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Single playing with slow threesome, what would you do?

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JMN57

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I had a 8:10 tee time this AM @ Trump Ferry Point. As a single, they paired me with a threesome who had taken a forecaddie. They were young guys in their early 30's. We were the first tee time of the day so I am thinking great, we'll get in a pretty quick round.

Well, after the first hole I realized this was going to be a slow round. Now, I wasn't in a rush but I spent a lot of time waiting on the first hole. I hit a good drive, and 8 iron to 6 feet and made the birdie putt but basically waited for 15 minutes while numerous balls were being hit, lost, looked for...

I seriously considered detaching myself from the group and just playing as a single. I could have got around pretty quickly. I decided not to because I wasn't in a rush and wanted to enjoy the round but the pace of play was torturous. We finished at 1PM, close to 5 hours with nobody in front of us.

What would you do? Stay with the group or go ahead by yourself?

BTW, they were nice guys but were clueless about stepping on lines, etc on the green.
 
Kinda sounds like the caddie should have stepped up and picked up the pace for everybody.
 
I had this exact thing this morning, albeit less extreme. Leaves are falling everywhere and these guys couldn't keep an eye on their own ball to save their lives...5-10 minute searches after every tee shot was irritating.
I stuck it out and told them that they were slow after the front 9. They sped up significantly after that.

I would rather be called rude for speaking up and informing them of their slowness than be called rude for just taking off and leaving them behind. The way I see it, playing slow golf is rude so they started it hehe.
 
It would be tough to not come off in a bad light in this situation I think. You would have had to make the decision before you teed off I think, unless you dont care at all how what people think then you could have been like "screw you guys I am going ahead".
 
I may have said something along the lines of "hey, my wife is wondering if I can meet her for lunch at noon, do you guys mind if I jump ahead and finish out alone? I'll get out of the way asap."
 
Awkward silence said:
It would be tough to not come off in a bad light in this situation I think. You would have had to make the decision before you teed off I think, unless you dont care at all how what people think then you could have been like "screw you guys I am going ahead".
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Unless he was sharing a cart with one of the three, I would have separated from the group if the pace was that bad. At the least he could have called the clubhouse and asked for another cart to be sent out if they had the staff to do so. Otherwise, split up at the turn.
 
ken_h said:
I may have said something along the lines of "hey, my wife is wondering if I can meet her for lunch at noon, do you guys mind if I jump ahead and finish out alone? I'll get out of the way asap."
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This. I can't play at a slow pace and play well. I definitely would have broken off and played alone.
 
ken_h said:
I may have said something along the lines of "hey, my wife is wondering if I can meet her for lunch at noon, do you guys mind if I jump ahead and finish out alone? I'll get out of the way asap."
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I agree with this and do fairly often if the first couple of holes are brutally slow.
 
I would have broken off and played alone. 5 hours is brutal. It sounds like they were all together so they probably wouldn't have cared.
 
ken_h said:
I may have said something along the lines of "hey, my wife is wondering if I can meet her for lunch at noon, do you guys mind if I jump ahead and finish out alone? I'll get out of the way asap."
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Exactly what I would have done!
 
I would have spoken with the forecaddie about getting the group to play at an appropriate pace. If that didn't work I'd have no problem telling them I was going to play ahead.
 
I don't see anything wrong, or rude, about breaking off from the group you were paired up with. If they aren't playing up to your pace, I would just politely ask to play through. However, if I were in that 3some, I would have asked if you wanted to go ahead and play through, as I frequently play with 100's shooters.
 
Smallville said:
Unless he was sharing a cart with one of the three, I would have separated from the group if the pace was that bad. At the least he could have called the clubhouse and asked for another cart to be sent out if they had the staff to do so. Otherwise, split up at the turn.
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I actually had my own cart as I had gotten there early and they gave me a cart to go to the range. When we met at the starter, he said just take out 3 carts.
 
tequila4kapp said:
I would have spoken with the forecaddie about getting the group to play at an appropriate pace. If that didn't work I'd have no problem telling them I was going to play ahead.
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I kind of did mention it to him at one point and he certainly saw they were slow but they had hired him and they were his tip so he wasn't going to tick them off. I actually gave the forecaddie $20 at the end as he was a nice guy.
 
