Sign of the times

[MikeRaganold]

Mike Raganold 2013-06-17

[Jasonreg]

Nothing wrong with any of that IMO. We actually played Cedarhill a couple of Saturdays ago - 1pm tee time, a respectable 4 hours, 20 minutes.

[Gobble_It]

Played recently on a local course which normally has a very good pace; however this day we were stuck behind a foursome (with carts) that basically refused to let us through (4-some walking!). The marshal actually came by around the 4th hole and basically suggested us to slow down a bit because the group in front is on time according to "her chart". When we teed off, those guys were no where to be seen on the first green or second tee. There was no other groups that we could see 1-2 holes in front.



Finally caught up to them at a par 3 but stay a distance away because the marshal was with us. They didn't bother waving us through and she still insisted that there is nothing she can do.


We told her if anything that group could have speed up a bit or let us through as the 3 some behind us were also approaching.
She refused to do anything and ridiculously stayed with out group for a few more holes as if those guys were her buddies.


I finally told her if she doesn't move along, I will call the clubhouse and ask for refund. She left and never came back.
Finished the round around 4:50hrs for 7:15am start . We will stay away from this course for a while


Worst marshal I have seen.

[slash]

Would be great to post which course. Someone here might be able to chime in

[Gobble_It]

Would be great to post which course. Someone here might be able to chime in

I will leave the course name out. I've played there many times and have never seen that lady marshal. Nothing against her but she is probably new. The minute I inquired about possibility of asking the group for us to go through, she brought out the chart. The ridiculous thing is she decided to park with us for a few holes ?. Not really understand that is not going to solve anything. We were walking and they were carting

[justsomeguy]

Finally caught up to them at a par 3 but stay a distance away because the marshal was with us. They didn't bother waving us through and she still insisted that there is nothing she can do.

Were they on the green at this par-3 or on the tee box? If they were putting on the green at a par-3 then you did not "catch them" and they were correct not to wave you through. If you caught them on the tee box then they should have let you tee off with them and let your group be the one that finishes first.

I finally told her if she doesn't move along, I will call the clubhouse and ask for refund. She left and never came back. Finished the round around 4:50hrs for 7:15am start . We will stay away from this course for a while.

Just to be clear, did you finish in 4 hours and 30 minutes or 4 hours and 50 minutes? If it is the former then their time is not slow, but if it is the latter then they are definitely playing slow if there are no groups if front of them. In either case if you are in a foursome and they are a foursome and your group never caught their group on a tee box, then you really have no opportunity to "play through' that would not significantly slow down play for all the groups playing after yours.

[slash]

I just can imagine by early afternoon it must have been 5 hours round for everyone. Needs to play under 4 hours at that time. If not the rest of the day will be over 5 hours rounds. For a public course the marshal and the starter has to explain to the early tee times the importance of a good pace to keep the day going well.
At a semi private course they will put members who play fast early to avoid these situations.

[dmartin]

if your not going to name the course.. why bother informing us of the obvious... silly

[slash]

if your not going to name the course.. why bother informing us of the obvious... silly

Couldn't get myself to post the same.👍

[Gobble_It]

Were they on the green at this par-3 or on the tee box? If they were putting on the green at a par-3 then you did not "catch them" and they were correct not to wave you through. If you caught them on the tee box then they should have let you tee off with them and let your group be the one that finishes first.

Just to be clear, did you finish in 4 hours and 30 minutes or 4 hours and 50 minutes? If it is the former then their time is not slow, but if it is the latter then they are definitely playing slow if there are no groups if front of them. In either case if you are in a foursome and they are a foursome and your group never caught their group on a tee box, then you really have no opportunity to "play through' that would not significantly slow down play for all the groups playing after yours.

4 and 50 mins we finished at.
Yes, we were walking to the par 3 and they were teeing up.
Every par 4 we walked to, they were always just starting to drive off to their second shot.

[1800Duffers]

Unfortunately, a lot of groups don't understand waving groups on and may not believe they are slow. My experience with the marshals is that they understand what is happening but they don't do anything about it, possibly in fear of pissing someone off.

[mizzyboy]

There is an unwritten rule in golf: if you play early, expect to play fast (3 - 3 1/2 hours for time around 7 AM, 3 1/2 - 4 hours between 8 - 10 AM), 4 - 4/14 hours after that). Does everyone agree?

