Your unpopular golf opinions?

[Bicco]

If you’re a group of 4 and you’re heading for a four hour round or less, do you change from your approach above? I’ve said this assuming that group in front is clearing out from your group.

I was playing one day and we were finished teeing off on 10 and it was right on 2 hours. One of the blokes behind us gave us a lecture about being slow. I told him to **** off and that we were two hours to here. We were also held up the last four holes due to a ripple effect from group/s further in front of the group in front of us.

It depends. If I've noticed they've been up behind us for a few holes in a row, waiting for our shots, and after saying what I do they are still on us, I'd let them play through. I'd prefer that no matter the speed of the round.
Can depend on the comp. If it's par, poor players can end up.playing really fast because they pick up a lot.
Last round I played we let the group of 3 behind us play through.
I'm a bit of a pacifist, I try and find a result without arguing.
That said, if we're up behind the group in front and the group behind has a crack at our speed turn I'll chirp something back.
I'm probably more concerned with position in the field rather than overall time.

 

[Bicco]

I’ve got a slow mate who doesn’t start his prep until someone has hit. Will even be zooming the flag. Ffs do all that while others are hitting.

Have you ever told him?

 

[Lebbo73]

It depends. If I've noticed they've been up behind us for a few holes in a row, waiting for our shots, and after saying what I do they are still on us, I'd let them play through. I'd prefer that no matter the speed of the round.
Can depend on the comp. If it's par, poor players can end up.playing really fast because they pick up a lot.
Last round I played we let the group of 3 behind us play through.
I'm a bit of a pacifist, I try and find a result without arguing.
That said, if we're up behind the group in front and the group behind has a crack at our speed turn I'll chirp something back.
I'm probably more concerned with position in the field rather than overall time.

If we’ve dropped off the group in front but going at a good pace, we’ll let a group behind us go through after 9 holes. This is very rare and on the proviso that the field is thin. It can be hard to let a group through in between nines with 150 plus golfers in a comp all following each other. This is a regular occurrence at City Golf Club.
Also, I don’t believe in running around a golf course just to keep up with the group in front. That isn’t conducive for good golf just as being slow isn’t either.
My main bug bear is an older lady who is still walking, has plenty of money to buy or hire a cart, but chooses not to and causes her group to take 4.75hours because she wants to walk. If you can’t walk quick enough to finish a round in 4.25hours max, hire or buy a cart.

 

[Bicco]

If we’ve dropped off the group in front but going at a good pace, we’ll let a group behind us go through after 9 holes. This is very rare and on the proviso that the field is thin. It can be hard to let a group through in between nines with 150 plus golfers in a comp all following each other. This is a regular occurrence at City Golf Club.
Also, I don’t believe in running around a golf course just to keep up with the group in front. That isn’t conducive for good golf just as being slow isn’t either.
My main bug bear is an older lady who is still walking, has plenty of money to buy or hire a cart, but chooses not to and causes her group to take 4.75hours because she wants to walk. If you can’t walk quick enough to finish a round in 4.25hours max, hire or buy a cart.

For the group behind you, it's a bit like driving on the road. You don't just look at the car infront of you but what's going on further ahead.
Par 4, group behind gets to the tee, sees us waiting in the fairway to play our 2nd shots into the green where the group infront of us is putting. Group behind should understand that the pace of play is not being dictated by us but by a group further along. Enter the course Marshall.
As to the oldies, we've got some blokes like that but they chop out after 9 so everyone grumbles but puts up with it. If someone is playing 18 (on a busy day) at that pace they need to politely be told to do as you suggest (use a cart) or play on a less busy day. Last group on Tuesday morning sounds about right.
Im Always aware of the groups infront or behind. If those infront disappear but we've got no pressure from behind, I don't care about us. If someone is up our backside from the 3rd hole, even if we're making good time, I'll let them through as soon as I can. Last game was the par 3 8th. They were a group of 3 and infront was the final the foursomes, so only 2 balls in play. They played through, we finished in 4hours 5 mins. After the 8th we had no one in front or behind for the rest of the round. Perfect.

 

[Lebbo73]

For the group behind you, it's a bit like driving on the road. You don't just look at the car infront of you but what's going on further ahead.
Par 4, group behind gets to the tee, sees us waiting in the fairway to play our 2nd shots into the green where the group infront of us is putting. Group behind should understand that the pace of play is not being dictated by us but by a group further along. Enter the course Marshall.
As to the oldies, we've got some blokes like that but they chop out after 9 so everyone grumbles but puts up with it. If someone is playing 18 (on a busy day) at that pace they need to politely be told to do as you suggest (use a cart) or play on a less busy day. Last group on Tuesday morning sounds about right.
Im Always aware of the groups infront or behind. If those infront disappear but we've got no pressure from behind, I don't care about us. If someone is up our backside from the 3rd hole, even if we're making good time, I'll let them through as soon as I can. Last game was the par 3 8th. They were a group of 3 and infront was the final the foursomes, so only 2 balls in play. They played through, we finished in 4hours 5 mins. After the 8th we had no one in front or behind for the rest of the round. Perfect.

