Drunks...

[ScratchyDawg]

Just finished up a 7 hour captain's choice tournament. We played in groups of 8 (two foresomes playing together to cut back on the blatant cheating). It's a fundraiser, and it's a notoriously a heavy day of drinking for a lot of the participants. I even indulged responsibly.

 

Anyway...our group is stuck behind a group of middle aged guys blaring music and taking shots on every hole. Needless to say, things got worse as the day went on. They kept pace pretty well until we had about 4 holes left. A few of the guys were so drunk could barely walk. They were stumbling all over the place and taking foooorever to play. One guy took 9 whiffs before picking up his ball and throwing it down the fairway. We're waiting on the tee for over 5 minutes watching this happen.

 

What's your move at this point? I'm interested to see how people would handle this situation.

 

*side note...while this was a fundraiser, there were cash payouts, as well as a Calcutta. So, a lot of people are serious about it.

[Hawkeye77]

Just hope they don’t puke all over the fairway - seen that!

[deadsolid...shank]

Oh sorry, I saw the title and thought it was a bat signal type thing calling us. I’ll leave now.

[SNIPERBBB]

Do what Andrew Jackson did to clear then White House after his inauguration party....go outside and shout"Free beer!"

[cardoustie]

It's a scramble ... bound to happen

[Fade]

It sounds like you already knew what you were in for. I'd stay away next year and leave this type of event to those who enjoy this kind of 'tournament'.

[ScratchyDawg]

It sounds like you already knew what you were in for. I'd stay away next year and leave this type of event to those who enjoy this kind of 'tournament'.

 

Wish I had known before I was invited and agreed to playing. Definitely not going back. More or less curious what people would do in this particular situation. Maybe it's more common than I thought.

[Cwing]

Nothing. It a charity event. Usually a bunch of non golfers getting drunk. Be glad they were not throwing marshmallows all over the course and driving carts into the lakes.

 

Now that you know, stay away or enjoy the day with buddies.

[slocagolfer]

Nothing. It a charity event. Usually a bunch of non golfers getting drunk. Be glad they were not throwing marshmallows all over the course and driving carts into the lakes.

 

Now that you know, stay away or enjoy the day with buddies.

 

Marshmallows?? You're so right! I hate it when that happens. ;0)

[TheLarch]

My move is to change my schedule so I have to work, which is always more enjoyable than trying to endure a scramble.

[Fade]

I suspect that the fund-raising / charitable component of such events is used by some participants as leverage to be allowed out of the house without supervision for a whole day, or to otherwise justify their behavior.

[deadsolid...shank]

In all seriousness OP, actually that’s kind of an unusual situation. Most charity events are not considered overly serious since they have many very casual players, and so the payouts are normally minimal (charity wants to keep as much as possible) So they usually play just one group per hole.

 

This is probably one, with that setup, that I would skip next time. I wonder if it’s a newer tournament with someone not real familiar with these setting it up.

[CAT GOLFER]

Nothing you can do, if it isn’t explicitly explained at the start of the tournament that drunkenness will not be tolerated then it is what it is. Unfortunately this falls on the course, if they are going to knowingly allow drinks during tournament play then nothing much you can do.

 

Besides those guys end up throwing a lot of cash around at the end of the night, so your game suffers but maybe charity benefits?

[Jagpilotohio]

That’s too bad. It Sounds gross. I haven’t done one of those events in over 10 years since I before I got sober.

 

Once the people in front were falling down and whiffing multiple times I imagine I’d lose my patience and just take my clubs and walk back to the clubhouse.

[ScratchyDawg]

That’s too bad. It Sounds gross. I haven’t done one of those events in over 10 years since I before I got sober.

 

Once the people in front were falling down and whiffing multiple times I imagine I’d lose my patience and just take my clubs and walk back to the clubhouse.

 

This was basically our move. After taking over half an hour to play a par 5, we quit with 2 holes left. You can only have so much patience. A friend in the group behind us said it took 45 minutes to play the last 2 holes. When they finished, there was no food left. Several people were upset with this particular group.

