Question:
with his/her presence, and uttered…..: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -This issue never stops driving me nuts. I have noticed in Central Florida, more and more of late, the growing number of golf courses that book fivesomes. The days of playing a 4 hour round are over. I played at St. Cloud last week and was behind two fivesomes. The round took five hours! I quit playing the Forest Lake club in Ocoee over this issue (you can book fivesomes on their Website) and subsequently Highlands Reserve (which also jacked its prices up by $25 a round). I feel strongly that such policies slow down play. While I can’t afford to play every week at Metro West Country Club, I am going to pay more money and play less often in order to derive more enjoyment from playing. The more expensive clubs don’t allow this kind of crap (at least Falcon’s Fire and Metro West don’t), and standing around for ten minutes while five guys line up their next shot just isn’t my idea of enjoyment. So here is a vote against fivesomes! jIMBO
I’ll cast a vote FOR fivesomes (with the following caveat/comments). I regularly play in fivesomes and they work just fine if you hit when ready, and don’t make folks putt one-/two-footers. My group regularly get around the course in under 3 hours. What I don’t understand is why the twosome in front that hold us up don’t get embarrassed!? — Mad’Doug Trentham Camp GC, New Zealand RSG Roll Call: http://rec-sport-golf.com/members/?rollcall=stokesd Please remove the apostrophe (‘) to email me
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This issue never stops driving me nuts. I have noticed in Central Florida, more and more of late, the growing number of golf courses that book fivesomes. The days of playing a 4 hour round are over. I played at St. Cloud last week and was behind two fivesomes. The round took five hours!
Is the exclamation point there because it’s surprising you got done that quickly? I really don’t understand why courses do this. It just hurts their business. They would make a lot more money if they pumped people through more quickly. Apparently everyone in the world wants a 4- hour round, except for the guy who’s up to hit next.
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I find this hard to believe. You’d be hard pressed to find one woman who was willing to sleep with you….let alone four. Of course, using the name Jimbo isn’t helping either.
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I don’t have a general problem with 5-somes as long as they are aware of their larger group in relation to time of the round. It should be stressed by the starter or club rep at the first tee, they will be held accountable for their time. When playing a 5-some, me, you, or they should forget about tee box honors and approach shot "he’s away, I have to wait" and play ready golf until at the green. Then let the who’s away game begin. — Bryan D. Greer Tulsa, OK bdgreer1 at cox dot net
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This issue never stops driving me nuts. I have noticed in Central Florida, more and more of late, the growing number of golf courses that book fivesomes. The days of playing a 4 hour round are over. I played at St. Cloud last week and was behind two fivesomes. The round took five hours! I quit playing the Forest Lake club in Ocoee over this issue (you can book fivesomes on their Website) and subsequently Highlands Reserve (which also jacked its prices up by $25 a round). I feel strongly that such policies slow down play. While I can’t afford to play every week at Metro West Country Club, I am going to pay more money and play less often in order to derive more enjoyment from playing. The more expensive clubs don’t allow this kind of crap (at least Falcon’s Fire and Metro West don’t), and standing around for ten minutes while five guys line up their next shot just isn’t my idea of enjoyment. So here is a vote against fivesomes! jIMBO
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I really don’t understand why courses do this. It just hurts their business. They would make a lot more money if they pumped people through more quickly. Apparently everyone in the world wants a 4- hour round, except for the guy who’s up to hit next.
5 person tournaments move quickly. Businesses do this sometimes with one celebrity, 2 business people, and 2 customers. The way to move people quickly is to stagger start times. If you start every 8 minutes, the round will be slow, if you start every 12 minutes, the round will be fast. I never quite figured how you can keep starting people every 8 minutes when people are waiting for the foursome in front of them to move.
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Seriously though, 5somes are not what the game needed. I think though that the main cause of a 5 hour round isn’t the fact that 5 people play toether, but that 5 slow players are playing. We have a couple of groups that sometimes play as 5-somes here, but they always go around in 4-hours or less and keep up. a 5 some taking 5 hours would probably take at least 4-1/2 as a 4some.
