I am starting to hate early tee times

[tannyhoban]

A fellow Wrx'er and I just got out for a round on Monday Morning. He played well, and I played.. not my best on the front, but we weren't horribly slow. We weren't looking for balls, etc.

 

We were being pushed really hard for the majority of the front 9. It was annoying to both of us and we finished the front in an hour and a half, so slow play wasn't an issue, but the guys behind us were just always right there. They tee'd off as soon as we hit our second shots on one, so they clearly didn't wait for their tee time. The issue was they really never caught up either.. They must've been taking an exuberant amount of time on the greens, because they were awfully speedy once they tee'd off.

 

At the turn, we decided we would go inside and grab a snack, a drink, and let them pass. Well, we get out, and they still hadn't passed. We wait for a minute on the tee box, still nothing, so we tee'd up. Just as I got the tee in the ground, they showed up, and we let them through.

 

Sure enough, both tee off in under a minute. Both go OB, both take another 4-5 shots to get to the green, albeit they hit them very quickly, and we gave them a little extra time and tee'd off. Within 2-3 holes, we were all caught up. It didn't bother us, so we just took some extra time as there was no one behind us.

 

It brought to lite, a sneaking suspicion I'd been having, that some groups just want to have other golfers in front of them. They didn't finish any faster than us. Didn't follow the cart path only rules (heavy down pours the night before so the course was a bit fragile), and didn't take any time doing anything..

 

We also had the discussion between us that it wouldn't take them any more time, total, to take 20 seconds to hit a shot that actually got some where than it would to hit 3 shots with no preparation, and shoot 20 strokes worse.

 

1. Slow play doesn't equate to how far anyone in front of you is playing, nor how far the group behind you is or isn't! Slow play equates to not being ready to hit. You should be, and that means taking several clubs with you to your ball, waiting for the gut behind you to hit, and if he decides he needs a different club he doesn't have in his hand, he tells you to go ahead and hit in front of him.

2. How on earth do you know what their "Tee Time" was, and if they waited enough time, or if the starter told them to hit?

3. Did you communicate that you where letting them through on 10? If not, they might have just assumed that "we've been pushing them hard the majority of the front nine" (your exact words), and they just aren't going to let us through, so we might as well catch up on emails/texts/missed calls, have breakfast, etc.

4. Maybe they felt rushed once they drove out to 10 tee and saw you still sitting there, thought "this is the only chance we're gonna have to get through these guys, so we better hurry up!"

 

I've been there before as a dew-sweeper. You wake up at 5:00am to get the first time of the day so you can play 18 in 2:45 or 3:15, then make the turn to find out they put a twosome out off the back (to make more $, but holds up your 4some).

 

I love the early morning rounds when you tee off on 1 while they are still cutting 3. You know you will get the greens in the best possible shape of the day, and no one will be in front of you on the front nine, so you play as fast as you are comfortable with. Only downside is the dew that kills your roll-out on drives, but it actually helps you on the greens. Temps are ideal, and you can then have the rest of the morning to go home and do "honey do" lists, or as I often do, go home, take a nap, wake up and cut the grass/go to little league game/go to in-laws, then go back around 3:00 and play another 9-18 to work on what didn't go so well in the morning.

 

You'd be sorely disapppinted playing behind my group. We play on 4 hrs. Not that we wouldn't let you through, we would - gladly. Some of y'all are goofy about how long a round with 4 should take. Play midafternoon as a single if you want to speed golf, sheesh.

[RayGorman]

I was never a particular fan of the Dawn Patrol, except when surfing. I can get up a 4 to do that. But golf? nah... For the most part. When Dad still played his group always had the first set of times through the winter. First time was based on sunrise. <shudder> This is in the Tampa area so winter mornings can be damp and cold, yet be 80 degrees by the 5th hole. I would visit and since it's Florida I always played in shorts and short sleeves even if it was mid-30's. Only upside was if you were NOT in the first group, you got a good read on putts because of the tracks of previous putts in the dew.. No range, so no real warmup. A cup of coffee, a few practice swings and off you went.

