Cancelling your game at the last minute

[jimandr]

As a few selected Sydneysiders will already know, I had to ring and cancel a game with a 6.50am tee time today at 6.45am. I blame Trung for scheduling the game at a time when all sensible golfers are still in bed on a public holiday. I live a good 30 to 40 minutes from the course, and there was simply no way I could get there on time.

I had a few choices: the worst is to say nothing and not ring, the most selfish was to ring and ask the group to wait until I got there. I have also seen people ring and say "start without me, I'll meet you on the 4th".

The question for the assembled panel of experts is: what's the best thing to do?

What's the worst bastard act you've ever seen/heard in such circumstances?

[Jarro]

i'd imagine that the worst thing you could do is not show up and not phone anyone I've had a couple of "mates" do this to me before .... but fortunately i had another person there to play with.

[Trung]

As a few selected Sydneysiders will already know, I had to ring and cancel a game with a 6.50am tee time today at 6.45am. I blame Trung for scheduling the game at a time when all sensible golfers are still in bed on a public holiday. I live a good 30 to 40 minutes from the course, and there was simply no way I could get there on time.

I had a few choices: the worst is to say nothing and not ring, the most selfish was to ring and ask the group to wait until I got there. I have also seen people ring and say "start without me, I'll meet you on the 4th".

The question for the assembled panel of experts is: what's the best thing to do?

What's the worst bastard act you've ever seen/heard in such circumstances?

Mate... Hopefully it was a one off.. Or else I have to ring you on my way back home from a night out next time. (4-5am sounds ok? )Normally I get around 1-2 hours sleep before Saturday tee time.

This should give you enough time to get ready and get to the course for a few putts and chips.

BTW... Grant lives at Preston and the fella was there before I got there

[Fishman Dan]

i'd imagine that the worst thing you could do is not show up and not phone anyone I've had a couple of "mates" do this to me before .... but fortunately i had another person there to play with.

Ditto that, i've got a serial offender 'mate' who will ask to be factored into a game, only to pull out between 1 hour to 2 days beforehand. Often the public course we play charges you for 4 if you book 4 - if 2 turn up, you're still paying for 4.

What $hits me ; if you're not a serious chance to play, don't sign up. If you say yes, you are committed. It's your duty to turn up, or give sufficient time for a fill-in. If you can't do the latter, then you have to follow-up. If you are still unable, then obviously you have to offer up any financials that you have caused.

The fact that this mate has done it repeatedly just means he doesn't get asked anymore, or i can't be polite in agreeing to the "can i tell you a day beforehand?" - it's too hard to organise a public hit in Sydney for the what-if's.

Come on Jim - 6am really is the best time of the day I managed it, surely anyone else can!

[Golfgirl]

From the pro shop's perspective....

It is polite to ring and cancel, allowing as much time as humanly possible, so that the pro shop staff can juggle tee times for other would-be golfers.... effectively, it costs them money to hold tee-times for no-shows....

I'm not surprised to hear about that public course charging, Dan, I'm only surprised that it isn't more common.

Personally, I absolutely hate to cancel out on golf, (which I've already had to do since I arrived in Sydney ) but it can't always be helped.

(Although your "serial offender" mate would be off my dance card, Dan.... )

[amanda]

Lucky it didn't happen at Bayview - Jono would have had a nasty fine on his account!