Group size and Tee time spacing

[drdel]

So Tee'd off as a 4_ball following a 3 ball on Saturday. A 2 ball Tee'd off while we were on 2nd shot. On the second hole we let 2 ball play through only to see they were followed by another 2ball, with another 2ball following them! Original 3ball weren't quick so for next few holes we were waiting on the Tee for the two ball we'd allowed through.

Clearly the Course should be getting 2 ball to 'team' up or vary the spacing between Tee Off times which obviously is more complex and would not happen in practise.

So how many groups would you let play through?

 

[woody69]

If you are letting through a group on the 2nd hole, you are either incredibly slow, the two ball are very quick, or they tee'd off too early. Spacings should really be 10-12 mins, although courses that allow the paying public on don't get as much bang for their buck and so often reduce this to 8 or even less, i.e allow the group to tee off when the group in front are out of range.

In terms of how many groups we would let play through, it would depend on how many were obviously quicker than us. however, I very much doubt I would be letting groups through if we were waiting on the tee. If we are playing steady, then yeah it makes sense. I may consider it, if we were waiting on a tee and a 2ball arrived before we had even hit our tee shots, but that would be a very slow play day...

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I am very keen on waving people through. In your situation I would have let the first 2 ball through but if they failed to make progress past the next group and I was held up by them, as you were, then I would let no more pass. I would simply talk to the people behind and explain the hold up. I've done that, had the message passed to me the other way as well. Once you know it is not the group directly in front of you causing the problem everyone tends to calm down.

You let people through for them to make progress. If they can't make progress then letting more through is pointless for everyone. You just have to get on with the pace of that particular day.

 

[patricks148]

we have 10 min spacing so its not timing that is the issue at ours, we also have a starter that makes sure people only tee off at the allotted time if the course is busy.

The guys i play with are all fairly quick so we rarely have to let anyone though, but would have no issues letting a faster group though if we were holding them up.

In one of the comps last year i was out with two of the clubs slowest players when there were a few no shows, so we were a 3 ball among a load of two balls, we let 5 two balls through buy the turn, i then had to read the riot act to them to speed them up. no one caught us after that.

 

[Berger]

This year we changed from 8 minutes to 10 minute tee times on a Saturday. If people stick to the 10 minutes it means the group in front is on the green by the time the next group tee off. It has made a big difference to bunching up, particularly at our 4th hole which is the first par 3.

The problem is we don't have a starter at the minute and some people don't pay attention to the times and tee off when the group in front have played their second shot at the first. Of course they are usually the same people who gurn when they get to the 4th tee and have to wait on the group in front playing the hole.

 

[Hosel Fade]

So Tee'd off as a 4_ball following a 3 ball on Saturday. A 2 ball Tee'd off while we were on 2nd shot. On the second hole we let 2 ball play through only to see they were followed by another 2ball, with another 2ball following them! Original 3ball weren't quick so for next few holes we were waiting on the Tee for the two ball we'd allowed through.

Clearly the Course should be getting 2 ball to 'team' up or vary the spacing between Tee Off times which obviously is more complex and would not happen in practise.

So how many groups would you let play through?

Does your course return to the clubhouse after 9ish? In that case they should have a think about sending different size groups off on opposite sides of the course

 

[GB72]

This is one of my pet peeves at my course. These is no effort to try and keep the course flowing for everyone by either evening up group sizes or using the 3 starting points we have. It is just a free for all on non comp days and so you can have a course full of 3 and 4 balls playing at a nice even pace until a couple of 2 balls or the odd single golfer look to charge their way through everyone.

How easy it would be to change that. We have 3 starting points, so have maximum group sizes on certain tees at certain times. Done properly you could keep large and small groups apart for much of the round. Failing that, why not have all groups less than a 3 ball report to the pro shop before teeing off to see if they can be paired with another 2 or a lone golfer. Evens up the group sizes and makes it easier for people to find a game if they do not have one.

But no, that would upset the status quo and so we stick with small groups complaining that the rounds are too slow or that they are not being played through and large groups complaining about having to let 2 balls through all the time when there is no real room for them on the course.