Is this the new coaching idea?

[CVG]

Played with IMurg this morning. Got stuck behind a 4 ball and had to wait on every tee from the 4th and almost every second shot from there all the way through to the 10th tee. They showed no interest in letting us play through even though they had clearly seen us behind them.
Then at the tenth tee we walked up as they walked off the tee the last of the 4 offered a cheery "good morning everything alright" I answered that it wasn't and pointed out that we had to wait for the last 5 or 6 holes, we wanted to play at a 2 ball pace not a 4 ball pace. He apologised and suggested he would ask the rest if we could play through. At last I thought we can get moving, with a few very barbed and unfriendly comments we were let through. Not surprsingly I hit a terrible shot and missed the green way left (our 10th is a par 3) IMurg was much closer but just off the right.
As we walked off the tee one of these jokers then decides to hit his second shot on to the green, I presume his idea of letting somebody through is different to mine? Anyway I get toward my ball when another of the group apologises for any delay, but offers in their defence "we're playing a match you know" I pointed out that that didn't mean they can ignore simple etiquette and they had had at least 6 easy chances to let us through.

Anyway we got through them, and I'm in a steaming temper now.... and here is where the coaching idea comes in ..... do we need to get steam coming out of our ears to play well? As the next three holes I play as par, birdie, par and didn't hit any poor shots! Once I calmed down a bit I was back to being all over the place and putting being very irratic.

As a general point do you think that etiquette is falling away from our game or is it just the daft members at our club?

 

[Imurg]

You forgot to mention your 60 foot birdie putt and your 38 yard drive.........

 

[fundy]

think it works differently for different people. slow play gets me wound up pretty quickly and in no time at all my game goes to pieces.

its a strange thing though, if i go out in say a society knowing it will be 5 hours im fine, its when a quiet mid week 2 ball which should be 3 hrs or so suddenly becomes 4hrs 30 because of 4 selfish idiots that the steam starts and the mist descends lol.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I try not to get too stressed by it anymore. If I'm on my own I do get frustrated when for the sake of two minutes I could have the rest of the course to myself ahead. If the group won't let me through or there are several groups in front I'll try and play two balls where possible and just hit a few different type of shots.

In a comp, I'm normally too busy trying to keep the voices in my head quiet wanting to fill my brain with swing thoughts or my score. Slow play happens and I'd still take a 5 hour round over a day in work

 

[fundy]

btw guys, as you are local, whats Aylesbury Park like? Are there any good (but not priced as great) courses in the area).

have recently relocated to Milton Keynes and am on a trial membership at Aylesbury Vale (as its convenient and a friend who is a beginner has just joined) but can't see myself being there forever

 

[RobCowan]

I know the feeling guys - I got hugely frustrated tonight as I got to the club to find it nice & quiet. Great, I thought - I'll get a nice fast round as there doesn't look to be anyone else out.

How wrong! 6th hole I cought up with a four ball who, judging by their time spent on the green, must have thought that they were playing the Open! After spending far too long waiting for them on the 9th, I played half the tenth & gave up after that - skipped a couple of holes & just played in but they knew fine well I was there & never even gave a thought to letting me through.

The worst thing is, this appears to be the norm up here so from what everyone else is saying, ettiquete appears to be heading out the window.

</rant>

 

[birdieman]

Generally the worst culprits are older (not being ageist but it's true) club office bearers like Presidents and Captains - seem to think they're above it.

It's not unusual what you experienced - it's not enforced (except at Open venues) so therefore golfers tend to ignore it.

 

[bobmac]

As has been said before, if you are playing in 4 balls in the middle of a comp and it's a bit slow, fair dues.
BUT. If I'm out in a 2 ball and a 3 or 4 ball hold me up for no apparent reason other than pure ignorance, I get wound up.
I recently played at Belton Woods with Jan and we came up behind a slowish 3 ball. Within a few holes, they called us through. They could then take their time and enjoy their round and so could we. It's a win win situation.
Everyone was happy. We weren't held up and they enjoyed a relaxing game
It's not rocket science

 

[Swinger]

As we walked off the tee one of these jokers then decides to hit his second shot on to the green, I presume his idea of letting somebody through is different to mine?

People do this to keep their own game going while letting groups through, and to be honest is what most people should do when letting others through. There is no way I am going to stand and watch a group I'm letting through hit every single shot without making a little bit of progress.

Why not hit a shot to the green while waiting for people to walk to their balls from the tee??

This is why some groups have to lets loads of others through as they just sit and watch the people going through, you should try to keep moving a bit.

Anyway I get toward my ball when another of the group apologises for any delay, but offers in their defence "we're playing a match you know" I pointed out that that didn't mean they can ignore simple etiquette and they had had at least 6 easy chances to let us through.

If they were playing an official match then they may well have had priority on the course regardless of pace. I agree they should still have tried to let you through due to the difference in pace of play but they probably did have priority.

