Interesting Scenario Happened Yesterday

[Jeff Spicoli]

I had an interesting scenario happen yesterday at my course, and I'm curious to hear how you would have handled it.

For as nice it was, the course wasn't super busy. My tee time was at 1:54 and I was playing solo. Previous to my tee time, the last person who went off was a single about 20 to 25 minutes before me. I arrived later than I wanted, per usual, and was about to hit a few balls on the range and be set to go at 1:54. As I was walking over, I heard the foursome who was playing behind me say, "Why don't we go now?". This was at 1:48. I told the guys I'm at 1:54 and will go now. In my head, I'm thinking, my tee time will be delayed because of them and then I'm going to have to wait on them and hope they eventually let me play through. For whatever reason, people who are riding have a hard time letting walkers play through.

Looking at the tee sheet, it makes no sense to tee off in front of a single as a foursome. Even if they weren't aware or thought no one was showing up, they weren't happy that I spoke up and said I would prefer to keep the order as it was, which struck me as odd. I told them I would go now (skipping a warmup). In my annoyance, I told them I didn't want to wait on them, which probably didn't help matters. I would never think a foursome jumping in front of a single is acceptable or a good idea. I walked to the first tee, and they followed behind and waited by the tee box while I teed off (also rude in my book).

I hit my tee shot down the middle and didn't see them the rest of the day. By the fourth hole I caught up to the single in front of me and my 4-year-old joined me on the back and there was still no sign of them the rest of the round.

Anyway, would you have let the foursome jump in front of you and take your spot?

 

[pumbaa]

There is 0 chance as a single I'm letting a foursome go before me.

 

[Jeff Spicoli]

There is 0 chance as a single I'm letting a foursome go before me.

Yeah, and the fact that they thought it was a good idea they go first was dumfounding to me.

 

[Bertie Pots]

No way i would have gone also. No need for a single to wait.

 

[mson]

I think you handled that as well as you could have and I would have done the same. No way I'd want a foursome ahead of me especially with that much open space in front.

 

[Just_Brad]

No way man, if you are on the sheet, you are on the sheet. Tee off early? Well, the people in front of you on the sheet should be out first.

For the Single before Foursome? Its just common sense. Get the single moving, avoid the "play through" talk altogether.
The Foursome should have recognized this as well (if they had known you were before them prior), and let you go first.

I was hoping for "bombed my teeshot 350 yds and never saw them again". I was not disappointed by your results.

 

[SkiBumGolfer]

You did the right thing IMO. Definitely reasonable to go out ahead of a foursome playing as a single.

 

[tdinbr]

I would have done the exact same thing as you. Makes no sense for 4 to go ahead of a single, just so they can "tee off early".

 

[moistmayonnaise]

I see no issues with how you handled that.

 

[camden_kid]

I've been behind a foursome many times as a single and it can be very annoying. You did the right thing.

 

[e1iterate]

0 chance I let them tee off in front of me and if they were annoyed with it, I wouldnt have been as nice as you.

 

[martybauer31]

No way would I be wanting to wait behind a foursome all afternoon, that's insane. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt that they perhaps didn't see you and assumed it was clear to go. I've certainly done that with groups when no one else has been near the tee box, but we always typically ask folks where they are in the rotation if they're on the putting green nearby though.

 

[smgoldstein]

Anyway, would you have let the foursome jump in front of you and take your spot?

Nope. I'm surprised the foursome didn't tell you to go ahead.

 

[echico]

I will never understand people putting themselves in uncomfortable spots for hours. If the 4some wants to jump in front of you they would then have to make sure they stay in front of you. You never saw them.

To be specific, I would of done the same thing as you.

 

[Muchmore]

Anyway, would you have let the foursome jump in front of you and take your spot?

f**k no

 

[JTinMO]

You are right in your logic, and did the right thing (going off first). I can also see their point though with no one on the tee box and ready to go, so they tried to get out earlier.
I will always try to get off earlier as well if no one is on the tee box and the hole is open, no matter what the situation is. I'm also one to invite a single to play through or play along with my group for a hole and let them get ahead. I've had singles be cool and just decide to play with my group the whole round as well, which can be a nice change.

