MIND / MEMBERS TEE M
‘Uh, I Can’t Make It’ Golf Digest staffers debate when it’s OK to bail on a tee time
HOW LATE IS TOO LATE TO SAY you can’t make a tee time? That’s the question we recently
or competition, it better be at least 24 hours, and if it’s that tight, the excuse better be rock solid, the absolute floor being “I got COVID.” Max Adler, editorial director: A tee time is a sacred covenant. Notwith- standing the death of a close relative, five days’ notice is the minimum – and don’t make a habit of it. Ben Walton, senior producer: Thirty- six hours, IMO. Ryan Herrington, managing editor: I work on a sliding scale here. If it’s with buddies at your local course, and it’s little more than a casual round, you’ve got until the night before to pull rip- cord (and that morning for true emer- gencies). But anything work-related, a once-a-summer course visit or any- thing requiring more than a 30-minute drive for those in your group, and then it needs to be more than 24 hours. It’s
important, too, to be realistic when say- ing “yes” in the first place. If there’s real potential that a conflict might arise, it’s better to pass early. Joel Beall, senior writer: If you’re can- celling on one game, it also helps to of- fer a potential substitute because most of the time, the pain of having someone cancel on you is not that you’re robbed of their presence, but now you have to start frantically searching for someone to fill the spot. Anything less than eight hours is not OK. Greg Gottfried, web producer: You’ve got to give at least 24 hours, unless there’s an emergency, illness or natu- ral disaster. I’m borderline obsessive about showing up to places on time, and someone cancelling right before a tee time is more than enough reason to delete their contact from my phone. There are very few legitimate reasons to bail on plans.
put to Golf Digest USA staffers. We’re not talking about the times you ditch for a better course or bail because of that playing partner. To be clear, it’s less about the backing out and more about the timing. Here’s where our group of devoted golfers feels like the line is. – GREG GOTTFRIED Shane Ryan, contributing editor: This question is so context-dependent for me. If it’s my close group of friends, who I play with all the time, and it’s just an ordinary round? I’m fine can- celling that morning, ideally with an hour to spare, but even that isn’t really necessary. I’ve done it, my friends have done it, and if there’s a decent reason (my standards are low here; a hangover is plenty), we’ll live. But playing with people you don’t play with super of- ten, or on some kind of special course
28 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
JULY/AUGUST 2025
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