[justsomeguy]

4 and 50 mins we finished at.
Yes, we were walking to the par 3 and they were teeing up.
Every par 4 we walked to, they were always just starting to drive off to their second shot.

In that case the marshal was not doing her job properly. You could have played through with minimal to no disruption and EVERYONE on the course would have been happier.

[KOKO72]

There is an unwritten rule in golf: if you play early, expect to play fast (3 - 3 1/2 hours for time around 7 AM, 3 1/2 - 4 hours between 8 - 10 AM), 4 - 4/14 hours after that). Does everyone agree?

I would agree with this to a certain extent. Time will depend on a few factors....difficulty of course being played, walking or riding, proximity of tees from previous greens, and skill level of players, private vs public course. In any instance though, a round of golf shouldn't take more than 4.25 to 4.5 hours to play, even if any of the above factors apply. Slow groups should let faster players through to make everyones day enjoyable. Since COVID there have been many new players taking up the sport as well as people returning to the game. I have found that the last year or so the rounds have been on the slower side, but not by much. what I have noticed is the lack of Marshals and if they are present there is a lack of proper marshalling at many courses. Has anyone else experienced this? Are they afraid of the reaction of players if they as them to speed up?

[White Light]

The rule is that you have to follow the group in front of you. No matter if you are fast or slow.

[em69]

There is an unwritten rule in golf: if you play early, expect to play fast (3 - 3 1/2 hours for time around 7 AM, 3 1/2 - 4 hours between 8 - 10 AM), 4 - 4/14 hours after that). Does everyone agree?

No. If it takes longer to play later in the day, then there is an issue with the tee times being too close. My home course is always on time...even at 4pm and rarely is a round longer than 4 hours.

[pwoods72]

The rule is that you have to follow the group in front of you. No matter if you are fast or slow.

I generally follow this rule as well if you're in a 4some just as the same ahead of you. It's interesting how there are different opinions on this. Some feel like if their pace of play is within 4 - 4.5 hours then this is takes priority over the group you might be holding up. I completely disagree with this. In fact, if there is space between my group and the group ahead (we are teeing off while they are leaving the green on a par 4), I'm usually checking to see if the group behind is catching up to us which would indicate we are falling behind and need to get moving. Some people don't really care too much about their pace of play which is very unfortunate; similar to seeing unrepaired ball marks and unreplaced divots.

[slash]

We usually play in 4 hours as a walking walking foursome. If a group is pushing us and there is an open hole or more ahead we will let them through. No big deal.

[314314]

Not long ago, we were not even allow to play plus summer goes too fast - bottom line just enjoy your game.

[Marcos]

Not long ago, we were not even allow to play plus summer goes too fast - bottom line just enjoy your game.

Agree 100% . Just go out and enjoy it while you can.

[nezzie]

Agree 100% . Just go out and enjoy it while you can.

Agree 1000%, but also my two cents:

No course should be allowing less than a 4 some off unless its late afternoon. Not in todays golfing demand. If there is a less than 4 some off early in the day its often those groups that can cause issues by creating unecessary gaps thus causing the appearnace of timing getting out of whack

[jeffc]

Agree 1000%, but also my two cents:

No course should be allowing less than a 4 some off unless its late afternoon. Not in todays golfing demand. If there is a less than 4 some off early in the day its often those groups that can cause issues by creating unecessary gaps thus causing the appearnace of timing getting out of whack

So if I sign up as a twosome and no one else joins us, our time is cancelled? This is silly.

[justdoit]

Well I know only 1 lady marshall and the course is known for lack of etiquette,its a very popular course too

[314314]

I have seen so many 4somes that are slow like molasses... Pull out a cigar and enjoy both cigar and your game....

Agree 1000%, but also my two cents:

No course should be allowing less than a 4 some off unless its late afternoon. Not in todays golfing demand. If there is a less than 4 some off early in the day its often those groups that can cause issues by creating unecessary gaps thus causing the appearnace of timing getting out of whack

[Marcos]

I have seen so many 4somes that are slow like molasses... Pull out a cigar and enjoy both cigar and your game....

I was a big cigar smoker for years and years and one of my favourite things was lighting up a big stogie on the golf course and enjoying it. Was good for getting rid of flies and mosquitos !!!! LOL.

