Issue playing as a single

Curious as to other's thoughts on my situation. Called a semi-resort course and booked a tee time for myself as a single. Showed up 30 minutes early and checked in and paid and got set up with the cart and rental clubs. Clerk told me the package included range balls. Asked him if I had enough time for that and he assured me I did. Hit a few balls at the range, hit a few putts on the practice green and went to see the starter about 10 minutes before my tee time. He tells me my group teed off 5 minutes ago but I could probably catch them on the first hole. I was not receptive to that idea. He told me the next few groups were all foursomes but he could probably get me out in about 20-30 minutes. We went back and forth a bit. He told he doesn't hold a group if they are ready to go. I told them their whole group wasn't there. He said sometimes singles don't show so he didn't wait for me. I asked him if he called the pro-shop to see if I'd checked in. Told me he's send me out a single if I didn't want to wait. Asked him if was really going to send a single out in the middle of a packed tee sheet. Eventually, it all worked out and a threesome was next on the tee. Guess one of their guys couldn't make it.

I play as single quite a bit and never experienced anything like this. Almost every course I've ever played, the pro-shop and starter are in communication and know who's checked in and on the property.

If you're a threesome and the starter says there is a single with you, do you feel obligated to wait for your tee time and would you want to tee off early if you're ready to go?

Needs to be better communication between tee master and pro shop...

Always good to check in with the tee master as well...

Needs to be better communication between tee master and pro shop...

 

Always good to check in with the tee master as well...

I incorrectly assumed they were in communication. I should have also checked in with the starter earlier. My experience has been that things run very smoothly at these semi-resort type courses.

Yeah i'd be pissed too. Miscommunication or not the starter flat out admitted sending the group out without verifying if you were present. I don't know what the rate of singles "no showing" is at this place but i'd bet they also show up a lot of the time too.

It does help to go see the starter, but we're picking nits here....you were not in the wrong for sure

We never wait around for the single. If the hole is open to hit, we hit and go.

The only thing you could have done was check in with the starter before you hit balls or before you hit putts. It’s an extra step and shouldn’t be necessary.

When I play as a single I usually hang around the tee box/starter waiting for the first 3-some to show and go out earlier than my tee time. Or if a 4-some is running late, I go out and play by myself.

If you're a threesome and the starter says there is a single with you, do you feel obligated to wait for your tee time and would you want to tee off early if you're ready to go?

If the starter says wait we'd wait, if the starter says go we'd go.

I feel like this type of stuff happens a lot. No excuse. The starter is probably a volunteer who gets some free golf. He should have simply said my bad, I'm sorry. Lucky it worked out okay. The only other thing I could think of is to have a ranger go tell them that you were going to join them wait on the 3rd tee or something like that.

Shame on the starter for letting that happen. It's not difficult to call over on the walkie-talkie to the pro shop to see if you had checked in.

As someone who goes out often as a single, I understand your frustration because it seems to happen to me way more than it should no matter what I do. I am happy to pair up with pretty much anyone and much prefer to be part of a group so the pace of play doesn't have me running up on the groups ahead.

Unfortunately, it's really up to the starter to use common sense and think about pace of play for the entire course when sending off groups, but as leftyDH04 said, a lot of starters are there for the golf and don't really put a lot of thought into their job.

My strategy is to talk to the starter first before hitting any range balls and flat out state that I don't want to be left behind or play alone, saying something along the lines of, "Hey, I am part of the 9 AM group but I don't know the other players. I don't want to go out alone and get stuck behind a bunch of foursomes, so please make sure that you don't let the group go off without me."

And just to be safe, I will be back over at the tee about 10 minutes before the time to make sure that doesn't happen. I have to be especially vigilant when I book a GolfNow Hot Deal by myself because it leaves three other spots open for deal seekers; I am supposed to be part of the group that tees off at that specific time but it always seems like the other players try to be sneaky and want to go off by themselves, essentially splitting one tee time into two.

Some starters think they're being helpful by letting people split a tee time and go off when they want, but in most cases on a weekend at a muni or semi-private course they just end up creating more groups and screwing up pace of play. A bunch of twosomes are just going to run into the early morning foursomes when they would have just kept pace otherwise if they'd stayed a foursome.

We never wait around for the single. If the hole is open to hit, we hit and go.

 

The only thing you could have done was check in with the starter before you hit balls or before you hit putts. It’s an extra step and shouldn’t be necessary.

 

When I play as a single I usually hang around the tee box/starter waiting for the first 3-some to show and go out earlier than my tee time. Or if a 4-some is running late, I go out and play by myself.

A lot of things could have been done differently. The starter/pro shop communication could have been better. You could have checked in with the starter before hitting balls. He might have alerted to to the fact that things were running ahead of schedule and your group might go early.

Now don't get me wrong. I've played as a single plenty of times. But to be honest nobody really wants to play with you (or me). We're just tolerated. Your threesome probably saw the open tee and lobbied the starter to let them go and work you in later.

We never wait around for the single. If the hole is open to hit, we hit and go.

