Thoughts On Getting Paired Up With Randoms?

[akronswitness]

Small venting session...I was looking to get feedback on getting paired up with random players at the course. Ive golfed a lot more this year and have been playing some very nice courses. The one thing Ive noticed is by going to nicer courses, nearly all of them have the 'everybody plays in a foursome' ruling. Typically, Ive had good luck and have played with some really cool people, however its happened so much recently that Ive started to dislike it for a bunch of different reasons.

 

We went out yesterday and booked a tee time for 3 golfers. We had a third person join late so we booked the tee time available directly after the original. I think it was 2 of us at 1:00pm and my other buddy was booked as a single at 1:08. We asked the clubhouse if we could just combine/consolidate our two tee times since they are right next to eachother and play as a threesome. They gave us hell for doing that. I thought she was honestly joking when she said no. This was almost like the straw that broke the camels back with me.

 

Here are my newly developed thoughts on courses that mandate foursomes:

 

1) I want to get out and golf with my friends. I dont want to have to have smalltalk with a stranger for 4 hours. Im out there to have fun and enjoy talking, playing and catching up with friends/family. Sometimes private conversations are made on the course and its extremely awkward or difficult to do if your playing with randoms.

 

2) I found this one out a few months ago. Im on vacation with my wife. Im paying $125+ to golf this course. I just want to have some private/fun time with her on the course and again, I dont want to entertain strangers and tell them my life story about who I am, where Im from, what I do for a living, ect when Im on vacation.

 

3) Sometimes I golf to have a practice round and work out the kinks in my swing. Its hard to just have a practice round when you have to keep pace with the other people in your group and not slow them down. Theres some sort of weird pressure playing with randoms that you have to play well, making practice/hitting bad shots for the sake of science extremely hard.

 

I understand that nicer courses do this to keep pace of play. I get it. However, I feel like there should be a option to decline playing with random players for the sake of filling out a group of 4. Especially at the cost some of these courses Ive played are. Sometimes I just want to tell them 'Im paying you to golf this course, for $125+ I should be able to play however I want. Your not paying me to golf here, Im paying you". If I want to golf with just me and a friend, I should be able to have that option. Especially at some of the stuffier courses in Florida I was at, the staff made it seem like they were doing me a favor by letting me being there and golf their course. As if the cost I payed to be there meant nothing.

 

Does anyone else feel this way or am I the only one? 

[North Butte]

Not sure what types of courses you are including in "nicer" but I'm assuming they are either pubic or resort courses.

 

If a course can even come close to filling their tee sheet with 4 players/group during the most desirable times, they I don't think any public/resort course is going to turn away that 4th golfer and lose 1/4 of their revenue just to let you play in a less than full foursome. Just wouldn't make sense from their business perspective.

 

Short of your threesome offering to pay all four green fees I doubt there's anything you can do about it. 

 

I hate to sound like I'm giving you a hard time but everything you're asking to receive is beyond what your green fee pays for. Doesn't matter if it's a mediocre muni that charges you 30 bucks or Pebble Beach charging $550 for the round. Your green fee buys you 18 holes, in a foursome, playing a real round of golf without hanging around playing multiple balls. 

 

The only two ways to get more or different privileges is to play somewhere nobody else wants to play or to belong to a private club.  

Edited July 19, 2021 by North Butte

[akronswitness]

5 minutes ago, North Butte said:

Not sure what types of courses you are including in "nicer" but I'm assuming they are either pubic or resort courses.

 

If a course can even come close to filling their tee sheet with 4 players/group during the most desirable times, they I don't think any public/resort course is going to turn away that 4th golfer and lose 1/4 of their revenue just to let you play in a less than full foursome. Just wouldn't make sense from their business perspective.

 

Short of your threesome offering to pay all four green fees I doubt there's anything you can do about it.  

 

More referring to nicer public courses. Courses that are borderline country clubs I find this at. I have played nice public courses this year that let you play with however many golfers you choose to book the tee time with--they just have more tee times available and the pace gets a little slow sometimes. But this is something the whole 'let them play through' rule should naturally take care of to keep a good pace.

