Slow play - I was a right misery!

Slab

Occasional Tour Caddy
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Nov 20, 2011
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I'm only a new member so not had many experiences yet but I think it's workable as long as people don't leave their bags in the fairway every week!

See attached picture for illustration with direction of play indicated on the three holes.

wow, that's incredible you could get stuck in a time-warp playing those holes. I can see 6-7 groups stuck inside there for days when the course is busy
 

GB72

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May 8, 2007
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As a bit of an opposing view, I do not think that I have played through another group in over a year now irrespective of playing on my own, in a 2 ball or any other size of group. If the course or group in front is slow, I sit on the bench by the tee, puff on my ecig and enjoy being out in the fresh air (yes I appreciate the irony of puffing on an ecig whilst enjoying the fresh air), if the course is empty or moving quickly I crack on. You know what, since I gave up on the expectation to be played through I relaxed more, played better and learned to just take it as it comes as, at worst, I may have had half an hour added to my round. If I have to be somewhere at a certain time I either set out earlier or play after as I never enjoy myself when playing to a deadline.

So, to play devils advocate here, what about simply removing the right to play through. Without the expectation of it, people will not get so stressed about not being allowed to pass, nobody will have any expectation to play through so will adjust their pace to fit in with the pace the course is playing at and will not feel the need to drive up behind the group in front to 'encourage' an invite past and small groups may be disuaded from going out on a course full of 3 or 4 balls at the weekend and expect to pass them all.
 

SwingsitlikeHogan

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Jul 24, 2012
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As a bit of an opposing view, I do not think that I have played through another group in over a year now irrespective of playing on my own, in a 2 ball or any other size of group. If the course or group in front is slow, I sit on the bench by the tee, puff on my ecig and enjoy being out in the fresh air (yes I appreciate the irony of puffing on an ecig whilst enjoying the fresh air), if the course is empty or moving quickly I crack on. You know what, since I gave up on the expectation to be played through I relaxed more, played better and learned to just take it as it comes as, at worst, I may have had half an hour added to my round. If I have to be somewhere at a certain time I either set out earlier or play after as I never enjoy myself when playing to a deadline.

So, to play devils advocate here, what about simply removing the right to play through. Without the expectation of it, people will not get so stressed about not being allowed to pass, nobody will have any expectation to play through so will adjust their pace to fit in with the pace the course is playing at and will not feel the need to drive up behind the group in front to 'encourage' an invite past and small groups may be disuaded from going out on a course full of 3 or 4 balls at the weekend and expect to pass them all.

You have no right to play through - it's just etiquette - unless you have a local rule that says a group that has lost ground must make an offer to play through to a following group being held up. And remember - it's not just you who is being held up. You and your buddies might be quite happy to spend 5 and 1/2 hrs on the course behind a slow group that has lost ground on the group in front of them - but what about the groups behind you?
 
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