stuck behind a slow foursome

[Roejye]

I went golfing this morning, my tee time was shared with another threesome (with a 12-13~ year old kid). We split up and I went off as a single walking. I caught up to the threesome on the second hole, they let me play through. I then caught up to another foursome, with carts, on 3. The foursome was quite slow, but would kind of rabbit off of the tee. I had what I felt were reasonable waits on 4-5 (though I may have hit into them on 4 [downhill blind dogleg right,] I watched and it appeared they were clear). The threesome that let me play through actually catches up to me on 5. 6 you have to go back up a hill so the wait was okay. 7 is the lone par 5, I hit an iron off of the tee to keep moving but take hitting them out of the equation. Wait a while for my 2nd, end up accidentally hitting into them. 8 is not a problem, but 9 is a driveable par 4 with an alleyway framed by bunkers with a possible exit to the cart path behind the bunker on the left. Wait, wait, finally decide I'll hit something that usually gives me a good chip shot length but, not really close to the green. Snap hook one into the trees on the left. They actually finish and are exiting the green. Decide to tee up another because why not at this point, proceed to stripe it right towards the alleyway, which of course ½ of the foursome decide to exit the green through the alley, so I basically end up hitting into them AGAIN. My question is who is technically more in the wrong here? Could I have been a little more patient, yes, but their pace was quite possibly pushing a 5 hour 18 hole round.

[Roejye]

I also felt like a little bit of a jerk hitting into them at least twice.

[Sean2]

Yes, slow play is annoying, sometimes frustratingly so, but if I know it's going to be a slow day on the course, I simply accept it and try to take other positives away from it: the weather, being outdoors, the socializing, practicing my chipping on the tee box as I wait to hit, etc.

And yes, I think you were wrong hitting into them. You were already waiting, what's another minute or two in the grand scheme of things?

[llewol007]

It’s only wrong until you hit someone. Unlike a lot of things, once you hit another player with a golf ball, not much can come to your defense.

[NotromJRH]

what was reasoning for not just walking up and asking to play through? To continually be hitting into someone, even if on accident, would show a little bit of impatience, but also, since you're a single, behind a foursome it'll always feel like theyre slow. What was pace at 9 holes? You said possibly a 5 hour round but what happened after 9? Did you play through? Was there another 4 some in front of them?

A lot of variables to know who is exactly right or wrong, but if it was wide open in front of them they were out of position and didnt allow you to jump ahead they were in the wrong there, but you were still wrong hitting into them and possibly wrong for leaving the original group you were paired with.

If they were slow due to a group in front of them, or they just seemed slow being a 4 some in front of you, then they may be fully in the right as there wasn't a lot they could do about it, and it was kind of on you, had you not left the 4 some you were originally in you wouldn't be having the issue to begin with.

But with out knowing some more information hard to tell. If your just impatient and trying to cruise as a single on a busy Saturday thats 100% on you. Unfortunately doesn't really work that way.

[Roejye]

I made the classic mistake of overestimating my abilities lol. The one on the 7th hole, I had the entire fairway to work with and I've been hitting my irons pretty straight lately, so of course I block right at them.

[Roejye]

I tee'd off at 10:07 and finished at 1215. I could have tried to play through, but would've skipped a hole. There was nobody in front of them to hold them up, course was actually pretty dead, due to it being a very hot day. I should have waited, or jumped ahead.

[NotromJRH]

So basically 2 hours for 9 holes? Thats not that slow, although that means depending how much separation between groups teeing off, assume the 4 some finished at 12:10-12:05? and since they were 2 or 3 groups ahead of you they probably teed off at 9:50-9:55? so they were 2:15ish / 9 holes? I will admit I like to play as fast as possible... But thats about a 4:15 round? Thats kinda the norm at most courses, again, under 4 hours, 3-3.5 would be ideal in all scenarios, but its just not feasible all the time. Doesn't seem like it was a very slow 4 some, maybe a 1/2 hole behind at most, but not unbearably slow. So in this scenario, your fully in in the wrong in my opinion. And probably felt slower being a single waiting on every shot.

They should have waived you up to pass, or you could have jumped in front. But the fact they apparently didn't, doesn't make them in the wrong, in my opinion. Again, im all for playing as fast as possible, I would love to get around in 3 hours, or even 2 if im by myself, but just isn't really an option most of the time.

 

[Greenie]

Playing alot as a single myself there are some people or groups that feel that a single has no standing on the course and won't offer to let you play through. You mention that you were paired up to make a foursome but chose to go off on your own. A single can't think that they can play through every group on the course. You were paired up to help with pace of play.

If I was a foursome and there were holes open ahead I would have offered to let you play through but IMO you were in the wrong. You hit into them a few times. I know it wasn't on purpose but after the first close call I would have backed off a little more. I also feel you were in the wrong for leaving a group you were paired up with.

There have been days when I have been out in a foursome and I see single after single come up behind us wanting to play through. I wonder why all these singles don't pair up and make a foursome. I know the reason though. Many singles want to play through everyone. When I am single I don't expect to play through anyone and when possible I'll try to pair up.

[caniac6]

Why would anyone play as a single on a Saturday morning, and not expect to be held up?

[BYK]

Two hour 9 hole round? Don't think that's unreasonable at all for pace.