 

Its possible to have both smaller pairings and keep good pace as long as the golfers are letting the smaller groups behind them play through if it becomes a issue. 

 

I understand courses that prefer 4 player groups, Im just saying there should be a option to decline if a player so chooses--which I have been told 2-3x this year doesnt exist when you ask. 

Edited July 19, 2021 by akronswitness

[chippa13]

Courses aren't in the business of taking in less revenue just because you don't want to play with strangers. Just like any other business, they need to try to maximize revenues. And I also find it doubtful that they would allow smaller groups to take a full foursome slot even while paying for it. They don't want to turn a single away saying they have no openings for them only to have that single walk out and see your threesome on the first tee.

 

 

[Abh159]

17 minutes ago, akronswitness said:

I understand courses that prefer 4 player groups, Im just saying there should be a option to decline if a player so chooses--which I have been told 2-3x this year doesnt exist when you ask. 

 

First, let me say that I understand your frustration. I'm not a big fan of playing with strangers either. I want to spend my time on the course either with friends or by myself. I don't want to have to chit chat with a random person for 4+ hours.

 

That being said... It doesn't matter how "nice" the course is, you're always going to run into this situation at a public course. As @North Butte mentioned, it doesn't make financial sense for a course to fill up their tee sheet with a bunch of singles and twosomes. That is literally turning down money. Public courses are always going to pair up players and they are going to do that right up until that specific tee time comes up. You can always decline getting paired up with people, but it might result in you not getting to play at all.

 

I'm a member at a private club now, but before that I would play public and semi-private courses fairly often. A lot of the time is was during the week and I would be solo. The courses wouldn't typically be busy during the week so I would ask the pro shop when I got there if they had paired me with anyone. They usually did so then I would ask if there was any way I could go out by myself. If they had unfilled slots they would usually let me go out alone (with the warning that it would be a slow round), and other times the tee sheet was totally full so playing with strangers was my only option. The key is to ask nicely and not be a d*** about it.

 

PS, for what it's worth $125 isn't really that much for a round of golf...

[chippa13]

Considering that most of the decent public courses around here are in the $50-60-ish range, $125 is much pricier.

[Steele47]

LOL

[aramirez24]

We tried that booking a tee time 1 apart trying to play with a friend one time and it ended with him playing by himself for 18 holes behind us all day. Which is technically what we signed up for.. Lesson learned. Join a club or find a place that isn't as busy. With golf as popular as it is now due to lockdowns it's getting harder and harder to conveniently play. 

[DCSerafin]

I frequently listen to PGATour Radio on SiriusXM and while I understand your thoughts, one of the hosts was discussing this very topic.  It was more regarding no-shows and "foursome" donations to charities, but it results in the same situation.

 

If you look at each tee time for any daily fee course (private courses are different), it is their inventory. If they have a customer that shows up with 3 people (1 no-show or want to play as a 3-some) leaving that 4th spot open, that is inventory that CAN'T sold thus lost revenue for the course.

 

This would be no different than an airline seats or a seat/ticket to a sporting event.

If you were attending a sporting event sold by the seat and didn't want someone sitting beside you, you would have to buy that seat so I'm not sure why you would treat this any differently?

 

Edited July 19, 2021 by DCSerafin
clarification

[EDT501]

If you don't want to play with other people then join a private club that usually has an open tee sheet.

 

As a public-only golfer who almost always books as a single, I resent a lot of what you are saying to be frank. In Houston, for instance, tee sheets for the better public courses are completely full on weekends when I get to play from sunrise to sunset. If twosomes and threesomes got tee times to themselves or if I got a tee time for myself alone far fewer people would have access to the game, which I don't think is fair or good for the game. In my hundred+ rounds over the past 18 months getting paired with strangers, I have encountered barely a handful of rude or unpleasant people. Some of them I maybe only exchanged a handful of words with and some kept chatting me up like we were best friends, neither bothers me, it is part of muni-life. Embrace it or, like I said, join a private club and pay for the privilege of golfing solo. As a single, I try my best to be respectful of any social situations. I will join a money game if offered or keep to myself if it is a group of friends who didn't have a fourth. All I ask is for equal access to the PUBLIC playing facilities. I am also opposed to letting people buy out tee times to prevent someone from joining them (paying for 4 even if they only have 2). Its hard enough to find decent tee times these days...

