The Halfway Hut - An oasis or an unwelcome distraction?

[Bratty]

The clubhouse at Westerham is between the 9th and 10th. I often go in for a drink and may grab a piece of fruit, but then it's straight back out. I dislike stopping for food, so thankfully the club have a policy of not really letting people stop. I'm with Hawkeye.

I remember hating Paarl in South Africa, because we were stuck behind one of the slowest 2 balls I've ever witnessed (we were 3 ball), but both groups were forced to stop and so we couldn't get through them at the turn. Had we not been forced to stop, we wouldn't have been stuck for the back 9 too.

 

[garyinderry]

I like them as I have never had one at either club I've been a member at. I can never resist getting something be it a bacon gap or can of coke. Would be a nightmare when on a diet .

 

[Oxfordcomma]

Ours is not so much a halfway hut as a 2/3 hut, it sits between the 13th and 14th (although you walk near it between 6 and 7 too). Does great food, homemade soup, pasties, etc, and is very well used by the members. The position works pretty well because the 14th is a downhill, driveable par 4, and the rule is that you leave the halfway hut when the group in front has teed off. On busy days it would be a bottleneck hole anyway so we may as well take a moment to stop.

Having said that, I hate it on comp days. It destroys my rhythm every time and I hit more bad tee shots on the 14th than anywhere other than the first. I'll stop every single time in bounce games, on comp days where there is even an outside hope of buffer I try to persuade my group to go straight through.

 

[Robobum]

Ours is right next to the 11th green, a 200yd par 3.

The unwritten rule is that as the group behind you are putting the flag back in, your group are leaving the hut on way to the 12th tee. When used this way it works beautifully.

When it isn't used like this it becomes a pain in the arse.

Ours is rubbish too, even in the height of summer, it will be serving sausage rolls & tea/ coffee only.

 

[the smiling assassin]

I haven't come across many in Scotland, thankfully.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I was in the second group in this morning comp. As we putted out on 8, the first group were putting out on 9. Only when we finished 9 and went into the hut did they decide to get up and move to the 10th tee and get ready to tee off, at least 2 of them did, the 3rd decided that was his opportunity to go and get another scorecard from the pro shop as his was wet.

That is my problem with the halfway hut, buy a drink and a sandwich by all means, but get the hell on with it if the next hole is clear.

 

[Captainron]

I was in the second group in this morning comp. As we putted out on 8, the first group were putting out on 9. Only when we finished 9 and went into the hut did they decide to get up and move to the 10th tee and get ready to tee off, at least 2 of them did, the 3rd decided that was his opportunity to go and get another scorecard from the pro shop as his was wet.

That is my problem with the halfway hut, buy a drink and a sandwich by all means, but get the hell on with it if the next hole is clear.

I disagree. You have the opportunity to stop off and get a bite to eat, a coffee etc. that way they will be well away for you when you tee off.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I disagree. You have the opportunity to stop off and get a bite to eat, a coffee etc. that way they will be well away for you when you tee off.

The point is, if you're in a comp you have an abligation not to unduly delay play. By stopping at the hut and not teeing off until the next group finishes the previous hole when there is no-one in front of you, you are unduly delaying play. It's not on.

 

[Captainron]

U

The point is, if you're in a comp you have an abligation not to unduly delay play. By stopping at the hut and not teeing off until the next group finishes the previous hole when there is no-one in front of you, you are unduly delaying play. It's not on.

Not if everyone stops at the hut? It really does work well in South Africa.

 

[Doh]

I have played in South Africa and like Ron says it does work well especially when it,s warm chance to cool off before the back nine. At ours the hut is only open for winter league, everyone stops it's a bit of a tradition and again it works well

 

[JohnnyDee]

It's a tradition at ours too and everyone almost without exception stops.

It's all very civil and 90% of the time is OK really. Play remains equally spaced out so it doesn't slow play for everyone, but just builds in a 10 minute breather for all.

For me it's just when I'm going well in a comp I'd rather be able to swerve it, but doing so goes against tradition, so you need to stop really and hope you don't lose momentum in your game.

 

[brendy]

I have to say I love them. If I'm playing badly they are a great pick me up. If I am playing well it doesn't bother me and a bite of hot food is always welcome.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Personally if I was doing well in a comp I really wouldn't want to stop and to be honest I don't see what tradition has to do with it. In Hawkeye's case as second group out the group in front will dictate the pace of play for the round and so by loitering as long as they did it would strike me that everything else would already begin to back up. I may be wrong. I think these need to optional rather than something expected of you

 

[Deleted member 15344]

U
Not if everyone stops at the hut? It really does work well in South Africa.

Everyone stops at ours also when open - nice cuppa and pasty - quick tot up of the scores and away we go again. Nice little break in the middle of the round

 

[NorfolkShaun]

We do not have a halfway hut and to be honest I have never been a member where there is one.

We have a buggy that sometimes goes round, I think this works quite well the only real problem is it is not always out so you cannot rely on it.

 

[mashleyR7]

I've not read the 8 pages of posts but I will say that I dont rate half way huts, we dont have one at our home course. I encounter most of them at away days, society days etc and I don't mind stopping if the whole group have and my own group want to but I always take enough food drink for my own round so either don't need anything or end up buying stuff I dont need. I wouldn't be fussed if I never saw one again.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

U
Not if everyone stops at the hut? It really does work well in South Africa.

What if everyone doesn't want to stop?

What if you were in the group behind me and got to the 15th tee to find me sat on the bench enjoying a cup of coffee from the flask I bought with me and a sandwich while the hole in front was clear? I'm guessing you'd not be too impressed and expect to be let played through?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

What if everyone doesn't want to stop?

What if you were in the group behind me and got to the 15th tee to find me sat on the bench enjoying a cup of coffee from the flask I bought with me and a sandwich while the hole in front was clear? I'm guessing you'd not be too impressed and expect to be let played through?

Well most use common sense in the world

When it comes to a halfway hut - the grown adults will go with the majority and asses the situation between them all -if one player wants to not bother with halfway hut but the other three do then im sure if its possible he can tee up and tee off whilst the others grab their coffee etc - same if just one person wanted to stop and grab something - he would do that whilst the others teed off - its not really a hard fast do and dont and most will use common sense to compromise.

if you were sat on the 15th tee on your own with no one else around having a picnic then it would be unexpected and would ask to play through whilst you finished your picnic

 

[Foxholer]

I like a good halfway hut.
But it plays havoc with my game for a couple of holes.
I'd rather keep moving.
But I like a good halfway hut....

Same here!

I believe we even partook of/at the same rather good one a while ago! :thup: With predictable effects too!

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Well most use common sense in the world

When it comes to a halfway hut - the grown adults will go with the majority and asses the situation between them all -if one player wants to not bother with halfway hut but the other three do then im sure if its possible he can tee up and tee off whilst the others grab their coffee etc - same if just one person wanted to stop and grab something - he would do that whilst the others teed off - its not really a hard fast do and dont and most will use common sense to compromise.

if you were sat on the 15th tee on your own with no one else around having a picnic then it would be unexpected and would ask to play through whilst you finished your picnic

Would common sense not dictate that you should tee off before the next group finish the previous hole, and not wait for them to finish?

We spend many hours on here arguing about slow play, yet just because it's the halfway hut, it seems like it's OK to willingly hold up the rest of the field while you have a sit down? Strange