Slow play / fast play - who cares ???

[markwarne]

23rdman, I was going to have a word but decided against it, as I didn't particularly want to sound off and debilitate my mental game even further.

I just find it so annoying that you will get the odd group of numpties who thinks that because they can hit a better ball than me (which, up until the 14th, was not too hard on saturday for the aforementioned reasons) it means that they can get a strop on and spoil it for others.

 

[madandra]

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.

Aye, so I would !!!!!!!! He would have been told if he did it once more I would ram by lob wedge right up his Ronson Lighter. There are times where etiquette is waisted on people like them.



Madandra crawls back into the dark room and pops his medication.

 

[toonarmy]

Seriously, why would something landing 50yds behind you bother you? How far in front do you have to be before you feel 'safe'? The pros take shots before the group in front have taken their approaches at times and the pros in front just stand to one side. If they can cope with it, why would we get so animated about a ball that is nowhere near us?

Before I continue, I would just like to say that I also don't enjoy being stuck behind slow players. But I really hate speedy gonzales types behind more.

What is wrong with you if when you are playing the game you love, in the middle of beautiful surroundings and presumably with friends, you fail to enjoy all of that and instead get upset about having to spend more time doing it than you had anticpated?

Sometimes you can get round quick, sometimes it's slow. Sometimes you play well, sometimes you don't. As long as the rules are observed and if you've lost ground on the group in front, you wave through, what's the problem?

Smell the roses, guys, smell the roses...

 

[madandra]

Toony, when we play on the par 3's we always mark and let the group behind play down and then putt out when they are walking toward the green.

The examples you use on the tour are carefully organised and the players up the fairway will have been told that the other group would be teeing off. My gripe is with the golf course BULLIES who don't wait for any man and think it is their God giver right to march on regardless.

I have always found the BULLIES to be low handicap golfers who have no respect for high cappers.

 

[toonarmy]

Quite. I also find it tends to be the gentlemen who are of an age when they should bloody well know better!

 

[billyg]

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!

http://golf.about.com/od/fitnesshealth/a/safetyguideline.htm

Never Hit Into the Group Ahead of Yours
This should go without saying, shouldn't it? What we're talking about are those occasions when a very slow group is ahead of yours, and frustration takes over. It happens to all of us. Someone in your group gets angry, and next thing you know, they're teeing up a ball and intentionally hitting into the slow-playing group ahead.

If you're ever tempted to do this ... don't. It's very rare, but golfers have been killed after being struck by golf balls. Injuries do occur.

Instead of taking aim at someone in anger, take a deep breath. Remind yourself that you're playing golf, a great game, and enjoy the camaraderie with your buddies. If you spot a course marshall, flag him down and ask if he can help speed up play. Don't take the risk of hurting someone ahead

bill

 

[GB72]

At my club there are certain holes where it is compulsary to mark your ball and let the group behind play their tee shot so long as they are ready on the tee before the first of your group begins to put. It creates some obvious places on the course to allow groups through and, as such, there does not seem to be as much pressure from groups behind. They seem more than willing to bide their time until these holes and then pass through at a time when the delay to all concerned is at a minimum. Seems quite a sensible approach to me.

 

[madandra]

I blame CUSTOM FITTING for this !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BunkerMentality123]

My take on this is that as long as you keep up with the group in front you've nothing to worry about. If the group behind are knocking balls close (ie withing a few feet rather than within 50yds). Stop let them play through then enjoy putting them off with constant polite reminders to keep up with play.

I would never hit balls at the group in front, as a very good friend of mine was hit on the back of his head by what Madandra calls the Golf Bully.

He however was not such a bully when he was reported to the committee by 3 different groups and banned from the course for 6 months and had a visit from the law.

I know that people get hit from time to time by accident but this guy is now facing prosecution for dangerous conduct due to his reputation for firing balls knowingly with the intent of hitting someone.

Think on chaps, think on.

 

[Nico]

Homer, context tends to get lost in written conversations.
Where I play I was known as a slow player(true) and in order to not spoil other peoples days out I sorted it.
I was lucky in that the guy who owned our place at the time was a mate and we worked on a pre shot routine that I still use.
However I am not like a reformed smoker as I am still considered deliberate.
I do however feel that our first obligation in golf is to our fellow golfers and I am reading your comments as selfish.
How can anyone say that they dont care what the rules say and that I will do what I like anyway?
You are absolutely right about tail gaters got no time for them or bullies.

 

[brendy]

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.

Absolutely matey, our 18th has a small rise to the green and historically this year I have been 20 yards short of the green just short of the rise, I was gobsmacked when I saw it land as I was expecting to see it land amongst the knolls short of the green. I think its a case of let whoever mock if I say Im waiting for the green as regardless how i come across on here, I am not cocky and confident on the course or in person.
As I mentioned in a previous post, At the other couple of holes that I can reach or where there is a dogleg that is driveable I always invite my partners to go first to swallow up another couple of minutes to let the group ahead get well out of range.

 

[RGuk]

Toony, when we play on the par 3's we always mark and let the group behind play down and then putt out when they are walking toward the green.

Ahh....the old "courtesy hole"......don't see them much anymore.

Glad to see some manners exist up there in a (clearly) more civilised land.

 

[TonyN]

Toony, when we play on the par 3's we always mark and let the group behind play down and then putt out when they are walking toward the green.

Ahh....the old "courtesy hole"......don't see them much anymore.

Glad to see some manners exist up there in a (clearly) more civilised land.

The 9th at Vicars cross in Chester states that you have to let people take there tee shots if your on the green and putt whilst there walking the fairway. I think this is a fantastic idea! Really keeps things going!

 

[par_par_par_treble]

if you fall a hole behind and someone is close behind, you let them play through. Even if they are a 1 ball - its manners. Even if a local rule says they have no standing. It may be you one day, being held up by 4...

if play is slow in front, keep up with play, but keep your distance. its very arrogant to assume that other players already being held up, should be held up further because you are quicker. how do you know?? they are being held up too!

50 yards isn’t a problem. some tee boxes are say 30 yards from the previous green, then 50 yards the other way is another green. you would never get to play a shot. if you think you can reach, don’t play. Sometimes you do reach though - i hit a 5 iron about 250 to a par 5 green the other week. a lay up shot gone wrong. should i wait next time, then hit it 190 and hold the course up for 5 minutes??

i have been hit by a ball (in the middle of my chest). not great, but if you play golf long enough it will happen. i think you are more likely to be hit by a ball coming from a different hole than somebody over shooting - they must really underestimate themselves if its still flying when it hits you

the first rule of golf should be “treat others the way you would like to be treated”. I think the modern “road rage” / “trolley rage” attitude is hitting the fairways. if you really think about it, you are only upsetting yourself. Enjoy you chosen sport – save your arguing for the boss / wife