I had a most unpleasant experience on Sat. Turned up for my 11am hit off, filled the sand bucket, practiced putts etc and was really looking forward to the round. When my group was called I headed off to the tee, but where were my playing partners? The started called the following group and called me to the starter’s box. All 3 of my playing partners were “did not show” (they were also “did not phone to let someone know”).Ii hadn’t played with these losers before, and I certainly won’t in the future.

There were no spare spots in the field, and I couldn’t wait around to 12.45 to see if I could play in a two-some or five-some. So I went home very pissed off.

Our club doesn’t have an existing policy for no-shows, but I think we should!

It is a problem mate. Unfortunately, it happens regularly. I work the saturday shift at a golf club with about 150-200 comp players each week and we are always dealing with no shows. One or two times in understandable, things come up, and most guys call, but when you have someone who is a serial no shower the club/committe definately has a word to them.

The worst thing I could imagine is that you had to go home without a game. Personally, I would avoid this at all costs and would have sent you off in a group of five if there were no 3’s available in the next half hour or so. We had 2 guys pull out of a group of 4 in a 4BBB Stableford on Saturday, the two guys left were long time members of the club so we decided to let them play in the comp and mark their own card. Obviously, couldn’t do this in a single comp.

coulnt he maybe create a couple of 3 balls if some of the other guys had no objections
i know i would not have a problem with swapping around a bit if it meant giving some one a game
i also suppose there was probably a 3 ball about two groups in front of your time slot …....always happens

my worst experience was to cop a 2 ball in the medal round
we had to wait for everyshot as there were all 4 balls in front of us
we did a lot of standing around
and this doesnt help with getting a tempo going
feel for you about not getting a game
i look forward all week to my saturday hit

At my club you can be punished for a no show by exclusion from comp golf for 2 weeks.
Doesn’t seem to make much difference though as those who choose not to ring are not generally regular players anyway.
An unfortunate problem, I know.

unless its a team event why cant a group of five play…yes it might be a bit slower but some common sense please!!

I can’t really see a group of five really making any difference to the speed of play if they are behind groups of four balls. Generally, there is a wait for all groups on most holes for the group in front to putt out etc. If the five players weren’t particularly slow then I can’t imagine they couldnt keep pace with the field.

oh god!

If I was behind a 5-ball of duffers I’d be a very unhappy Styles :(

I unfortunately had a similar incident the first comp i put my name down for when i joined a club. Not knowing anyone i put my name in a spare spot in the 7am group which was the first tee off.

I got to the course early, grabbed my card and was putting around and headed to the tee about 6:40 to wait for my group to introduce myself etc. They in fact had decided to tee off prior to the official 7am start so were already gone – didn’t bother waiting for me or asking at the pro-shop. Waited an hour and a half to be able to join up with another group….. not happy

A group teeing off BEFORE their allocated start time is in breach of R6-3a. The penalty is disqualification.

Trysil

at the club where i’m a member the time sheets are only accessed on the net. good idea. however, there is a group of members (18 to 20 of them) who fill up 5 or 6 tee times with all their names. sometimes only 4 to 6 of them turn up. makes it hard to get your name on the sheet you just turn up and hope one of them doesn’t. feel for you duke. as they say what goes round comes around.

They probably saw you were a Collingwood fan and split…