i would call a fairly quick pace but by no means slow, and come the 9th hole we are still a hole clear on a trailing 3 ball that has been one clear hole behind they entire front 9. On the 9th my partner pulls he's drive into the tree's and while looking we notice the 3 ball have finished on the green and are walking to the tee. Before they have got to the tee we have cleared to each side of the fairway and wave them through instantly, infact if im honest before they were even ready to play their shot. They play through and to my amazement only one of the guys thank us, with the other 2 completely ignoring us, even though they were playing through at a very slow pace and by letting them through had slowed our game by around 10 mins as we couldnt play our second shots until they had cleared the green and had tee'd off the tenth as the tee box was behind the 9th green.
so we contine with a great game, and finish up winning the back 9 after losing the front 9 and halving the match on a superb spring day.
After putting the clubs away we venture into the club house and ive got to say what happpened next is shocking.
The 2 ball that pushed through after hitting my playing partner were complaining to the other 3 about us holding them up (yeah right we hadnt even had chance to let you through let alone held you up) complaining they had to miss a hole just to get in front of us. The 3 ball replied that he found that weird as he has never been waved through so quickly (nice, would have been nice to receive a thanks for it)
And now the best bit, as we leave we see the club notice board and 2 of the 3 ball were very seniour members of the club. The 3 ball was made up of the current captain and chairman of the club we were playing at, yet the only one who had thanked us for letting them through was a general non ranked member.
How can captains and chairman not even have the courtesy to thank people for letting them through and delaying their game in favour of theirs. We see many threads on here about slow play and not being called through, but the ignorence was shocking!
It was such a shame as the day was a fantastic day with staff in the club house & pro shop being great, the 2 ball we let tee off first being very polite. Im more gutted as ive never considered joining a club that is not local to me. the club in question is around 22 miles from me but the staff of the club and the charactor of the course is still tempting me to part with some cash as a member, but the members/committee sort of put a cloud over what was a very nice day on a challenging course in great condition.
