Slow play / fast play - who cares ???

[Nico]

Sure I agree that is the case sometimes,it is at my place.
There is usually some evidence to show that they are quicker,smaller group,level of competence etc.
What is unacceptable however is the oft heard statement "We would play you through but there is nowhere for you to go" you must let them go and expect the group ahead to do the right thing also.
In the case you describe though the fall back position is to do all you can to stay ahead.

 

[shanker]

Here's a warning for people who do this- knock a ball within 50 yards of where i'm standing and you'll be needing to head down to casualty to have the thing surgically extracted from your @rse!

You can't be serious? If you are, then I hope never to play on the same course as you. This forum is a bit of fun. Please, no threats of violence!

 

[billyg]

If you are, then I hope never to play on the same course as you. This forum is a bit of fun. Please, no threats of violence!

..and if you're the sort of person that thinks knocking a golf ball within 50 yards of someone is perfectly safe you're probably the sort of person that thinks tailgating at 90 mph is perfectly safe.

If you think that's fine then I concur - I indeed do not wish to be anywhere near you on a golf course either (or on a motorway for that matter)

Getting hit by a golf ball is no joke (or indeed a 'bit of fun') and is as potentially dangerous as being shunted on a motorway. It wasn't a threat - if you choose to interpret it as such that's your business yet I apologise nonetheless.

Golf is fun - winding up in casualty with a stoved in cranium or cracked ribs via a golf ball is not and drawing attention to this selfish stupidity at the hands of idiots wishing to demand their percieved right to play 'a little bit faster' is something I do not apologise for.

bill

 

[shanker]

I'm sorry Billy but I see nothing wrong with my drive finishing 40 or 50 yards behind the group in front.

 

[John_Findlay]

I'm far from the quickest player in the world...and I hate to be rushed along by the group behind. That's why I'll always let them through when there's space, often when there's not. It's simple manners. No shame in it.

Just out of interest, though. Played at Moray Golf Club just before Xmas with 3 ex captains of the club. They were the fastest players I'd played with in a long time. In trying to keep up with their pace I was out in one under par. No time to think! Played great. Probably the way I did when I was a junior. Was a breath of fresh air instead of the usual four hour round.

 

[brendy]

50 Yards is fine to me also, we have a couple of par 4's which are around the 300-320 mark, I always wait until the giys in front are on the green, though today I carried and hit our final green while they were still on it (323yds of normal tees, we were slightly forward). The ball landed within 10 feet of one of the guys, he looked back I waved in an apologetic way. I three putted and made my way to the locker room where the guy was just walking in I apologised to him, he took it in very good spirits and mentioned how it was a hell of a drive considering the strong gale conditions blowing straight across us which didnt help in the ball getting there.

 

[John_Findlay]

Surpised you found your ball, Brendy. You wouldn't have done if it had "landed" within 10 feet of me.

 

[madandra]

I have been here for a couple of weeks now and this is the first thing that has made me lose it!!

I cannot understand the selfish attitude of most of these posts. Our first responsibility as Golfers is the enjoyment of our fellow players,then we should consider ourselves.
READ THE RULES if a faster playing group comes up to you it is not your choice whether to play them through or not,you should always do so!!!

Nico, Please explain to me the knock on effect waving through folk sprinting round the course by 4 or 5 groups ?

I would imagine it would mean a further delay of about an hour over 18 holes waiting for them to get out of the way for the regular guys to play on.

I think three and a half hours is average and if you want to get round quicker, then go out at first light with nobody to spoil your round.

 

[brendy]

It was playing on my mind even when I got to the green and they had long gone, I only hit the ball as I thought the wind was hurting and the ball hadnt made the green the previous 2 weeks by around 15 yards in more clement conditions so today was a bit of a shocker. I would normally call fore if I thought it was going to be anywhere near anyone, it started off a good ten yards right of the green and it just didnt look like it was getting near the green, even my playing partners were surprised.
I hate it when it happens to me so was eager to say sorry to the fella, he is part of our before 9 club on sundays so I guess I was lucky it was someone I knew.

