Things that have been bugging me lately

[Qqq123xx]

Not repairing ball marks. I usually repair any in my immediate area. Only takes a few seconds.

[sheldonjhacker]

You meet some great people on the golf course. Unfortunately, you also meet some of the biggest weirdos as well.

 

Why does golf bring out so much dysfunction in some people? :russian_roulette:

[ThinkingPlus]

Our bunkers are terrible. Many are brick hard or have root intrusion from all the oak trees. No money to fix them since they need to be completely re-done (bad drainage, new sand, aforementioned roots, etc...). It is so bad our women's group has instituted a local LCP rule for the bunkers. Wondering if making them grass bunkers wouldn't be a better choice and still sufficiently penal.

 

Pitch marks are not a big issue because the greens are so firm (ouch). I sometimes can't find my pitch mark to fix it so I fix what I find. Music occasionally crops up on the range, but regular groups I play with don't have that need.

[DavePelz4]

Our bunkers are terrible. Many are brick hard or have root intrusion from all the oak trees. No money to fix them since they need to be completely re-done (bad drainage, new sand, aforementioned roots, etc...). It is so bad our women's group has instituted a local LCP rule for the bunkers. Wondering if making them grass bunkers wouldn't be a better choice and still sufficiently penal.

 

Pitch marks are not a big issue because the greens are so firm (ouch). I sometimes can't find my pitch mark to fix it so I fix what I find. Music occasionally crops up on the range, but regular groups I play with don't have that need.

 

The idea of making the bunkers thick grass is awesome as it can be just as penal as a sand bunker, or even more.

[andrue]

Lastly, fix your damn ball marks on the green.

Due to my general ineptitude I rarely create ball marks on the green. But I seem to be forever repairing them :not_i:

Mine is cigarette butts on the course. Why do so many smokers feel like it's okay to just toss them on the ground? It's littering just like anything else. And right there on a beautiful fairway when every single tee box has a trash can.

Or litter in general. Why would anyone pay to go round a golf course (some of the most attractive scenery where I live) then drop litter on it? It's hard enough to understand the mentality of people who drop litter anywhere but somewhere that you have to pay to visit? It's crazy.

[ThinkingPlus]

Our bunkers are terrible. Many are brick hard or have root intrusion from all the oak trees. No money to fix them since they need to be completely re-done (bad drainage, new sand, aforementioned roots, etc...). It is so bad our women's group has instituted a local LCP rule for the bunkers. Wondering if making them grass bunkers wouldn't be a better choice and still sufficiently penal.

 

Pitch marks are not a big issue because the greens are so firm (ouch). I sometimes can't find my pitch mark to fix it so I fix what I find. Music occasionally crops up on the range, but regular groups I play with don't have that need.

 

The idea of making the bunkers thick grass is awesome as it can be just as penal as a sand bunker, or even more.

I have always found grass bunkers more difficult. The lies are more unpredictable and seem to require a greater variety of shot techniques to get it close to the hole. I don't know what the maintenance level is though.

[andrue]

Our bunkers are terrible. Many are brick hard or have root intrusion from all the oak trees. No money to fix them since they need to be completely re-done (bad drainage, new sand, aforementioned roots, etc...). It is so bad our women's group has instituted a local LCP rule for the bunkers. Wondering if making them grass bunkers wouldn't be a better choice and still sufficiently penal.

 

Pitch marks are not a big issue because the greens are so firm (ouch). I sometimes can't find my pitch mark to fix it so I fix what I find. Music occasionally crops up on the range, but regular groups I play with don't have that need.

 

The idea of making the bunkers thick grass is awesome as it can be just as penal as a sand bunker, or even more.

I have always found grass bunkers more difficult. The lies are more unpredictable and seem to require a greater variety of shot techniques to get it close to the hole. I don't know what the maintenance level is though.

I've rarely(*) found bunkers especially difficult and I like the aesthetic. Seems to me that bunker technique is easy. Ball forward in stance. Open club face. Aim for sand in front of ball, full swing and make damn' sure you follow through.

 

There's only two things that I'm wary of:

* If the ball is stuck into the side of the bunker (rare but does happen). The solution is to smash the club head into the side of the bunker underneath the ball and out it pops. Most times it clears the lip and ends up out of the bunker and if not your next shot will get it out.

* If I can't stand completely in the bunker. Admittedly this one can be a pain.

 

But since getting my SureOut club bunkers have become even easier. Don't even need to bother opening the face now.

 

But grass bunkers - shudder. They would be a challenge.

 

(*)Although there was one time last year when it took me four shots to get out of one. Still - everyone else thought it was very entertaining especially since I'd got the ball into it from the bunker five yards back. Ended up taking 17 strokes on a par 4. A personal best :)

[wkuo3]

2 things have been bugging on the course lately. First is guys playing music. When did that become a thing? And why do the rest of us have to be subjected to it?

 

And 2 is hard bonkers with a lack of sand. Why is it so many courses have bunkers with very little sand? That seems like the easiest part of keeping a course. Just dump some sand in every once in awhile.

