starting early?

[splashtryagain]

I was talking to a rather vexed friend after his round the other evening, he complained the group behind had started early in the midweek medal. His group had turned up to find no one infront of them for 40 mins and no one behind for an hour. on the second hole they noticed a pair behind them catching up fast, arguments ensued after playing into them (diff issue!) etc. it turned out the group from an hour behind had been told they could go out early as they were not interrupting the order of play. I think they might be right re the starting early but is this really the case. I know if you are late you are DQd but what about early?

 

[BTatHome]

Usually have to tee off at your allocated time, but changes can be made by agreement of the committee, and the pro shop would usually be authorised to act on their behalf in these matters.

 

[backwoodsman]

If authorized by the committee then ok, but if not, starting an hour (?) early would be dq (5 mins or less would be 2 shot penalty)

 

[fundy]

I was talking to a rather vexed friend after his round the other evening, he complained the group behind had started early in the midweek medal. His group had turned up to find no one infront of them for 40 mins and no one behind for an hour. on the second hole they noticed a pair behind them catching up fast, arguments ensued after playing into them (diff issue!) etc. it turned out the group from an hour behind had been told they could go out early as they were not interrupting the order of play. I think they might be right re the starting early but is this really the case. I know if you are late you are DQd but what about early?

I find it utterly amazing that this can ever ever lead to an issue, expect they need to worry about themselves rather than what has happened with other groups personally! At ours groups are often shuffled and if possible and the group is ready they will be let out early by the comps sec

 

[chrisd]

Fundy is quite right in querying why it should be a problem to your mate and his group. We play as amateurs and often the pro shop, looking after the running of the comp for the committee, will alter groups and timings if necessary to accommodate circumstances that crop up. So long as everyone gets to play I can't see a problem

 

[Colin L]

As BT says, Rule 6-3 requires players to start at the time laid down by the Committee. The penalty for being late is 2 strokes or loss of 1st hole if late by up to 5 minutes and DQ if later than than. There is no similar differentiation in the rule itself between starting early up to 5 minutes and starting even: the penalty for starting early is simply DQ.

However, in order to keep things even and make the penalty for starting early the same as those for starting late, the Committee is permitted to waive the DQ under Rule 33-7 if the players start early by up to 5 minutes. See Decision 6-3a/5
http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Rules-of-Golf/Decision-06/#d6-3a-5

In the OP's situation, if the person who told the group to go out at a different time from their scheduled one was authorised by the Committee to make such a change, the players did not in fact start early: they started on time.

 

[MadAdey]

Who cares to be honest. By the pro shop letting them go out early it is not harming anyone. Anyway I thought that the pro shop was given the book to run so in my eyes that is the committee giving power to who ever is taking care if it to make changes as they see fit.

 

[louise_a]

We only have start sheets for major comps, so we arrange times between ourselves and start when we are ready. I cant see why starting early though should incur a penalty, surely if someone goes out early then it will help the speed of play.

 

[chrisd]

Some of the rules that get bought into question, I think, are largely designed for the top pro's, but in this instance, the pro shop does normally act on behalf of the committee and changes they make are ok and let's face it, if a player turns up to play in a 3 ball comp and the other two have rung in sick then everyone would expect the pro to put you out with a different group by shuffling things around where possible

 

[duncan mackie]

We only have start sheets for major comps, so we arrange times between ourselves and start when we are ready. I cant see why starting early though should incur a penalty, surely if someone goes out early then it will help the speed of play.

not having the proper starting intervals has been proven to be a major cause of slow rounds but the real issue is that the committee is required to set the starting arrangements, and the players are required to abide by them - this can of course include 'go out when ready, when you want, or when told by the pro shop etc etc.

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

I was talking to a rather vexed friend after his round the other evening, he complained the group behind had started early in the midweek medal. His group had turned up to find no one infront of them for 40 mins and no one behind for an hour. on the second hole they noticed a pair behind them catching up fast, arguments ensued after playing into them (diff issue!) etc. it turned out the group from an hour behind had been told they could go out early as they were not interrupting the order of play. I think they might be right re the starting early but is this really the case. I know if you are late you are DQd but what about early?

Just three tee times booked in 1h 40m and a spat occurs?
Did his group simply think "Great, no pressure, we can relax"?
could they not have said "Play through then" and then relaxed?
But you did say arguments ensued over a different issue.
I think the pro could have thought that as the group were expecting no one behind them you don't bung someone 10 minutes up their backside

 

[Green Bay Hacker]

Just three tee times booked in 1h 40m and a spat occurs?
Did his group simply think "Great, no pressure, we can relax"?
could they not have said "Play through then" and then relaxed?
But you did say arguments ensued over a different issue.
I think the pro could have thought that as the group were expecting no one behind them you don't bung someone 10 minutes up their backside

Agree with this. The group were probably disappointed to see another group coming up behind them and let that affect their game.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Just three tee times booked in 1h 40m and a spat occurs?
Did his group simply think "Great, no pressure, we can relax"?
could they not have said "Play through then" and then relaxed?
But you did say arguments ensued over a different issue.
I think the pro could have thought that as the group were expecting no one behind them you don't bung someone 10 minutes up their backside

Exactly what I thought.
Perhaps the course is empty because some of the members seem to have a very 'precious' attitude?

 

[Sid Rixon IV]

Exactly what I thought.
Perhaps the course is empty because some of the members seem to have a very 'precious' attitude?

Yes, "a bit precious" is the term that came to mind when I read it.

 

[Stuey01]

Does the friend in question have an issue with letting people play through?

 

[HawkeyeMS]

WOW, just WOW. That is all.

 

[bladeplayer]

WOW, just WOW. That is all.

NOT a good WOW tho Mike is it ?

 

[splashtryagain]

Well this seems to have changed tone since I last looked
The driving into, not letting through and argument issues are a moot point as I think they should have let them through (the mate and partners are not the quickest - one of them is blind and takes time setting up) and can never condone deliberately hitting a ball into a group.
My query was can you start early in a comp!

 

[hovis]

Are we at school

 

[rulefan]

My query was can you start early in a comp!

Fortunately the correct answer was relatively early. Post #6