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Walking to Cart Before Others Finish?

If you’re leaving because of ‘pace of play” issues. It’s doing nothing. You can only be as fast as the slowest guy in the group. And if they haven’t caught on by the third hole that “they are slow”, maybe it’s you. Respect is a big part of the game. You show it, and you earn it. I was taught almost from the first time I played, you never turn your back until last guy is done. You don’t have to be on the green, but be close enough to look as if you care.
 
Unless there's a weird situation where I'm parked in a weird spot or pace of play is an issue, I'm waiting to see everyone finish.
 
When I play with my regular buddies, I stay till everyone is done. I enjoy their company too much to leave them. I will on occasion, start walking away if my one buddy starts to lag a bit. He often needs prodding to get to his ball or get out of the cart. I will look impatient at times but I don’t care. He gets the message. It does not bother me at all if someone else does it.
 
I’m fine if others do it, especially in a really casual round. But I never do it. It’s about the sportsmanship and etiquette.
 
Couple points of view...Predominantly if everything is going along properly...I wait and proceed with everyone. At times I carry and realize the next tee is a bit of a hoof...so I may leave early to be on time at the next hole....A 3rd possibility is that one or two in the group are not rapid players so I may be the guy who drags the group to the position where it should be.
 
I normally wait for everyone to putt out. Now i have probably done it time to time but usually for a reason like need something out of the bag or cart or something like that.
 
I haven't had a chance yet to listen to the podcast, but I can still weigh in on the question.

Regardless of walking or riding, at least 90% of the time I won't leave the green until the last player in my group has closed out the hole. If I need to move a cart, or grab a club or more importantly flag down the bev cart than I may step off earlier.

One thing that has really frustrated me the last couple of rounds is one guy in our group who carts. He is known to "roll ahead" since most of us are walking but this past weekend he was, on multiple occasions, 100+ yards down the fairway while one or more of us still had to hit our approaches. It bugged me so much I started firing for his cart instead of the regular target. He would sometimes turn around, see us 150 yards back waiting and offer up a "hey sorry guys" but then repeat the process on the very next hole.
 
I have a friend who is a doctor who does that too often. I tell him he wont be a doctor long because he doesnt have any patience......He doesnt get it either.
 
Cart? I’m waiting till everyone is done. Walking? Depends, at times, like at 9, I’m heading to get a beer and don’t want to hold up the group so I’ll try and get a head start to the refreshments.
 
mancest said:
I regularly walk to my cart (push cart) that is off the green before others are done. Usually I am writing down scores and want to keep moving so we don't fall behind on pace of play.
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This ^^^^
 
complete dick move. antithetical to the spirit if the game.
 
ApexFan said:
Cart? I’m waiting till everyone is done. Walking? Depends, at times, like at 9, I’m heading to get a beer and don’t want to hold up the group so I’ll try and get a head start to the refreshments.
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This... sometimes. BUT- always let the others know, and offer to grab them something if they want a drink or snack.
 
I do it sometimes. Usually when I am with someone who is still looking for a ball they launched over the green into the woods that I know the spot and know it won’t be found. I will certainly go help then for a couple minutes but there comes a point in time where you need to accept that it’s just gone. I will go finish the hole and if they are still wasting time I am headed to the cart.

Same goes with the guy that is sailing the green back and forth with blades chips and such. I just can’t stand there and watch it but so long. Double par or triple max whichever bro. Let’s go....
 
Sometimes I will. If I am keeping score for our group or if one of us gets a birdie we will often head to the next tee and get the birdie juice ready. If i am playing with someone really slow I will also tend to walk away, to try and encourage him to pick up the pace
 
I do it on occasion, not really thinking about it, and I've never noticed or cared if someone was walking while I putted. As i often walk, getting a little jump to the next hole is helpful too
 
mikeg_74 said:
It shows poor form and a selfish attitude. I can't imagine being that much in a hurry where I couldn't stay for a few more seconds for the group to finish. A lot of times if I am finished before the others, i will look around and pick up clubs or whatever is laying around to make sure something isnt left behind.
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And this is one of the many reasons I call you a friend. Summed up perfectly.
 
With the exception of the 18th hole, I do this and the people I play with do this frequently. Not apologetic about it at all.

Pace >>>> some ridiculous notion of politeness
 
radiman said:
I think there are few things more disrespectful to your playing partners than walking to the next tee (or cart) as soon as you hole out. If you choose to do that on a regular basis, more power to you I suppose. It would likely be the last round I play with you though.
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I can think of a couple of things which are more disrespectful:

--I always stay on the tee and watch everyone hit in case someone hits a foul ball and doesn't see where it goes. Same goes for approach shots.

--I always help those in my group look for lost balls, regardless of the likelihood they can be found. Even if they are recycled ti techs. (Funny, I have an uncanny ability to find theirs but rarely my own.)

Sadly, only 2 of the 6 guys I play with regularly return the favor. I don't know, maybe I need better buddies.

I typically stay on the green, but not always. I get upset when guys don't help with the first 2 things I mentioned. Watching me putt out or replacing the flagstick? Not so much.

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TwoGlovesGarcia said:
I can think of a couple of things which are more disrespectful:

--I always stay on the tee and watch everyone hit in case someone hits a foul ball and doesn't see where it goes. Same goes for approach shots.

--I always help those in my group look for lost balls, regardless of the likelihood they can be found. Even if they are recycled ti techs. (Funny, I have an uncanny ability to find theirs but rarely my own.)

Sadly, only 2 of the 6 guys I play with regularly return the favor. I don't know, maybe I need better buddies.

I typically stay on the green, but not always. I get upset when guys don't help with the first 2 things I mentioned. Watching me putt out or replacing the flagstick? Not so much.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
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If it's just 2 of the 6 that return the favor, they're your golf buddies... the rest aren't. So stop returning the favors if they aren't helping out. My wife has a saying "you get what you give"... if they're only taking, stop giving for them but not the other 2 guys.
 
greenOak said:
With the exception of the 18th hole, I do this and the people I play with do this frequently. Not apologetic about it at all.

Pace >>>> some ridiculous notion of politeness
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I would argue if you are trying to address pace of play issues, a player who is finished and standing by the green while others finish out isn't the root cause.
 
I always wait until they finish up. Help with the flag (pre-covid), grab a wedge for them if they brought it, etc. Never walk off early.
 
I will usually wait for everyone to finish putting before leaving the green
 
I would say I wait practically every time. It actually does irks me sometimes when playing partners don’t.
 
ntanygd760 said:
I do it if we are behind and they are slow till we catch up. This weekend during cpo that I was hitting my first putt while they were searching slow as hell 35 yards short of green and 50 yards from the path.
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Hey!! That was a good ball!! Hater.
 
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