How would you react?

["THE GREEK"]

So my wife and I found ourselves sitting next to Zach Johnson and Jonathan Byrd at a restaurant last week. They had finished their round and were out to dinner with a group of people. I didn't say anything to them so not to interrupt their dinner. I'm still regretting not asking for a picture with them, or at least saying good luck the rest of the tournament as we were leaving. Just wondering what you guys would have done if this happened to you.

[MountainGoat]

I would have left them alone. My impression of people in the public eye (other than politicians) is that they like being acknowledged in a subtle way but don't particularly like being talked to. And they hate selfies.

[NonCompetitive1]

I had Nicklaus on the table next to me at dinner once. I just left him to it. No one wants to be interrupted during dinner.

[CAT GOLFER]

Agreed, no need to fan boy. If they want to talk they will acknowledge you and talk. That being said, saying good luck as you left would have been perfectly acceptable.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

> @"CAT GOLFER" said:

> Agreed, no need to fan boy. If they want to talk they will acknowledge you and talk. That being said, saying good luck as you left would have been perfectly acceptable.

 

Yep, something like this:

 

[jonesry09]

I have a few friends that play professional sports, hockey to be exact. Most of the guys commenting are correct. Anytime we have been out to dinner with them there is usually people who notice them. Most of them would never deny someone a picture (one of them would) if they were eating but they absolutely hate it. I like to think that when they are sitting, they should be off limits. When they stand up and exit the restaurant, no problem at all. It's important tl not make a scene and turn it in to a huge photoshoot for everyone in the restaurant though.

[rich_s2]

I put $100k on you so you better play well

[ndlutz]

I would have done exactly as you did - just left them alone.

[aenemated]

Living in LA, I see celebs all the time. Especially when I lived in WeHo right off the Sunset Strip. And yeah, best course of action is to just leave them be.

 

Though, there was one night I was out at the Dresden - for the non-LAers, it's a cool, old-school bar in the Los Feliz area, just east of Hollywood, featured in the movie "Swingers" - which was one of my regular spots and I knew the bartenders pretty well. It was last call time, so I go to tell one of them goodbye, when some guy says to me "Hey man, really dig your tattoos." Since I'm basically covered in them, I hear that a lot and have a sort of automatic reply of "Thanks dude."

 

Then I glance at the guy and it's freakin Keifer Sutherland; who I've been a huge fan of since I was a kid. Wound up hanging out with him after hours at the bar, just shooting the shit and talking about movies and guitars (he's a big guitar collector). Super cool guy.

[andrue]

They are just people. Living their lives as best they can. Leave them be.

[tiderider]

grown people have no business bothering someone eating dinner ...

[BrandonDunes]

Especially when they are out with a group of people. If you ran into a pro alone I can see the need to say hello, but with a group of friends they are there to talk to their friends not be idolized.

[LCGALBERTA]

Yeah they are well known in golf but at the end of the day they are still human, and deserve privacy just as much as we all do, especially when out with our family or friends.

 

Obviously it all depends on the situation, if it is just them by themselves out in public then yes they have the option to say yes or no to fans.

 

But if they are at the course during a tournament then yeah you could possibly get a signature on the first day or two. Then on the third or final round they might say no or just ignore you especially if they are in contention, because they need to remain focused.

 

 

[ProphetLogic]

"Can't you see I'm eating my soup?"

 

["THE GREEK"]

Looks like i made the proper choice. I thought to myself, put yourself in their shoes. Well as all of you said i would probably just like to be left alone.

[cardoustie]

I've approached and spoken with pros many times ... ranges, airports etc ,,,, but wouldn't do so at dinner

If zJ was leaving I may say great Masters win

["THE GREEK"]

The main reason i even considered talking to them was because they had been done eating for like half an hour. They were just sitting around chatting about their round, and mistakes they had man. Normal golf buddy stuff. I found it funny that the richest man in the restaurant "more than likely" was Zach, and he had blue jeans and a t shirt on.