At my old club in New Brunswick, I’d end up in a fivesome every now and again. It was more like a pair meeting a threesome on the third tee, for example, and this was always in the evening, so the course wasn’t too crowded. Anyway, the guys who played at nights at the course were pretty much all members, and all pretty good players…we had a ball, and we moved (usually could cover 9 in about an hour and forty minutes, walking). So this wasn’t a problem…and on the weekends when the course was packed, it wasn’t allowed, period, no exceptions. Todd McGillivray – http://cplhicks.tripod.com/ Emailing me? tmcg at sasktel dot net "Maybe, just once, somebody will call me ’sir’ – without adding ‘you’re making a scene.’" — Homer J. Simpson
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I don’t have a general problem with 5-somes as long as they are aware of their larger group in relation to time of the round. It should be stressed by the starter or club rep at the first tee, they will be held accountable for their time. When playing a 5-some, me, you, or they should forget about tee box honors and approach shot "he’s away, I have to wait" and play ready golf until at the green. Then let the who’s away game begin.
Absolutely correct. It all depends on the individuals in the group. I’ve been behind 4 1/2 hour round threesomes. ___, o | / . "Someone likes every shot" bk
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I’d agree in general, although it doesn’t bug me quite as much as it obviously does you. My biggest problem is that it’s just harder to keep track of everyone else in the group. I notice a real difference between four and five in terms of keeping track of where everyone’s ball is and who’s turn it is. It is also a little slower, or at least you have to work a little more at keeping up the pace (which most folks don’t really want to do). Luckily few places in Los Angeles do this … mostly just the ones managed by American Golf … none of the munis or higher end courses. Rob – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This issue never stops driving me nuts. I have noticed in Central Florida, more and more of late, the growing number of golf courses that book fivesomes. The days of playing a 4 hour round are over. I played at St. Cloud last week and was behind two fivesomes. The round took five hours! I quit playing the Forest Lake club in Ocoee over this issue (you can book fivesomes on their Website) and subsequently Highlands Reserve (which also jacked its prices up by $25 a round). I feel strongly that such policies slow down play. While I can’t afford to play every week at Metro West Country Club, I am going to pay more money and play less often in order to derive more enjoyment from playing. The more expensive clubs don’t allow this kind of crap (at least Falcon’s Fire and Metro West don’t), and standing around for ten minutes while five guys line up their next shot just isn’t my idea of enjoyment. So here is a vote against fivesomes! jIMBO
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I really don’t understand why courses do this. It just hurts their business. They would make a lot more money if they pumped people through more quickly. Apparently everyone in the world wants a 4- hour round, except for the guy who’s up to hit next. 5 person tournaments move quickly. Businesses do this sometimes with one celebrity, 2 business people, and 2 customers. The way to move people quickly is to stagger start times. If you start every 8 minutes, the round will be slow, if you start every 12 minutes, the round will be fast. I never quite figured how you can keep starting people every 8 minutes when people are waiting for the foursome in front of them to move.
Like someone else said, it’s really how you play (not how well you play) that counts. I’m sure you could put together 6 guys that could play faster than 2 slower players. I don’t understand 8 minute starting times either. They’re just shooting themselves in the foot. It’s like racing down the higher at top speed so you get to the gas station before you run out of gas.