 

And even around here, during the summer on the public courses it's hard to get those times (not that I want them), because they would have their "member" groups locked in until 10 or 11am anyways. And lot's of Muni's have their Men's clubs going off early as well. But those usually end around this time of year so it frees them up.

 

And as it turns out, I am visiting a friend in New Jersey and I asked if they could get us a time for this Saturday- as long as it was light out. "How's 7am at Howell Park?". Gulp... "Kind of booked up after that..." Okay, that's fine. Except I have to leave where I'm staying at 5:30am. Because you cant really get there from here type of deal. At least there's a range, and I should have 10-15 minutes to whack at a few before heading off. And there's plenty of Dunkin Donuts along the way to fuel up at.

[dbleag]

Personally, I like any tee time, period.

 

Vs. not playing at all.

 

 

 

 

And, vs. courses with no tee times at all. I played a course in Ohio where, on weekends, you just found an open hole and started there. Biggest bunch of Type A's i ever saw.

[North Butte]

I play in the mornings on weekends because that's when I can get a game. I do cherish my solo weekday-evening rounds because the course is so firm and dry and usually uncrowded. But I'm social enough not to want to "play" golf by myself always (I put the word in quotes because it isn't really a "game" if you "play" by yourself).

 

I'll admit that when my usual group decided to play away this weekend I was sort of elated. Yes it will mean playing by myself unless I hook up with another single or something. But I get to have an early lunch, then chip and putt for a while until my meal settles then have a nice 1pm-ish round of golf. Ah, the simple pleasures in life.

[PutterFingers]

Tee time at 0700 tomorrow, it's supposed to be 40 degrees at that time!

 

First round in pants and jacket for me this year.

[J_Birdie]

I feel like the first 10 tee times of the day should be saved for people playing better than bogey golf. 18 handicap verfication required. Then you know you can keep the course on time for the morning rounds and the traps will be raked, ball marks repaired, etc.

 

NO 5-SOMES BEFORE NOON PERIOD!! EVER AT ALL COURSES! :censored2: :angry22:

 

A course here has "leader of the pack" tee times where you get a discount for teeing up as the first 10 tee slots of the day but in return you have to be done by time par or be removed from the course. It is an effort to keep the early rounds moving so the whole day moves smoothly. Course is expensive but the guy I know who works there says it has been a smashing hit and, yes, they have pulled groups off the course who did not hit time par.

[DJShakes]

I've never seen any good players early AM. Always around noon or evening.

 

That's weird. The opposite is true here. If people are on the course at 6:00 am, they clearly are serious about golf.

 

Your post seems counter-intuitive.

 

I love being the first group out, my scores suffer when I have to wait on the tee box for too long.

[North Butte]

The better players at my club are split. One group of them goes out early, another at 2 or 3pm. There are also a couple of scratch-ish guys who play most day around noon

[New2this]

I like those guys.

Same here.

 

I guess the question is their reasons. Family, children, outside obligations. I say it over and over, I am crazy about golf and want to play 3X/wk, however the time commitment is significant. Minimum 4:00 including drive time playing very fast.

 

I cant do early tee times because it means sobriety happens twice in the same day...

[ruascott]

I don't mind playing early, I just hate playing in the wet dew...sadly they go hand in hand.

[clinkinfo]

Play with a group and they love the 7 am(giver or take) tee tiime. They like to rush to the course. No time on the range, maybe a few putts and maybe not and then just go to the first tee. They want the first tee time of the day.

 

No warm up, half asleep, not loose, and then rush to see how fast we can get done.

 

I would rather be a little hotter and more lose. It is almost like something they just want to get done. Courses are usually wet as all get out. Greens are slower and like they just go trough the motions to hack some balls around.

 

 

So play with another group? What's the issue?

[texasdave]

I feel like the first 10 tee times of the day should be saved for people playing better than bogey golf. 18 handicap verfication required. Then you know you can keep the course on time for the morning rounds and the traps will be raked, ball marks repaired, etc.

