Tom is a good friend who I play with regularly. Tom does something on the course that is irritating but I want to make sure I'm not being intolerant.

Tom routinely goes straight to his ball to prepare for the next shot, even if someone else in the group is further back and now needs to hit straight at Tom. We'l call out "Heads up, Tom" and he waves to go ahead and hit (with the understanding he'll dodge your shot if it comes at him, I guess). I'll have a 30 yd pitch from the fairway and Tom is already up standing next to the pin.

It's hard for me to have total concentration on my shot when I'm partly worried about literally "skulling" the shot off Tom's skull, or just having him standing in the middle of the target while I'm scoping it.

What do you think? Should I say something or am I being picky?

This does mess with people, but it's "Ready Golf" and hard to argue with. One of my playing partners was walking (the rest of us were riding) and he would end up 50 yards ahead of us (we suck compared to him) and my one buddy got mad that he kept going so far ahead. But I told him, "look, he's walking, he probably just doesn't want to wait until the last second to walk up as it will take him longer."

I think as long as everyone knows the score and your buddy is ready to duck or dive and you all are ready to call out fore, then I would't let it bother you.

id send a thin lob wedge in toms direction, no but seriously, i bet hes a good guy just trying to keep pace, but yes it would bother me also, i always walk with my group and stop when someone is hitting, then continue to whoevers ball comes next and stop for them to hit, when you get to your ball and you see that he is going to keep going just say "hold up tom", i dont think hell think anything of it and will stop for you to hit, i think youll all have a better and safer experience if you stop when someone is hitting, and when there done move up to the next ball, it doesnt slow play as much as one would think

I think Tom is doing what I would want anyone I was playing with to do...ready golf...as said above.

However, when approaching the green he might want to add a little courtesy and wait for everyone to get on. Standing ON the green as you hit an approach is annoying. I would suggest he stands off to the side at least. When everyone is on he can then go to his ball, tend the flag, whatever.

But ready golf is always good in my mind.

IMO, if Tom wants to go ahead of you I think he should at least not be in your target line when you hit your shot, whether fairway or (especially green). When someone does that to me, I usually give them a heads up and they are usually kind enough to at least get off of the short grass. And having a person standing on the green as I'm trying to get on is very annoying IMO.

If he is a good friend talk to him about it and it should not bother him. Your also a good friend too right? If you feel it will put strain on your round, freindship or whatever try to deal with it and enjoy a round of golf with your friend. Thats what the game is about right?

While it may be "ready golf", standing in someone's line of sight is not proper etiquette. He should walk ahead but off to the side. When it's his turn, or when he's out of the line of play of the other players, he can walk over to his ball, prepare for and hit his shot.

I would, in a courteous manner, suggest that he do this instead of making a beeline for his ball every time.

We would walk ahead all the time, but of to the side of the fairway, and nowhere near the line of play(ie., if the guy is in the right side of the fairway, walk up the left side). Just kept play moving. Standing next to the pin on the green though is excessive.

I bet Tom's posting on an internet forum somewhere about how he has a slow playing partner he's tried to teach by example by playing ready golf, but the guy just doesn't get it. (completely in jest)

Seriously though, if it bugs you that much I don't think he'd mind if you just let him know. Being a duffer myself, it throws me off to have somebody anywhere in the area of my target line, usually I'll just tell them, "hey, I pretty much have no idea where my ball is going most of the time, so it's best if you stand behind my line. For my health and your sanity." When he's standing on the green as hit an approach I might urge him to stand closer to the pin, as that's the safest area on the course. I agree with most people here that it's good to play ready golf, but ready golf should infringe upon proper etiquette as little as possible.

Thanks for all the good thoughts on this. I'm all for ready golf and I know Tom likes to check out all the angles without slowing us down. But I'll continue to call him on it when he's cutting it close. Thanks.