Rant

stackerman

So I wake up on my day off, with plans for this and that. Look out the window after breakfast, the sun is shining, and not the slightest breeze

Screw this, Im going for a game of golf, the rest can wait.

So down to the coarse for a quick game on my own and I'm first out
BEAUTIFUL :)

So playing great, nine holes in and honestly, all my troubles are gone and it's as if I've not a care in the world. THIS IS WHY I PLAY GOLF, THANK YOU LORD !!!
I Tee off on Ten and find two people on the green (around the corner on a dog leg) when I get to my ball. No problem, they have jumped on at Ten as the tee at 1st was busy, I've done it myself. However for the next five holes the two people saunter around stopping to chat, look for a ball and generally concentrating on everything bar the golf (and whats around them). I start hitting a second ball every now and again, but no joy. I could have hit 15 at times, and they would still have been oblivious to me.
Now remember there is nobody behind me, for at least 5 holes and no one in front of them at all. Eventually they see me waiting on the tee at 13, as they chat in the rough. Grand they will prob wave me on now while they chat and look for yet another ball, or certainly soon maybe on the next tee box.
NOT A CHANCE :mad:
I wait and wait and wait, all the time my game is going to ****e as I get more and more pissed off. Eventually I get SO pissed off I walk off the tee box (waiting 10 mins), and skip two holes to get ahead of them and play the last two in peace, but fuming.

Into the car and home :mad:

So this is it, I'm still pissed off and cant get it out of my mind.
It was bad enough stuck behind them, and they not even caring what was going on around them. But what is really bothering me is that I said nothing!?
I cant stand people throwing strops or shapes on a Golf Coarse, it just seems to be a pointless exercise. But when I play golf, I am ALWAYS aware of what it behind and ahead of me.

So whats the general consensus ?? Would you have said something to them during the round, after the round, or not at all ? Would you have said something in the pro shop ?? Now part of the reason I didn't say anything was that I am not a member at said Golf Club.
Sorry for the rant, but I have never been this annoyed on a golf coarse and just want to know if I was a mug just taking it like I did
(actually don't tell me if I was a mug, I'm angry enough )

Lawless2k12

Probably would have said leave me through, although a one ball never really has right on the course over anyone else... It does p!ss me off big time when people do that though. Chatting away as if they own the course. Sometimes I shout FORE at them to get attention and then I wave my hands about like a mad man and if they still don't get the message I'll go over and say hurry up or I'll complain ye for slow play. I don't go out to make friends

Almaviva

Lawless2k12 wrote: »

a one ball never really has right on the course over anyone else...

It can.

A one ball has the right to play through a group of any number that is holding it up. Number of players in a group has no bearing on its rights.

Lawless2k12

Almaviva wrote: »

It can.

A one ball has the right to play through a group of any number that is holding it up. Number of players in a group has no bearing on its rights.

It used to have no rights before though didn't it? Definitely when I took up golf first anyway... It was always 4-ball, 3-ball, 2-ball in ascending order. Singles were assumed to be practicing and not competing. Any idea when it changed? If you don't it's grand, I'm just curious...

FixdePitchmark

I'm in situations like this a good bit. I play a good bit alone. I normally look for a big gap on back or front and go. If it is a slow day. I normally accpet that , I'm the odd ball alone. So , I play very slow, practice putting, let them get a hole ahead - and play catch up. you need plenty of patience.

I think that there is, a sort of an obligation for a single player to pick a sensible day - no soc or club comp on. Ring ahead, look at time sheet online. Always be willing to join in when asked - or join in when it is the only logic on the day. This can be the best day of golf ever to see a new game, meet an American , a German , a Kerry man.

you know days you should stay away , once you know a course.

On bad days I've started on 11 or 16 - just to start moving.

You know guys that will let you go, but you see the ones who won't - the “they have no place on the course” - dudes.

There was a good thread on slow play here a few months back. I got a bit of stick, as my pet hate are slow walkers.

There are exceptions , I’m not trying to excuse arseholes.

Lads in their late 50s 60s are not going to hit the ball far, they may have health problems – I hate when someone gives out about an older player – just cause they are old.

