andiritchie
Journeyman Pro
True Chris nothing worse than being asked to play through then knocking your tee shot OB
What's your opinion on a 5 ball?
- Thread starter CGod
- Start date
Atticus_Finch
Journeyman Pro
Whats my opinion of a 5-ball? They should all be hung, drawn & quartered
Certainly not allowed where I golf.
I would eighth them as well
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
Not condoning the attitude of the guys in the OP, but, if you are NOT holding anyone up, where is the problem of playing as a 5 or 6? Sure if the course is busy its a non-starter but if the place is deserted??? Does it really matter?
John_Findlay
Tour Winner
A 5 ball is not acceptable. End of. Don't care what age they were. Doesn't make them exempt.
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
But why John? 
I'm interested to know why, and I say this again, if they are not holding up the course, why do people have an issue with it?
If they are the only 5 on the whole course - I just don't get the objection.
I'm interested to know why, and I say this again, if they are not holding up the course, why do people have an issue with it?
If they are the only 5 on the whole course - I just don't get the objection.
John_Findlay
Tour Winner
My view is that if you allow it then it's going to set a precedent. People will then expect it even when it's busy. I don't know of any decent golf club in the land that would allow one unless the course had no-one else on it, but most likely not even then. A five ball simply takes too damned long. What next? 6 balls, 12 balls? Where do you stop.
At the end of the day if you read the Rules of Golf they make provision for games involving a maximum of four balls, whether that be 8 players or 4. Anything involving more than that is just taking the piss. Go out in a two and a three ball like the rest of us. Why do they think they are so special?
And in cGod's example the five ball clearly was holding up other players.
Harumph. 5 balls indeed.
At the end of the day if you read the Rules of Golf they make provision for games involving a maximum of four balls, whether that be 8 players or 4. Anything involving more than that is just taking the piss. Go out in a two and a three ball like the rest of us. Why do they think they are so special?
And in cGod's example the five ball clearly was holding up other players.
Harumph. 5 balls indeed.
Canfordhacker
Q-School Graduate
So what would happen if 5 people were tied in a PGA tournament? How do you play a sudden death playoff in two groups without giving a huge advantage to the group behind?
John_Findlay
Tour Winner
You don't Canford. The biggest playoff has been six people and they teed off together. But the course isn't open to anyone else during a playoff so it's not an issue in those circumstances, which are extremely rare.
Answer me this. When Tournaments are delayed because of rain nowadays, as they often are, why don't the organisers put the pros out in five or six balls instead of 3 balls off two tees? Could it possibly something to do with over 500 years of tradition of playing no more than 4 balls in a group.
At the end of the day the delay between an individual playing his shots in a fourball is about the most a man can bare and it keeps the round at an acceptable length of time.
On a separate matter I'm looking forward to the Champions League tomorrow night. I hear the teams are 26 a side so that the fans get to see the full squads.
Answer me this. When Tournaments are delayed because of rain nowadays, as they often are, why don't the organisers put the pros out in five or six balls instead of 3 balls off two tees? Could it possibly something to do with over 500 years of tradition of playing no more than 4 balls in a group.
At the end of the day the delay between an individual playing his shots in a fourball is about the most a man can bare and it keeps the round at an acceptable length of time.
On a separate matter I'm looking forward to the Champions League tomorrow night. I hear the teams are 26 a side so that the fans get to see the full squads.
Doh
Journeyman Pro
True
There is no rule that says you cannot have a five ball.
We have a weds comp where people just turn up on the day and usualy go out in four balls if there is a five ball left at the end then they will go out as a fiveball.
The manchester alliance sometimes play a six ball in a foursome format (alternate shots) so they can get round in time during the winter.
There is no rule that says you cannot have a five ball.
We have a weds comp where people just turn up on the day and usualy go out in four balls if there is a five ball left at the end then they will go out as a fiveball.
The manchester alliance sometimes play a six ball in a foursome format (alternate shots) so they can get round in time during the winter.
Canfordhacker
Q-School Graduate
Which would suggest that Imurg's original premise of "if it doesn't interfere with anybody else then it's OK" Teeing a full field up in 5 balls after a rain delay patently would interfere and slow things down
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
But why John?
I'm interested to know why, and I say this again, if they are not holding up the course, why do people have an issue with it?
If they are the only 5 on the whole course - I just don't get the objection.
I do tend to agree.
OK if I were stuck behind them it would get my goat, but as Imurg says, if nobody else was on the course why get so uptight?
I know it's not the "done thing" but I can't honestly see the problem.
We were in the position the other week where we had a nice fourball arranged and a mate of mine rang at the last minute to see if he could join us.
We either had to tell him to bugger off (which we wouldn't have done anyway) or split ourselves up into a 3 and a 2 (which wasn't as much fun to be honest). We ended up doing the latter, but if the course had been completely clear, and no-one objected we would rather have played a five ball in this instance.
CarpeDiem
Challenge Tour Pro
If you play in France they have 5 balls, so it seems that only in the British Isle's we don't find it socially acceptable. The answer seems to be that if the course is empty then it doesn't matter, only if you hold people up it's wrong.
bobmac
Major Champion
Although there is nothing in the rules against it, if you play a 5 ball and you are seen by anyone, you are inviting criticism.
Dont invite trouble as you will only make things worse if there is a problem between juniors and adult members.
Dont invite trouble as you will only make things worse if there is a problem between juniors and adult members.
