Playing through, was I wrong?

[premazipp]

The guy is ready to hit, kind of ready golf by definition. I'd do the same thing and hit as soon as you got off the green. I wouldn't assume any ill intent by the single unless you are "hit into".

[Ping Panther]

I had no idea a hand on the hip was so impactful. I usually yell and flip off the group in front of me if they're slow and won't let me play through...need to try this hip thing :p

[ucfdad]

When I get to my ball I like to get out of the cart, and I’m sure I often stand with my hand on my hip. It doesn’t mean I’m impatient or trying to stare you down. If I’m looking at the green I’m probably thinking about my next shot. You are way overthinking this.

Based on the totally scientific approach of which post got the most likes, you are the winner with 10 likes. After a bottle of wine and some deep thinking, I think you are correct. I think I made too much of the hand on the hip thing, maybe he had a bad hip and was massaging it? I probably let a couple bad shots get in my head and had to blame something.

 

I appreciate the responses even though most of you pointed out that I might be wrong. I do have the habit of letting a bad hole or a poor guy massaging his hip affect my game and maybe that is why my handicap never gets below 12. I need to relearn that golf is supposed to be fun. Rest assured that in the future I will let you through whether you are sitting in your cart or massaging your hip. I might draw the line at the person yelling and flipping me off though. Maybe I need to find the guy from yesterday and buy him a beer.

 

BTW, my wife will never believe that I admitted I was wrong LOL

[MrJones]

Assuming all 5 players are playing the same pace, a single will always catch up with the 4 some. Has the 4 some done anything wrong? No but the single surely expects them to halt their round for him "because he's playing faster".

 

I think as a single I should always be considerate of the fact that, even if it's very minor, I'm expecting a 4 some to inconvenience themselves for me.

 

 

I'm not a fan of hands on the hips guy. Take some swings. Move around.

 

Stop staring intently with the green eyes of jealousy at my friends and our fellowship we're enjoying just because you have no friends nor fellowship!

[Hawkeye77]

When I get to my ball I like to get out of the cart, and I’m sure I often stand with my hand on my hip. It doesn’t mean I’m impatient or trying to stare you down. If I’m looking at the green I’m probably thinking about my next shot. You are way overthinking this.

Based on the totally scientific approach of which post got the most likes, you are the winner with 10 likes. After a bottle of wine and some deep thinking, I think you are correct. I think I made too much of the hand on the hip thing, maybe he had a bad hip and was massaging it? I probably let a couple bad shots get in my head and had to blame something.

 

I appreciate the responses even though most of you pointed out that I might be wrong. I do have the habit of letting a bad hole or a poor guy massaging his hip affect my game and maybe that is why my handicap never gets below 12. I need to relearn that golf is supposed to be fun. Rest assured that in the future I will let you through whether you are sitting in your cart or massaging your hip. I might draw the line at the person yelling and flipping me off though. Maybe I need to find the guy from yesterday and buy him a beer.

 

BTW, my wife will never believe that I admitted I was wrong LOL

 

Missing something here. What happened? You let him through? Was he nice? Need the rest of the story.

 

You can't read his mind and just standing there isn't necessarily rude, maybe that's how he waits, maybe he's humming All You Need Is Love.

 

What actually happened? What hole was this?

 

I'm getting the impression you didn't let him through in which case there likely is a problem, but may not be him.

[Hot Rod 71]

My thoughts as a 10 year part-time golf course employee.....

 

There are definitely some singles out there who think the world revolves around them and every group in front of them should part like the Red Sea. I see it all the time.

 

Conversely, there are some threesomes and foursomes who will not let anyone or any group play through, no matter what. It almost seems like some type of power play. I see that all the time, too.

[ucfdad]

When I get to my ball I like to get out of the cart, and I'm sure I often stand with my hand on my hip. It doesn't mean I'm impatient or trying to stare you down. If I'm looking at the green I'm probably thinking about my next shot. You are way overthinking this.

