'Playing through' etiquette

[Tommo21]

As far as I am aware, letting a match through is pretty standard procedure. It would certainly be expected at my club. Annoying that they played when a comp was on though.

I agree to a certain existent, especially if it’s a two ball match with groups of threes and fours in front. But, where this automatic thought you should let a match through just for the sake of it doesn’t hold water with me. If you are keeping up with play and not holding them up then why let them through. All it will do is back up the field.

 

[Berger]

Is the right answer.

I'd add that teeing off at 5:45, with 4 balls in front of you, pretty much guaranteed you'd be finishing in the dark. You certainly wouldn't go round in 3 to 3.5hrs with the course loaded as you say.

We went round in 3hrs 50mins. Without them playing through everyone i reckon we would have been inside 3.5hrs.

They seemed to assume that because they were playing a match it took priority over everyone else playing the stableford competition. I'm not sure I agree with that.

 

[brendy]

We went round in 3hrs 50mins. Without them playing through everyone i reckon we would have been inside 3.5hrs.

They seemed to assume that because they were playing a match it took priority over everyone else playing the stableford competition. I'm not sure I agree with that.

When you say stableford competition Berger, was it just a shop competition/non handicap qualifier or an open/club comp?

 

[Berger]

When you say stableford competition Berger, was it just a shop competition/non handicap qualifier or an open/club comp?

its an open stableford competition, run every wednesday during the summer. it is handicap qualifying.

 

[bozza]

I've also experienced the opposite of this at my course a few months a go, me and Kellfire were having a round at my place one night after work and we were held up from around the 8th over every shot as there was a pairs matchplay infront of us and the course was completely clear infront of them but they didn't wave us through.

Luckily their match finished on the 14th we would have never got round a full 18.

I think their thinking was that if they let us through then they may struggle to finish if they went a full 18

So should they have let us through?

 

[BoadieBroadus]

i would have let them through and thought nothing of it. i'd usually expect a match to move quicker than a stableford so would just have let them get on with it, regardless of what was in front.

 

[brendy]

its an open stableford competition, run every wednesday during the summer. it is handicap qualifying.

In that case, Id be surprised that the two were allowed out unless the open tee times ended before they teed it up.

 

[Hobbit]

They seemed to assume that because they were playing a match it took priority over everyone else playing the stableford competition. I'm not sure I agree with that.

IMO a matchplay game is usually quicker than a stableford because of the concessions, some of which can even be from the tee. For example, first guy hits the green, 2nd guy hits OOB with his first ball and his 2nd - concession and walk to the next tee. Equally, you could get a hole halved in, maybe, 7's but its rare that both players screw up the same hole, and doing it on different holes is where you get the early concessions and quicker play.

It could be said that if you were in the comp and following 4 balls, why didn't they let you through? Even if they were in the comp, you were playing quicker... I'd be more inclined to look at the groups in front for poor etiquette.

 

[GB72]

On a similar note, I got really frustrated with the number of 2 balls 'demanding' to be let through during my round at the weekend. I had been up the club for a bit before I teed off and saw a few 3 and four balls tee off ahead of us and the course was already busy (this was peak time on a Saturday morning). We went out next in a four ball and were up with the group in front. We called the first 2 ball through after 3 holes as we had a lost ball to find. 3 holes later and there is another 2 ball asking to be let through, which we did but explained that the course was busy and that they were unlikely to get through all of the groups in front. On the 10th tee (a starting point) we then had another 2 ball come up and ask if they could tee off ahead of us and, slightly begrudgingly, we obliged. 3 holes later we then have a pair of scratch team players demanding to play through as they were playing in a match and had come out for 9 holes of practice. We explained that the course was full and that the other 2 balls that we had let through had got no further forward than us but they made it pretty clear that they would report the matter if they were not allowed through. Annoyingly, they then found out what I told them was correct so cut on to another 9 holes in front of group to play their way back in. This delay then meant that another 2 ball had caught us up and was chasing us all the way in.