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Me too Bobby. But I’ve finally learned it doesn’t do me a damned bit of good to get upset about it. Sometimes we just gotta take a deep breath and forget about the extra so many minutes it’s gonna take us get around. There’s a bunch of people out there that would changes places with us in a heartbeat if possible. — Bryan D. Greer Tulsa, OK bdgreer1 at cox dot net
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I don’t have a general problem with 5-somes as long as they are aware of their larger group in relation to time of the round. It should be stressed by the starter or club rep at the first tee, they will be held accountable for their time. When playing a 5-some, me, you, or they should forget about tee box honors and approach shot "he’s away, I have to wait" and play ready golf until at the green. Then let the who’s away game begin. Absolutely correct. It all depends on the individuals in the group. I’ve been behind 4 1/2 hour round threesomes. ___, o | / . "Someone likes every shot" bk
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This issue never stops driving me nuts. I have noticed in Central Florida, more and more of late, the growing number of golf courses that book fivesomes. The days of playing a 4 hour round are over. I played at St. Cloud last week and was behind two fivesomes. The round took five hours! I quit playing the Forest Lake club in Ocoee over this issue (you can book fivesomes on their Website) and subsequently Highlands Reserve (which also jacked its prices up by $25 a round). I feel strongly that such policies slow down play. While I can’t afford to play every week at Metro West Country Club, I am going to pay more money and play less often in order to derive more enjoyment from playing. The more expensive clubs don’t allow this kind of crap (at least Falcon’s Fire and Metro West don’t), and standing around for ten minutes while five guys line up their next shot just isn’t my idea of enjoyment. So here is a vote against fivesomes! jIMBO
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It’s becoming very common in Orlando. I can remember when fivesomes were a total taboo. The times they are a changin’…
I guess that will make me feel a lot less bad that my trip to Orlando in a couple of weeks won’t have any time for Golf 
One thing that occurs to me, given Orlando is probably "mandatory cart" territory, is whether the course charges the odd guy for a full cart and thus makes extra money on the deal? Seriously though, 5somes are not what the game needed. I think though that the main cause of a 5 hour round isn’t the fact that 5 people play toether, but that 5 slow players are playing. We have a couple of groups that sometimes play as 5-somes here, but they always go around in 4-hours or less and keep up. a 5 some taking 5 hours would probably take at least 4-1/2 as a 4some. — http://home.att.net/~wamontgomery )
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Luckily few places in Los Angeles do this … mostly just the ones managed by American Golf … none of the munis or higher end courses.
It’s becoming very common in Orlando. I can remember when fivesomes were a total taboo. The times they are a changin’…
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Bobby, I’ve got to disagree with some of this. Maybe you and your buddies can play as a fivesome and not clog up the course, but most fivesomes I’ve seen can’t. But, if you can make it around within the posted pace of play guidelines, IMO, nobody should have a problem with it. I’m not sure I buy the 5 can play as fast as 4 idea in general. Maybe some groups of 5 can, but if 5 can play as fast as 4, then 4 can play as fast 3, 3 can play as fast as 2 and 2 can play as fast as 1. If you follow that logic to conclusion, then 5 can play alomst as fast as 1. To me the logic breaks down. On a crowded course, a twosome is not causing a flow problem as long as they keep their spot and don’t play through anybody. The only way a foursome is going to feel pushed by a twosome behind them is if the foursome is not keeping up with group in front of them. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I can understand the feelings about 5s on a course in most instances, especially in public course play. In that case it usually is greed, and can be very grueling if a group of that size is hacking it up in front of you. We play 5s at my course as a rule. If you stop to think abot it, five can play almost as quickly as four, if each goes to his ball and is prepared to hit when it’s his turn. I can’t remember when we had a round that went over 4:15…and when it does, we’re ticked off. We allow walkers, or mixed with carts with no cart fee penalty. You can be sure that there are VERY good players in those groups too. For those who like to wager, a fivesome is great. Sorry if this situation ruins a game for anyone, but in our case it works fine. I have a problem when a twosome is placed on the course on the weekend, when its crowded. Even if a course is limited to foursomes this causes a flow problem; the larger group always feels pushed, generally with no way to allow them through, and the twosome’s game is excruciatingly slow because of it. "Someone likes every shot" bk
Kenny
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I can understand the feelings about 5s on a course in most instances, especially in public course play. In that case it usually is greed,
i work at a heavily golfed public course. we discourage but do allow 5somes. greed is not our motivating factor. We play 5s at my course as a rule. If you stop to think abot it, five can play almost as quickly as four, if each goes to his ball and is prepared to hit when it’s his turn. I can’t remember when we had a round that went over 4:15…and when it does, we’re ticked off.