 

[Imurg]

I take your points Swinger but the hole we went through on was a par 3, there were only 2 of us and the nearest group was 3 holes behind us. It wasn't so much what he did but the way he did it - he was the one who shouted back "Are you coming through then?" as we were getting our clubs ready.

It was a match purely between themselves, not a club match, knockout or anything else. If it had been we would have been more sympathetic but it was just an ordinary 4 ball.

Its quite common at our place. There are some groups who just will not let anyone through, anytime, anywhere. Apparently this is one of them.

 

[USER1999]

I disagree with playing up when you call someone through. If you call them through, let them go. Nothing worse than being rushed. If the guys hit up, then you all arrive at the green together, and then it's a mess. You end up waiting on the next tee anyway.

As an extreme version of this, I was playing a singles knock out, and was called through a 3 ball on the second. (they could have done so on the first tee too). We got past them on the 5th. By which time I was livid, and lost the game. They would wave us up, but play on, and nip ahead, a quick couple of putts (thinking we weren't waiting to hit at the green) and off to the next tee to do it again.

If you let someone through, get out of the way, is my opinion.

 

[Region3]

I sometimes play tee shots while the group behind is on the previous green, then invite them to tee off before my group continues up the fairway and play through that way.
I'd never play any shots after they've played until they're out of the way though.

 

[chrisd]

If everyone has found their ball but you have called the group behind through, it's not unusual for players in the first group to play thei second shots, walk down and mark their balls(if on the green) and then stand well aside and let them through. This speeds up the process of calling through and if done as soon as you are holding people up is good etiquette and stops the inevitable "bunching" behind, especially during competitions


Chris

 

[Swinger]

I take your points Swinger but the hole we went through on was a par 3, there were only 2 of us and the nearest group was 3 holes behind us. It wasn't so much what he did but the way he did it - he was the one who shouted back "Are you coming through then?" as we were getting our clubs ready.

It was a match purely between themselves, not a club match, knockout or anything else. If it had been we would have been more sympathetic but it was just an ordinary 4 ball.

Its quite common at our place. There are some groups who just will not let anyone through, anytime, anywhere. Apparently this is one of them.

Ahhh, one of those matches!! We have similar groups playing at our place, they ignore most people time after time unless you say something to them.
I don't play much mid week but they always let me through now even if they do still mutter things about it. They really do think that they are the most important people out there. As least they know their place when I'm out there!!

 

[GB72]

My game totally goes to pot if the red mist sets in. Had this on Saturday, stuck behind a slow 4 ball in our 3 ball for most of the round then 2 kids missed out that back few holes and, contrary to club rules, cut in front of us. Then had to watch them hit the ball 40 yards a shot for 3 holes until they finally let us through. I am all for kids learning the game but sending them out unaccompanied on a busy Saturday morning (course was closed for the open the next day) seemed like madness, a bit like sending someone out on their first driving lesson in rush hour.

 

[Imurg]

a bit like sending someone out on their first driving lesson in rush hour.

I like doing that!
Another lamb to the slaughter ; demonic laugh ;

 

[Nikki]

You should come over here mate!!!

We have a golf license to try and teach the local morons about etiquette and they still don't bleeding well learn...

Then they complain about it being an elitist sport!!!

 

[Imurg]

Hey Nikki.

Is this licence thing something that everyone does over there?
Can you run through the process, I'm interested as I think it's something we should do over here.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

THere will always be idiots that think because they've paid their fees they are entitled to behave as they want and take as long as they want to play. I tend to be fairly blunt with them and tell them they are in the wrong. OK they might not let me through but they don't have an excuse the next time. I've even taken to threatening to report them as our club is currently going through a slow play phase at the moment where it is encouraging naming and shaming (in private to the committee) as the pace of play at weekends and behind certain greedies has reached an unacceptable limit. I think the idea is to see if the same names appear first and to take a softly softly approach to start with. Not convinced it will last or do any good but at least they are trying

 

[Nikki]

No seriously you don't want to do the license stuff mate...

General etiquette in England/UK is sooooooooooooo much higher.

It closes off the game to people by having this license. The dutch golfing federation has had to do a huge amount of work to get people on the golf course again.

It is only neccesary as a last resort.




Anyway...

the principle is that you have one or two lessons with a pro and you learn the basics of golf... He then applies a examination (two parts: rules test and a practical) and you hopefully pass it. It's very much like a driving license.

The rules test is done by getting into a room with an examiner who hands out a test (like a school exam).


The practical part is done on the course by another examiner. You lay 3 holes and you have to shoot 10 over par or less. If you just havent been able to do that, then you will get another hole and choose the best 3 holes. The examiner is also supposed to check if you follow basic rules and etiquette (rake bunkers, fix pitchmarks replace divots etc.)