 

[John_Findlay]

Fair enough, Brendy, if the ball defied the laws of physics but still trundled up onto the green...but having the ability to land it within 10 feet of the group in front is just plain dangerous.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

As someone who was hit by a ball in a competition last year (caught me at the bottom of my back - bounced once and then whack) I feel the most qualified of posters to date.

As I mentioned in my posts at the time it bloody hurt and I went down and stayed down for a while. The bloke was totally in the wrong and even though he walked all the way up to see how I was his "I didn't think I could hit it that far" just wanted me to divorce his head from his shoulders. Realising if I chinned him I was the one likely to be thrown out of the club (or at least banned for a while) I did the polite thing and shook his hand.

I asked the question at the time about whether I should sue (took 1 day off work in the end to get it looked at but it was just bruising) or report it or accept his apologies (he bought me a drink and did offer lunch too).

In the end I wrote a brief letter to the committee explaining what had happened and suggested that it was best to leave the matter and just put the event on record. I think a few of the more "senior" (in terms of respect, standing etc not years) also had a few quiet words

Which brings me onto the argument of letting guys through as a must. I don't think there is a club in the country where if a group were motoring and playing deliberately quickly, they would be allowed more than one or two groups in front. Even if it is in the rules of golf I actually consider it vulgar and insulting for any member of that group to ask people maybe two holes in front to eventually have to break their rythym and pace when they are not being an obstruction to anyone around them just so these quicker players can go through.

I think if you want to play like that either go out first so you can have the course to yourselves and you can rush round as quick as you want, or buy your bloody course if you don't want to comply with the acceptable standards 99% of the members find sufficient

 

[brendy]

Fair enough, Brendy, if the ball defied the laws of physics but still trundled up onto the green...but having the ability to land it within 10 feet of the group in front is just plain dangerous.

For what it was also worth, I asked my partners to play first so they were not waiting even longer, it was just a bizaare moment.
I too have been hit twice, once by a playing partner square in the back and once in the leg exiting a par 3, the first time I could have maybe avoided but was hit unaware as a fella played out if turn while I was walking to my ball further up.

 

[viscount17]

brendy, now that you know that you can reach that green I presume you will never in future tee-off on that hole when anyone is on the green. If you do you are in breach of the duty of care that you owe to other players.

In that sense billy is right. Anyone who deliberately drives at another player to 'hurry him up' (though I don't think 50 yards is putting anyone at risk, 10 certainly is) should be barred.

There is a par 4 on my course where I can reach the green off the winter tee. I will not drive that hole if anyone is on the green nor will I pass anyone through on that hole while I wait. Most other holes (there are a couple of known bottlenecks) yes, that one not a chance.

 

[Nico]

Madandra.
There really isnt much effect playing people through if you use your head.
Pick your spot when it affects least,play as much of the hole together and then release the faster group. You wont be waiting for long and certainly not as long as the guys/gals you were holding up.

I totally accept some people can make speed a badge of honour.We have all been at clubs and heard "how did it go George" answered with "great 2 hours dead today" and not a mention of score, ridiculous! When faced with these characters my response is get them through quick,forget them and continue enjoying my time with the people I chose to be with.

That attitude is wrong too,however the basic fact is in the rules,you should let people through, full stop.

Where do people get the idea that playing quickly is selfish,everybody has their natural pace of play.

Hitting balls when you can get within 50 yds is not the way forward tho,that is too close! Aside from the possibility of getting the wrong bounce etc and going through someone what about the effect on their game. Ever tried holing a putt when you have heard the thud of a ball landing nearby,all you are waiting for is more incoming fire!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I play this game to relax (well thats the idea) and I still find the idea of letting a 2 or 4 ball through just because they are rushing abhorrent.

