Flight
A flight is the group of players out on the course together — two to four players are usual.
The term comes from tournament operations: the tournament committee divides all participants into flights and gives each group its own tee time. The flights follow one another at intervals of usually eight to ten minutes so that the flow on the course works. In the private round people also speak of the flight when you are grouped together with friends or unknown fellow players. More than four players per group is against the rules; groups of five are consistently broken up by marshals. The grouping by handicap classes at tournaments ensures that players of roughly equal strength play together.
In practice it runs like this: your tournament starts at 9:20 am, on the start list you stand in the third flight at tee one. You gather at the tee ten minutes before, introduce yourselves to each other and exchange scorecards, because in the stroke play each flight partner keeps score for another. During the round you keep contact with the group ahead of you — whoever loses touch risks a warning for slow play. At club championships the best flights start last on the final day so that the leaders play together.
There are two typical misconceptions. Firstly: flight is not a competition format, only the composition of the group — what you play is decided by the entry form. Secondly: having your own preferred flight is not a right in a tournament. Only in private rounds can you choose your playing partners freely. The special case of the small group is described by the three-ball flight, which is especially quick when times are quiet.
FAQ
How many players may be in a flight?
Four at the most — groups of five are against the rules and are consistently broken up by marshals. Two to four players are usual, with the three-ball flight especially quick when times are quiet. In a tournament the committee divides up the flights and gives each group its own tee time.
Can I choose my flight partners in a tournament?
No, in a tournament the start list decides; a preferred flight is not a right. Often the groups are put together by handicap classes so that players of roughly equal strength walk together. Only in the private round do you choose your companions freely.
What does the flight have to do with the pace of play?
The flights follow one another at intervals of usually eight to ten minutes so that the flow on the course works. If your group loses touch with the flight ahead of you, you risk a warning for slow play. Ready golf helps: whoever is ready plays, instead of stubbornly waiting for the order — that keeps the whole group in rhythm.