Who goes first?

Lgolfer · July 27, 2008

Distance from the flag

My partners ball has landed on apron, but distance wise it's closer to the pin than my ball that landed on the green.

Who goes first?

larrybud · July 27, 2008

If it's casual golf and your buddy wants to keep the pin in, he should go for pace of play sake.

However, if you're playing a match play tournament, the furthest player ALWAYS must go first. If you play out of turn in match play, your opponent can make you rehit your shot.

Pinehurst1999 · July 27, 2008

Pulling the flag does not take up that much time that it slows down a round. It is probably one of the biggest mis-conceptions in golf that if you are off the green you must go first. I always make the person who is away play around the green, just plain and simple. When not around the green, the lost art of ready-golf wins in my book, but when at the green, aways first.

To answer your question...according to the USGA rules: you go first since you are away.

GaijinGolfer · July 27, 2008

I was always under the impression that even if the person on the green is farther away, that if one person is on the green and the other isnt, the person who isnt on the green is supposed to hit first.

Interesting.

Pinehurst1999 · July 27, 2008

I was always under the impression that even if the person on the green is farther away, that if one person is on the green and the other isnt, the person who isnt on the green is supposed to hit first.
Interesting.

Most people think that on the course...but rule 10-2b states that the person furthest from the hole plays first, always.

umpiremark · August 29, 2008

Most people think that on the course...but rule 10-2b states that the person furthest from the hole plays first, always.

In a match, yes ... but if it's just friends playing $2 Nassau ... the person most ready can play. I hate playing practice rounds or Saturday dollar rounds with friends and we play "furthest away" and honors on the tee. Get ready, be ready and hit ... that said ... if your friend was on the apron two feet away and you were on the back of the green 30 feet away, and it wasn't a tournament, definately I'd say you should come up. If you're both equal distance away - and again, not a tournament - the next player ready could go, or the person off the apron could/should ask, "Mind if I come up?" That's my uneducated opinion ...

hbear · August 31, 2008

Match play is one thing...and casual play is another.

For example.

Player A is 40' away from the pin on the green

Player B is 25' away from the pin in a greenside bunker.

Player C is 20' away from the pin on the green

Player D is 10' away on the fringe downhill to the pin.

So what youre trying to say is that we should pull the pin and let Player A putt, we put the pin back in for Player B who hits from the sand.

Pull the pin back out for Player C, then put the pin back for Player D and that shouldn't effect pace of play any?

Pinehurst1999 · August 31, 2008

Match play is one thing...and casual play is another.

For example.
Player A is 40' away from the pin on the green
Player B is 25' away from the pin in a greenside bunker.
Player C is 20' away from the pin on the green
Player D is 10' away on the fringe downhill to the pin.

So what youre trying to say is that we should pull the pin and let Player A putt, we put the pin back in for Player B who hits from the sand.
Pull the pin back out for Player C, then put the pin back for Player D and that shouldn't effect pace of play any?

That is not what "I am saying" that is what the rules state. I am a huge fan of ready golf everywhere on the course, but in a tournament round I may make a guy putt before I play from off the green, just to see the roll of the green.

hbear · August 31, 2008

Completely agree in match play rounds as the rules give the player further away the option of having his opponent rehit.

I can see in tournament rounds if it helps you get a read or what not.

No doubt about it I agree.

But I don't believe there are any rules that penalize a player for playing out of turn in stroke play.

It may be a breach in etiquette but I don't remember seeing anything along those lines.

mihi4 · September 1, 2008

But I don't believe there are any rules that penalize a player for playing out of turn in stroke play.

You're right, there are no penalties for playing out of turn, _BUT_.

Rule 10

In Strokeplay:

c. Playing Out of Turn
If a competitor plays out of turn, there is no penalty and the ball is played as it lies. If, however, the Committee determines that competitors have agreed to play out of turn to give one of them an advantage, they are disqualified.

In Matchplay:

c. Playing Out of Turn
If a player plays when his opponent should have played, there is no penalty, but the opponent may immediately require the player to cancel the stroke so made and, in correct order, play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5).

greetings

michi