I don't care that it is in the rules. Even if I was to let the other 4 ball tee off with me the chances are the group in front will still be on the green putting out which means they will still have to wait for the green to clear. Where is the advantage in that.

Like I said in my previous post if I had teed off at say 8.00 and these speed merchants didn't start until say 8.30-8.45 why should I then disrupt my pace and game to allow them through when I am not holding anyone up (assuming the course is moving at a normal acceptable pace). If they want to rush round and be finished by 10.30-11.00 they should get out earlier.

I accept everyone has their own pace. Personally I play pretty quickly. Its normally pick a club, one practice swing, play, quick clean of the club, back in the bag and away.

I'm sorry Nico I can't agree with you. THese golfers are the equivalent of tailgaters on the motorway. I presume you accept that when driving this sort of behaviour is at best rude and at worst downright dangerous. Its the same with these spped freaks. They may have the rules on their side but most golfers have a clearer golfing conscience

 

[The23rdman]

"There's more to life than trying to make it go more quickly" ~ Ghandi

 

[Parmo]

I played 9 holes the other week in 1hr and 20 mins, not because I was rushing but because we where first out and played well, we turned up for the back 9 (9 hole course) and where told we would have to wait 40 minutes for our slot, we then watched groups 4 ball OAPs & hacking women tee off, the result was 5-10min wait on each hole, we had a two ball behind us who where good players and since they where up are arses and the OAPs and women where playing slow, we walked off on the 12th.

I agree slow play is a nightmare but players intent on playing up your arse, even though they can see you don't have a clear hole in front are just as bad, as someone else mentioned it is all about going with the flow and relaxing.

On Saturday me and my step son where on the 9th Tee when the group behind tee'd off and this one fellows drive was around 260 and hit the back of the green on the rise, the noise and closeness (about 10 yards away) really is a worrying thing (with no shout of fore!), 50 yards is ok but within 30 knowing someone is there is totally different to a wayward shot which I can forgive with a shout.

 

[markwarne]

What's the take on this one then?

My course was positively rammed on Saturday with the St Patricks Day Fun Day. My partner and I were out and - bearing in mind I was trying new clubs and having had my swing tinkered with by a lesson - I offered the 3 ball behind us to go ahead of us on the 1st tee, explaining that I may be a little on the slow side today. They were perfectly gracious and said it was no bother. So off we went. 3 holes in and ball are getting fired up our backsides. Again we offered to allow the 3 ball through and they declined (even though they could not really go anywhere due to the 4 ball in front who did not wave us through incidently).

Frustrations then started to become apparent as we were waiting for the four ball, the 3 ball were getting impatient, and despite 2 more offers for them to play through, they didn't. In the end, I was close to beating someone to death with my sand wedge!

Where does etiquette stand on this one? (Not the beating, but the play)

 

[Parmo]

The R&A states that the group in front have to have a clear hole ahead of them to be forced to let you play through no matter the size of the group (i.e. single player's are inc this as well, not the old myth of single players have no standing on the course)

I always carry the free R&A book I got from GM just incase some narna tries it on.

 

[The23rdman]

What's the take on this one then?

My course was positively rammed on Saturday with the St Patricks Day Fun Day. My partner and I were out and - bearing in mind I was trying new clubs and having had my swing tinkered with by a lesson - I offered the 3 ball behind us to go ahead of us on the 1st tee, explaining that I may be a little on the slow side today. They were perfectly gracious and said it was no bother. So off we went. 3 holes in and ball are getting fired up our backsides. Again we offered to allow the 3 ball through and they declined (even though they could not really go anywhere due to the 4 ball in front who did not wave us through incidently).

Frustrations then started to become apparent as we were waiting for the four ball, the 3 ball were getting impatient, and despite 2 more offers for them to play through, they didn't. In the end, I was close to beating someone to death with my sand wedge!

Where does etiquette stand on this one? (Not the beating, but the play)

They were in breach of etiquette, mate. I'd have had a quiet word with them about dangerous play.