Solo player behind you. What do you do?

[patricks148]

one the whole let a single though straight away, but not a couple of guys at my club. Who both have a habit of holding up a 4 ball as a single, so either of them, not a chance

 

[FairwayDodger]

Ask them if they want to join or go through.

I often play on my own when I want to practice, if there is nobody behind me I often decline either as the extra time is spent practicing rather than waiting.

Sometimes if asked to go through I will do as much as possible to get out of their way as quickly as possible eg not bother with putting.

Same here, when I go out alone at certain times I'm not expecting to fly round and don't like to play right up behind anyone so will happily kill some time chipping or putting before moving to the next tee. The problems arise when there's a group behind pushing you so you can't do that, then I'd prefer to be let through at the first opportunity.

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

First I would invite him to join us to make a fourball

If he declined I would then invite him to go through

Why - well the first is good manners and something that should be encouraged and the second bit is just good plain old etiquette and taking notice of pace of play regulations within the rules

This.....

 

[Tommo21]

If he is playing faster than you/me then invite him through.......its simple and is the R & A words.

It is a group’s responsibility to keep up with the group in front. If they lose a clear hole and delay the group behind, they should invite the group behind to play through, irrespective of the number of players in that group. Where a group has not lost a clear hole, but it is apparent that the group behind can play faster, they should also invite the faster moving group to overtake them.

 

[HughJars]

Both a & b.

Invite him thorugh, " or join us if you want"?

a - he has priority, clearly quicker than youm why wouldnt you?
a&b - he may be time restricted, he may not like playing/socializing with strangers.

 

[virtuocity]

will happily kill some time chipping or putting before moving to the next tee.

Makes sense. We're not allowed to do that though.

 

[williamalex1]

Makes sense. We're not allowed to do that though.

It's about time you were on the council / committee

 

[Maninblack4612]

If he is playing faster than you/me then invite him through.......its simple and is the R & A words.

It is a group’s responsibility to keep up with the group in front. If they lose a clear hole and delay the group behind, they should invite the group behind to play through, irrespective of the number of players in that group. Where a group has not lost a clear hole, but it is apparent that the group behind can play faster, they should also invite the faster moving group to overtake them.

Since when was a single person a "group". Has the word "group" been used deliberately to exclude a single player?

 

[Tommo21]

Since when was a single person a "group". Has the word "group" been used deliberately to exclude a single player?

You would need to ask the R n A, but it does say irrespective of how many. Besides that, who would want to hold up a faster single player.

 

[OnTour]

100% let him through if space in front 👍

 

[Deleted member 15344]

You would need to ask the R n A, but it does say irrespective of how many. Besides that, who would want to hold up a faster single player.

The same people within golf clubs that believe that single players don't have a standing - there are still plenty of them around ( I had an argument with a fourball of seniors who believed I had no standing and they didn't have to let me through ) and there also still clubs that state that at their club a single player has no standing

 

[Maninblack4612]

The same people within golf clubs that believe that single players don't have a standing - there are still plenty of them around ( I had an argument with a fourball of seniors who believed I had no standing and they didn't have to let me through ) and there also still clubs that state that at their club a single player has no standing

Mine included. I don't play solo often but would never expect to be allowed to play through on a busy course. When it's quiet common sense prevails & we have often let singles through if there was nobody in front of us.

I believe the wording of the R & A recommendation says "group" deliberately to exclude single players, it's not just careless wording.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Mine included. I don't play solo often but would never expect to be allowed to play through on a busy course. When it's quiet common sense prevails & we have often let singles through if there was nobody in front of us.

I believe the wording of the R & A recommendation says "group" deliberately to exclude single players, it's not just careless wording.

This is from the R&A - in the etiquette section of the rules...

Priority on the Course
Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, priority on the course is determined by a group’s pace of play. Any group playing a whole round is entitled to pass a group playing a shorter round. The term “group” includes a single player.

It should be remembered that consideration should be shown to others on the course at all times.

 

[Maninblack4612]

This is from the R&A - in the etiquette section of the rules...

Priority on the Course
Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, priority on the course is determined by a group’s pace of play. Any group playing a whole round is entitled to pass a group playing a shorter round. The term “group” includes a single player.

It should be remembered that consideration should be shown to others on the course at all times.

Fair enough. Didn't know that.

 

[Orikoru]

I would wave him through straight away. Mainly because it benefits everyone - he doesn't want to be held up and we don't want to feel like we're holding anyone up and having to rush our shots.

Wouldn't invite him to join us however, if I was in a 3 ball with two of my friends then having a stranger along with us would just change the dynamic somewhat. As I say, we'd happily wave him through anyway.

 

[turkish]

Here's the scenario:

You're in a 3 ball. There's a 4 ball ahead of you and while the course is busy, it's not crazy i.e. you don't have to wait for every shot.

You finish the first hole. After driving off at the 2nd a solo player finishes putting out on the 1st and quickly approaches the second tee and is there as you and your two friends leave the tee box.

Do you:

a) invite the solo player to play through
b) invite the solo player to join you
c) both a and b
d) keep your head down and ignore the solo player or say hello and walk on

And why?

Maybe they seen it was you though?

 

[Deleted member 21258]

As much as it pains me to say, we would offer a) only. (I say pains me to say, as if I was more sociable and kind of know that I should say b as well )

More than happy to let people though, as slow play drives me nuts but wouldn't offer to join up or both, certainly d) is something I would never do and we fairly regularly often let one or two balls though in the evenings(when we are either a 3 or 4 ball), so that they can get a whole round in when we are only doing 14 or 16 holes for example.

 

[Deleted member 23270]

No group (irrespective of the number within that group) has the God given right to be called through if they are quicker or smaller than the group in front. Each case has to be judged on it's own merits depending on the situation on the course. In most cases it would be appropriate to call the single guy through but not always. Always the option to ask him/her to join you though if you are not playing in a competition etc. :thup:

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

If he catches you on a tee or is on the adjacent green than ask if he wishes to play through or join you (if appropriate given your own circumstances). But his right to play through you is always there. Often singletons are happy fiddling about practicing and trying things out and are not bothered about playing through.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I always let solo players through at the first opportunity. Might invite him to join us depending on circumstances.

However..... if I was the last group in a team match I wouldn't let him through.

This is a good point. My thinking would be that any match has precedence over casual play - and a singleton can only ever be casual play. So a singleton catches the last group of a multi-group match - said singleton is basically stuck there and should be OK with that - understanding as they should that they shouldn't disrupt the match.