Skipping holes as a single

[wrmiller]

"So physical violence is justified simply by hearing a bad word?"

 

Depends on the scenario IMO. But sometimes, absolutely. Someone wants to get mouthy, they should be ready to back that up. Except for snowflakes who think they can do/say anything to anyone without consequences of course.

[Mdemuth]

If there was nobody ahead of them, why do they care? Some people are just upset over anything. The other week I was playing in a foursome, with a threesome behind us. Around the 13 hole two from our group left. The guys behind us came running up to the tee questioning us who we thought we we're just jumping in front of them.... They were also a group that was late for their tee time..

 

It was an eye roll moment....

[SilverBullets]

Yeah I don't think I would have handled that very well. I would have snipped back with some smart remark about how they were in the wrong and then would have moved on with my round. Frankly, they should have let you play through immediately and once they didn't, skipping was the only option other than playing slow. They noticed you skipped a hole, so they knew you were behind them and they knew they were holding you up. That's on them.

 

I used to play as a single a lot on weeknights when the course was mostly wide open. I only had to a skip a hole a couple of times. I never said anything, I just did it. Sometimes I would give a little nod and point to the next tee to signify I was moving ahead but trying not to interfere with their game. But in terms of asking or formally saying 'I'm skipping a hole'... nah. As long as I'm not going to hold them up in any way and they aren't going to see me again, I just scoot on around them.

 

A course I was a member at had a ton of guys who would play solo rounds. If I was out there with my wife or buddies, we would be very observant as to whom was around us so we could let anyone through. A lot of the members would just skip holes as opposed to playing through. They NEVER said anything. Just walked or drove on by up the side of the hole. No big deal.

[DrCRHop]

"So physical violence is justified simply by hearing a bad word?"

 

Depends on the scenario IMO. But sometimes, absolutely. Someone wants to get mouthy, they should be ready to back that up. Except for snowflakes who think they can do/say anything to anyone without consequences of course.

 

I think, again, one might want to look into the mirror to see the snowflake. Someone uses some potty language and here is the big shot wanting to escalate. Again, I ask, what makes the consequences of someone saying something to you (they are just words, by the way), justify your physical abuse? You might think they are snowflakes, but your childish behavior is even worse.

[JDFish]

The polite thing to do is advise the group in front (not necessarily ask) that you are skipping.

 

"Hey guys, I'm just going to skip around and jump ahead - have a great day."

 

But maybe that's too much to ask.

 

 

No wonder you guys play alone.

 

I disagree. I believe etiquette requires the foursome to ask the single if he/she wants to play through. Everyone notices when they have one behind them and are holding them up. A single shouldn't have to ask. And there is no reason to ask if he/she can skip ahead if the course is open.

 

I don't care what anyone does on the golf course as long as (1) they don't hold me up or cause slow play for others and (2) they take care of the golf course.

 

I would have had a few choice words for the ***hole that went out of his way to ride up to me when I caused them no inconvenience (according to the OP). How much delay did he cause his group by because he had to be a d*ck?

[Argonne69]

Sadly, I don't believe everyone notices that there's a faster group/single behind them. I've encounter more than a handful of players that seem to have blinders on, and with absolutely no situational awareness. They have eyes on the group in front of them, but never look behind them. 'Just because there's a foursome behind you now doesn't mean that the group will be behind you for the full round, as they may allow a faster group through.

[MtlJeff]

"So physical violence is justified simply by hearing a bad word?"

 

Depends on the scenario IMO. But sometimes, absolutely. Someone wants to get mouthy, they should be ready to back that up. Except for snowflakes who think they can do/say anything to anyone without consequences of course.

 

Being a loudmouth jerk, sadly, isn't a crime

 

Physically attacking someone is a crime.

 

So whether or not you think you are right, the law says you are not. So when you set out to prove a point to "snowflakes", it would probably be best to remember that i don't believe the police take "he was being mean" as justification.