Based on the totally scientific approach of which post got the most likes, you are the winner with 10 likes. After a bottle of wine and some deep thinking, I think you are correct. I think I made too much of the hand on the hip thing, maybe he had a bad hip and was massaging it? I probably let a couple bad shots get in my head and had to blame something.

 

I appreciate the responses even though most of you pointed out that I might be wrong. I do have the habit of letting a bad hole or a poor guy massaging his hip affect my game and maybe that is why my handicap never gets below 12. I need to relearn that golf is supposed to be fun. Rest assured that in the future I will let you through whether you are sitting in your cart or massaging your hip. I might draw the line at the person yelling and flipping me off though. Maybe I need to find the guy from yesterday and buy him a beer.

 

BTW, my wife will never believe that I admitted I was wrong LOL

 

Missing something here. What happened? You let him through? Was he nice? Need the rest of the story.

 

You can't read his mind and just standing there isn't necessarily rude, maybe that's how he waits, maybe he's humming All You Need Is Love.

 

What actually happened? What hole was this?

 

I'm getting the impression you didn't let him through in which case there likely is a problem, but may not be him.

14th hole, my twosome behind a foursome. Should have let him go through and he could have taken his chances with the foursome. As for inviting him to join us, my bad. As I said earlier in my mea culpa, a few bad shots, me having a hands on the hip issue, maybe not my finest hour. But different things bother different people.

[Hawkeye77]

Actually if the course is busy, you are a two behind a 4 (and presumably waiting) I can't say I'd have worried too much about him playing through on 15, that's why I wondered what happened. If he got close enough I may have said something about nowhere to go, may have extended an invitation to join, but that kind of depends.

 

Yes, may have read too much into the posture but I wouldn't sweat it.

[kgeisler13]

I will admit, I am that single that stands with his club in hand and hand on hip waiting but I only do this if the slower group in front of me has not let me through for a few holes. I understand as a single you may not be asked to play through right that second.

[cwglum]

I often go as a single on the weekend afternoons at a course near my house, hardly ever busy when I get there and if I do run into a group ... be respectful and hang back, the group ahead always notices that you're back there. They don't want to feel rushed anymore than you want to wait.

[suprfli6]

Agree with OP 100%. Nothing worse than playing in a foursome at a public course on a Friday/Saturday/Sunday and having a single on your butt the entire round.

If you are in a foursome and don't like having a single waiting on you every hole, why not let him play through? Sure you might be keeping pace with the group in front of you but if you wait 3 minutes and let him play through, you won't feel rushed any more and he becomes the next group's problem.

The guy is ready to hit, kind of ready golf by definition. I'd do the same thing and hit as soon as you got off the green. I wouldn't assume any ill intent by the single unless you are "hit into".

Hitting as soon as the group walks of the green is not ready golf, it's rude and dangerous.

[Mr. Herbert]

When I get to my ball I like to get out of the cart, and I’m sure I often stand with my hand on my hip. It doesn’t mean I’m impatient or trying to stare you down. If I’m looking at the green I’m probably thinking about my next shot. You are way overthinking this.

Based on the totally scientific approach of which post got the most likes, you are the winner with 10 likes. After a bottle of wine and some deep thinking, I think you are correct. I think I made too much of the hand on the hip thing, maybe he had a bad hip and was massaging it? I probably let a couple bad shots get in my head and had to blame something.

 

I appreciate the responses even though most of you pointed out that I might be wrong. I do have the habit of letting a bad hole or a poor guy massaging his hip affect my game and maybe that is why my handicap never gets below 12. I need to relearn that golf is supposed to be fun. Rest assured that in the future I will let you through whether you are sitting in your cart or massaging your hip. I might draw the line at the person yelling and flipping me off though. Maybe I need to find the guy from yesterday and buy him a beer.

 

BTW, my wife will never believe that I admitted I was wrong LOL

 

So then you learned a valuable lesson: I’m always right.

