Some people...

Canary_Yellow

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Nipped out at lunchtime today to whip round my local par 3 (with one par 4). It's a well kept course in a nice setting and I can shoot round in well under an hour so its ideal for lunchtime.

Get to the tee and a three ball have just gone off (not even reached their bags at this stage). Half thought they might let me through immediately, they didn't, but I wasn't concerned as I was sure they would soon enough.

With a bit of hacking around in the woods, they finished the first hole and trundled off to the second. I was on the second tee before they'd finished teeing off. By the time they'd finished that hole, the two ball behind me were also on the tee.

It went on like this, I would tee off as soon as the green was clear and they were out of range, and be on the next tee with them only just trundling off down the next hole.

On the 5th, I was actually on the tee before they'd finished teeing off. Once they had all put a ball in play I asked very politely if they would mind me playing through. The 5th is the only par 4 hole (245 yards ish), and the 6th tee isn't much beyond the green so I don't feel comfortable hitting a driver until that tee is clear, so I could have been waiting a while had I not pushed the issue at that point:

"What do you think Tel?", says one to the other. "No" say Tel. "I won't hold you up", I say, "No", says Tel, "we've already teed off now." I explain that doesn't matter and reiterate that I won't hold them up. I also add that I've waited patiently for 5 holes on every tee. Tel still harps on about how they've already teed off and they'll let me through on the next one, so I continue to push the point that it doesn't matter that they've teed off and I'll be off out of their way immediately. Eventually, common sense prevails and one of them says "lets just let him through", which Tel grudgingly agrees to.

As I'm teeing the ball up he wheels out the "single players have no standing" line, which I correct him on. "It's a nice day guys, lets not spoil it", says one of the playing partners, "Too late", says Tel....

Anyway, I'm standing on the tee, big dog in hand while Tel still chunters away BOSH! Straight into the middle of the green. The first good drive I've hit in ages.

Silence.

And then Tel says "I lost that in the air, I didn't see if it reached the bunker."

"It's in the middle of the green. Enjoy the rest of your round." And off I stroll (smugly) up the fairway. Tel scoffed as if I'd somehow spoiled his day.

I three putted from 12 feet, but they wouldn't have seen that as their tee shots had barely covered the first 100 yards.

I couldn't really believe that a three ball wouldn't let a single player through on a par 3 course when so obviously they were holding that person up. Notwithstanding the "single player has no standing" rubbish, isn't it just common courtesy? Madness. If the course had been packed out in front of them, I wouldn't have minded, but it was completely empty.

Sometimes, I just can't understand the attitude of other people, although fortunately people like Tel are in the minority in my experience.

As I finished the 9th hole, they were halfway down the 6th.....:rolleyes:
 

Dasit

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Yep well done for asking

I would have done the same if they were acting like that

This is another thing putting off people joining the game
 

pokerjoke

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What winds me up is people who think that they have to bomb around 9 holes during their lunch break and everyone has to get out of the way:angry:

:D Bait ball in
 

Billysboots

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I'm going to play Devil's Advocate here, but if you play a par 3 course on your own, you should expect to be held up. Sorry.
 

Canary_Yellow

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I'm going to play Devil's Advocate here, but if you play a par 3 course on your own, you should expect to be held up. Sorry.

I think you're reading something into my post that isn't there.

Of course I understand that if the course is even remotely busy I won't be able to go round at my own pace. I've often settled in behind a two ball and played a couple of balls or done some chipping.

This was quite different. They were very slow by anyone's standards, which I don't really care about, what I care about is them not being bothered about holding me and the group behind up on every single hole. That's just bad manners.

Also, if I'd sliced my ball in the woods I probably wouldn't be posting about it either! :)

Paul - you're right, I should have done that. Lesson learned. Just not a situation I'd actually ever found myself in before.
 

JohnnyDee

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There is a certain breed of golfer whose watch is set about 3-40 years behind today's date.

I think you're right - common courtesy, sense and a little bonhomie should take precedence over pedantry and soulless spite.
 

Billysboots

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I'm certainly not saying there is any excuse for poor manners or etiquette, and I clearly don't know the full story. But by the same token, the very nature of par 3 courses means that single players are often going to find themselves held up, especially better golfers.

2/3/4 shots and a 150-200 yard walk doesn't take long, and to hear you arrived on the next tee repeatedly when the group in front were still there comes as no surprise.