[dbleber]

I generally follow this rule as well if you're in a 4some just as the same ahead of you. It's interesting how there are different opinions on this. Some feel like if their pace of play is within 4 - 4.5 hours then this is takes priority over the group you might be holding up. I completely disagree with this. In fact, if there is space between my group and the group ahead (we are teeing off while they are leaving the green on a par 4), I'm usually checking to see if the group behind is catching up to us which would indicate we are falling behind and need to get moving. Some people don't really care too much about their pace of play which is very unfortunate; similar to seeing unrepaired ball marks and unreplaced divots.

I don’t really agree with this one. If you’re a 4some and playing around 4-4.5 hours you shouldn’t have to keep up with the group in front if that’s the course space of play. If there’s a large gap and a group is waiting behind you then let them play through.

I play as a single and have been paired with so many different golfers over the years. Some don’t take practice swings, don’t pick lines, look at potential hazards or landing zones, don’t read greens and give 4+ ft putts. They play fast, not well. A group playing golf to score and not for speed shouldn’t have to keep up to that group.

An older group where I play always gets the first two tee times. I’m usually behind them or play with them. There goal is to play around 3 hours. My group behind them plays around 3.5 hours-ish but I’m not racing my play to keep up with the first group.

My end point is you can’t really take the group in front or behind as a benchmark as there’s different factors. How they play, a bad hole etc. My big one is always let a faster group play through whether it’s a 4some, 2sone or single if there’s a gap in front of you. As a single, I’ve had countless 2somes and 4somes that refuse to let me play through and try and rush their game instead of just letting me play through and enjoying their round.

[nezzie]

So if I sign up as a twosome and no one else joins us, our time is cancelled? This is silly.

Yeah I can see now how my post can come accross as silly for sure. I just didn't make it more clear. Its not that I think there should be not 2somes allowed and of course not force someone to cancel because of that. The point I was trying to make was, in my fair share of rounds this year I have seen mulitple 2 somes from the holes I can see either in front or back of me. When you have a few two somes why not combine them?

This is where I was trying to get to in my post Then you won't have gaps on holes

You know how the story goes; drive with the traffic theres no point riding someones ass then slow down cause you can't pass then rinse repeat right?

I am not complaining just providing a comment of what I have seen, maybe others have seen different.

Like most of the folks in this forum have said, lets just be happy we are playing

[justsomeguy]

The point I was trying to make was, in my fair share of rounds this year I have seen mulitple 2 somes from the holes I can see either in front or back of me. When you have a few two somes why not combine them?

Tough to do during COVID times. Many courses have rules telling people not to show up on the first tee box until X minutes before their tee time to reduce congestion at the first tee. Are they going to make the first twosome wait (then you'll have a gap for sure) until the next group shows up?

These are trying times for sure, but at least we're golfing. Things will get back to normal by the fall - or next year at the latest.

[White Light]

I don’t really agree with this one. If you’re a 4some and playing around 4-4.5 hours you shouldn’t have to keep up with the group in front if that’s the course space of play. If there’s a large gap and a group is waiting behind you then let them play through.

I play as a single and have been paired with so many different golfers over the years. Some don’t take practice swings, don’t pick lines, look at potential hazards or landing zones, don’t read greens and give 4+ ft putts. They play fast, not well. A group playing golf to score and not for speed shouldn’t have to keep up to that group.

An older group where I play always gets the first two tee times. I’m usually behind them or play with them. There goal is to play around 3 hours. My group behind them plays around 3.5 hours-ish but I’m not racing my play to keep up with the first group.

My end point is you can’t really take the group in front or behind as a benchmark as there’s different factors. How they play, a bad hole etc. My big one is always let a faster group play through whether it’s a 4some, 2sone or single if there’s a gap in front of you. As a single, I’ve had countless 2somes and 4somes that refuse to let me play through and try and rush their game instead of just letting me play through and enjoying their round.

As a single player you do not have any rights to jump ahead on any course.

[dbleber]

As a single player you do not have any rights to jump ahead on any course.

I’ve heard that before and it’s still the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard on the topic of slow play. I’ve either paid my green fee or membership so I have the same rights as anyone else. I’m willing to be paired up with anyone so that’s on the club, not me.

My point, which seems to have been missed, is regardless of who has rights, if there’s a gap in front and someone has caught up to you just let them play through. It’s just common sense and makes everyone’s round better.