Solo player behind you. What do you do?

[virtuocity]

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?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

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

 

[upsidedown]

Would offer b and a in that order.

In NZ we invited a solo to join us and he turned out to be a father of babies my wife had looked after 4 years ago before we both emigrated

 

[FairwayDodger]

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.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Invite them to join and then let them through

 

[ScienceBoy]

Invite to join, golf is more fun social. If not let them play up with us as long as necessary (usually to the green then let them chip up, putt out and crack on playing on their own (usually as we putt out).

 

[mashleyR7]

It amazes me that this is even a question, ask him to join, if he says no, step aside and let him play on. I can't imagine a scenario that would be any different.

 

[chrisd]

B then a, cos that's what is right

 

[Bigfoot]

Exactly this scenario happened when I joined Enville and I turned up as a single. Two holes after I joined the three ball, they told me the larger group played Monday, Wednesday and Friday and asked me to come along.

That is exactly what I did and still play it the larger group of approx 30 players.

 

[williamalex1]

A similar situation happened to my 4 ball in this weeks Tuesday's medal.
We spotted the single guy teeing off at our 2nd just as we're leaving our nearby 3rd green.
We were catching up a 4 ball about to tee off on the 5th [ they'd started about an hour before us ] and are well known for not letting people through.
We agreed to invite the guy play through but TBH reluctantly because we knew the other 4 ball wouldn't let him through.
But he declined as he was just practicing for a few holes and knew the 4ball wouldn't let him through anyway .
Btw these guys include past captains, secretaries, ex council members and have been reported umpteen times.

 

[hovis]

It amazes me that this is even a question, ask him to join, if he says no, step aside and let him play on. I can't imagine a scenario that would be any different.

i agree. its a shame this even has to be discussed

 

[virtuocity]

Thanks folks. Glad I seem to be in the majority of those who thinks this is a daft thread.

Got up the notion of a round today after chucking the clubs in the cupboard for the past few weeks only to be stopped after one hole after 3 members went for option d.

 

[Deleted member 21784]

I find if ur waiting on the tee and you ask to play through people who refuse are too much of a wuss to actually say no to your face so just cave .. only ignore you if u let them

 

[williamalex1]

Thanks folks. Glad I seem to be in the majority of those who thinks this is a daft thread.

Got up the notion of a round today after chucking the clubs in the cupboard for the past few weeks only to be stopped after one hole after 3 members went for option d.

Maybe they'd heard about you :rofl:

 

[Deleted member 1740]

Depends who that solo player was

B then A

 

[MadAdey]

Got stuck behind a 4-ball a few weeks ago as a solo player. Tee'd off about an 1.5 hours after them and caught them up after 5 holes. On the 6th tee they were just going back to their carts to put their clubs away when I walked up to the tee box. They took one look at me got in their carts and then proceeded to rush every shot after that. They quite clearly had no intention of letting me play through and would prefer to rush their shots to try and keep ahead. An hour later I walked off after 9, yes 1 hour to play 4 holes for a 4-ball. So basically tehy were easily looking at playing at a 5+ hour round.

I spoke to the pro about it and he said that they always get complaints about them not letting people through and at times have to send someone out onto the course to speak with them. Apparently one of the ladies is married to some bigwig lawyer and lives in the biggest house on the course so she thinks she owns the place and can do what ever she wants.

 

[BrizoH71]

Normally B then A, but depends on whether or not the solo person is one of the club's a-holes... if he is, then option A only. If he declines then tough chookies, he had his chance and he can wait.

 

[Sweep]

I'd invite to play through and maybe join us depending on the circumstances.
However, if I was the single player I would make sure I didn't quite catch up with the 3 ball ahead. Maybe it's just me but I don't feel right about standing by the tee as the group ahead are playing if they are not playing slow. On the odd occasion I play solo and it's happened I usually find not being too aggressive usually works and they call you through at the first opportunity.

 

[Face breaker]

Depends on their speed really, I very often play on my own, I'm also quite a quick player and catch groups up fast, I never ask to go through, if I'm invited to play through then I'll either accept or decline depending on my intentions, no point in me going through on the 9th or 10th if I'm only playing the front 11 and if I'm playing 18 and I'm on the 14th or 15th then I'm chilling out at that point so will be quite happy to mosey along behind for the last few holes... :thup:

 

[jim8flog]

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.