There are lads who are members for a long time and do the same thing every day, some even play alone and hit a 2nd and 3rdball every day - the same time. Some of these lads are so set in their patern that they don’t mean anything by it – they are sort of characters. I can’t see any point in having a row with a bloke who could be the soundest fella in the world – but just does the same thing every day. You just happen to be behind him. It can be 5 holes before they notice you. They are fast these lads and very very good. They can speed up if they need to and are so fast you will do well to catch them .

It is a complex little game, the lone player.
I think that was me ahead of you :P

stackerman

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

I think that there is, a sort of an obligation for a single player to pick a sensible day - no soc or club comp on. Ring ahead, look at time sheet online. Always be willing to join in when asked - or join in when it is the only logic on the day. This can be the best day of golf ever to see a new game, meet an American , a German , a Kerry man.

I agree, however what really bothered me was that they cut in front of me at 10. Surly that imparts an obligation to keep an eye behind you for a group (of any size) whom you jumped ahead of ? The nature of the coarse I was on, is that they would surely have seen me on 9 (if they had looked) before they teed off on ten.

Kevinmarkham

To the two lads debating whether a one-ball has rights on the course... a two-ball that cuts in at the 10th has NO rights at all.

You have your choices Stackerman - a yell of Fore as soon as you see them would have given them a shock and no matter what their attitude they have no 'right' on their side.

I wrote a blog about slow play that ended up being three angry blogs. I was hitting the keyboard hard enough to damage the damn thing by the time I finished. Personally, I don't see golf clubs doing much about slow play, so it's up to regular golfers to forget embarrassment and tentativeness and educate slow golfers with straight talking.

Sorry to hear it ruined your day.

FixdePitchmark

stackerman wrote: »

I agree, however what really bothered me was that they cut in front of me at 10. Surly that imparts an obligation to keep an eye behind you for a group (of any size) whom you jumped ahead of ? The nature of the coarse I was on, is that they would surely have seen me on 9 (if they had looked) before they teed off on ten.

Yes - I can't excuse assholes.

Lawless2k12

Just got home and looked it up... I feel somewhat old now

The statement "a single player has no standing and should give way to a match of any kind" was removed from the Official Rules of Golf in revisions for the 2004 edition

Luckily I'll let someone through if I know they're faster than me or my group, but jaysus there must be bunches of people that think single players have almost no rights on the course too

GreeBo

if I catch up to people I will wait a hole or two, if they havent seen me or dont care, I will give them a FORE from the tee.

If they cut in and are slow, I'll maybe give them 1 hole before they get it. If you cut in you have even more of an obligation to make sure you dont hold anyone up imo.

donalg1

I start on the 10th from time to time if I am just looking to play a few and there is no one around bar a few on the first. I usually play first thing so the odd time there could be a comp starting so people on the first with more behind ready to go so I just start on the 10th but I always keep an eye behind as I know if anyone comes up behind they have the right and should be allowed through.

But some people are always conscious of those behind whereas others either dont notice or just dont care. Myself and a friend were playing one day, when we teed off on the 1st there were 3 lads teeing off on the 3rd, when we got to the 4th they were holding us up and on the 5th we were waiting 20mins.

We would get to the tee and wait 10mins, tee off walk to our ball and wait another 10mins. One lad in their group would get to his ball, put his bag down, take 3 slow practice swings take his shot, hit it 10 yards and walk up to it and start again another 3 slow practice swings to hit it another 10 yards. He did this on every hole leaving his bag behind at where he first started until he was forty yards away would then stroll back pick up his bag and walk the fifty yards to the ball again and repeat. The other 2 werent much better either.

Eventually the lad I was with let a roar at them on the 7th fairway and they did let us through then on the 8th, one of them turns to us as we arrived on the 8th tee and said "theres no need to shout lads we are all just here to enjoy it"

soundsham

I wouldn't have left the course without giving them a piece of my mind

After a hole or two they would have been getting the fore treatment

stackerman

I suppose I really should have said something, if for no other reason but to stop my anger rising

I have in the past let a shout FORE or had a quick word. Somehow I felt in a weaker position because I was not a member, and I assumed the two ladies were. However I paid my money and deserved to be treated as any other player on the coarse. I suppose its likely that having said nothing the two concerned are today, none the wiser and oblivious of their actions. But I find that hard to believe !