it all depends on the golfers and whether or not they’re slow players and know what ready golf is. For those who like to wager, a fivesome is great.
i agree. Sorry if this situation ruins a game for anyone, but in our case it works fine.
it works fine it my case to about 95% of the time. I have a problem when a twosome is placed on the course on the weekend, when its crowded. Even if a course is limited to foursomes this causes a flow problem; the larger group always feels pushed, generally with no way to allow them through, and the twosome’s game is excruciatingly slow because of it.
just like 5somes, we allow but discourage 2somes. sure, you can book a tee time for 2, but generally we’ll pair somebody else with you. when i’m forced into starting a 2some, i tell them that it will be slow for them. i also tell them to NOT play through anybody if it is crowded in front of them. i’ll go as far as telling the group ahead of the 2some to not let the 2some play through and to not feel rushed by the 2some. charlie Before you buy.
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I can understand the feelings about 5s on a course in most instances, especially in public course play. In that case it usually is greed, and can be very grueling if a group of that size is hacking it up in front of you. We play 5s at my course as a rule. If you stop to think abot it, five can play almost as quickly as four, if each goes to his ball and is prepared to hit when it’s his turn. I can’t remember when we had a round that went over 4:15…and when it does, we’re ticked off. We allow walkers, or mixed with carts with no cart fee penalty. You can be sure that there are VERY good players in those groups too. For those who like to wager, a fivesome is great. Sorry if this situation ruins a game for anyone, but in our case it works fine. I have a problem when a twosome is placed on the course on the weekend, when its crowded. Even if a course is limited to foursomes this causes a flow problem; the larger group always feels pushed, generally with no way to allow them through, and the twosome’s game is excruciatingly slow because of it. "Someone likes every shot" bk
I don’t object to you playing as a fivesome, Bobby, but if you are fast, I do think you are the exception. If 5 play as fast as 4, do 6 play as fast as 5? Mostly, I’m still shocked it happens and haven’t really even thought whether it is good or bad/right or wrong yet. Bruce RSG Roll Call: http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/newmanb.htm
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I can understand the feelings about 5s on a course in most instances, especially in public course play. In that case it usually is greed, and can be very grueling if a group of that size is hacking it up in front of you. We play 5s at my course as a rule. If you stop to think abot it, five can play almost as quickly as four, if each goes to his ball and is prepared to hit when it’s his turn. I can’t remember when we had a round that went over 4:15…and when it does, we’re ticked off. We allow walkers, or mixed with carts with no cart fee penalty. You can be sure that there are VERY good players in those groups too. For those who like to wager, a fivesome is great. Sorry if this situation ruins a game for anyone, but in our case it works fine. I have a problem when a twosome is placed on the course on the weekend, when its crowded. Even if a course is limited to foursomes this causes a flow problem; the larger group always feels pushed, generally with no way to allow them through, and the twosome’s game is excruciatingly slow because of it. "Someone likes every shot" bk
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I don’t object to you playing as a fivesome, Bobby, but if you are fast, I do think you are the exception. If 5 play as fast as 4, do 6 play as fast as 5? Mostly, I’m still shocked it happens and haven’t really even thought whether it is good or bad/right or wrong yet.
