Why does it leave such a bad taste in people’s mouths to let other groups play through?
I have been lamenting this question for 25 years. Is it emasculating to men? Is it submissive for women? I don’t understand why it is such a big deal. If I am in a foursome and a cart with two 70 year old women is pushing my group with no one in front of us…
“Ladies, would you like to play through?”…and I am happy to do it.
I have been a single late in the afternoon with a foursome in front of me and open holes in front. Instead of just waiving me through, they grind for score and run to their carts.
It is not uncommon occurrence for me to be a single, finish a hole and get to the next tee before the group in front of me has teed off. They finish, all give me a dirty look and drive off. I then get an even dirtier look when I skip the hole they haven’t even hit their second shots to and go to the next tee.
What’s up with that?
A perfect example of what I am talking about. A few years ago I was playing with all my friends (by myself, in other words) at around 4 or 5 PM. I teed off about 20 minutes after a foursome and I caught them by the 3rd tee. They saw me and didn’t offer to let me play through. One guy was giving lessons (not a pro, a 10 giving lessons to 20′s) to two of the other players and I was not happy. On a 340-350 yard par 4 they finished putting and started getting putting lessons. I whistled and raised my hands when they looked back. They kept on putting for another 2 minutes. I got tired of waiting so I hit my tee shot and hit it in the green side bunker.
When I pulled up by the green, they were still putting. Mr. Scratch looks at me and says, “you in some kind of hurry?”
I decided to treat this in the manner that seem most appropriate to the situation. I said nothing, hit my sand shot to a few feet, took out the pin, putted in, put the pin back in, went to the next tee and teed off.
Moral to the story: If there is no one in front of you and there is a single behind you, let him play through. It might be me and I am hostile, combative, a jerk and I will hit into you. 😉