Still not sure why you just didn't ask to play thru? you said you would have had to skip a hole? so what? sounds like it was driving you crazy enough to hit into them twice.....

[LeoLeo99]

I play often as a single. A slow round as a foursome is better than going it alone and getting pinched between a slow group in front and a normal group behind. I play with some guys that think that as long as they're on pace as a foursome, they don't need to let a faster group behind through. Drives me nuts.

[chippa13]

If he stayed with the 3-some he was paired with then everything would have been just fine.

[Roejye]

Thanks for the feedback, I figured I was in the wrong, just wasn't completely certain. FYI, the splitting of the original foursome wasn't my preference. I'm fine with slow play, it's somewhat commonplace at my course especially weekday nights due to leagues. I've played several weekend morning rounds and usually done in 90~ minutes. I'm just being one of those entitled jerks that thinks the world owes him something lol. What I really should have done is picked up on one hole, jumped ahead, then swung back to finish.

[ArtMBgolf]

If it was clear in front of them, they should have let you through, but many don't know that. Hitting into others, may make them mad and determined not

to let you through, especially if they see a 3some behind you. If you can see it's open ahead of them, skip around on a less interesting hole.

[Roejye]

That's what I should have done. I could've skipped 6 and jumped ahead onto 7 (but I played 6 very well lol), or picked up on 7, jumped ahead, finished, then swung back.

[bk52]

My thought is to convince the three players you were supposed to be joined with to play as a foursome. If they flat out refuse, then proceed ahead of them but that would be a last resort. A single on a full course is always a problem. It is not fun to play through a succession of groups and it is disruptive for the groups to let a single move through. The fact that you were walking makes it even more of an issue. Frankly, I suspect part of the reason you hit into the group in front is that you felt pressure to not be on the tee when the next group came along. Rather than wait until it was really clear, you hit when it was probably clear.

Latch on to a group in the future. Venture out as a single only when the course is mainly empty, and be prepared to skip holes.

 

[2bGood]

Sounds like you were wrong several times (but I don't know the culture of this particular course).

Wrong:

Ignore your tee time and went off a singleDid not pair up with other groupshit into people

[4x4GGG]

How can people drive into the group in front of them? Do they think this will speed up the group? This is the worst feeling in the world. I'm very aware of when I'm sandwiched between groups and it drives me insane. I watch the group in front walk onto the green, then I tee off. When I get to my ball I make sure the group in front is pulling away in their carts before I hit. This is when, right after I hit my shot and Im putting my bag on my shoulder, they group behind me hits. I get to the green and the group behind me is now in the fairway doing the club lean. I putt out. As I'm walking off the green, not even to my bag yet, balls come flying in. Get to the T box as the group ahead is hitting their second, rinse.. repeat.

[Jackal]

Usually in that situation, I'll pass them on a par 3.

Then, go back and finish ( with the course being empty because of heat as you said).

We have trouble like that on our local course.

4 guys come out to play, and bring their wives ( that have never played).

As soon as they are away from the clubhouse, the wives start trying to okay also.

The husbands are giving lessons, and it turns into a 4 to 5 hours for 9 holes.

 

We always walk, but can skip around.

[NotromJRH]

4-5 hours for 9 holes? WTF? Never seen that anywhere at least not somewhere thats still in business.

OP said they were at 2 hours roughly for 9 holes. They weren't that slow, OP was kind of being impatient and has mentioned a few things he would/should/could've done differently. But the 4 some ahead of him wasn't the issue in this scenario.

[Jackal]

This is a little public course.

They don't have a marshall, or any kind of dress code.

We have witnessed a group of 4 people pull up, and open 2 sets of Top Flite golf sets from Walmart, etc.

Then, try to share those 2 sets among them for a round of golf.

Quite often we start on hole 5, or 14, to avoid all the crap.

The closest good course is about 40 minutes away, but you need a tee time.

We mostly play this course when we have a late evening hankering for golf, or it looks like we might get rained out.

 

Everyone has to start somewhere, but they shouldn't let a group of beginners out on the weekend to learn.

The greenskeeper suggested they make new people use the driving range, but the owner lives next door to the course.

He tries to run and many people as he can thru there every day.

[NotromJRH]

Thats insane. At the worst of the worst clubs i've played at i've never seen that, and i've played some beyond goat tracks, ones that didn't have Marshalls either.

He must have some crazy low overhead, because I don't know how they would stay in business with that nonsense.

Im all for beginners learning, and I know its a hard game to learn, and I also don't think they should be banished to the driving range. Hell if they have a greenskeeper pay him a little more to pull double duty, Marshall and greenskeeper, or at least be out telling patrons to get moving. Surprising a track like that would even have a greenskeeper. Crazy. Sounds like if theres a bunch of people learning to golf out in the middle of the field. Just dont call it a golf course, and no need for greenskeeper either. Lol. Just make it a field let people wander around out there.

[Roejye]

My course is similar, no Marshall, try to get as many people through, but within reason at least. A lot of the time the slow play is probably due to lack of skill, or overestimating the skill they do have *waves at self in mirror*.

Back to my original post though, weather had a big part in it too I think. I went out the next day and pace was similar, but a good 10° cooler and much windier. I actually picked up after 7 holes, but that was due to having work later and I wanted to spend time with my family before it.