Playing through...

[MarkT]

Something happened today that has never happened to me before on a golf course. A fourball (of really good blokes) let two of us through on the 1st tee this morning which saved us at least an hour and they were on about the 14th as we finished. Had the usual happened and everyone has stuck to the normal practice of avoiding eye contact and saying things like 'we would let you through but there'd be no point' etc etc we'd still be playing and probably moaning...

 

[Bazzatron]

I'd much rather let someone through than be constantly conscious of them waiting.

 

[IanM]

Surprised it has never happened. Thought (hoped??) that wouldn't be usual.

 

[davidy233]

Something similar happened to me on Saturday night - my wife and I booked a tee time with nobody in front or behind for a while - noticed just before we headed out that a father and son (who i know) had booked right in front of us - as we approached the tee ten minutes early I noticed the father was chatting to a passer by who he'd obviously met by chance - he said 'If you want to go Dave we'll go behind you' - luxury.

 

[jim8flog]

Used to be a frequent occurrence particularly before we had tee times. Now we have tee times the two ball would probably not be anywhere near the tee before their tee time.

 

[sweaty sock]

I've been avoiding being let through recently, mostly because as soon as I see an arm wave, I feel like I've got to play the hole at lightspeed, not look for balls, not putt out etc etc, then immediately catch up any gap in the course. Any concentration I had on my round goes out the window and it becomes a race to the clubhouse... or you just wait on the next group and achieve nothing other than swapping places with one group with them now standing arms crossed on every tee.

I think I'm happy just being last in the queue and enjoying the fresh air, If i dont have time then i should have known that before I tee'd off and expecred to just play 9 etc...

 

[Sats]

At my club I find this doesn't happen if the group are playing a match or are vets. All other times faster groups are let through.

 

[hacker_al]

Happy to report it's quite common at our club

 

[patricks148]

Wish this had happened to us at Edzell yesterday. First is a short par 4 so you wait till the group in front is on the green or putted out depending on if any of you are going for the green. Played the hole got to the 2nd tee and they hadn't even all played, so waited on evey shot

 

[RichA]

We often walk up to a tee to find the group in front waiting to let us through, if they've spotted us approaching in the previous hole. It's the norm at ours, even during comps.

 

[The Fader]

Happy to report it's quite common at our club

Same here.

I wouldn't like to play at a club where this wasn 't the norm

 

[clubchamp98]

Same here.

I wouldn't like to play at a club where this wasn 't the norm

Is this an education thing ?
Or just some people don’t give a dam about anyone else.
I would never hold up a two ball if we were 3/4 ball and they were waiting.

 

[Tashyboy]

It’s odd but the natural thought process is that 2 is quicker than 4. 99.9% of the time it is. On Tuesday we were on the first green and a two ball was on the tee behind. Little Victor was moaning about how he hates a two ball behind him. Anyway they never caught us up til we were on the 13th tee and the were on the 12th green. We apologised as we were keeping up with those in front. They were not bothered. He was coaching his wife and giving her the odd on course lesson when they had time. She knobbed one and jokingly said “ it’s coz you are all watching me”. Two greens later she knocked one 100 yards onto the green and we gave her a round of applause.
I also told little Victor to stop complaining coz we’re holding up a 2 ball.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Was out in a 2 ball couple of evenings back. As we walked up the 2nd fairway we saw a singleton walk off the 1st green to the 2nd tee. We immediately waved him up. I note we continued our play on the 2nd until he had caught us in range and was ready to play through, at which point we stood aside.

If I am by myself and arrive at the 1st tee it is common, if not usual, that any any group about to tee off - or in the process of teeing off, will tell me to go ahead of them. The same occasionally happens if I am in a two ball, with a three or four ball telling us to go - though tbh this is more likely if the group is a ladies or mixed group.

 

[need_my_wedge]

I was out playing 9 holes as a single the other evening. There was a 2 ball in front of me, started 30 mins or so ahead, and no one else between us. As I was playing into the first green, I could see them playing down 4. I caught them on the 5th, had to wait on them to play my second shot. I was then waiting every shot, even playing extra pitches and putts around greens, I was waiting, I finished 6 before they tee'd off on 7, still I waited, and waited, and waited, until the 9th. They were playing the par 3 9th, and had played 2 or 3 shots to get on the green and were ready to putt. I was standing on the tee waiting again, when they turned around and called me through....... . I just waved them on at that point....

 

[need_my_wedge]

We immediately waved him up. I note we continued our play on the 2nd until he had caught us in range and was ready to play through, at which point we stood aside.

This is the key isn't it. So many think playing someone through means standing aside and waiting until they play a couple of shots and make it out of range. They should play their shot, then you carry on with yours until they pass you, they play their next shot and depending on where you are it's that point you either walk up to yours and wait, or even walk up to the green together, let them putt out and move on before you putt.

 

[toyboy54]

Wish this had happened to us at Edzell yesterday. First is a short par 4 so you wait till the group in front is on the green or putted out depending on if any of you are going for the green. Played the hole got to the 2nd tee and they hadn't even all played, so waited on evey shot

Couldn' you just shoot them
Did they say anything to you as to why so slow??...OR, was it the studiously ignoring you bit??
If they went into the clubhouse afterwards, could you not have done the ' BIG ACCIDENTAL STUMBLE ' into their table-hopefully stacked with liquids ( preferably hot ) with the "Oh dearie me, how unfortunate, hope you're not TOO badly burned? Wonder if the ambulance will be as slow as your pace of play, could be here for quite a while in that case !!
Think that the IRoNY would be lost on these people though-don't you???
These folk rip my knitting, they really do-so inevitability words/comments are sometimes exchanged.
Hey Ho, peace and love to all