 

The only thing you could have done was check in with the starter before you hit balls or before you hit putts. It’s an extra step and shouldn’t be necessary.

 

When I play as a single I usually hang around the tee box/starter waiting for the first 3-some to show and go out earlier than my tee time. Or if a 4-some is running late, I go out and play by myself.

You tee off 15 minutes early without one of your group on the tee?

Thought the same. lol. That’s cold blooded.

If you're a threesome and the starter says there is a single with you, do you feel obligated to wait for your tee time and would you want to tee off early if you're ready to go?

If we are told there is a single joining us I always ask if the single is there or where is the single. If the single hasn't checked in or isn't around and we can tee off early we always go without them unless someone tells us otherwise. Most courses we play the driving range isn't on the way to the first tee but the putting green usually is so we will inquire as we go by if there is a single at the green that is suppose to join us. We are not waiting around for someone that might show up. If the tee is open we go without them. I go out as single alot and when I'm told I'm paired up I'm always close by looking for the threesome. If there is a possibility of getting off early I like to be ready.

We never wait around for the single. If the hole is open to hit, we hit and go.

 

The only thing you could have done was check in with the starter before you hit balls or before you hit putts. It’s an extra step and shouldn’t be necessary.

 

When I play as a single I usually hang around the tee box/starter waiting for the first 3-some to show and go out earlier than my tee time. Or if a 4-some is running late, I go out and play by myself.

You tee off 15 minutes early without one of your group on the tee?

Did you read the OP? He was a single joining a random 3-some. If I’m the random 3-some and we are waiting on a random single to be added to us, and it’s clear to go, we go.

IOW, we’re not waiting around for a guy we don’t know and the course is open to play.

We never wait around for the single. If the hole is open to hit, we hit and go.

 

The only thing you could have done was check in with the starter before you hit balls or before you hit putts. It's an extra step and shouldn't be necessary.

 

When I play as a single I usually hang around the tee box/starter waiting for the first 3-some to show and go out earlier than my tee time. Or if a 4-some is running late, I go out and play by myself.

You tee off 15 minutes early without one of your group on the tee?

 

Thought the same. lol. That's cold blooded.

I'd do the same thing. It's not one of our group. It's someone that's paired up with us.

Always check in with the starter first before heading over to the driving range ( especially when the driving range is not near the first tee ).

Glade it worked out for you, hope that didn't influence on the first few holes after going through all the talking.

Yes. But a tee time is a tee time. What amount is the cutoff for being late ? Would you leave 30 min early if several cancellations happened ? The proper thing to do is for the starter to go to the range and call out his or her name ( the single ) Announce “ tee is free and we’re sending your group . If your joining then , it’s time “. The single can’t have a tee time same as you then be left behind when you leave way early. Pretty rude in my book.

We never wait around for the single. If the hole is open to hit, we hit and go.

 

The only thing you could have done was check in with the starter before you hit balls or before you hit putts. It’s an extra step and shouldn’t be necessary.

 

When I play as a single I usually hang around the tee box/starter waiting for the first 3-some to show and go out earlier than my tee time. Or if a 4-some is running late, I go out and play by myself.

You tee off 15 minutes early without one of your group on the tee?

 

Did you read the OP? He was a single joining a random 3-some. If I’m the random 3-some and we are waiting on a random single to be added to us, and it’s clear to go, we go.

 

IOW, we’re not waiting around for a guy we don’t know and the course is open to play.

Random or not means zero. Your 3 isn’t a whole 4. The single is your 4 no matter if it’s a pal or a stranger.

Is this a private or public course situation... The tee box and tee times often are (and should be) handled differently in those scenarios in my experience.

Knowing there is a single who thinks the time is "x" who has been paired with you and just taking off ahead of time just seems really odd. He's probably going to have a better time with another group, but doesn't seem like it should have to be that way, and probably shouldn't be.

Curious as to other's thoughts on my situation. Called a semi-resort course and booked a tee time for myself as a single. Showed up 30 minutes early and checked in and paid and got set up with the cart and rental clubs. Clerk told me the package included range balls. Asked him if I had enough time for that and he assured me I did. Hit a few balls at the range, hit a few putts on the practice green and went to see the starter about 10 minutes before my tee time. He tells me my group teed off 5 minutes ago but I could probably catch them on the first hole. I was not receptive to that idea. He told me the next few groups were all foursomes but he could probably get me out in about 20-30 minutes. We went back and forth a bit. He told he doesn't hold a group if they are ready to go. I told them their whole group wasn't there. He said sometimes singles don't show so he didn't wait for me. I asked him if he called the pro-shop to see if I'd checked in. Told me he's send me out a single if I didn't want to wait. Asked him if was really going to send a single out in the middle of a packed tee sheet. Eventually, it all worked out and a threesome was next on the tee. Guess one of their guys couldn't make it.

 

I play as single quite a bit and never experienced anything like this. Almost every course I've ever played, the pro-shop and starter are in communication and know who's checked in and on the property.

 

If you're a threesome and the starter says there is a single with you, do you feel obligated to wait for your tee time and would you want to tee off early if you're ready to go?

