We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Walking to Cart Before Others Finish?

BigDill said:
So when I posted this question, I was pretty firmly in the "don't leave the green until everyone is finished" group. I think its somewhat disrespectful and dismissive, unless there is some exigent situation like grabbing something from the beverage cart or fixing an issue like a rock in your shoe. I was playing a round in March where I was putting for birdie on a par 3 and literally everyone was heading back to to their carts while I was lining up. I felt that was a bit disrespectful since I had to watch everyone else putt to par or more.

That said, I walked off the green multiple times during my last round because the group was playing so slowly. I wanted to get tot he next tee box and hit my shot so I didn't have to wait forever. I felt I was giving a signal that we had to move it along a bit, as we were over a hole behind the group in front. It was very annoying.
Click to expand...
I'm on board with both those mentalities. And I'd notice way more if someone who obviously thinks it's best to stay and watch was instead getting their hustle on, and speed my sh*t up accordingly.
 
I don't walk or move around until everyone is done putting. Lots of people find movement very distracting(not me) and that slows them down, so I don't want to be part of the problem.
 
JB said:
The recent episode of @golfunfiltered with @Canadan and @HipCheck as guests had a segment about finishing the hole and walking to the cart while someone is still putting.

If you haven't listened to it, it is definitely worth it, but where do you stand on the issue?
Click to expand...
If someone is just finishing out from a foot or 2, who cares.
Guy going for a birdie... gotta watch that go in.
If you drank too much water, then you can walk off whenever you need to do so.
 
I haven't listened to it but I generally stay and wait for all to be done. I also try to effort to make sure I'm helping to get pins. A pet peeve is when everyone else walks off and I'm the last to putt and I have to walk to grab the pin as they are all waiting in the cart or heading to the next hole. I try to make sure that I don't do the same to someone else.

Occasionally I will walk off if there is something I need to do to get ready for the next hole like if I need to mark a new ball because I just scuffed up the one I was using or maybe if I got a bite to eat and am trying to do that so I don't hold up pace of play.
 
Most of the time i am watching everyone finish out. The times i do walk back is to get a drink or refill my water etc. Most of the time they are just tapping in their second putt.
 
I wait for everyone to get done every time.
 
I have definitely walked away but almost always, I get on to the fringe and out of their way. I wait to move on until everyone is done.

I actually appreciate when my partners stay. If they are walking back to the carts, I feel a little rushed and have missed putts I shouldn’t have missed because I was trying to “catch up”
 
Think its rude, unless there is a good reason (beer cart etc.) that happens infrequently. Couldn't believe DJ doing it, actually kinda turned me off him a good bit.
 
I'll wait for everyone to putt out on the green. I'm very guilty of teeing off 1st (we play ready golf always) and then heading back to the cart to drink my beer and smoke my cigar. I do try to watch the tee shots though to help out if any go awry.
 
I generally wait for others to finish the hole unless we are falling behind for some reason and I'm trying to push the pace a bit.
 
I've done it both ways... waited for everyone and walked to my cart. No one seems to mind either way so... dealer's choice.
 
I generally try to wait, but yes there are times when leaving early is needed. I have I done it, yep. Does it bother me never thought about it.
 
I did it a lot when my lower back was a mess, just so I could get off of my feet. Now, I try to watch everyone putt out, although I get scatterbrained on occasion and head back to my cart before everyone finishes putting.
 
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.
 
Last edited:
Putting, no. I just step to the side and let everyone finish out. Never go back to the cart or next tee. At most, if I’m frustrated or something, I’ll step off the green, maybe to the fringe, but even that’s a rarity.

On the tee, I’m definitely guilty of walking back to the cart from time to time when someone else still has to hit, especially if I hit a bad shot. In all honesty, it’s not being disrespectful intentionally, but rather taking myself off the tee so I don’t distract the next guy up or effect him in some way or anything like that. We all know it can be awkward hitting if you have someone up there and watching that’s clearly pissed off or frustrated, even if it’s just temporary. Even if I walk back to the cart, I’m always silent and stand beside the cart, make sure to watch the next shot, give a “good ball” if it’s a good shot, etc. Definitely don’t sit in the cart and sulk or anything like that.
 