 

I wish more people would learn that lesson.

[canthitathreewood]

Agree with OP 100%. Nothing worse than playing in a foursome at a public course on a Friday/Saturday/Sunday and having a single on your butt the entire round.

If you are in a foursome and don't like having a single waiting on you every hole, why not let him play through? Sure you might be keeping pace with the group in front of you but if you wait 3 minutes and let him play through, you won't feel rushed any more and he becomes the next group's problem.

 

 

Haha...classic. Give my problem to someone else, that might work for you but that's not how I handle things.

 

What I should do is get over it and not let it bother me

[Hot Rod 71]

I will admit, I am that single that stands with his club in hand and hand on hip waiting but I only do this if the slower group in front of me has not let me through for a few holes. I understand as a single you may not be asked to play through right that second.

 

Or at all if the course is busy and the group in front of you is right behind the group in front of them, and so on. Allowing a single to hop through consecutive groups on a busy course will eventually slow things down more for everyone behind you.

 

Here's a tip.....if you are a single and venture out to the course on a busy day, accept you may wait. That's the price for going out alone. Its not every others groups responsibility to ensure you play at the pace you deem acceptable.

[JoeHatesSnow]

I will admit, I am that single that stands with his club in hand and hand on hip waiting but I only do this if the slower group in front of me has not let me through for a few holes. I understand as a single you may not be asked to play through right that second.

 

Or at all if the course is busy and the group in front of you is right behind the group in front of them, and so on. Allowing a single to hop through consecutive groups on a busy course will eventually slow things down more for everyone behind you.

 

Here's a tip.....if you are a single and venture out to the course on a busy day, accept you may wait. That's the price for going out alone. Its not every others groups responsibility to ensure you play at the pace you deem acceptable.

 

This. Disclaimer...I prefer not to play alone. I enjoy the time with my golf buddies. That said, whether we are going fast for a foursome or slow, we always ask a single (or any faster group) to play thru IF there is somewhere for them to go. I just don't like the guy whose time is obviously more important than everyone else's, expecting to play thru a bunch of groups because he thinks he should be able to finish in 2 hours. It's only partially their fault, though. The course shouldn't let them go alone if it's busy. I think some guys still expect it because they don't want to be 'slowed down.'

[kgeisler13]

I will admit, I am that single that stands with his club in hand and hand on hip waiting but I only do this if the slower group in front of me has not let me through for a few holes. I understand as a single you may not be asked to play through right that second.

 

Or at all if the course is busy and the group in front of you is right behind the group in front of them, and so on. Allowing a single to hop through consecutive groups on a busy course will eventually slow things down more for everyone behind you.

 

Here's a tip.....if you are a single and venture out to the course on a busy day, accept you may wait. That's the price for going out alone. Its not every others groups responsibility to ensure you play at the pace you deem acceptable.

 

I understand if its a busy day as single you may not play through but if no one is in front of the foursome for a few holes they should let you play through

[Hot Rod 71]

I will admit, I am that single that stands with his club in hand and hand on hip waiting but I only do this if the slower group in front of me has not let me through for a few holes. I understand as a single you may not be asked to play through right that second.

 

Or at all if the course is busy and the group in front of you is right behind the group in front of them, and so on. Allowing a single to hop through consecutive groups on a busy course will eventually slow things down more for everyone behind you.

 

Here's a tip.....if you are a single and venture out to the course on a busy day, accept you may wait. That's the price for going out alone. Its not every others groups responsibility to ensure you play at the pace you deem acceptable.

 

I understand if its a busy day as single you may not play through but if no one is in front of the foursome for a few holes they should let you play through

 

Absolutely. They should let you play through. I think everyone agrees on that.

[taporsnap17]

I play 200 rounds a year and I/we almost always let people play through, usually a single. When I am playing, I can see when a cart is behind us in the fairway and I will start thinking of a place to let them through. Just basic etiquette.

