So you decide to go play golf and all of your friends are busy so you go at it alone. You show up at your local muni to play and the place is semi crowded, you get lucky they have an opening and they send you out. As a single you probably think you can fly through every group like an ambulance on the way to the hospital. Yes its true you’ll play faster than everyone **BUT **GUESS **WHAT ? you as a single you don’t have the right of way!!!. Anyone who has been playing golf for any amount of time knows this to ring true. It has been written on every rule board, scorecard and bathroom wall at every course in the world at one time or another.
**WHY you ask ? why shouldn’t I be allowed to fly around this golf course playing through group after group after group ?. Well believe it or not Reason #1 this actually slows up play. Yes the time it takes you to play though a group slows up play. 4 people in a group stopping what they are doing to let you play though slows up play. Reason 2 unless the group in front of you has fallen behind their tee time was before yours and they are entitled to that spot on the golf course, just because you can play faster doesn’t give you any right to over take them. Plus where the hell are you going you’ll just have to wait on the group in front of them.
Now there are a couple scenarios when its ok. If the group in front of you had a few open tee spots in front of them and there is somewhere for you to go. But keep in mind its their option they don’t have to let you play though. If the group in front of you is playing slow and they have fallen behind, and once again there needs to be somewhere for you to go. No matter what its up to them to let you play through.
So if you’re someone who likes to play alone you should keep in mind that your pace of play is going to be the pace of play at the golf course that day. Being the asshole who rushes up to the group in front of you and stands by the golf cart, leaning on a golf club eyeing hopelessly at the group in front of you isn’t going to do any good. In fact its RUDE !!! If you want to play fast and play alone get the first tee time at the golf course each morning. By the way these rules go for twosomes. Its bad enough when 1 guys is trying to push everyone around the golf course its even worse when its two.
**YES we all hate slow play. But there is slow play and reality and the reality is No Single In The History of Golf has had the right of way. In fact courses should not allow singles out on crowded days. Yes i know I sound like a stickler. Truth is I love playing golf alone there is something tranquil about it. But before you bash me I’m smart enough to know if I want to play alone I do it in the evening on a golf course that isn’t crowded or I try to get the first tee time in the AM. I’m also smart enough to know that if i show up at a course by myself looking to play. I may get paired up with another group if i don’t the flow of traffic is based how many groups are front of me.