[b.helts]

I know Zach. I played with him a bunch on the hooters tour before I became successful and he fell to the wayside (; and I wouldn’t have initiated contact. Everyone needs and deserves their space. More people should respect that and I think you made the right choice. Good on you.

[bscinstnct]

Zach Johnson?!

 

I give him the stink eye. Maybe throw a roll at him.

[bladehunter]

> @bscinstnct said:

> Zach Johnson?!

>

> I give him the stink eye. Maybe throw a roll at him.

 

Or just do the Damon’s big bird dance right by the table as you leave .... while shouting cacaw cacaw !!! He’d take a picture of YOU then !

[NoodleSalad]

Was this at a Golden Corral?

[BMC]

They're just golfers, like you. No need to chat 'em up.

[puttfordoux]

I would have asked them for some Grey Poupon....

[mcputter]

> @ProphetLogic said:

> "Can't you see I'm eating my soup?"

> Well played- 19 year old Johnny Miller approaching Ben Hogan during the 1966 U.S. Open at Olympic Club.

 

 

[Hawkeye77]

Or be like Crenshaw introducing himself to Nicklaus while Jack was at a urinal.

[OutBackHack]

> @""THE GREEK"" said:

> So my wife and I found ourselves sitting next to Zach Johnson and Jonathan Byrd at a restaurant last week. They had finished their round and were out to dinner with a group of people. I didn't say anything to them so not to interrupt their dinner. I'm still regretting not asking for a picture with them, or at least saying good luck the rest of the tournament as we were leaving. Just wondering what you guys would have done if this happened to you.

 

They were happy not to be interrupted by you.

 

..... And the title to the thread should be. "How would you act"

["THE GREEK"]

No it was a pretty nice Italian restaurant.

> @NoodleSalad said:

> Was this at a Golden Corral?

 

 

[MattyO1984]

Disappointed that you didn’t do the bird walk past them like ZJ’s old caddie as you were leaving.

 

In all seriousness though, leaving them be was the right thing to do.

[Dave D]

> @jonesry09 said:

> I have a few friends that play professional sports, hockey to be exact. Most of the guys commenting are correct. Anytime we have been out to dinner with them there is usually people who notice them. Most of them would never deny someone a picture (one of them would) if they were eating but they absolutely hate it. I like to think that when they are sitting, they should be off limits. When they stand up and exit the restaurant, no problem at all. It's important tl not make a scene and turn it in to a huge photoshoot for everyone in the restaurant though.

 

I still feel guilty to this day about asking someone for a photo. Was about 10 years ago at an MMA convention/event type thing in London. We had been there a few hours wandering round the stalls etc and just as we were leaving to get some lunch i noticed i was walking straight towards Royce Gracie (for those of you who don't know who he is he's one of the most influential fighters and trainers there has ever been). He had a cap on and seemingly lots of people had walked past him and no one noticed. I stopped asked him for a photo and had a brief chat about how awesome some of his fights have been and that it was an honour to meet him etc. My mate did the same, then as we left someone else asked him for a photo. We went for lunch and then went to watch some of the fights at a different part of the arena, walked back past where we met Royce about 3 hours later, and the dude is still there taking photos and chatting to people. I obviously didn't go anywhere near him as was worried he'd beat the cr@p out of me for being the cause of it all. But im sure if he had to leave he would have done, shows what a class act he is to stay there for that long taking photos and signing things when he wasn't booked to do so.

 

But still feel bad about it.

[manku]

I recall sitting next to Larry Mize at Tony Roma's in Santa Monica (week of tournament) 20+ years ago. Didn't have much interest in saying anything.

Ran into Chris DiMarco in the parking lot under the Grand Havana Room in Beverly Hills (again during week of tournament) 10+ years ago...said good luck to him...he barely acknowledged me.

Last week was at AMC Century City waiting to pick up my kids and Zlatan walks by...my son is a soccer nut...I asked for a selfie (knowing my kid would get a huge kick out of it)...he couldn't have been nicer despite being with his little ones. My son came out 60 seconds later and was quite bitter that he missed one of the greats...the Rickie Henderson of soccer!