He only offered to let me go out as a single after I expressed my disatisfaction with the situation presented to me. I think we both agreed that would have been a bad idea.

Curious as to other's thoughts on my situation....... t.

 

I play as single quite a bit and never experienced anything like this. Almost every course I've ever played, the pro-shop and starter are in communication and know who's checked in and on the property.

 

If you're a threesome and the starter says there is a single with you, do you feel obligated to wait for your tee time and would you want to tee off early if you're ready to go?

Some pro shops notify the starter and some don't. It's best to always check-in with the starter, then monitor your time.

If the group teed off, the course is busy and foursomes are on the tee sheet, you should catch up with your group, even if they may have tried to

ditch you. I would lag behind for awhile and join them later, not rush to catch them.

Some groups try to avoid pairing up, just in case it's the single from hell. They get there early, even 20-30 minutes, to see if they are paired up, then they

go early if possible. The starter should control that, unless he has other spots for you or isn't busy. I have played alone when that has happened.

It's the same situation when your pairing doesn't show.

The starter didn't have a good excuse, so he either forgot you or the 3some didn't want to pair up.

It's not always smooth as a single. When I am the 2 or 3 some, I wait for the single, unless it's past the tee time, because I know what it feels like to

be avoided. If you end up joining the group that tried to avoid you, they usually warm up to you after you have proven you have etiquette and won't hold them back.

When you have the time to check a course's tee sheet, on their website, Golfnow, etc, I recommenmd looking for a Twosome to join. They are more used to getting

paired up, although sometimes the same situation happens when it's a couple with a wife who is afraid to play with strangers, but sometimes the wife is the

better golfer.

There's a lot of anti-social behavior in this game. It's unfortunate and unique in some ways.

Can't imagine caring if a single is added to my 3some.

If you're a threesome and the starter says there is a single with you, do you feel obligated to wait for your tee time and would you want to tee off early if you're ready to go?

 

If the starter says wait we'd wait, if the starter says go we'd go.

Yup, and further if we’re 3 and the starter gives us an option of going now as a 3 ball or waiting for a single to join us we’re going now. Every time.

Also we don't know the situation of the other guys. Perhaps they had a flight to catch or dinner reservations with their wives or something else time sensitive that teeing off a little early would really benefit them.

There's a lot of anti-social behavior in this game. It's unfortunate and unique in some ways.

 

Can't imagine caring if a single is added to my 3some.

So going with the question the Op asked. If you are the 3some and you have the option to tee off earlier you are going to decline and wait for your actual tee time because a single is joining you later? You are able to tee off 15 mins -30 mins early and your 3some is just waiting around. No sir I'll wait for that single to join us,

Asinine for anyone to think that's okay. You have ten minutes until your official tee time, verify with the pro-shop and wait for the single if he's checked in. End of story.

There's a lot of anti-social behavior in this game. It's unfortunate and unique in some ways.

 

Can't imagine caring if a single is added to my 3some.

 

So going with the question the Op asked. If you are the 3some and you have the option to tee off earlier you are going to decline and wait for your actual tee time because a single is joining you later? You are able to tee off 15 mins -30 mins early and your 3some is just waiting around. No sir I'll wait for that single to join us,

So totally agree & "right on" spot... if I'm allowed & can set off earlier, I'm gonna do so!

Also we don't know the situation of the other guys. Perhaps they had a flight to catch or dinner reservations with their wives or something else time sensitive that teeing off a little early would really benefit them.

Maybe one of them is an astronaut and needed to catch the space shuttle. Maybe one of them was picking up the cure for cancer at exactly 5pm and if he was late the cure is lost forever?

It's all totally possible. I mean how are we supposed to know? So for sure they should just go whenever they please

I am shocked there are dissenting views here. The guy didn't show up expecting to join a 3-some. He literally made a reservation ahead of time joining the group. At that point he's part of the group, it's on the tee sheet as a 4-some. If he had expected to play as a single he would've been absolutely roasted by people in this same forum saying "singles have no status on a golf course" , but he calls ahead of time and joins a group, making a 4-some as he is supposed to do ....and it's like "ah, just ditch him, who cares, they probably got things to do"

There's a lot of anti-social behavior in this game. It's unfortunate and unique in some ways.

 

Can't imagine caring if a single is added to my 3some.

 

So going with the question the Op asked. If you are the 3some and you have the option to tee off earlier you are going to decline and wait for your actual tee time because a single is joining you later? You are able to tee off 15 mins -30 mins early and your 3some is just waiting around. No sir I'll wait for that single to join us,

 

So totally agree & "right on" spot... if I'm allowed & can set off earlier, I'm gonna do so!

I have been in this situation many times and have always waited, even if i don't want to....

At many courses, the starter won't let you go off without your full group anyway.

I have seen instances at my home club, where a single will be moved from one group to another because a group breaks up or asks to tee off early. But only seen this when the single can be moved to another time nearly identical to the one he was already in, and the starter is sure the dynamics of the group aren't way different.