Golf rules we let people break - what is one you know of?

[clubchamp98]

Imo, it's usually a throwaway comment.

Imo it’s usually a sarcastic one to get a move on.

 

[chrisd]

. Bit like the 1st group of the day gets round much quicker than a mid afternoon group because they don't have to wait on groups in front.

Unless, like mine, that there's a 2 tee start. So the first tee players get round before the 10th tee is empty!

 

[clubchamp98]

so, as already said, you are on the 1st tee and there is nobody on the hole at all in front of you and you tee off before your tee time that will cause bunching!!!

I thought it was a penalty to tee off before your allocated time unless you get permission off the comittiee or a representative usually the pro.

 

[Orikoru]

Having re-read the thread, is it really? (my earlier response was tongue in cheek)

There is ample evidence on this thread alone that people are misinterpreting or misunderstanding rules. They are not deliberately cheating, they are unknowingly breaking them through a lack of knowledge and if nobody is there to correct them they will continue to unwittingly get it wrong.

I am positive that once the correct interpretation is pointed out to them, 99.9% of golfer will apply them as well as their understanding allows.

I mean, you said nobody knowingly breaks the rules. Nobody at all?? You don't think cheats exist?

 

[3 jabber]

Well it's obvious that a fast group going out with nobody in front of them is likely to get round quicker, the reason for that is that the afternoon group MIGHT be held up by a slow group that has teed off in front of them somewhere during the day. The slow group are slow because they are slow, nothing to do with when they teed off relative to the group in front.

That is completely different from saying that teeing off at 7 minute intervals definitively makes golf slower than 10 minute intervals.

Don't believe me if you don't want to but it has been proven that pace of play is quicker with bigger tee intervals.

 

[need_my_wedge]

I'm honestly not arguing, I just don't get what difference it makes between teeing off exactly 10 minutes after the group in front or when they've cleared the fairway after, let's say 7 minutes.

Obviously I understand everything that you say happens, but bottom line is, it's also perfectly feasible and normal for Group B to be waiting on the 18th fairway when Group A are putting out, so how can anyone say that teeing off 3 minutes early caused a delay?

I wasn’t suggesting you were arguing, just a figure of speech i used to highlight the quote.

I worked at a fairly busy golf course, and whilst I don’t have any metrics to quote, from experience I can confirm that the course moves much smoother when players start on allotted tee times. There are too many variables that affect pace of play more when groups start too close together.

 

[Bratty]

Well it's obvious that a fast group going out with nobody in front of them is likely to get round quicker, the reason for that is that the afternoon group MIGHT be held up by a slow group that has teed off in front of them somewhere during the day. The slow group are slow because they are slow, nothing to do with when they teed off relative to the group in front.

That is completely different from saying that teeing off at 7 minute intervals definitively makes golf slower than 10 minute intervals.

The GM at my old club is currently debating moving to 10 minute slots from 8 minutes, as he has evidence that supports the extra time helping to avoid log-jams and queues on certain tees.

 

[rulie]

Here is a table from a Pace of Play paper done by the US National Golf Course Owners Association. It's from 2008, but is still pertinent.

 

[badgergm]

Backstopping. Plenty of people who ask you to leave your ball by the hole rather than than just shutting up and letting you stand by the green for pace of play reasons.

 

[Slab]

Imo, it's usually a throwaway comment.

Yup
The thing most are forgetting is 'take your time' is very often only said as a response to what another player has said i.e player A; do you mind if I finish...? Player B; "sure take your time"
This is a throwaway comment & not advice

Thinking on, I don't know that I've ever heard 'take your time' said as an isolated & unsolicited statement by Player B (which to me is advice) i.e Player A putts close'ish and goes to finish without comment.... and Player B pipes up with 'take your time' Never seen it happen

 

[Voyager EMH]

Allowing a 12 to 15 minute snack break after 9 holes on some handicap qualifying competition days.