[ezpz]

I play single on vacation sometimes and have been paired with random people (or I was the random however you want to see it) and have had nothing but great experiences, also if someone is paying 125+++++$ for a greenfee I'm already assuming they are either atleast a serious person or a somewhat serious player (not related to handicap more about how they conduct themselves on the course) so that helps. 

[stephenmatt]

Sounds like you should just build your own golf course since you literally want to dictate every single little thing about your round.

[smashdn]

1 hour ago, akronswitness said:

Does anyone else feel this way or am I the only one? 

 

I understand where you are coming from as I often like to do the same three things you mentioned. 

 

I have a buddy that I haven't gotten to play with at all this year and we used to play a bunch.  it will be nice getting out this weekend with him to catch up.  Being paired with another two-some won't be the end of the world but won't be the same just playing together either.

 

I try to walk when I play by myself.  I also play persimmons most of the time as well in a vain attempt to be better with modern clubs in the rare times I play in events.  I don't want to explain (or slow down) to a random playing partner why I am not riding and why I am using ancient equipment.

 

That being said, I thin you are going to be hard-pressed to find a course that isn't going to want to combine groups unless you are going during middle of the week, twilight hours or to dumps.  This doesn't help you now but in the fall the courses here become deserted.  I can take my time and hit multiple balls or whatever out there then.

[akronswitness]

25 minutes ago, stephenmatt said:

Sounds like you should just build your own golf course since you literally want to dictate every single little thing about your round.

 

I hardly think asking a course to not pair my group up with a random player or two is 'every little thing' about my round and for the money some of these courses cost, I feel like like my personal preference should matter a tiny bit.

[akronswitness]

1 hour ago, ezpz said:

I play single on vacation sometimes and have been paired with random people (or I was the random however you want to see it) and have had nothing but great experiences, also if someone is paying 125+++++$ for a greenfee I'm already assuming they are either atleast a serious person or a somewhat serious player (not related to handicap more about how they conduct themselves on the course) so that helps. 

 

Its not that I mind it all of the time, I have just noticed it never used to happen that often--and now its like eight of the past nine rounds ive played there has been a random or two paired with my group. Sometimes I just want to go out and shoot the **** with a buddy of mine, go work on my game or get away and clear my head without a 4+ hour long forced conversation with a stranger.

Edited July 19, 2021 by akronswitness

[caniac6]

Just pay the foursome rate for a tee time if you want to play alone.

[lefty1978]

Honestly, your best bet is to join a private club if you can swing it financially. There is no pairing with randoms where I belong. If I book a time, I can golf by myself or with 3  friends/members. 

[SLP1967]

Just pay for all four spots in the tee time.... its simple..... you want it your way, you need to pay.  Golf courses are getting slammed with play.  

Edited July 19, 2021 by slprince67
change

[chippa13]

18 minutes ago, akronswitness said:

 

I hardly think asking a course to not pair my group up with a random player or two is 'every little thing' about my round and for the money some of these courses cost, I feel like like my personal preference should matter a tiny bit.

Do you also tell restaurants to not seat anyone at the tables near yours?

[akronswitness]

Just now, chippa13 said:

Do you also tell restaurants to not seat anyone at the tables near yours?

I sure as hell dont tell restaurants to sit another group at my table to eat with my family.

[getitdaily]

Lol. Pay for the 4some and then play as a 3 if you want what you want. 

 

I play a lot of golf as a single so I'm the one who's going to join you. Guess what, whether you enjoy the round with me or without me is no concern of mine. I'll be polite while we play, but you are the problem here. 

