DO IT RIGHT AND THE GOLF GODS WILL REWARD YOU

There is an intricate etiquette to the whole “playing through” thing, even though it’s rarely talked about. Whether you happen to be the tortoise or the hare, if you break any one of these never-taught-but-expected-to-be-understood secret codes of etiquette, it’s a long walk of shame as you exit your cart after the round.

WHEN YOU ARE THE SLOW GROUP

Sometimes a round goes sideways by the third hole and the downward spiral just keeps on spiraling. We’ve all been there. But nobody likes it when the pace is off.

Feel free to tell someone to “zip it” if they are chattering on about the huge catfish they caught last weekend. The group behind you is walking off the green and Catfish Guy hasn’t even finished talking about what bait he used. If your efforts to speed up play continue to come up short, it might be time to suck it up and let the group behind you play through.

Your first order of business is to gain the group’s attention. A few demonstrative waves of the arms by each member of your group should do the trick. The group behind you prepares to hit up while you hastily grab your clubs, balls and dignity and scatter to the side of the green.

Catfish Guy takes this opportunity to continue his saga about how he caught The Big One while Jack chomps his chips with reckless abandon instead of trying to quietly nibble them with his hand covering his mouth to keep from making too much noise in someone’s hackswing (not a typo!). But you know what your group is NOT doing? Well, a lot of things. But most importantly, you are not feeling uneasy or defeated by the fact that you need to let a group play through. You should celebrate the fact that you are aware of your surroundings and exercise common courtesy. You’re a winner.

WHEN YOU ARE BEHIND THE SLOW GROUP

You’ve been on the tail of the slow group in front of you for five holes now, and even though you are sending “let us play through” vibes, they aren’t picking up what you are putting down. The obvious next step would be some passive-aggressive behavior that may include lying down in the middle of the fairway or general moping around while displaying impatient body language.

Finally, someone in the group in front of you misses a short putt and blames it on the fact that they feel rushed, and they finally decide to let you play through. You are now faced with the pressure of playing your next golf hole with an audience. However, you just THINK you have an audience, because the truth of the matter is, nobody is paying any attention to you at all.

Do you think Catfish Guy is evaluating your pre-shot routine? He is not. The only thing anyone in that group is paying attention to is how many skins are riding on the next hole, which club they should use to get their buried ball out of that greenside bunker, or which hole they lost their headcover on.

Knowing that you are the last thing anyone is paying attention to should alleviate any pressure you might be feeling. So go ahead. Play through that slow group in front of you. Be respectful and friendly, and then be on your merry way. Don’t forget to offer a courteous wave or tip of the hat followed by something along the lines of, “Hit ‘em straight,” or, “Enjoy your round!”

This whole “playing We are here to have a good time, not a drawn out and tedious time.” through” matter doesn’t have to be a big deal if we don’t make it one. We are here to have a good time, not a drawn-out and tedious time. So let’s just be aware of our surroundings, be courteous and realize that if you need to let a group play through, it has no bearing on your value as a human … or even as a golfer.

What DOES it have a bearing on? Improving the overall enjoyment of the day. I encourage you to relish this great game. And if you tend to “relish” a little slower than the group behind you, let them play through so everyone can get maximum enjoyment out of their day. The Golf Gods will reward you during your next round. That’s just how it works.