Am I suffering from pair-anoia? What do you think?
My golf outing this weekend got me thinking. Because we were a twosome, Stonewolf without hesitation paired us up with another twosome.
I’ve had courses ask me in a rhetorical way if I minded if other golfers were pair up with me and one of my golfing buddies. I’ve had others not impose at all. I usually don’t mind, but I would like to have the option to decline.
The reason is quite simple. You never know who you might get. One of my friends still tells the story of golfing with a couple guys and one whipped out a roll of toilet paper while they were on the tee box, said something about preparedness and dashed off into the woods to do No. 2. Fat chance getting a handshake at the end of that round.
I’ve been paired with folks who don’t know when to pick up, who throw temper tantrums, who play out of turn and who walk on my line all day.
I don’t wish to sound like a golf snob, but sometimes you just want to get in a round with one of your friends and not have to worry about anybody else.
So I ask you this:
Should you be given the option if you have two or three golfers of declining being paired up with other golfers? Why or why not?
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Assistant Business Editor Irvin Harrell is what you might call a "weekend warrior" when it comes to the game of golf. His mantra: good courses, good prices and good times. And he's cool with sharing good info on the local golf scene. 
The really bad thing is when you get paired with someone who takes forever (you alluded to that with “doesn’t know when to pick up”), and the group behind you is pissed because you’re taking so long and the marshal is telling you to pick it up or pick it up and you never asked for these yahoos in the first place.
That’s happened to me several times. It can really screw up your round, and draw some disdainful looks in the clubhouse.
Hell Yes. When booking my tee times I make it a point to request that my twosome play alone. This past Friday a friend and I played the Missouri Bluffs but he made the tee time. While we were warming up on the range we told the marshal to let the other twosome hit first and we will play after them. He mumbled something but they weren’t that busy so we warmed up a little longer then teed off after them. Keep in mind, it’s easier to get this demand met during the week than during the weekend when demand is higher.
Couldn’t agree with you more Irvin. I am NOT a good golfer, and everytime me and my buddy (who is even worse) get paired with someone we feel horrible because it usually ends up being good golfers who’s game gets slowed down by us. I understand the course wanting to get as many people on and keep the flow moving, but bad matches often result…
Tim,
Good thing is, if you and your partner were allowed to play at your own pace you could always let folks moving faster play through. And you also avoid have a faster pair ticked off for having to wait on you.
I dont mind being paired with other golfers if they know the basic rules of golf and play at a normal pace. Too many weekend golfers think that each putt is the final at the Masters. If you are putting for a 7 on a par 4 pick it up. Dont park in front of the tee, write your score down at the next hole (if you cant remember it by then you have a problem) first man in picks up the flag stick, etc. These simple rules will speed up a round of golf
I always stress about playing with two other people but so far I have been really lucky. I agree with John and that everyone should have the right to play by themselves.
Unless you want to pay for the other two slots, you really have no right to complain about being paired up. The course doesn’t want to lose the revenue from the two slots.
Even when the course isn’t busy, it’s a problem when there are foursomes out there followed by a bunch of twosomes. The twosomes want to play through, but why should the foursomes have to add time to their round to let you play through if they’re not playing slow (but not as fast as a twosome).
I had a round where our foursome was followed by six twosomes. We let the first three through, but stopped after that. Why should my four hour round turn into five? I think the course has some obligation to the foursomes to pair up the twosomes.
Spartan,
You have a good point as well. I don’t know if there is one answer to being paired up. Actually, I’ve met some pretty cool golfers that way, some of which I still play with. It’s just though occasions when you don’t that can be a drag. I guess best avoidance of being paired up is to put a foursome together if you can.