Mel Smooth
Hacker
Team comp, there's a couple of 4 balls out with a visiting club and a two ball comes up behind. Do you wave them through?
Playing through?
- Thread starter Mel Smooth
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Deleted member 29109
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IanM
Journeyman Pro
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- Monmouthshire, UK via Guildford!
If there's space in front, yes.
PhilTheFragger
Provider of Entertainment for the Golfing Gods 🙄
Faster group, of course, if there is room
If the course is rammed full, with nowhere to go, then all you are doing is creating a backlog for your group and the ones behind.
It is highly frustrating being in a 2 ball, when the larger group in front has a gap and they have no intention of letting you through, unfortunately happens virtually every weekend
If the course is rammed full, with nowhere to go, then all you are doing is creating a backlog for your group and the ones behind.
It is highly frustrating being in a 2 ball, when the larger group in front has a gap and they have no intention of letting you through, unfortunately happens virtually every weekend
As per post 2 and 3. Why wouldn't you?
I had a 4 ball hold me up, 2 ball, on Sunday for 9 holes. At the end one of the 4 apologised and gave the excuse that they were playing a match
. Do you not have manners when playing matches? Pompous nonsense.
Let the faster group through if there is space, end of.
I had a 4 ball hold me up, 2 ball, on Sunday for 9 holes. At the end one of the 4 apologised and gave the excuse that they were playing a match
. Do you not have manners when playing matches? Pompous nonsense. Let the faster group through if there is space, end of.
Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
It's all about the if
If its just the two 4-balls ahead (& clear space in front of them) then of course the rear 4-ball should let the 2-ball through (as should the front 4-ball)
However If the rear 4-ball is caught say on 16th green, then probably not (unless there's ball searches going on in the rear 4-ball)
If all the players use common sense the question shouldn't need to be asked
If its just the two 4-balls ahead (& clear space in front of them) then of course the rear 4-ball should let the 2-ball through (as should the front 4-ball)
However If the rear 4-ball is caught say on 16th green, then probably not (unless there's ball searches going on in the rear 4-ball)
If all the players use common sense the question shouldn't need to be asked
Maninblack4612
Tour Winner
Perhaps we should have an "Old Chestnuts" category on the Forum
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
If ’wave through’ is done properly, then the delay experienced by the group doing the ‘waving through‘ should be minimal…indeed no more than the group would experience if they had had to do, say, two separate 3min ball searches on the hole.
SurreyGolfer
Active member
As per post 2 and 3. Why wouldn't you?
I had a 4 ball hold me up, 2 ball, on Sunday for 9 holes. At the end one of the 4 apologised and gave the excuse that they were playing a match
Let the faster group through if there is space, end of.
So a similar situation happened to me a few weeks ago. I was playing as a single and had a 4 or 5 4-balls ahead of me (all under one booking). I got to the first group on the 6th and they asked if I wanted to be let through, all good. Got to the second or third group and a couple of them piped up with "I can't believe you were let through, we're playing a match!" and lots of protestations.
I said "Oh I'm sorry I didn't see a competition on the board? Which one is it?" and they rather sheepishly stated it was just a match amongst themselves and proceeded to reluctantly wave me through.
I really don't get why you wouldn't let a faster group through, particularly if it's group with less players than your own.....and I really don't get what potentially being involved in a match has to do with it? It's not the Ryder Cup mate and watching me thin one through the back as I play through is hardly going to have an outcome on your match.
YandaB
Newbie
But even if it was a "proper" match, I don't recall ever seeing it written anywhere that courtesy is suspended and normal ettiquette no longer applies. It's just people playing a game for amusement.
Neilds
Assistant Pro
Where is it laid down that matches have priority on a course? The only thing I can see at my course is a match that is tied after 18 can jump in at the first but must vacate the course when the match is ended. Is it some age old thought that no linger applies?
It belongs in the same territory as a single golfer having no standing on the course.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
I know that at my club if, say, I am in a two ball and another two ball comes quickly up behind us I might well ask if they are playing a match, especially if I recognise the pair as not being regular playing companions. And (especially) if they are a match I’d ask if they’d want to play through. Same for a four ball catching, and especially if its clearly a foursomes match.
I think it’s good etiquette as a recognition and a courtesy to let a match play through casual play. We all know that none of us like having to wait, and wait, and wait…to play our next shot - and again that’s especially the case when it’s a match.
It costs me a few minutes on a round that doesn’t matter, minutes that are easily lost further into insignificance or gained over the rest of the round, so I just do it.
Bdill93
Undisputed King of FOMO
The only reason I would not let a group play through is if we are also being held up on every tee box for 5 mins+ and its fully stacked ahead of us. It actually happens more often than you might think at my club - especially if you go out after a comp.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
I’d still offer. But I‘d tell them that we’d tee off and walk on, then when we get to our balls we’d stand aside to let them play. That way avoids the dilemma I’d face if the very next group was another comp group. After they had tee‘d off I‘d then have my group play our second shots as the group playing through caught us up. By which time we’d have walked on further and would stand aside again. Its how you do it.
Bdill93
Undisputed King of FOMO
Our comp tees are fixed between 8-10am - not a choice throughout the day like at some clubs! Anyone out after 10am is general play.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
It is indeed an indisputable fact that if I am waiting 5 mins to tee off on every hole then I am not the one holding up those behind me.
That said I must make sure that I am keepimg well up with the group in front else I will be accused by those behind me of losing my place on the course and so holding up the group behind. Even if there is ‘nowhere to go’ I must not dawdle.
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jim8flog
Journeyman Pro
Our club rules specificly say matches do not have priority on the course.
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Always should be the same - faster group has priority on the course regardless of group size
Unfortunately there are still far too many people playing who appear to be unwilling to let any group through regardless of the size. It’s as if it’s a sure sign of slow play.
A group can be slow but at least be courteous and let the quicker groups through
Unfortunately there are still far too many people playing who appear to be unwilling to let any group through regardless of the size. It’s as if it’s a sure sign of slow play.
A group can be slow but at least be courteous and let the quicker groups through
chrisd
Major Champion
I'd always try and call a faster group through. On Sunday we were playing as a 3 ball behind a 4 ball, they were taking an age and never looked back. We came off the 3rd green as they walked off the 4th tee on said " we'll try and get a move on, we've been held up- by ourselves! " I just shook my head.
Minutes later a single golfer holed out on the 3rd, drove the buggy he was using to try and bolt round on a Sunday, he almost drove on the tee we were then teeing off on and sat staring at us with arms folded. Now we only have 3 rental buggies and Sundays are pretty busy early morning. We invited him to tee off with us, then move on for his second shot - but I can't grasp why anyone would bolt round as a single golfer on a busy course early Sunday
Minutes later a single golfer holed out on the 3rd, drove the buggy he was using to try and bolt round on a Sunday, he almost drove on the tee we were then teeing off on and sat staring at us with arms folded. Now we only have 3 rental buggies and Sundays are pretty busy early morning. We invited him to tee off with us, then move on for his second shot - but I can't grasp why anyone would bolt round as a single golfer on a busy course early Sunday