 

Also given the amount of guns in the US (that is not a political comment, just a statement of fact) i would hope escalation would be a last resort for many, given the potential disasters that can occur

[MtlJeff]

On topic, i have skipped holes in the past as a single. Provided the course is wide open ahead of the group i am jumping. This is a rarity because more often than not people let you through. And if you do skip, people don't seem to mind as long you don't hold them up

 

There is no course of action that is going to be universally accepted by all. It sounds like the OP just met a group of jerks which happens sometimes. You cannot control other people, you just have to hope more of the people you meet on course are friendly as oppose to not. I don't understand why a foursome would care if a single was ahead of them....but then again i don't understand why people think a number of things that they do

[I'_rather_be_golfing]

In this day n age. Common courtesy seems to be far gone these days. People are far more aggressive and sensitive. Probably explains why singles don’t approach groups due to the fact that it’s 4 on 1. And it can seem intimidating to some. Really funny that Marshall’s are around when you don’t need them. And they aren’t around when you do need them.

[wrmiller]

Being a loudmouth jerk, sadly, isn't a crime

 

Depends. In certain circumstances it's call assault, and you can be arrested for it. Maybe not in Canada though.

 

On topic, if some spouted off a FU while I was skipping in front of them (I don't do that, but if I did...), I'd just reply in kind and motor on. :)

[MtlJeff]

Being a loudmouth jerk, sadly, isn't a crime

 

Depends. In certain circumstances it's call assault, and you can be arrested for it. Maybe not in Canada though.

 

On topic, if some spouted off a FU while I was skipping in front of them (I don't do that, but if I did...), I'd just reply in kind and motor on. :)

 

In Eastern Canada it's tough to get arrested for anything. We have one of the lowest violent crime rates which is a great thing, but when it does occur it's like we don't know how to appropriately punish it

 

Have you ever seen "Demolition Man"? It's like that here. If there's a stabbing or something the police are like "Hey, we're not trained to deal with this sort of thing!!!!"

 

You could stab a guy in the neck because someone mouthed off to you at a bar and not spend a day in a jail cell. I know this for a fact because when i was 19 i watched it happen to my best friend's neighbor. Looking back on it just seems so crazy, he was lucky not to die....and over what? A girl....when they were 19

[lookylookitzadam]

Sadly, I don't believe everyone notices that there's a faster group/single behind them. I've encounter more than a handful of players that seem to have blinders on, and with absolutely no situational awareness. They have eyes on the group in front of them, but never look behind them. 'Just because there's a foursome behind you now doesn't mean that the group will be behind you for the full round, as they may allow a faster group through.

 

This is my observation 100% of the time when I get paired up with random people who aren't part of my usual group. No one bothers to look back and when I mention to people that we should try and speed up because the group behind us is waiting I inevitably get the same response: "I paid just as much to play here as they did..."

 

Yada yada yada....I drift off and think of the day when I will be able to play private clubs, lol.

[JayMatt]

Never really cared if singles or even twosome skip ahead without asking. My only request is, don’t let me see you again. Don’t skip a hole and then have to wait for you to hit your approach shot. Or catch up to you two holes later.

[Big Ben]

I will always walk or pull up when they are leaving the green and kindly mention I'm skipping ahead do not want to push you unnecessarily. You can get a eye roll or two but once your gone it's all good. Now a packed course is another animal need to take your lumps. BB

[mkfagg]

I was solo on the 4th green the other day and watched a twosome leave the clubhouse and tee off on the 5th ahead me the other day. I played as if they weren’t even there. You should’ve seen the look on their faces when I putted as if they weren’t on the green.

[Skaffa77]

Being a loudmouth jerk, sadly, isn't a crime

 

Depends. In certain circumstances it's call assault, and you can be arrested for it. Maybe not in Canada though.

 

On topic, if some spouted off a FU while I was skipping in front of them (I don't do that, but if I did...), I'd just reply in kind and motor on. :)

 

In Eastern Canada it's tough to get arrested for anything. We have one of the lowest violent crime rates which is a great thing, but when it does occur it's like we don't know how to appropriately punish it

 

Have you ever seen "Demolition Man"? It's like that here. If there's a stabbing or something the police are like "Hey, we're not trained to deal with this sort of thing!!!!"

 

You could stab a guy in the neck because someone mouthed off to you at a bar and not spend a day in a jail cell. I know this for a fact because when i was 19 i watched it happen to my best friend's neighbor. Looking back on it just seems so crazy, he was lucky not to die....and over what? A girl....when they were 19

 

"Demolition Man"...that's a great visual. Do you guys also use the 3 seashells instead of toilet paper? Lol!!