I may be wrong, but I have always thought that 3 and 4 balls should be the norm at busy times and the constant playing through of groups demanding to go through in the interests of quick play pretty much ruined my enjoyment of the round. At busy times, I have no idea why the club does not look to pair up 2 balls, set aside one loop of 9 for smaller groups or simply make them aware that at busy times they will not always be able to play through. In fact, if this continues, my regular 4 ball may as well go out as 2 pairs to stop this happening again.

Apologies for the rant and for any lapses in etiquette that I may have shown but it was very frustrating when we were playing at a decent pace.

 

[IanG]

The way I see it a non-match two ball has no more priority on the course that a 4 ball. If the course is stacked up and everyone is keeping up with the group in front I don't see why a two ball should be let through. Sure they may be being held up but frankly that is tough luck for them.

Of course if any group is not keeping up they should let those behind through - and this is true however many players are in either group.

 

[Foxholer]

It definitely can be frustrating!

Did you realise that 'Etiquette' specifies that those playing a full round have priority over those only playing a partial one. So you didn't really have to let the Scratch guys having '9 holes Practice'.

 

[chrisd]

I said earlier that we have a 2 tee start, one for 2 balls and the other for 3 and 4 balls and they swap over about every 2 hours. On Sunday mornings, however, we allow 3 and 4 balls off both tees which encourages maximum use and the notice board makes it clear that the normal rules of etiquette don't apply to letting 2 balls through on Sunday mornings - it works pretty well!

 

[Foxholer]

I said earlier that we have a 2 tee start, one for 2 balls and the other for 3 and 4 balls and they swap over about every 2 hours. On Sunday mornings, however, we allow 3 and 4 balls off both tees which encourages maximum use and the notice board makes it clear that the normal rules of etiquette don't apply to letting 2 balls through on Sunday mornings - it works pretty well!

That seems a good thing to me. Basically, join up or accept that it's not going to be quick. There are times when multiple 2-balls appears to be rather 'selfish' imo.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

If you are playing in a competition as a 2ball and keeping up with the group in front then you are not obliged to let them through. If they chose to play their match at a busy time that is their choice.

 

[Foxholer]

If you are playing in a competition as a 2ball and keeping up with the group in front then you are not obliged to let them through. If they chose to play their match at a busy time that is their choice.

My view too.

But some Clubs may have specific rules that require others, perhaps even including those involved in competitions, to give way to matches.

 

[richart]

Why did the three and fourballs not let you through in the first place if you were a two ball ? I am assuming you did not have booked tee times, but were playing in a rolling stableford when you can tee off when you like. If I was playing behind a two ball that was playing at the pace of a three or fourball I would ask to play through.

 

[mcbroon]

I've also experienced the opposite of this at my course a few months a go, me and Kellfire were having a round at my place one night after work and we were held up from around the 8th over every shot as there was a pairs matchplay infront of us and the course was completely clear infront of them but they didn't wave us through.

Luckily their match finished on the 14th we would have never got round a full 18.

I think their thinking was that if they let us through then they may struggle to finish if they went a full 18

So should they have let us through?

Yes.

 

[Berger]

Why did the three and fourballs not let you through in the first place if you were a two ball ? I am assuming you did not have booked tee times, but were playing in a rolling stableford when you can tee off when you like. If I was playing behind a two ball that was playing at the pace of a three or fourball I would ask to play through.

We had a tee time booked from the start of the week. There were at least four 3 or 4balls ahead of us. We had a little bit of a wait to play some shots but to be honest it wasn't too bad considering wednesday evening is usually one of the busiest times on the course. I didn't think it would be particularly fair for us to ask to play through four groups which would have then held them up.

 

[sev112]

My view too.

But some Clubs may have specific rules that require others, perhaps even including those involved in competitions, to give way to matches.

Mmmm.... ..??
In the hypothetical but not uncommon scenario of a 3 ball playing very slowly with no-one ahead (any more)' and a 2 ball is playing equally as slowly behind, then I would postulate that any group of any size playing any form of golf which is faster and behind them should be let through
But hey, never let common sense get in the way of another of the many in comprehensible traditions of this wonderful game of ours