It's precisely why I have a real issue with full length courses having a par 3 very early in the round. Our 2nd is a 175 yard par 3, and unless our starter is strict, and prevents groups teeing off the first until the group two times in front have left the 2nd tee, we end up with a real bottle neck.

None of this alters the fact that Tel sounds like a prize @rse, though...........
 

kevster84

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Sounds like the 3 people who were in front of me the other day on a full course. No one in front but wouldn't let me through.
 

Tashyboy

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Trouble is it is blatantly obvious to all apart from tel what was going to happen. Eventually.

Tel came out with that classic line which to some is etched in stone " a one ball has no priority over a three ball". Even though it is a crock of crap. And there in lies a problem.

I posted the other week about a fourball getting to the tenth tee after three guys had got gone straight to the 10th. It was blatantly obvious what was going to happen. But to some on here it is cast in stone.

The frustration in which one feels on the course cannot sometimes be written on here. Bottom line is for me so golfers are just knobs.

Coincidentally, as Tel was the spokesperson for the three on the par three. There was only one " Tel" speaking on behalf of the fourball the other week.
 

Canary_Yellow

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I don't think it's limited to golfers tashyboy, I think it's just life in general. Plenty of inconsiderate people in all walks of life.

Seemed so unnecessary to me. Why would they want to have someone so close behind them? If it had been a group moving at a decent speed I would ordinarily have played a couple of balls and done some chipping and putting, but they were sooooo slow it meant I played every hole with a two ball stood on the tee behind me. I guess I could have joined up with them, but I didn't expect to be stuck behind for that long.

Having to ask to be let through is a first for me. Hopefully a last too!
 

HomerJSimpson

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I can see the OP's frustration and to be honest the majority of the group got it and it's just "Tel" that had the issue and the antiquated approach. You have to assume that if he knew about singletons rightly or not he's not a novice which I would have allowed had it been blatantly obvious they were newbies (of course that may be incorrect but my presumption given the post presented). Almost a shame they weren't as you could at least educate them a little.
 
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guest100718

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if they were the only group I'd have just walked past them to the next tee
 

badgermat

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if they were the only group I'd have just walked past them to the next tee

I do this all the time on our local par 3. Just go back and play the missed hole at the end. It's hardly like you have to walk a long way.

Completely agree that Tel was being a **** though.

bm

Edited to add ... Gosh "****" looks a lot ruder when it's all starred out :)
 
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NorfolkShaun

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Our place can be full of guests like this.

Have had the 'we paid the same as you, you can wait' line

Was out the other day and watched a group around two holes behind the group ahead. They were gladly fishing balls out of the river while there were groups in the fairway and on the tee behind them.......
 

Jamesbrown

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Groups should let faster moving groups through, irrespective of number in that group as far as the R&A are concerned.

Single golfers have a standing nowadays.
Well done for keeping your cool, as I would of fired at em in the fairway.
 

Orikoru

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"It's in the middle of the green. Enjoy the rest of your round." And off I stroll (smugly) up the fairway. Tel scoffed as if I'd somehow spoiled his day.
Haha, that was great. I'd have been far more likely to hook mine 100 yards and just sacked it off and gone to the next hole out of embarrassment.

This is the problem with par 3 courses though, often you get a lot more beginners on there treating it like pitch and putt, who'll not only hold people up through lack of ability, but they won't be familiar with the etiquette of letting people through either.
 

patricks148

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Trouble is it is blatantly obvious to all apart from tel what was going to happen. Eventually.

Tel came out with that classic line which to some is etched in stone " a one ball has no priority over a three ball". Even though it is a crock of crap. And there in lies a problem.

I posted the other week about a fourball getting to the tenth tee after three guys had got gone straight to the 10th. It was blatantly obvious what was going to happen. But to some on here it is cast in stone.

The frustration in which one feels on the course cannot sometimes be written on here. Bottom line is for me so golfers are just knobs.

Coincidentally, as Tel was the spokesperson for the three on the par three. There was only one " Tel" speaking on behalf of the fourball the other week.

I don't agree, but its not the same situation as yours.

if you chose to tee off in the middle of the course while people are already playing. they have priority, if they are then holding you up after, that's a different matter.

its all about manners and etiquette.
 
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