Sometimes not. If one ball is on the right side of the fairway and another is on the left side and a bit closer to the green, it is fine for the cart to drop off the golfer on the right and drive to the other ball. If the first golfer can't walk over to the cart, the cart can drive back to pick him/her up. You certainly don't want to be in the line of play or near it. If you watch pro tournaments, you will often see a player and caddie walking toward the green while another player is playing. But they always walk in or near the rough on the opposite side of the fairway.

One advantage to doing this for me is it gives me more time to assess my lie, distance, wind, hole position, etc., without slowing the group down. Sometimes it also gives me a better look at where my partner's shot finishes, saving time looking for a ball.

For golf to be enjoyable for everyone on the course it has to be a cooperative effort. Your pace of play will affect everyone behind you for the entire wave, and, on the execs, perhaps for the entire day.

Buzzy: That is a fair and excellent question. My answer is yes and no. It depends if the ball closer to the green is reasonably in line with the intended line of flight of your ball. In other words, if you are a beginner and I am playing with you (or someone else) we are going to give you more "lead way" than we would a good experienced golfer. If my ball is 30 yards right in front of yours, Iam going to wait a few yards to the side of your ball until you hit and be ready to move quickly to my ball. TIP: If you always park your golf cart just a couple yards to the right of your ball (if you are a right handed golfer) you won't have to move your cart in order to take your stance and hit your golf ball. If you are off the fairway and my ball is in the middle of the fairway, I am going to move a bit further toward my ball (still not in your line of flight) and already have my club out ready to hit as soon as you hit your ball because nine out of ten times I already know from surveying my surroundings about how many yards my ball is to the pin. Really, its all common sense and with just a few rounds of golf under your belt you will quickly see how you can speed up your game and at the same time be very safe on the golf course. I've been playing.........nope not going to say it because sure as heck will be hit with a golf ball next time out!! Safety is very important so never get in the line of flight of your competitor's golf ball but be ready to move to your ball as soon as he/she hits. My wife never played golf prior to retiring so "we been there done that." Golf lessons (and not from your husband or S.O.) is a must IMHO before your start play. Then go out and have FUN!

Thanks Gracie, as usual you made everything very clear. You covered eveything with intelligence and grace. Like you, I think Scarecrow is ribbing everyone or has never played golf. In old movies the golfers often seemed to spend more time scocializing than playing. I think that's where non-golfers get their mistaken ideas of what golf is really like.

Harvey knew
 

:agree: I agree Harvey Penick knew what he was talking about! "little red book" is very good reading for any golfer. You can bet that Harvey would socialize WHILE fixing ball marks on the green---- not after everybody had putted and it was time to move on.

Golf is a very socializing activity and there is also a time and place for socializing on the course. There's plenty of time to socialize while riding in the cart to the next tee or to your ball, as well as walking to and from the green & cart.
I have been playing golf for over 50 years and am fortunate enough to still play to a single digit handicap. I have aslo worked on course as a Ranger/Ambassador for numerous years and have seen and heard just about everything.
I am a firm believer that pace of play has absolutely nothing to do with a persons playing ability or whether they're a male or female, but with an individuals ability to have a little respect and consideration for others on the course.
Unless someone is playing in a sanctioned tournament then everyone should be playing "ready golf", especially here in TV due to the amount of scheduled play. It would be much more considerate and enjoyable for all involved whether you're beginners or advanced players.

"Ready Golf" is just a means to help maintain the pace of play on the course by following a few simple suggestions:
1. Being ready to play when it's your turn to safely hit. You don't have to be the fartherest away.
2. After finishing the hole go directly to your cart and drive to the next tee before writing your scores down.
3. Take extra clubs to your ball so you don't have to return to the cart.
4. Once your score has reached double par pick up.
5. Last and probably most importantly, play from the tee markers commensurate to your playing ability which means check your ego.

In the summer months in TV it's not as crowded and at certain periods timing is not that big of an issue. The "in season" period, usually November through mid-May, everyone wants to get their round in before it gets dark and believe it or not it only takes one group to back up the entire course.

A good rule of thumb is to try and maintain your pace with the group in front of you and you can't go wrong.

Everyone can still socialize while on the course playing but please just show a little bit of "respect, consideration & etiquette" to everyone else and the course.

Thank you

:ho: Well said, ronat1!

Exactly what I was thinking Indy. Everybody has to hurry to get to happy hour and reserve their seats at the square. If you have a problem tell the ambassador. They will handle it.

:agree:

:agree:

....

It sounds like an assembly line to me. Not sure I'd find much pleasure in playing the game if I have to always be thinking of time, time, time, time. That translates to stress, stress, stress to me. Can you tell I'm not a golfer yet?

I noticed.

It seems like there are two potentially contradictory "rules" to maintain pace of play. One says to keep up with the foursome ahead of you. The other says to pick up after double par. Suppose your group consists of four people who generally double bogey and the group ahead of you are scratch golfers. By definition, your group will be taking a lot more strokes (i.e., time) than the group ahead of you - even if none of your group ever reaches double par. In order to keep up with the group ahead, your group would have to pick up after reaching par, which might be even before reaching the green. What fun would that be?

On the other hand, if your group follows the "double par" rule, the group ahead will open a gap of several holes because of their proficiency. It seems unfair for the ambassadors to chastise you for slow play only because those ahead of you are way ahead of pace.

Odds are there is probably a slower or average group in front of the scratch golfers causing them to wait. It all evens out in the end.

There is only one TRUE rule. Play at a pace at or better than the guideline for that course. If you do that it does not matter how far ahead the group in front of you manages to be. They could be Tiger and three of his buddies.