Country clubs and fivesomes.

[jptruck]

If you are playing in a 5-some, it's almost mandatory to let faster groups go through. That said, I've seen some 5 somes play faster than some threesomes.

[Shiram]

[quote name='jptruck' timestamp='1389286686' post='8428393']
If you are playing in a 5-some, it's almost mandatory to let faster groups go through. That said, I've seen some 5 somes play faster than some threesomes.
[/quote]

If you are playing in any size group you should let faster groups through (always assuming there is open space) even if that group happens to be a fivesome.

[deadsolid...shank]

[quote name='Shiram' timestamp='1389302231' post='8430165']
[quote name='jptruck' timestamp='1389286686' post='8428393']
If you are playing in a 5-some, it's almost mandatory to let faster groups go through. That said, I've seen some 5 somes play faster than some threesomes.
[/quote]

If you are playing in any size group you should let faster groups through (always assuming there is open space) even if that group happens to be a fivesome.
[/quote]

That posted should be printed in bold letters and posted at every course, and and the top of this forum. Shiram just summed up numerous threads and hundreds of posts in one sentence.

[eagles1]

[quote name='deadsolid...shank' timestamp='1389302579' post='8430217']
[quote name='Shiram' timestamp='1389302231' post='8430165']
[quote name='jptruck' timestamp='1389286686' post='8428393']
If you are playing in a 5-some, it's almost mandatory to let faster groups go through. That said, I've seen some 5 somes play faster than some threesomes.
[/quote]

[b]If you are playing in any size group you should let faster groups through (always assuming there is open space) even if that group happens to be a fivesome.[/b]
[/quote]

That posted should be printed in bold letters and posted at every course, and and the top of this forum. Shiram just summed up numerous threads and hundreds of posts in one sentence.
[/quote]

Only makes sense if singles and twosomes are required to pair up. I can't tell you how many times I have been in a foursome and let a twosome pass, only to see another twosome fast approaching followed by a twosome behind them. Sometimes I feel like a toll booth.

Consideration works both ways.

[jptruck]

[quote name='Shiram' timestamp='1389302231' post='8430165']
[quote name='jptruck' timestamp='1389286686' post='8428393']
If you are playing in a 5-some, it's almost mandatory to let faster groups go through. That said, I've seen some 5 somes play faster than some threesomes.
[/quote]

If you are playing in any size group you should let faster groups through (always assuming there is open space) even if that group happens to be a fivesome.
[/quote]

Sure, a single or duo should go through if space available. If the course is chock-full of foursomes and some idiot single thinks he's playing through all of them, he can sit and steam.

[SheriffBooth]

[quote name='deadsolid...shank' timestamp='1389217194' post='8424193']
[quote name='callawayjay' timestamp='1389211531' post='8423603']
My only gripe was the inability of the 5 to allow anyone through. A wide open course riders will be faster. On slower days is rather walk. Lessens the time to wait
[/quote]

I agree with you 100% here. In my opinion, a five some should be even more ready to let another group through. If they even hint of holding someone up, they need to wave them through immediately.

I also agree that I like to walk, when I have the time to do so.
[/quote]

I'll also say that I really dislike playing as a 5 if there is anyone else on the course because 1) I feel more rushed with each shot trying to maintain a 4 hour pace, and 2) No matter how fast you are playing many golfers think it's wrong to play 5. I'm out there to enjoy myself, and I find that fivesomes take away from that enjoyment for a lot of reasons.

[RickK]

[quote name='ddot' timestamp='1388622586' post='8381389']
I'm a member at a club and we play fivesomes quite frequently. IMO, fivesomes don't slow down play, slow players slow down play...
[/quote]

I agree. One of the courses where I play, we often have fivesomes even on Saturday mornings. Have seen fivesomes held up by 3somes so the number of players is not always the indicator of what is causing slow play.

[Mike_C]

Was looking for a topic on this subject to vent. I've been playing for 45 years, and fivesomes have always been frowned upon where ever I have lived/played.

I moved last year, and joined a new club, and they routinely send out fivesomes in the prime tee spots on Saturday and Sundays. I get it that if you can keep pace, then fine. But they don't always do it, and most of the groups that do it are walkers. Plus, stacking one fivesome behind another one kind of limits the ability of playing through. I went out yesterday afternoon with my wife at 2PM,after church and lunch, thought it would be fairly quick. She is not a good golfer but plays fast, we were in a cart. Things started OK, but we were behind a threesome who caught up to two fivesomes, we starated waiting around the 5th hole. Front nine was just over 2 hours, back was over 2:20. Of course there were a couple of open holes ahead of the fivesomes by the back nine, but good luck with anybody doing anything about it, very frustrating. It really is a club management/pro shop issue. Once you let them play five, somebody has to enforce the speed of play, which they don't.....

[rogolf]

[quote name='Mike_C' timestamp='1404744772' post='9651647']
Was looking for a topic on this subject to vent. I've been playing for 45 years, and fivesomes have always been frowned upon where ever I have lived/played.

I moved last year, and joined a new club, and they routinely send out fivesomes in the prime tee spots on Saturday and Sundays. I get it that if you can keep pace, then fine. But they don't always do it, and most of the groups that do it are walkers. Plus, stacking one fivesome behind another one kind of limits the ability of playing through. I went out yesterday afternoon with my wife at 2PM,after church and lunch, thought it would be fairly quick. She is not a good golfer but plays fast, we were in a cart. Things started OK, but we were behind a threesome who caught up to two fivesomes, we starated waiting around the 5th hole. Front nine was just over 2 hours, back was over 2:20. Of course there were a couple of open holes ahead of the fivesomes by the back nine, but good luck with anybody doing anything about it, very frustrating. It really is a club management/pro shop issue. Once you let them play five, somebody has to enforce the speed of play, which they don't.....
[/quote]

How long before sixsomes are permitted?