[Vintage1976]

It's very much like being stuck in rush hour traffic. The harder you push the harder it is to handle.

 

I was sort of surprised the first few times I saw that stuff on a golf course. If I were going to play a scramble threse days, I'm really just there to enjoy the day. Sounds funny to say but golf isn't the priority at the scrambles I've been to.

[rogolf]

That's too bad. It Sounds gross. I haven't done one of those events in over 10 years since I before I got sober.

 

Once the people in front were falling down and whiffing multiple times I imagine I'd lose my patience and just take my clubs and walk back to the clubhouse.

 

This was basically our move. After taking over half an hour to play a par 5, we quit with 2 holes left. You can only have so much patience. A friend in the group behind us said it took 45 minutes to play the last 2 holes. When they finished, there was no food left. Several people were upset with this particular group.

Brutal experience and some good advice above - choose to work! At least you may have had the lowest score after skipping the last two holes!

[McGee72]

I’d be more concerned about playing 8somes in a “fundraiser” outing.... dude whiffed 9 times and you’re playing 8somes worried about cheaters?

[ScratchyDawg]

I’d be more concerned about playing 8somes in a “fundraiser” outing.... dude whiffed 9 times and you’re playing 8somes worried about cheaters?

I edited the post

[Fade]

That's too bad. It Sounds gross. I haven't done one of those events in over 10 years since I before I got sober.

 

Once the people in front were falling down and whiffing multiple times I imagine I'd lose my patience and just take my clubs and walk back to the clubhouse.

 

This was basically our move. After taking over half an hour to play a par 5, we quit with 2 holes left. You can only have so much patience. A friend in the group behind us said it took 45 minutes to play the last 2 holes. When they finished, there was no food left. Several people were upset with this particular group.

 

OK, if if was just one group spoiling the fun, perhaps your host could have placed a call to the tournament organizer. Not sure what that would solve, because there is a possibility that the offending group - that should have been escorted off the course - could not be reasoned with. Prematurely ending your round sounds like a wise move.

[McGee72]

I’d be more concerned about playing 8somes in a “fundraiser” outing.... dude whiffed 9 times and you’re playing 8somes worried about cheaters?

I edited the post

 

Gotcha. I’m all about 8somes when there is significant cash on the line, so that’s understandable. I guess you can either look at that group as an annoyance or look at them as easy cash thanks for your donation to the pot kinda thing.

[rogolf]

As I've said previously (and will continue to repeat), prizes based on score in such charity events should be limited to a sleeve of TopFlites. All more significant prizes should be for door prizes (draws) where everyone who entered has a chance at winning (not just the sharpest pencils).

[jmkenn0]

Drink more? Yeah most charity scrambles are a disaster, best to ask a lot of questions otherwise you'll end up in a six hour round then listening to speeches afterwards.

[Rosco1216]

Charity scramble or not, marshall and/or course personnel would be on top of it if it’s brought to their attention. Slower than normal play for charity scrambles is a given but if there are groups so drunk they cannot walk or drive(carts) straight they need to be spoken to by staff.

[farmer]

I amazed that there was a serious Calcutta at a charity event. In this case, your group took your buyer out of any chance to make any money. I would have finished the round, and then left before any of the offending group tried to drive home.

[deadsolid...shank]

The added information about the calcutta and cash payouts adds to the story.

 

Probably then a group of co workers or something similar who had theirs or another business front the entry fee. They knew they had no chance, but weren’t out any money so figured they’d just go out and get blitzed for the day.

 

Although I still have to say I’ve never seen a charity event with a calcutta (unless the charity is taking a big cut of that also).

[glm]

That would be a "been there done that" event. JMO

[hybrid25]

This is an honest equation :

Golf + drinking = cheating

(especially in scrambles)

[deadsolid...shank]

This is an honest equation :

Golf + drinking = cheating

(especially in scrambles)

 

That’s why there were two teams per group.

[hybrid25]

This is an honest equation :

Golf + drinking = cheating

(especially in scrambles)

 

That’s why there were two teams per group.

I understand that, I didn't say otherwise.