Solo Golfer Has No Standing on the Course

[GB72]

Have seen this mentioned on another thread and a few times in the past. I have just looked at the local rules for my club and it appears that it applies on my course.

My question is, what does it actually mean. Am I obliged to let every group through? If I am waiting on a tee and a 4 ball walks up,do I have to stand aside and let them play on? Am I obliged to wave groups down if I am on the fairway and they are on the tee?

I am partial to the odd round on my own, I find it relaxing, good practice and a chance to try shots I would not attempt in a more competitive environment but have not played a solo round since I joined this club. Would thus like to know what is expected of me when I do.

 

[Parmo]

Sounds like a raw deal to me fella, I have lost count of the number of times I have politely reminded players of the R & A rules (with the booklet I got from GM) which states solo players have the same rights as groups.

 

[GB72]

It is a bit of a raw deal I suppose and I was not aware when I joined. That said, I suppose it encourages individuals to pair up if they can.

 

[EchtLoon]

It is a bit of a raw deal I suppose and I was not aware when I joined. That said, I suppose it encourages individuals to pair up if they can.

Unless you have some real douchbags at your course, then you should be fine.

I had this pulled on me at Castletown on the IoM. Was playing on my own, and on the 14th tee I see a threeball of ladies short-cutting from the 11th green to the 15th tee which was about 70 yards ahead of the mens. (3 hole loop back to 15th tee obvs.)

I think nothing of it, but get on the tee to see the first of them tee off, then the next, and the next. They then make to move off, at which point I shout four and fire one up the fairway (ladies tee right on the edge of the boundary wall).

I stroll up and remark on the "beautiful day ladies". At which point I get a "you've no standing on the course" lecture, at which I must admit to having my gast flabbered. I respond that as you're not playing a full round, neither do you!

Apparently they were off to report me to the committee. I never heard about it again of course.

 

[OldWindy]

If you're out playing on your own you will be expected to wave all other parties through and you're not to expect to be waved through. It's also possible you will be waved through yourself as there are some folks who will recognise you might play faster than a four-ball (this will strongly depend on the players good will - at some fustier clubs you're likely to get furrowed brows cast at you)! I will try and not play on my own if the course is very busy, just to avoid hold-ups.

 

[Parmo]

I started playing on my own (ooerr) but because its early morning the course isnt to bad, even on the second nine (9 hole course), we now have a reg 3 ball and this saturday we now have a 4 ball, if at worst I can play with my step son and its fine, but and a big but I did once play mid sunday afternoon by myself and it was a nightmare, slow 4 balls and a comp ruined what could have been a beautiful golfing afternoon and yet they see the single player as the slow one when its obvious its the OAPs and their comps.

 

[TWM]

Under the rules of golf you have equal standing with all other groups. The term "group" includes a single player.
Your club may have a bylaw which deprives the single player of standing, in which case, hard luck.

 

[GB72]

Indeed, it is a bylaw at my club. Found it printed in the back of the fixture diary when it arrived.

 

[Parmo]

I would just get on with it, if you find people abusing it and pushing you off the course then I would reconsider membership there, but until that time just play as normal.

 

[viscount17]

now I'm going to have to check the course rules but with the number who do play solo I have a feeling it's not the case. I can usually count on being waved through, sometimes invited to join up. of course there's always the awkward squad who wouldn't give way no matter what or who think that local rules at their old club also have a standing here.

 

[Gizmo722]

Doesnt make any sense to me at all!surely the solo golfer isnt the one holding people up. Everytime i have played on my own i have been waved through.By the sounds of things i have been lucky up to now.

 

[par_par_par_treble]

In theory, 4 solo golfers would slow play down more than a 4 ball. Therefore I agree with the rule at busy times, but not when the course is quiet...

 

[MVP]

Its a F ing stupid rule if your on your own and there is a 4ball in front by all means let the solo guy thru, but if theres 4 fourballs one after another then it can be a pain to keep doing it!

 

[pjaz]

I do play golf on my own (for the same reasons many of us do from time to time), but the bylaw here affecting GB72 could do with updating, something along the lines of:

solo golfers allowed at the discretion of the professional, but not on (enter main competition times/busy times).

That way everyone knows where they stand and its a reasonable statement. You can understand it on Sat/Sun AM when there are lots of people wanting to play/competitions but not at 9am on a Tuesday when there are 4 'groups' on the entire course.

I bet the pro's play lots of golf on their own to practice and I bet if Padraig Harrington turned up and asked to have a game on his own at GB72's course that no-one would object.

 

[mick]

common sense should prevail(which doesn't always happen in golf)if there a chance to get through and away then you should be let through,however if you're only going to be held up again i dont see the point.

 

[theeaglehunter]

If I was playing as a solo golfer I would not feel obliged to let a group through as I would inevitably play quicker but would also not expect to be let through if the local rules say that solo golfers have no standing then you have...no leg to stand on in justifying your playing through.

 

[RGuk]

I play on my own quite often (6/9/12 holes) and would only let a group through if I was slowed down by the group in front and a 2/3/4 ball was looming behind me.
I get asked to play through (even though I have no standing) and get on with it quick smart, including not putting out.

I'm in two minds about the rule; in reality, it's rare to catch up a good single player. If I got squeezed off, I might feel differently.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have just had two days of playing on my own. Went out yeaterday at lunch time solely to give the ladies (Tuesday is Ladies Day every week) a chance to finish and also give the veterans who always start on the 10th on Tuesdays (so as not to get held up by the ladies comeptition) a chance to get round nad vacate the front nine.

Went out and not a sole on the course. I did the same thing today and had the whole of the front nine to myself. Got met by a guy starting at the 10th so we hooked up for the back nine.

I often play on my own when I get days off as most of my golf buddies are working and the vets greedy is impossible to join unless you have 20 character references or are over 125

Whenever play on my own there is never an issue about me doing so. Indeed looking over the front nine as I meandered my way round the last few holes there seemed to be several singletons out there. In most cases most of our membership will elt you through without too many problems or invite you to join them.

If I do catch a group up and it is obvious I am at the tail end of several groups I try and play slower and where possible (if I have no-one behind) I'll practice my putting on each green to give the group in front a chance to play on.

It is sad that many clubs still see single players as some sort of golfing lurgy and think they cause more problems than they do. There is nothing finer than playing a course on your own either first thing in the morning or late at night. I love being the first to leave a putting trail on a green in the morning or to see the rabbits come out in the evening sun.

I think a lot of being able to get away with single play is being able to judge the traffic on the course. If you kow one nine is particularly busy try and start on the other side. Similarly if it is peak time or there is a society/comp going out then playing alone doesn't make sense. A trip to the practice ground to give the course time to clear a little always seems to work for me

 

[ball_basher]

i work most weekends and my proper friends don't play golf , so i normally end up playing solo, and i really enjoy it , i have a quite demanding job and it can be long hours so its great to be able to just phone up and turn up , i have never experienced any negativity to playing solo and have met some great guys on the first tee , im also getting to know a few fellow members who play at the same time every week , which is cool , i do find i never play as well with strangers and have only played one comp , so i am trying to mix allot more with other members as i want to enter more comps and try to do well in them , i played solo today and have got a red head lol

 

[Doh]

GB72

Why dont you take this up with council, i did and they didn't even know about the new rule. So even though it's the hand book/diary it could be the case that no one has bothered to review it in years.I know what they will come back with, that they dont want a lot of single players cluttering up the course but they wont know that untill they a least give it a chance.
Anyway for this year at least single players have the same rights as any other group at my Club.