JMN57 said:
I actually had my own cart as I had gotten there early and they gave me a cart to go to the range. When we met at the starter, he said just take out 3 carts.
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Oh then that's a no-brainer. I'd have told them it was nice to meet you, and been on my way!
 
jamant12 said:
This. I can't play at a slow pace and play well. I definitely would have broken off and played alone.
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I can usually tolerate a somewhat slow pace but at a certain point, it seems like forever between shots. It does make it hard to play ones best.
 
Smallville said:
Oh then that's a no-brainer. I'd have told them it was nice to meet you, and been on my way!
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Thanks all for the replies. In hindsight, I should have just politely said I was in a rush and just race ahead. With nobody in front of me, I could have played the round in 2:15 and once I got out ahead, I could have played a couple of balls.
 
It is one thing to wait when folks are in front of you, but 5 hours with an open course I would have split after the 1st hole and bought them a round when I was done and they were making the turn!
 
I would have certainly told them that I was expected at home and needed to scoot. Nothing wrong with splitting off and getting out front.

Granted, yesterday I was nearly the first on the tee (had a couple singles in front of me). As I waited for the landing zone to clear, an old timer and his SIL asked if they could join me. I was happy to have them and we finished our 18 in 3 hours.
 
Smallville said:
Unless he was sharing a cart with one of the three, I would have separated from the group if the pace was that bad. At the least he could have called the clubhouse and asked for another cart to be sent out if they had the staff to do so. Otherwise, split up at the turn.
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I agree on all points.
 
ride it out. I recognize that the other guys were lagging, but I don't see the point of risking offending someone for convenience. find a way to have a good time with the other guys, joke around, and enjoy yourself.


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caeleric said:
ride it out. I recognize that the other guys were lagging, but I don't see the point of risking offending someone for convenience. find a way to have a good time with the other guys, joke around, and enjoy yourself.


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Life's too short. I'm paying for a round of Golf to enjoy myself and I don't want to wait around for other people to get their sh*t together and hold me up. I don't worry about people who don't know me getting offended by actions that will improve the whole group. I don't want to feel forced to joke around and enjoy myself in a situation like described by the OP at the expense of my personal enjoyment in this situation. "Sorry guys, I'm going to move ahead. Enjoy your round!"

In this particular situation, I'm not sure why an explanation is even required.
 
NewGlfr said:
Life's too short. I'm paying for a round of Golf to enjoy myself and I don't want to wait around for other people to get their sh*t together and hold me up. I don't worry about people who don't know me getting offended by actions that will improve the whole group. I don't want to feel forced to joke around and enjoy myself in a situation like described by the OP at the expense of my personal enjoyment in this situation. "Sorry guys, I'm going to move ahead. Enjoy your round!"

In this particular situation, I'm not sure why an explanation is even required.
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the question is what would you do? my response is ride it out. I've played thousands of rounds with people or varying abilities. and I've been on the higher handicap end of the spectrum for far longer than the lower end, so I'm very grateful for everyone who put up with me while hacking it around. of all the people I've ever been paired up with in 17 years of playing golf, I've only ONE time not been able to enjoy the company. regardless of length of round, regardless of ability, I can find a way to enjoy the people I'm playing with. I will not be rude for my own convenience and for my own enjoyment, and I firmly believe skipping ahead without being offered is rude. I've been in the minority on this issue many times, and that's fine. but because I see it as rude, I won't do it. if you don't think it's rude, by all means do whatever you think is appropriate. but if op is asking, that means there is uncertainty, and if there is uncertainty, I err on the side of taking one for the team. to each his own.


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I would have been out quick from that slow of a round. No matter how you excuse yourself you'll be a tool, so just do it and get on with the round at a good pace. I have no patience for a 5 hour round, I lose all hope.
 
Split up for sure. The forecaddie should have been keeping them on pace.


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