 

However, I believe the single has to also adhere to etiquette. On a par 4 and we are on the green putting, when the single gets to his ball, instead of waiting until we put the flag in, he stands next to his ball, club in one hand and the other on his hip staring at the green. Am I the only one who finds this rude? My reaction is that I start rushing and them I am less inclined to want to let them through.

 

I play frequently as a single and I know the group in front can see my cart. On a tee box I never pull all the way up so I am parked next to them, I wait behind the tips so as not to rush them. They can see my cart so they know I am there.

 

On a par 4 I sit in my cart next to my tee shot until they clear the green. Again they can see my cart so they know I am there, they don't need to see my standing there with my club while they are putting. Same on a par 5, I sit next to my second shot until they leave the green.

 

Am I the only one that is bothered by this? Is the single with the hand on his hip in the right? Interested to hear opinions.

 

Thanks

 

Did I play behind you? ;-)

 

I'm frequently that guy. If the ball is in the fairway, you can't expect a guy to stand 10 ft from his ball. Some people are just impatient. In my case, if I'm in a groove, I need to keep moving because I know I'm going to lose it. On the tee, yep give them the room like you are already.

 

Just continue with what you're doing. If you're playing quick, and they're still going faster, look for a place to let them play through like you are already.

 

You're overthinking it.

[Swisstrader98]

First world problems.

 

The other way to look at it is at least you’re golfing not working!

[thug the bunny]

Through evolution humans have become very adept at reading body language. I don't buy that 'what else am I supposed to do with my hands' bs. Anyone can tell when someone else is annoyed and impatient.

 

It's very simple. If, as a single, there is room ahead of the group in front, go ahead and stare and fold your arms and give the stink eye. If not, lay off. On a crowded course a single has no greater rights than any other group. If I am behind a wall of four balls, I will stay back from the tees, and in the fairway get up to my ball, figure out my next shot, pull my club, and then do any number of things besides just standing and staring with my hands on my hips. Take practice swings, do some chipping, check texts/emails/internet, look for some bird activity, clean my grooves, clean my spikes, take a drink of water/wine...the list goes on and on. I hate putting pressure on the group in front of me when there is nowhere to go.

 

OP, I liked your tongue in cheek mea culpa about the single maybe having hip issues explaining the body language :happy:

[golfandfishing]

Totally inappropriate by that guy. The proper move is facing the green, feet a touch wider than shoulder width, arms crossed and intensely stare at the green. As soon as your feet hit the fringe he should be sending that approach shot your way.

 

 

Just kidding - he’s an a hole either way.

[thug the bunny]

Totally inappropriate by that guy. The proper move is facing the green, feet a touch wider than shoulder width, arms crossed and intensely stare at the green. As soon as your feet hit the fringe he should be sending that approach shot your way.

 

 

Just kidding - he's an a hole either way.

 

You forgot tilt your head to one side as in 'really?'.

 

Oh, I'm sorry I'm wrong....'what else am I supposed to do with my head?'

[jatrain]

I play probably half of my rounds as a single. Standing and waiting kills my game so my personal rule is that if I’m waiting I don’t pull the club until I’m ready to hit the shot (ie group in front is leaving the green).

 

That is until I know that you could (as a foursome) let me through. It’s not hard to decipher if the course is backed up with no place to go. If it is I’ll never press (I will ask to join the group ahead if they are less than a 4). But if it’s obviously open and the group has ignored me for several holes, I have no problem pushing up on them (without hitting into them if course). I also have no problem nicely asking to play through. People have acted annoyed but I don’t think I’ve ever been declined.

 

 

[deadsolid...shank]

The worst case is when you’re that single waiting behind a group and you fully realize there is no place to go. So you’d like to practice, hit some extra putts and chips and get some added benefit out of all the waiting. But you can’t because there is another group right in position behind you.

 

Obviously poor job of the course in letting that happen, but’s amazing how often it does happen.