playing someone through

[USER1999]

Played in a knock out match last night, was late on the tee due to traffic (even left work 15 minutes early to get there in time to warm up), arrived in a foul mood, had no tempo, and lost on the 17th.

Now the first pair we played through (out of 3 ) teed off just in front of us (could have let us through on the tee), played their second shots into the green, then waved us up. Once we had hit they walked to the green, chipped on, then waved us up again. We hit up, they putted out and walked on to the next tee. We putted out, went to the next tee, they had driven off and walked all of 50 yards. They then walked up to their balls, hit 2nd shots, waved us up again, walked on, chipped to the green, waved us up again, and we eventually got through them on the green. So 2 holes to get past them, temper shot to pieces. Next two groups let us play straight through.

So, a question for you:

If you are calling someone through, do you wave them up, and wait for them to play through, or do you try to play someone through on a rolling basis (which in theory means you play quicker at the expense of the pair playing through who have to rush if they are to ever get through)?

My theory is stay out of the way, especially if they are in a match.

 

[Ken_A]

I think you should move out of the way - however I have a problem with holding back to let a match through.

I do agree if the players behind are waiting and you have lost position then you should let them through. I dont understand why I should move out of the way to let a match through if I have held position and some other playing group is holding it back.

Our club will close the tee for 30mins for a match is due to give a bit of flexability, which helps to stop most of this hassle.

 

[viscount17]

did they know you were in a match?
was this a product of carrying your bad mood onto the course?

I like the rolling idea but only on one hole. That way no-one is standing around too long but I would much prefer to wave them through onto a par 3. they can play this and get out of my way rather than me wait for them to either a) stroll up a long fairway or b) hit the inevitable duff drive.

 

[OldWindy]

Wave through and stay out of the way - the piecemeal method is irritating to say the least.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I was always brought up that if you are waving a group through that means you stop playing the hole until the group coming through have cleared the green.

This rolling proces could lead to all sorts of problems especially if all parties are rushing and beging topping/slicing shots. Who is going to play next - is the group already playing now suppose to be playing after a slice or the group coming through who have topped it. Sheer madness

 

[USER1999]

There were only 3 groups out on the course, so once through the first two, we had a gap, and then through the last one, we were round in 2 1/2 hours. The first game we played through were round in 3.

I would not expect to be called through if I didn't catch up, but once you are waiting to play a shot, it is courtesy to be called through.

Matches are often faster than a standard 2 ball, because some holes do not get finished.

Even if the course is busy, you should still call matches through, it is the rule on my course that matches have priority, at all times. It is also common sense not to try and play a match at 8.00 on Saturday morning, as this will cause problems.

Yes, I took my bad mood onto the course, but these idiots did not help, and yes, they did know we were playing a match.

Ironically, the 3rd lot were green fees, who we thought would be harder to get through, but they were great. Just shows you shouldn't pre judge people.

The old excuse of' we'd let you through, but there is nowhere to go' doesn't wash either. If you are in a match, you should be called through. There aren't that many matches that this would cause a big problem.

 

[billyg]

Wasn't aware of this whole match priority thing. Certainly haven't heard about it from any briefing nor paperwork I was issued with when I joined my club. Isn't every group in one way or another entitled to describe itself as a match to some extent?

On the other hand I can see how your experience of some sort of crossover/play-through may well have been frustrating.

You weren't let through in the conventional sense i.e. stand aside while you play through and and clear the green.

You weren't technically offered to join the forward group either as they hung on to their fairway rights from the tee and then only offered a 'play-up' option thereafter.

Really quite confusing.

On the other hand, as infuriating as you may find it Ive never come up with an adequate solution to the problem of playing at the right speed to keep up with the group in front while being pressured from the tee by the group behind. I think in such a situation to offer the group behind the chance to move through is generous, magnanimous and can diffuse tensions(I don't really want a group of pent up, frustrated players hovering in my eye line and would rather be shot of them asap). The down side is that you end up waiting around on the tee and delaying your own game even though it's not your fault and you've done nothing wrong.

I accept that in a match (match play) you may well complete a round much more quickly as many holes will be decided without all parties holing out.

Under normal stroke play conditions I would have little sympathy for someone wishing to dash round in 2 and a half hours but this is a little different.

I don't really know what the answer is but the behaviour of the group in front of you was one I haven't encountered before - were they p****d by any chance?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Club matches (i.e those versus other clubs, club knockouts etc) have priority over regular 2 or 4 balls at our course and therefore do have the right to play through should they wish. Inter-club matches have pre-booked tee times anyway so they get the course to themselves or the 30-60 minutes it is booked for.

As it turns out, unless it is a peak time (Saturday morning etc) most matches are quite happy to slip into the queue and just go round as a normal pairing. The only real exception in the foursome events where they tend to get let through as the pace is that much quicker.

 

[USER1999]

The problem with not getting priority if you are playing a knock out match (in this case the top 16 from the medal go into a direct elimination for a place on a board in the club house) is that you need to be able to play the whole 18 holes.
My course has a 13 and a 5, rather than a front 9 and back 9. If you don't want to, or can't play on a weekend before the deadline, then you are reduced to playing an evening during the week.
If the boys in front are planning on playing 13, they don't have to get round very quickly, so if you get stuck behind a group like this, you are not going to finish before it is dark.

 

[USER1999]

I don't advocate charging round in a stroke play event, as you have no right to play any faster than the 3 in front. Then I am quite happy to pace myself.

Mind you, in the medal on Sunday we were 2 1/2 hours on the front nine, due to the idiots immediately in front of us loosing 2 holes on the group in front. They then walked in on 13, which made it doubly annoying, as they clearly hadn't been on a good score.