As I’ve posted in reply to Kenny, I’m not pushing for 5s, but it works at our club. I don’t know how far the extrapolation would have to go before it became unreasonable, but frankly, the more you have the less difference there would be. For instance, 15 would probably play as fast as 14 "Someone likes every shot" bk
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We play as 5s a lot. We are high handicappers but we were never in a situaion where we were holding up the group behind us. As a matter of fact we were once pushing a 2some in front of us. Like you say, it’s just a matter of being ready when it’s your turn, and trying to keep pace with the group in front. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I can understand the feelings about 5s on a course in most instances, especially in public course play. In that case it usually is greed, and can be very grueling if a group of that size is hacking it up in front of you. We play 5s at my course as a rule. If you stop to think abot it, five can play almost as quickly as four, if each goes to his ball and is prepared to hit when it’s his turn. I can’t remember when we had a round that went over 4:15…and when it does, we’re ticked off. We allow walkers, or mixed with carts with no cart fee penalty. You can be sure that there are VERY good players in those groups too. For those who like to wager, a fivesome is great. Sorry if this situation ruins a game for anyone, but in our case it works fine. I have a problem when a twosome is placed on the course on the weekend, when its crowded. Even if a course is limited to foursomes this causes a flow problem; the larger group always feels pushed, generally with no way to allow them through, and the twosome’s game is excruciatingly slow because of it. "Someone likes every shot" bk
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Bobby, I’ve got to disagree with some of this. Maybe you and your buddies can play as a fivesome and not clog up the course, but most fivesomes I’ve seen can’t. But, if you can make it around within the posted pace of play guidelines, IMO, nobody should have a problem with it.
All I can tell you is that it works here. There’s no argument, just wanting to show another side to fivesomes. We do it, we like it, and I assure you that continued slow play would bring a stop to it immediately. The slowest rounds of the year for us are the Member/Guest tournament (sometimes 5:30) and the Club Championship (same)…they are foursomes only. I’m not sure I buy the 5 can play as fast as 4 idea in general. Maybe some groups of 5 can, but if 5 can play as fast as 4, then 4 can play as fast 3, 3 can play as fast as 2 and 2 can play as fast as 1. If you follow that logic to conclusion, then 5 can play alomst as fast as 1. To me the logic breaks down.
Remember, I said almost! IF everyone goes to their ball, and there’s no real problem, it can be very close. Please tell me how your logic can get to 5::4 = 5::1? Now THAT is not logic. On a crowded course, a twosome is not causing a flow problem as long as they keep their spot and don’t play through anybody. The only way a foursome is going to feel pushed by a twosome behind them is if the foursome is not keeping up with group in front of them.
The twosome doesn’t CAUSE the flow problem in fact, just in effect. Looking back at a twosome, who has to wait on their shots every time, is disconcerting. "Someone likes every shot" bk
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I went to one of the less popular local courses Sunday about mid-morning as a single. When I arrived, there were no other groups in sight, it had been at least 30-45 minutes since the last group had teed off. The next reserved tee time was 45 minutes away. There was not another golfer at the clubhouse – or even in the parking lot. First thing the starter said to me: "We don’t allow singles on weekends!". mean breaking a rule! I should have taken my $38 to another course, but I stayed and joined the next group that arrived – about an hour later (after 2 groups of no-shows!). They were a foursome that was kindly willing to split into 2 groups so I could join them. We didn’t even ask about playing as a fivesome – that might violate a rule, even though the closest group behind us came along about 45 minutes later. — http://home.midsouth.rr.com/joecartpath RSG Roll Call: http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/reedj.htm
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I can understand the feelings about 5s on a course in most instances, especially in public course play. In that case it usually is greed, and can be very grueling if a group of that size is hacking it up in front of you. We play 5s at my course as a rule. If you stop to think abot it, five can play almost as quickly as four, if each goes to his ball and is prepared to hit when it’s his turn. I can’t remember when we had a round that went over 4:15…and when it does, we’re ticked off. We allow walkers, or mixed with carts with no cart fee penalty. You can be sure that there are VERY good players in those groups too. For those who like to wager, a fivesome is great. Sorry if this situation ruins a game for anyone, but in our case it works fine. I have a problem when a twosome is placed on the course on the weekend, when its crowded. Even if a course is limited to foursomes this causes a flow problem; the larger group always feels pushed, generally with no way to allow them through, and the twosome’s game is excruciatingly slow because of it. "Someone likes every shot" bk