 

NO 5-SOMES BEFORE NOON PERIOD!! EVER AT ALL COURSES! :censored2: :angry22:

 

A course here has "leader of the pack" tee times where you get a discount for teeing up as the first 10 tee slots of the day but in return you have to be done by time par or be removed from the course. It is an effort to keep the early rounds moving so the whole day moves smoothly. Course is expensive but the guy I know who works there says it has been a smashing hit and, yes, they have pulled groups off the course who did not hit time par.

 

Hey J-Bird what course is that, I believe youre in San Antonio?

[North Butte]

My last three morning round scores have been 92, 94 and 100. My last three afternoon scores have been 82, 84 and 88. All six on the same course, all six this month.

 

I am done with playing early. It's just more fun in every way when I tee off after lunch.

[Igloo3]

Definitely comes down to family for me. I LOVE to play when the sun is setting. Nothing better than to be walking the golf course and finishing right at dusk. But I want to be home with my kids also. So I do the super early time to be home early. Even though I just have to nap when I get home.

[Pretzel]

I much prefer evening golf to morning golf, if only because the temperatures and conditions are usually much better. The course has dried out by then, and the green are playing firmer than in the mornings. You also don't have to worry about frost delays or waking up early enough to warm up beforehand.

[J2putts]

We've had an early tee time every Sunday all season. We are 2nd group off..behind a 4some of older guys that legit play 18 in 2 1/2 hrs ..they are in the cart before the ball even lands lol. We walk ..and are done in under 4 hours. ANYWAY..today was the first time we had an awful experience. 7am tee time...there was an hour long frost delay. We went off at 815..behind the speedy group. Get to the turn right around 1015. Get to the 10th tee which is high above a downhill fairway. Oh look...there's an elderly couple teeing off on the forward tees, with a group in front of them on the green !! Well..two of my partners bailed, and went home. Me and my other friend decided to see how it goes. We played 10,11. Get to the 12th where it opens up to a links setup..and EVERY hole has a group on it !!! Hopped over to 17 and 18 and went home. How the hell do you justify throwing a bunch of people off the back...after we sat through a delay !?!? The old guys that go off first every Sunday..Get treated like royalty..they didn't send out anyone in front of them tho ! Total B.S.

[augustgolf]

We've had an early tee time every Sunday all season. We are 2nd group off..behind a 4some of older guys that legit play 18 in 2 1/2 hrs ..they are in the cart before the ball even lands lol. We walk ..and are done in under 4 hours. ANYWAY..today was the first time we had an awful experience. 7am tee time...there was an hour long frost delay. We went off at 815..behind the speedy group. Get to the turn right around 1015. Get to the 10th tee which is high above a downhill fairway. Oh look...there's an elderly couple teeing off on the forward tees, with a group in front of them on the green !! Well..two of my partners bailed, and went home. Me and my other friend decided to see how it goes. We played 10,11. Get to the 12th where it opens up to a links setup..and EVERY hole has a group on it !!! Hopped over to 17 and 18 and went home. How the hell do you justify throwing a bunch of people off the back...after we sat through a delay !?!? The old guys that go off first every Sunday..Get treated like royalty..they didn't send out anyone in front of them tho ! Total B.S.

 

Do you blame the management for the frost delay, too???

[Graymulligan]

I like playing in the afternoon or late morning. I like to play quick and most of the time I'm done in under 3.5 hours. I really don't let my wife dictate when I play. My children will survive without my nurturing for a few hours, if my wife or children can't handle that, I hate it for them, I won't miss any of their activities or anything important but a few hours a week without me should be ok. I fell sorry for guys that wives run their lives to that degree

 

Exactly. I have a buddy, no kids at home, who's wife throws a fit if he's not home by noon on Saturday. For what? Simply to entertain HER. She is so codependent that she can't live without him there for more than a couple hours after she wakes up. By the time she is up, fed, showered, and makeup on, he better be home or there's an argument. It's disgusting to watch and I'm actually losing respect for the guy in the process. The ultimate wimp.

 

no way that marriage lasts.

 

husbands/wifes need to have their own lives outside one another to maintain a healthy relationship. codependence only works if, in this case its him, the other side legitimately perceives themselves as less of a person than those they are subordinate to.