[MtlJeff]

Being a loudmouth jerk, sadly, isn't a crime

 

Depends. In certain circumstances it's call assault, and you can be arrested for it. Maybe not in Canada though.

 

On topic, if some spouted off a FU while I was skipping in front of them (I don't do that, but if I did...), I'd just reply in kind and motor on. :)

 

In Eastern Canada it's tough to get arrested for anything. We have one of the lowest violent crime rates which is a great thing, but when it does occur it's like we don't know how to appropriately punish it

 

Have you ever seen "Demolition Man"? It's like that here. If there's a stabbing or something the police are like "Hey, we're not trained to deal with this sort of thing!!!!"

 

You could stab a guy in the neck because someone mouthed off to you at a bar and not spend a day in a jail cell. I know this for a fact because when i was 19 i watched it happen to my best friend's neighbor. Looking back on it just seems so crazy, he was lucky not to die....and over what? A girl....when they were 19

 

"Demolition Man"...that's a great visual. Do you guys also use the 3 seashells instead of toilet paper? Lol!!

 

We're not there yet, but we have several Taco Bells!

 

However if they win the franchise wars i'm going to need to seriously enhance my calm

[thug the bunny]

Never really cared if singles or even twosome skip ahead without asking. My only request is, don't let me see you again. Don't skip a hole and then have to wait for you to hit your approach shot. Or catch up to you two holes later.

 

Therein lies the catch. I can't count the number of times when my group would have half a hole open in front due to a couple lost balls (we are teeing off when the group in front is chipping onto the green) so we let the group behind play through, and then we spend the rest of the round waiting for them.

?Can someone tell me what is the point in that? I don't see any point in letting folks play through, only to be staring at your butt for the rest of the round and then I get to the parking lot just as you're unloading your clubs from your cart.

[rawdog]

Choke them all out, play through, problem solved.

 

/thread

[Str8Putt]

Being a loudmouth jerk, sadly, isn't a crime

 

Depends. In certain circumstances it's call assault, and you can be arrested for it. Maybe not in Canada though.

 

On topic, if some spouted off a FU while I was skipping in front of them (I don't do that, but if I did...), I'd just reply in kind and motor on. :)

 

It's going to take a few more elements than just verbal to push to it to a crime but forcefully removing the driver and putting his had around the guys neck would get the poster locked up.

Better be glad the guy or his buddies didn't call the police or poster would be teaching hid daughter a lesson in how criminal court works. Also better be glad the guy wasn't carrying weapon.

 

As far as a slow group in front. If I've played two balls and still able to catch them and the course is open. I'm skipping a hole. I'm not asking. I don't get groups who don't want to let a faster person play through. I put them in the same category as those who get in the left lane and drive slow intentionally like they're a road monitor

 

I'm a pretty fast player and normally play with another guy who is fast. If a single or twosome catches us. We'll both wave him/thhem through. Even being a fast player I don't like to be pressed by a faster player.

 

Plus it's hot and humid here in the summer. I don't want to wait around longer than I have to :)

[Carl Spackler3]

If it’s a practice kind of day I’ll pass them between shots and say I’m going to skip ahead and they won’t see me again. Any rude behavior can usually be avoided with a momentary uncomfortable conversation, a single should not have to ask.

 

Side note if you play with or are one of those A holes who say we are playing at a good foursome speed and not encouraging playing through you are a substantial part of slow play problem

[Chewey85]

I did the same thing yesterday. Pulled up and noticed about 3 groups waiting on the 1st tee. Asked if I could go off on the back. We looked and it was packed. Guy at the counter said feel free to get around the group and go back and play it when I get back around. Nicely inserted myself on the 3rd hole behind a 2 some. Took my time and worked on chipping and putting on a few greens. Didn't see the 2 some again till 18 and only had to wait cause I was going for it on my 2nd shot on a par 5. Also never saw a group behind me. Great relaxed round and felt like I had the course too myself for most of the round.

 

If you don't hold anyone up you don't need there permission. A 4some should never worry about a single going around them. That's plain stupid. And they were obviously jackasses for not allowing you through anyways.