Im guility of it most of the time. Honestly, I dont really feel like anyone really cares if I watch them putt out or not, so Ive ever give it much thought. If anyone were somehow offended by it, Im sorry but its nothing personal. Im just merely focused on my game and dont really care about anyone else's game. 🤷‍♂️
 
I do find it interesting for those that say they don't do it unless......." they are putting for 8, or they or playing to slow" etc....

If you find it offensive under some circumstances but not others then that's a little bit of a double standard I think. Maybe the pace is too slow to you but not to the group. Maybe that person putting for 8 is happy it's not for 10. Everyone plays at a different pace and has a different ability level. Personally I don't make a habit of it, but I do walk away sometimes just because well I guess I want to. But again don't care what others do.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
davis20 said:
I do find it interesting for those that say they don't do it unless......." they are putting for 8, or they or playing to slow" etc....

If you find it offensive under some circumstances but not others then that's a little bit of a double standard I think. Maybe the pace is too slow to you but not to the group. Maybe that person putting for 8 is happy it's not for 10. Everyone plays at a different pace and has a different ability level. Personally I don't make a habit of it, but I do walk away sometimes just because well I guess I want to. But again don't care what others do.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
When I am walking off the green as a result of slow play, its not because I want to play fast. It is usually because we are holding up the group behind, and I want to make sure they know that I am not the one on the green holding of the pace of the course. I would guess that I am more sensitive than most to people playing closely behind, but I do not like the anxiety it gives me. The round I was referring to in my post was over 5 hours. That is not at all reasonable in any circumstance, and the Marshall was pretty adamant to let us know that.
 
BigDill said:
When I am walking off the green as a result of slow play, its not because I want to play fast. It is usually because we are holding up the group behind, and I want to make sure they know that I am not the one on the green holding of the pace of the course. I would guess that I am more sensitive than most to people playing closely behind, but I do not like the anxiety it gives me. The round I was referring to in my post was over 5 hours. That is not at all reasonable in any circumstance, and the Marshall was pretty adamant to let us know that.
Click to expand...
Yeah I feel anxious if I feel like we're holding up a group as well. My rounds are generally sub 3:30 though. But I do hate that feeling.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
I play with mostly the same 3 guys for 30 years. In general, I consider it rude to leave the green before my family is done. However, this is contextual and is changing and I don't like it but can explain it.

yesterday we played and 2 of us were ON and 2 of us were struggling for different reasons. the net of it is we were not keeping up with the group in front of us and we had a 3-some pushing us. What this did was make the guys who were ON playing ready golf to a point where we putted out before the other 2 were on in some cases. We finished in just a few minutes under 4 hours. Under normal conditions on this course a great round for Memorial day weekend but I felt it was slow.
 
I do whatever I feel like in the moment and don’t really care what my playing partners do. I don’t think it’s rude, inconsiderate or bad etiquette to want to go to your bag or cart and wait.
 
Acesteve said:
I play with mostly the same 3 guys for 30 years. In general, I consider it rude to leave the green before my family is done. However, this is contextual and is changing and I don't like it but can explain it.

yesterday we played and 2 of us were ON and 2 of us were struggling for different reasons. the net of it is we were not keeping up with the group in front of us and we had a 3-some pushing us. What this did was make the guys who were ON playing ready golf to a point where we putted out before the other 2 were on in some cases. We finished in just a few minutes under 4 hours. Under normal conditions on this course a great round for Memorial day weekend but I felt it was slow.
Click to expand...
There's nothing wrong in that scenario. My best golf friend and I have been playing really different games the last couple months and it seems like we're never on the green at the same time. I'm usually on, and have time to putt out before he gets on, or I'm on and he gets up and down from his miss I dropped him off at before I even get to the green. Nothing wrong with that. It keeps things moving. We're both very aware of what the other is doing and are still respectful and encouraging of the other. Whoever is done just hangs out on the edge usually.
 
Last edited:
I'm a firm believer in waiting for the group to finish. I consider it kind of rude to be honest. Golf is a social game to me and if I'm playing with you, it means I'm enjoying your company.
 
I've walked to my push cart before to grab a drink of water or start writing scores down but my cart is usually just off the green. I never do it to be disrespectful, it's usually to make sure I'm not being slow. I'm almost always still paying attention to what my playing partners are doing though.
 
When I play with my buddies I will walk off the green from time to time if they're hacking it up but they don't care. If I get paired with a random, I'll be respectful and won't leave the green until everyone is done putting. It does get a bit tiring when people are taking forever though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top