The R&A’s Pace of Play manual gives guidance on letting groups through to help with slow play. It says that if a group is delaying a group behind, they should let the faster group through so it can play at the pace it’s capable of.
The guidelines go on to say that “if a number of groups on the course are playing slowly, playing through does not always achieve its objective, but it remains good etiquette.”
The suggestion there is that, even if the group behind is going to walk straight into the back of another group, it’s still correct golfing behaviour to let a potentially faster group play through.
But, if you’re in a four-ball capable of playing quickly and you’re stuck behind slow moving traffic, should you still then allow a two-ball to play through even if you’re uncertain whether they will actually play faster than you?
It’s a conundrum and there are arguments for and against. Here they are below…
Yes
As The R&A guidelines suggest, it is always correct etiquette for a slower moving group to let a faster moving group through, regardless of how busy the course is ahead. A four-ball is almost always going to be slower than a two-ball, so the four-ball should make way.
It will take your four-ball a matter of minutes to step aside and let the twosome come through, particularly if the “let through” happens at the right time, on the tee of a par-3 for instance, after the four has just teed off.
The four-ball’s round will be 10 minutes longer than it would otherwise have been but that’s small change when you consider the full length of a round. And the two-ball will get a great deal more benefit from your generosity than you will lose.
They may be able to make their way through a number of groups ahead of you (even when the course is full) and shave a significant chunk off what would otherwise have been a very slow and frustrating round.
Even if you are being held up as a four-ball, you owe it to the two-ball to let them have a go at making their way through the field. The four-ball ahead of you wouldn’t let another four pass, but they might be more inclined to let a twosome make progress.
Another good reason for the four-ball to let the two-ball go is to relieve the pressure for the larger group. Having a fast-moving two-ball on your heels isn’t…
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