 

[Golfnut1957]

I mean, you said nobody knowingly breaks the rules. Nobody at all?? You don't think cheats exist?

How could I possibly know that without playing with every golfer at any given minute of any given day, who am I God. I was obviously talking about those in my inner circle. I'm surprised I have to explain it.

 

[Old Colner]

Yup
The thing most are forgetting is 'take your time' is very often only said as a response to what another player has said i.e player A; do you mind if I finish...? Player B; "sure take your time"
This is a throwaway comment & not advice

Thinking on, I don't know that I've ever heard 'take your time' said as an isolated & unsolicited statement by Player B (which to me is advice) i.e Player A putts close'ish and goes to finish without comment.... and Player B pipes up with 'take your time' Never seen it happen

The context I most often see the comment 'take your time' is when somebody on a decent score misses a short putt, one they really should really not have missed, this context to me is advice but like the thread title is generally let go.

 

[Golf is fun]

Well it's obvious that a fast group going out with nobody in front of them is likely to get round quicker, the reason for that is that the afternoon group MIGHT be held up by a slow group that has teed off in front of them somewhere during the day. The slow group are slow because they are slow, nothing to do with when they teed off relative to the group in front.

That is completely different from saying that teeing off at 7 minute intervals definitively makes golf slower than 10 minute intervals.

A good way to visualise it is if you imagine a car and a lorry driving a 200 mile journey, both averaging 50 mph. However the car averages 50 mph by randomly driving at 30mph for half the time and 70mph the other half, the lorry is limited to 50mph and does that for the whole journey.
If they travel alone both vehicles complete the 200 mile journey in 4 hours, however if the lorry starts it's journey close behind the car it will have to slow down below 50 at some points and won't catch up when the car does 70, and there is a similar effect when the car starts behind as it will lose time when doing 30 and never have a chance to do 70 to make it back up.

Replace lorrys and cars with groups of golfers and 200 mile roads with golf courses, you get the same effect.

In a perfect world where everyone plays at exactly the same constant speed for the whole round tee time spacing makes no difference, but unfortunately the real world doesn't behave like this. Additionally human perception means that even if 2 rounds take the same total amount of time, one where you have to wait to hit shots will feel slower.

 

[3 jabber]

A good way to visualise it is if you imagine a car and a lorry driving a 200 mile journey, both averaging 50 mph. However the car averages 50 mph by randomly driving at 30mph for half the time and 70mph the other half, the lorry is limited to 50mph and does that for the whole journey.
If they travel alone both vehicles complete the 200 mile journey in 4 hours, however if the lorry starts it's journey close behind the car it will have to slow down below 50 at some points and won't catch up when the car does 70, and there is a similar effect when the car starts behind as it will lose time when doing 30 and never have a chance to do 70 to make it back up.

Replace lorrys and cars with groups of golfers and 200 mile roads with golf courses, you get the same effect.

In a perfect world where everyone plays at exactly the same constant speed for the whole round tee time spacing makes no difference, but unfortunately the real world doesn't behave like this. Additionally human perception means that even if 2 rounds take the same total amount of time, one where you have to wait to hit shots will feel slower.

Excellent analogy

 

[Oddsocks]

"Take your time" when someone asks to putt out.
Counts as advice and that's breaking a rules Stupid, yes, but it breaks a rule.

Try and make the putt is also bullying.

 

[jim8flog]

Where in your post does it say anything about a clear course in front of you?

post #27

 

[jim8flog]

I thought it was a penalty to tee off before your allocated time unless you get permission off the comittiee or a representative usually the pro.

There is nothing in the rules that I have seen which changes this rule.

 

[3 jabber]

post #27

I was replying to post #5 and I stand by my comment that teeing off early causes bunching up and slow rounds.

 

[jim8flog]

I was replying to post #5 and I stand by my comment that teeing off early causes bunching up and slow rounds.

I would disagree

It is slow players /player not keeping up with the group/not letting players through in front that causes bunching

I agree with

Eesat 90210 's analysis in post #48​