[DrCRHop]

I had an experience last week. I was out as a single walking at first light/tee time. First hole is a par 5, I hit my first two shots and as I'm walking to the green I look back and see an old guy in a cart waiting to hit his approach shot. I hit my first shot at 7 am, look at my watch and he's there at 7:06 am (he's already hit 2 shots). He must have tee'd off right after me. Anyway, I finish the hole and he meets me at the next tee box and asks if he can hit. There is nobody else on the course and he's going to through in less than 5 minutes, so go ahead.

 

Not as annoyed with him as with the starter (or lack thereof).

[Twism86]

If the course is open in front of them, I would skip...I do it all the time because I'll be long gone before they even get to the next teebox.

 

My question is how did the conversation come about? If you skipped an entire hole, how did they catch up to you again? If there was another group ahead of the group you skipped, such that you were waiting again but just in front of the first group now, then you probably should have not skipped. They will be waiting on you as you wait for the forward group. In that case, play a ball off each tee or something to get some practice in.

 

The course was empty in front of them so they didn't really catch up to me. One of the guys in the group was in a cart and I was walking, so he decide to drive up to me to make a point.

 

If there was someone in front of them, I wouldn't have skipped without asking coz then they would have caught up

 

So he was just an a-hole. Let him him continue to do so and laugh at him for being the cause of his own misery. When people are making fools of themselves, dont stop them!

[heavy_hitter]

The polite thing to do is advise the group in front (not necessarily ask) that you are skipping.

 

"Hey guys, I'm just going to skip around and jump ahead - have a great day."

 

But maybe that's too much to ask.

 

 

No wonder you guys play alone.

 

I had a threesome once that wouldn't allow my daughter to play through at a private club. I was driving and she was playing. There was no one in front of them. As we drove by I smiled and waved. One of the guys threw an F bomb as well as other obscenities at us as we drove by. I calmly turned my cart around and drove back to confront them. No one was going to use that language in front of my daughter. I grabbed the driver out of his hand with my left hand while grabbing his throat with my right hand and pushed him up against his cart. Told him if he ever talked that way around my daughter again I would beat his $%^$. His buddies were in awe. I then drove to the pro shop to tell the pro what happened. The guy was fined by the club and eventually left. Apparently, he had done these things before and the club has a policy to let smaller groups or faster groups through. I don't think I have ever been that hot in my life.

 

Bottom line, people not letting others play through or to skip a hole are more in the wrong.

 

 

I am hoping this post is mostly in Jest, as it is hard to read sarcasm but if not how is it better to choke someone in front of your kid opposed to them hearing someone shout obscene words ?

 

Not in jest at all. There are things you don't do and when someone crosses the line there are consequences. This is one of the biggest problems in the world today is that kids don't understand that there are consequences when they do something wrong. I explained to my daughter why I did what I did. Men don't stand up for woman anymore. If it happened again, I would do the same thing again. I am the guy in public when I hear someone cursing around woman and children that tell them they need to watch their language. People are too afraid to stand up for themselves anymore and why?

 

Back to the topic.

 

The people that are in the wrong are the ones that don't let people by or pass through. Don't care how you look at it. They are being rude and not showing gentlemanly behaviors. If they get upset one of two things is happening. 1) They realized they are slow and are upset. 2) They realized they are a horrible golfer and upset.

 

So physical violence is justified simply by hearing a bad word? You may want to re-think who did something wrong in this scenario (hint - it may be you).

 

LOL.... great. Matter of opinion. If you want to run your mouth (speaking of the guy on the course, not you) you need to have the ability to back it up. I was not in the wrong and would do it again. People aren't going to F bomb around my kids. You may allow it, but I will not and am not scared to speak up.

[heavy_hitter]

"So physical violence is justified simply by hearing a bad word?"

 

Depends on the scenario IMO. But sometimes, absolutely. Someone wants to get mouthy, they should be ready to back that up. Except for snowflakes who think they can do/say anything to anyone without consequences of course.

 

100% agree.

[Twism86]

 

LOL.... great. Matter of opinion. If you want to run your mouth (speaking of the guy on the course, not you) you need to have the ability to back it up. I was not in the wrong and would do it again. People aren't going to F bomb around my kids. You may allow it, but I will not and am not scared to speak up.