mag

this happened me a few yrs back -

was playing up the second hole of my home course alone when two guys walked straight off the seventh green into the middle of the second fairway, dropped two balls and proceeded to play in front of me. i got to my ball, wondering if i was imagining this, and shouted fore at them (its a par 5, they were about 150yds up the fairway in front of me at this stage). they just stood there chatting and getting clubs out, etc..

so, i picked up my ball. walked up to them & asked them wtf they thought they were at. they wheeled out the old - "youre a one ball, with no rights on the course" nonsense. in no uncertain terms i told them to get a f*%king grip and that cutting in the middle of holes is 100% out of order. i dropped my ball, played onto the green and went on.

some people have no clue how to act on a golf course and to the op - those two in front of you were also 100% in the wrong but they dont know that unless theyre informed. this type of stuff doesnt get stamped out unless those who are in the wrong are let know so.

Creasy_bear

If they cut in and were holding me up, I would have shouted fore at them straight away. Just to tell them to move on. If they didn't let me through after that, I would have just skipped ahead of them.

DeanAustin

They should have let you through. That's poor carry on.

slave1

That's a right crock of sh1te alright, we often meet up with a 1ball and just let through when the opportunity arises, we don't want to holder faster players up.
Very annoying, but still, remember the front 9 and then breathe and move on!

searay

My approach...

Get close to them, when they're coming off the next teebox and you are walking on the next green.

Say something friendly "Nice day for a game etc" , then "Would you mind if I play through, I won't keep you".

In my experience, if you start off being friendly, you'll be let through and probably apologise for holding you up, etc. Most people are fine if you approach them the right way.

If they get into the "You've no rights" type response, you are better to just skip a hole and remember that life is too short.

stooge

Its very hard not to lose the rag though. It's hard enough to find the time to get out for a game of golf without having someone ruin it by slow play. I wouldnt say I am the quickest player on the course but I am always mindful of those playing behind me and making sure I'm keeping up pace with those in front.

On the other hand, I was on a society outing last year. Six groups and we were the third out. Slow enough day and we were always at the tee box when the group in front was teeing off. On the 9th we teed off and as we were leaving the tee box one of the lads in the group after us asked could they play through as we were holding them up :rolleyes::rolleyes:

I was speechless for a moment and then the anger built up :mad::mad: Told him in no uncertain terms that he was out of order, and that if they played through they would be held up by the group in front of us. Hes a decent golfer of single figures but was acting the bollix thinking he owned the place.

I guess the moral of the story is that each situation is different and that slow play is something that different people have different ways of dealing with.

FixdePitchmark

searay wrote: »

My approach...

Get close to them, when they're coming off the next teebox and you are walking on the next green.

Say something friendly "Nice day for a game etc" , then "Would you mind if I play through, I won't keep you".

In my experience, if you start off being friendly, you'll be let through and probably apologise for holding you up, etc. Most people are fine if you approach them the right way.

If they get into the "You've no rights" type response, you are better to just skip a hole and remember that life is too short.

This is me too ^^^^

I think entering into aggresion from the off, is wrong and gets less results. I've been put under pressure to to hit my ball " Up their Hole". I think this carry on, is actually worse than original offence.

For Paws

OP You have my sympathy.
The decent thing, as outlined by etiquette, is to call you through (and invite you to join them if you wish).
The golf course is a shared experience, and the onus is on all who play there to remember it.
We care for the course ; that's why we replace divots, repair pitch marks, rake bunkers etc.
We should also care for our fellow golfers.
(Unless they're slow - then you should be allowed kill them).

But I'd have to say this, and no offense is meant.
You allowed this to completely fcuk up your day. That's never going to be someone else's problem. It's yours alone.
Maybe take the good advice about skipping around, or practice putting to restore the gap in front of you.
But please, do whatever you have to to enjoy your golf without taking anything away from other players.

mister gullible

stackerman wrote: »

I suppose I really should have said something, if for no other reason but to stop my anger rising

I have in the past let a shout FORE or had a quick word. Somehow I felt in a weaker position because I was not a member, and I assumed the two ladies were. However I paid my money and deserved to be treated as any other player on the coarse. I suppose its likely that having said nothing the two concerned are today, none the wiser and oblivious of their actions. But I find that hard to believe !

gotta luv em