 

I get it, she wants to spend time with him but, c'mon man. no plans? just to be home by noon?

 

I play three ot four times a week with my wife and daughter, all summer long. Its not always getting away from your spouse, sometimes it's picking onee who wants to spend just as much time at the course as you do.

[kejoal11]

I play in the afternoons during the week and between 6:30 and 7 on weekends. The group I play with enjoys the early time and it gives us the rest of the day to do things with the families. We are used to the morning dew and softer conditions so but we are able to get in a rhythm and play at a steady consistent pace. We all shoot mid 70's to low 80's and have no issues getting up early to get to the course, warm up and head out.

[J2putts]

We've had an early tee time every Sunday all season. We are 2nd group off..behind a 4some of older guys that legit play 18 in 2 1/2 hrs ..they are in the cart before the ball even lands lol. We walk ..and are done in under 4 hours. ANYWAY..today was the first time we had an awful experience. 7am tee time...there was an hour long frost delay. We went off at 815..behind the speedy group. Get to the turn right around 1015. Get to the 10th tee which is high above a downhill fairway. Oh look...there's an elderly couple teeing off on the forward tees, with a group in front of them on the green !! Well..two of my partners bailed, and went home. Me and my other friend decided to see how it goes. We played 10,11. Get to the 12th where it opens up to a links setup..and EVERY hole has a group on it !!! Hopped over to 17 and 18 and went home. How the hell do you justify throwing a bunch of people off the back...after we sat through a delay !?!? The old guys that go off first every Sunday..Get treated like royalty..they didn't send out anyone in front of them tho ! Total B.S.

 

Do you blame the management for the frost delay, too???

my point is ...that if the early tee times have to sit through a delay...they later tee times should get pushed back as well.

[Lefty94]

I like playing in the afternoon or late morning. I like to play quick and most of the time I'm done in under 3.5 hours. I really don't let my wife dictate when I play. My children will survive without my nurturing for a few hours, if my wife or children can't handle that, I hate it for them, I won't miss any of their activities or anything important but a few hours a week without me should be ok. I fell sorry for guys that wives run their lives to that degree

 

Exactly. I have a buddy, no kids at home, who's wife throws a fit if he's not home by noon on Saturday. For what? Simply to entertain HER. She is so codependent that she can't live without him there for more than a couple hours after she wakes up. By the time she is up, fed, showered, and makeup on, he better be home or there's an argument. It's disgusting to watch and I'm actually losing respect for the guy in the process. The ultimate wimp.

 

no way that marriage lasts.

 

husbands/wifes need to have their own lives outside one another to maintain a healthy relationship. codependence only works if, in this case its him, the other side legitimately perceives themselves as less of a person than those they are subordinate to.

 

I get it, she wants to spend time with him but, c'mon man. no plans? just to be home by noon?

 

I play three ot four times a week with my wife and daughter, all summer long. Its not always getting away from your spouse, sometimes it's picking onee who wants to spend just as much time at the course as you do.

 

My kids are currently 7 and 5, will be 8 and 6 by next season. My wife is a pretty good athlete and the few times we have gone to the driving range she's been ok. Plan is to get the family clubs and lessons over the winter and look to start playing some rounds as a family next season. I have a pitch and putt and 2 executive courses that are like par 66 pretty close to me. Bonus is I get to spend time with the fam and play more golf.

[Lefty94]

On another note, played Tuesday. Tee off at 9:52, playing as a 2some. Granted it was close to 85 so more people were out, but it took 4 hrs to play.....on a random Tuesday. That was after playing through 2 groups and having to skip a hole because this 4some did the, we are slow, but refuse to let anyone play through game. You know, play slow, and then sprint to the next hole and tee off/drive away as fast as we can, while you finish the previous hole, so you can't play through. It was so irritating and reminded me why I play as early as possible, before those type of groups get on the course.

[mosesgolf]

Gotta love the "rabbit group". First group out 99.99% of the time they're also the fastest group around. My group is usually the last group out for sunrise back nine rounds. We circle back to empty holes until the rabbit group catches up. So we usually get in around 16 holes always staying a hole ahead of the rabbit group. Good times. :D