 

You sir, are my hero! Ill play a round with you any day! I dont mind F-bombs and that kind of stuff but I agree that the company has to be correct. There was a guy in my neighborhood who had a truck and across the back window it said "Country As Fu%$" But without the %#. I told him it should probably be removed as its incredibly disrespectful to many people people and that there are tons of kids in the area. Needless to say his attitude wasnt the greatest so I called my friend, who happens to be the mayor, and got it sorted out ;)

[phil75070]

For some of the "younger" members, there was a time when the Rules of Golf stated that singles had no standing on a golf course. I, personally, never play as a single as I get no pleasure from it. It is missing two aspects of the game I find the most enjoyable, second only to playing well, that being the social aspect and the competitiveness even if there is no money or anything riding on the game - just knowing I "beat" the other guy. I do understand all the reasons why someone may need to play as a single but the Rules this year also state you are not supposed to post a score for handicap playing alone. In the past all rounds were to be posted but many would not be posted on the basis of a round being a "practice round", of which there was no such thing. Now a round as a single is nothing more than a practice round. However, if I want to practice I get much more benefit by hitting the range, practice putting and chipping greens and practice bunkers.

 

I'm retired and only play on weekdays so keep in mind that is the basis of my observations. This is the third course, all daily fee/open to the public, I have belonged to in the last 9 years, joining the 3rd this January. (All three have offered some form of membership that included golf, carts and range balls.) The two previous courses, in my opinion, were not run professionally. The number of singles at each was mind boggling at all times of the day, and when a single would come upon us and we invited him to join us rarely if ever was that invitation accepted. At both previous courses guys were permitted to jump around or go off 10 or allowed to do whatever they seemed to want to do. I have only seen a couple of singles at the present course as their policy is to pair singles up whenever possible. It tends to keep play reasonable for all and keeps more carts available and less wear and tear on them overall. Only once have we encountered a single skipping ahead and had no issues with it. The other time or two the singles joined us and even played from a different set of tees. And they never let individuals or groups go off the 10th tee.

 

We usually have the 2nd tee time every weekday. A couple of weeks ago we got there and there was a single waiting for the pro shop to open. When he went in he had no tee time and wanted to go off as a single before the regularly scheduled first tee time. He was not permitted to do so and was told the wait for a threesome he could join would be about an hour so he left. The problem with a single going off that early, or even letting groups go off the back nine, is that he/they would run into and inhibit the maintenance people from getting their work done in a timely fashion. A lot of people don't consider nor care about the impact their actions may have on others.

 

When we would tee off mid to late morning during the winter, when faced with a slow group in front of us and an open hole or more in front of them we would much prefer to skip ahead. I am a low single digit handicap, one of the other guys plays to an 8-9, and the other two are in the 15-18 handicap range. Invariably, allowed to "play through" we all feel rushed and one or more of us, including me, will more often than not hit a very poor shot to the point where the guys who let us play through have to be wondering how we could be playing so much faster than them and why did they ever allow us to play through. It ends up slowing both groups down much more than skipping ahead accomplishes. In those cases, as we drive by we always acknowledge that group and advise them what we are doing so as not to hold anyone up. By the way, our pace of place as a foursome on our course, 6004 yards, Par 72, rated 68.6/115, is between 2:50 and 3:10.

[Argonne69]

'Not sure why maintenance workers would be an issue. I've played dozens of rounds as the first one on the course, and you give them a wide berth. I've only encountered one course that wouldn't allow me out because of the maintenance crew.

[MtlJeff]

'Not sure why maintenance workers would be an issue. I've played dozens of rounds as the first one on the course, and you give them a wide berth. I've only encountered one course that wouldn't allow me out because of the maintenance crew.

 

It depends on when a course does their setup. My home course has asked me to play slower when i am the opening tee time because of how they do the pins and stagger the maintenance

 

It's happened to me a few times where i would get to the back 9 and the pins were not in yet. Or there were crew members on the greens so you couldn't hit shots in

 

I typically play in 2 hours as a single . The head of our greens crew asked the starter to talk to me about playing slower LOL