If someone is up our proverbial I let them through or suggest they do as well. However, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday & Sundays is all about comp golf so it’s too congested in front and behind to let a group through (as you said). It wouldn’t make sense either.

 

[Bicco]

If someone is up our proverbial I let them through or suggest they do as well. However, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday & Sundays is all about comp golf so it’s too congested in front and behind to let a group through (as you said). It wouldn’t make sense either.

It's all about awareness and courtesy. Even when you're by yourself. All here know I play a lot in the evenings and right now the sun sets about 6pm. If it's 540 and I'm on the 15th, I need to move to get the 9 holes in but occasionally I'll run into someone playing like it's their own course. Hitting multiple balls, re-putting putts. Which is fine if you're by yourself on the course but if someone is gaining on you and waiting for you, let them through or play one ball.

 

[peternorth]

Collared golf shirts are great and should be staple.

 

[iDon]

Collared golf shirts are great and should be staple.

Who doesn't wear collared shirts?

 

[Planet14]

You occasionally see randoms without a collar.

 

[peternorth]

i must add that on public tracks, wear what you want (within the clubs regs of course). tee shirt and shorts? Go for it.

 

[Planet14]

“Ready golf” needs to be abandoned.

It has resulted in a bunch of players who say “you go if you’re ready” and thereafter take no responsibility for pace of play. They saunter up on every hole, mark their card, have a drink, basically putting pressure on someone else in the group to be consistently pushing the pace by getting to the tee and teeing off before any other effing around.

Bring back the honour system and make it an obligation to hit off first if it’s your honour.

There is zero need to mark the card before you tee off. There are so many natural breaks in play, you could literally do it anytime tee to green on the next hole.

 

[Livonski]

“Ready golf” needs to be abandoned.

It has resulted in a bunch of players who say “you go if you’re ready” and thereafter take no responsibility for pace of play. They saunter up on every hole, mark their card, have a drink, basically putting pressure on someone else in the group to be consistently pushing the pace by getting to the tee and teeing off before any other effing around.

Bring back the honour system and make it an obligation to hit off first if it’s your honour.

There is zero need to mark the card before you tee off. There are so many natural breaks in play, you could literally do it anytime tee to green on the next hole.

Yep. Spot on.
That’s an unpopular opinion. lol.

On the tee I get it because everyone knows who is supposed to hit first and so should be aware. And mark scores afterwards. But fairways and greens it’s ready golf. Signal to your partners that you’re hitting and there’s no problem.

 

[juss]

My unpopular opinion is the flagstick should just be left in.

 

[toxic]

My unpopular opinion is the flagstick should just be left in.

Hate the bloody flag being in

 

[Planet14]

Hate the bloody flag being in

Same. If I am within 40 feet my partners know to take it away. Don't even have to ask.

Nothing worse than good putt hitting the centre of the stick and bouncing away.

 

[toxic]

Same. If I am within 40 feet my partners know to take it away. Don't even have to ask.

Nothing worse than good putt hitting the centre of the stick and bouncing away.

I have enough trouble putting without a stick in the way as well

 

[Livonski]

My unpopular opinion is the flagstick should just be left in.

I bounced a putt off the flag and out from 2ft yesterday.
My fault but flag out and it’s in.

 

[hawkman]

Same. If I am within 40 feet my partners know to take it away. Don't even have to ask.

Nothing worse than good putt hitting the centre of the stick and bouncing away.

I always putt flag in and I don't think I have ever had that happen. The only time it has happened is when I have smashed a putt that probably wouldn't have gone in anyway and saved me a 10 ft putt the other way

 

[Planet14]

I always putt flag in and I don't think I have ever had that happen. The only time it has happened is when I have smashed a putt that probably wouldn't have gone in anyway and saved me a 10 ft putt the other way

It does depend where you play I think. The flag poles at my club are not as narrow as others, so I think that is an influence.

 

[juss]

I bounced a putt off the flag and out from 2ft yesterday.
My fault but flag out and it’s in.

The flag also gives some putts that would've been too strong too

 

[juss]

Hate the bloody flag being in

That's why it's my unpopular opinion haha

 

[Lebbo73]

Slow golf is caused by ****wits who don’t give a **** about anyone else. No sense of urgency whatsoever with these clowns. I played Tuesday and had a win in a field of 86. There’s no surprises my good rounds are when you get around in three hours and twenty five minutes.

 

[peternorth]

The honour system on the tee can work but only if the group is keeping up with those ahead of it.

 

[Satan]

 

[Lebbo73]

The honour system on the tee can work but only if the group is keeping up with those ahead of it.

We play ready golf off the tee unless someone gets a birdie. Birdie boy should always have the chance to **** up first at the next tee!