[jptruck]

[quote name='Mike_C' timestamp='1404744772' post='9651647']
[b] It really is a club management/pro shop issue. Once you let them play five, somebody has to enforce the speed of play, which they don't.....[/b]
[/quote]

There it is in a nutshell. Some places can manage it, some can't. Letting two fivesomes out, back-to-back, is probably not good management.

[sucabstunna]

In my opinion, fivesomes are fine as long as they are keeping to the course's time line (or normalized 4 hour round).
The number of people do not matter unless play is way outside of the 4 hour pace to me.
People that go play golf solo/twosomes/threesomes and angry because a group is playing to a 4 hour rate are out of line.

[Mike_C]

I guess I have gone over to the dark side....played in a fivesome on Saturday with a few guys I knew before and somebody I hadn't met before, prime tee time at 8:20 am. We played in just under 4 hours, didn't really wait for anybody, and nobody ended up waiting for us, I guess if it works.... I just don't know if I like playing with 5 people in the group.......a good enough reason I guess to blame for my crappy play......

[mwmgolfx]

I've seen many fivesomes and even six and seven-somes play. Some are phenomenally fast. As soon as one ball is actually hit the next player hits his. I have seen multiple balls moving on the green at once from shots from the fairway. Correspondingly, I've seen two-somes that turtles and snails were faster. It really doesn't matter as long as the course manages the speed of the groups. At one course where I was a member of it. They regularly had 3-4 sets of five-somes going off first thing in the morning Saturday and Sunday. And each group finished in about 3:30 to 3:45. They were much much faster than most three-somes and foursomes so they didn't like following anyone.

Remember Arnold Palmer plays with a group at Bay Hill during the week where I think they could have as much as 10 guys in the group. And they all finish easily within 3-4 hours.

But I played at a course in NJ recently and it took 5.5 hours to play and we only saw 3 and 4 player groups. And when i complained about it, they said that was normal if anything a bit faster than normal, why am I complaining?

So what difference do it make? Some people don't like to play in 5 somes, i understand that, but they shouldn't complain because other fast players can and like that type of golf. As long as everyone can get around in a decent time, what difference does it make? Or am I missing something here?

[cardoustie]

It was not the five-some, it was the clowns in it .. and the course mgmt that thinks a SLOW fivesome is OK. Likely some good old boys on the committee me thinks

We often play in fivesomes at my home club (sometimes even on Sat. or Sunday mornings) .. and YES IN CANADA MTLJEFF

If you haven't played it 5 man wolf game it is truly awesome. A diff 2 vs 3 on every hole. Dare I say we played a very nice club last fall as a 6some. There were 18 golfers on the course that day. And let me tell three 2 man gambling matches at once is a riot to play in. We were done in 3:35 (riding)

A fivesome:
a. should keep faster than avg foursome pace
b. always allow faster players thru if someone behind you is zipping along

Our starter tells the gripers, hey if you can keep up to those guys you'll be put through no problem (we're all low indexes and OCD about fast play)

[dlygrisse]

My club only allows 4-somes, except in the winter when there isn't much play. Even then people are good about letting you play through.

[taporsnap17]

I've played in some 5somes before.

To me, it's not even a question of etiquette. It's common sense.

As a person that's not very good, even when I'm power walking between shots, I'm still pretty slow all things considered just by sheer volume of shots. Even as a single, I'll let others play through. All it takes is to pull my push cart to the side of the fairway and a wave and it's back into the trees I go.

[fishstix94]

There are 8somes that will play at my club.. They always play huge money games and play slow so you must go around them..

[HackinNut]

My 2 cents on the topic:

I don't care if you play with 5, 6, or 10 in a group .... if you play fast and don't hold anyone up, what does it matter? If a group of 4, 3, or a single comes behind you, let them through if they are waiting on you constantly. Incidentally, OP, did your group ASK to go ahead of them first or did you just take it upon yourself to go around them? If so, why didn't you skip the hole that was in front of them then there wouldn't be an issue. Now if they are on the green and you go ahead to the very next tee box, then I would be irate whether I was a single or a 5-some as well.
I was behind a 5-some, and two 4-somes ... I skipped 4 holes ahead and never saw them again. Especially if the course is open and there are other holes to go to, it shouldn't be an issue. Now if they are holding up the entire course and not allowing ANYONE through then we have an issue.

Not a Sermon .... Just a thought

[deadsolid...shank]

[quote name='HackinNut' timestamp='1405683689' post='9726749']
My 2 cents on the topic:

I don't care if you play with 5, 6, or 10 in a group .... if you play fast and don't hold anyone up, what does it matter? If a group of 4, 3, or a single comes behind you, let them through if they are waiting on you constantly. Incidentally, OP, did your group ASK to go ahead of them first or did you just take it upon yourself to go around them? If so, why didn't you skip the hole that was in front of them then there wouldn't be an issue. Now if they are on the green and you go ahead to the very next tee box, then I would be irate whether I was a single or a 5-some as well.
I was behind a 5-some, and two 4-somes ... I skipped 4 holes ahead and never saw them again. Especially if the course is open and there are other holes to go to, it shouldn't be an issue. Now if they are holding up the entire course and not allowing ANYONE through then we have an issue.

Not a Sermon .... Just a thought
[/quote]

Well said.