I would have been nice about it and probably teed off all together, and plan to go ahead from there. You know one of them would be in the junk and needed time to look for a ball in the trees.

 

[RealPretendPsychic]

The only part I disagree with is hitting it down the middle when trying to go quickly and get ahead of the group. Everyone knows you take a quick swing and yank one into the trees.

 

[Joshnoble01]

I would have handled it like you did. And I would have raced after they finished on the green to be at the tee box before they teed off the first few holes if they had an issue.

I also would never want to have a singe behind me if I was in a 4some. They were wrong.

 

[Trmpt98]

Nope. I'm surprised the foursome didn't tell you to go ahead.

This is what I say also. If the 4 some didn't know it's one thing especially if there isn't a starter. Yet once finding out there was a single even if their time was after the foursome I would offer to let you go ahead.

 

[YukonLiving]

Single goes out ahead, and especially because you were already on the tee sheet.

I’ve been on deck before as a 4-some and saw that a single was behind. I offered to swap tee times just so he wouldn’t be waiting or play through when he caught up. And I’ve been in the opposite situation too.

I’m hopeful in your situation that they just didn’t know you were there and/or ready to go.

 

[JohnSinVA]

If I were part of a foursome I wouldn’t want a single hot on my group’s heels anyway.

 

[IceyShanks]

No way I would have left them play in front of me

 

[Jeff Spicoli]

No way man, if you are on the sheet, you are on the sheet. Tee off early? Well, the people in front of you on the sheet should be out first.

For the Single before Foursome? Its just common sense. Get the single moving, avoid the "play through" talk altogether.
The Foursome should have recognized this as well (if they had known you were before them prior), and let you go first.

I was hoping for "bombed my teeshot 350 yds and never saw them again". I was not disappointed by your results.

It's a short hole. No driver unfortunately.

You did the right thing IMO. Definitely reasonable to go out ahead of a foursome playing as a single.

Especially since they were taking my spot--teeing off about 5 minutes before my set time.

No way would I be wanting to wait behind a foursome all afternoon, that's insane. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt that they perhaps didn't see you and assumed it was clear to go. I've certainly done that with groups when no one else has been near the tee box, but we always typically ask folks where they are in the rotation if they're on the putting green nearby though.

Yeah, if I'm in a foursome and there's a single us, I would want them going off first.

You are right in your logic, and did the right thing (going off first). I can also see their point though with no one on the tee box and ready to go, so they tried to get out earlier.
I will always try to get off earlier as well if no one is on the tee box and the hole is open, no matter what the situation is. I'm also one to invite a single to play through or play along with my group for a hole and let them get ahead. I've had singles be cool and just decide to play with my group the whole round as well, which can be a nice change.

I would have been nice about it and probably teed off all together, and plan to go ahead from there. You know one of them would be in the junk and needed time to look for a ball in the trees.

I wouldn't have said anything if they were on the tee sheet ahead of me and would have waited for them to let me play through at some point. I spoke with them on the range before they started to head to the first tee.

The only part I disagree with is hitting it down the middle when trying to go quickly and get ahead of the group. Everyone knows you take a quick swing and yank one into the trees.

With no warmup, I was fully expecting that to be the case.

This is what I say also. If the 4 some didn't know it's one thing especially if there isn't a starter. Yet once finding out there was a single even if their time was after the foursome I would offer to let you go ahead.

Their reaction was really baffling to me, but people are dumb.

 

[FKN3PUT]

No way I'm letting a 4-some jump in front of me, doesn't even make sense that they wanted to do that.

 

[BigtimeHC]

Blows my mind a foursome would even consider that. The only thing I hate worse than waiting every shot is having someone behind my group waiting every shot. Makes me super uncomfortable to be holding other players up.