 

Maybe learn to enjoy the company of others. 

 

Or play much later in the day when split groups are much more likely. 

 

Play is up. If a course has a full tee sheet then they're going to utilize every spot available to get folks out.

[lefthack]

I play most of my rounds at a public course that offers membership. It's small, ghetto and out of the way. But it's 9 tee boxes and 9 greens to shoot at. I play mostly solo rounds dropping 3-4 balls practicing different clubs and shots.

 

I play about 2 rounds a week on the nicer courses, but mostly first tee time. I still get paired sometimes, but it's been ok so far. But I always get a cart, so I can be as social or anti social as I want 

[NJBigFish22]

As a person that used to play solo 4 out of 5 rounds, I really never had an issue, I’m an introvert so I keep to myself.  I don’t care to know about others lives, dinner plans or anything else.  This doesn’t mean I am not going to talk to them if they ask me something.  If I owned a public course, I would do everything I could to ensure every spot was paid for, it’s not cheap to operate, so I agree, pony up the cash for the entire foursome or join a club.  I would join groups even when I belonged to a private club, if a group asked the starter to complete the group.

[getitdaily]

I used to fly a lot for work. It would really annoy me when the airlines would book other passengers into my row. I just wanted a roomy flight with no one talking to me...the nerve of these booking agents.

[akronswitness]

27 minutes ago, getitdaily said:

Lol. Pay for the 4some and then play as a 3 if you want what you want. 

 

I play a lot of golf as a single so I'm the one who's going to join you. Guess what, whether you enjoy the round with me or without me is no concern of mine. I'll be polite while we play, but you are the problem here. 

 

Maybe learn to enjoy the company of others. 

 

Or play much later in the day when split groups are much more likely. 

 

Play is up. If a course has a full tee sheet then they're going to utilize every spot available to get folks out.

 

I enjoy the company of others just fine....just not every single time I go golfing. I understand the course wants to fill as many time slots as possible but there are many other courses that get around this problem just fine by simply having more available tee times. 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 19, 2021 by akronswitness

[Petethreeput]

2 minutes ago, akronswitness said:

 

I enjoy the company of others just fine....just not every single time I go golfing. I understand the course wants to fill as many time slots as possible but there are many other courses that get around this problem just fine by simply having more available tee times. 

 

 

 

 

"simply having more available tee times."  This is why you are paying more for the pleasure to play.  The tee times are probably 10 minutes apart instead of 8 which dramatically improves pace of play.  The high end courses don't cram people in because it gets so slow people don't have the experience for which they paid.  Everyone has given you the two answers to your question, and I suspect many also feel as you do, but if you want to fix it either pay for all 4 spots or join a private club.

[Zac1321]

this thread is awesome. what a question

[chippa13]

16 minutes ago, akronswitness said:

 

I enjoy the company of others just fine....just not every single time I go golfing. I understand the course wants to fill as many time slots as possible but there are many other courses that get around this problem just fine by simply having more available tee times. 

 

 

 

 

You realize that no course has more "available" tee times by choice, right?

[miamistomp]

 I don't mind getting paired with others but my pet peeves are serious gamblers and brand new golfers

 

In each case my partner and I sped up the pace and and left them behind when course had space

 

Gamblers are miserable- guys were playing 10 dollars a hole and lined up each shot for ever--beginners were beyond brutal, drinking heavily  and should not have been let loose on a course on a Saturday afternoon

 

Lucky  I know the ranger and he  had no problem with us moving ahead when there was an opening

 

I have also been paired with lots of interesting people-sometimes you just need to explain situation to the rangers and tipping does not hurt

[RSinSG]

1 hour ago, akronswitness said:

I sure as hell dont tell restaurants to sit another group at my table to eat with my family.

This is why I never go to the BeniHana type restaurants. Had a couple of bad experiences that completely ruined what could have been a nice dinner. And to be honest, the list of people whose company I enjoy is a very short one.