 

Anyhoo, that's all. Feel free to comment or call me a grumpy old man, especially since I just turned 36

 

 

I also hate the loud Boom Box at traffic stop. I really don't mind others enjoying themselves , just roll up their windows and donate their ear drums to the garbage can. Broadcasting loud music on the golf course should be banned, I will voice my mind to the golf course management and not patronizing that golf course until it's banned these behavior. Those enjoying the music could wear head phones. It's a golf course, not a Summer Music festival.

 

Lots of golf courses are short of operating funds. Rising cost of material and labor , tax......... can't keep up with the maintenance.

More golf courses will close their doors in the next decade. No sand in the bunker ? Let's hope they're waiting for the Spring schedule to fill the bunkers, start looking for another golf course if this had become a year round issue.

[slimeone]

One of the nicer courses in the Chicago area Prairie Landing, which is an RTJ designed course, took out 64 of 127 bunkers on the course 3 years ago. Removing those bunkers saved them over $700,000 per year in sand cost and maintenance. The cost of the sand isn't necessarily the issue, it's the cost of shipping the sand on top of the cost of the sand.

 

Yup. Course closest to me did that as well. Also, the course I play when Im back in Mrs Helmets hometown did the same. Huge cost savings to the course.

 

My course just did an overhaul of all of the bunkers on the course, removed some, made others smaller, but redid the drainage and sand in all of them. The cost was HUGE between the raw materials needed to do it as well as the cost of labor. Bunkers are and will continue to be a very expensive item on any course, even more so as they age and no longer are as playable without being worked over regularly.

 

Played a course a lot last year that had zero bunkers ... can't say I missed them.

So on a course with zero bunkers you still couldn't miss them?

[SixtySomePing]

People who text or have to check their cell phones while playing...

 

Years ago i did triathlons - swim first, then bike, then run. The swim made my wife incredibly nervous; I'm not really sure why, but she was terrified I would drown. Anyway, to make her feel better I would text her after the swim, right before I got on my bike to let her know I wasn't dead. At one race, the guy next to saw me doing this and got really pissed. He started berating me about cell phones and that I shouldn't be racing and cell phones were ruining everything. I honestly didn't understand how my actions affected his race but he was definitely put off by it. My wife was happy I didn't drown and I continued with my race. Sorry buddy that I messed up your day so badly.

I'm trying to reread in my post where I said that CELTIC messed up my day so badly (if you're referring to me). I agree with you that spouses can be very concerned about each other, particularly at times like you mentioned (and we about them). Just two weeks ago my wife took place in her first indoor triathlon, and had only begun swimming in January. I couldn't go myself but our daughter was there and texted me the entire time as to what was going on. My wife is a 23 year breast cancer survivor, so we keep a close eye on each other like you do. I wouldn't have been playing golf though while she was swimming particularly, and hopefully your wife wouldn't have been either as she was concerned about you not drowning. I have learned a wonderful lesson about posting before thinking from you today, however you didn't mess up my day so badly as you said, I can handle life quite well, and in relation to the topic, I was more entering my opinion based on many folks today who seem so connected to their phones that life goes on around them and they miss what's happening at the moment. Example, we were at a restaurant Saturday night, and a very nice family came in, father, mother, two kids. The kids spent the entire time on their phones texting as was the mother, while the dad was on his Notepad. No one even spoke except to order food. I'm glad you didn't drown too...

[bigred90gt]

People who text or have to check their cell phones while playing. It's not using GPS or keeping score or using a golf app. It's texting or checking something non-golf as if not being able to let go of the outside world long enough to enjoy golf for a few hours. Usually in your group, or nearby, you can see it - thumbs rattling off at jackhammer speed without the noise, the phone has become the newest body organ, the six^th sense so to speak...

 

This makes no sense to me. So long as I’m not holding up play, how in gods green earth does my texting/emailing affect you in any way form or fashion? It doesn’t. Get over it.

[DavePelz4]

I have always found grass bunkers more difficult. The lies are more unpredictable and seem to require a greater variety of shot techniques to get it close to the hole. I don't know what the maintenance level is though.

 

TP how's the game since making the move?

[HatsForBats]

And it's also against the rules.

 

Not always and I doubt it is something the USGA would enforce if it was done outside of a competitive round. I would expect some courses are going to start banning music if inconsiderate players keep pushing the envelope.

[ThinkingPlus]

I have always found grass bunkers more difficult. The lies are more unpredictable and seem to require a greater variety of shot techniques to get it close to the hole. I don't know what the maintenance level is though.

 

TP how's the game since making the move?

More interesting than I expected. The CC here is not in good shape making some struggles (bunkers, wedges off bare lies, barren spots on the greens, etc...) hopefully not permanent. New water source becomes available this summer. We are hoping that helps. It is what it is.

 

Course is, in some ways, one of the most difficult I have ever played. Forward tees are a little over 5300 yards, but rates out nearly 73 for women. Lots of forced layups (frustrating) and forced carries (irrelevant for me). Small greens with multiple levels surrounded by bunkers makes for extremely difficult approach shots. Very firm fairways plus lots of wind make layups on tee shots very complicated. I have hit a 5i 235 yards and a 3W roughly 180 yards on the same hole with opposite wind. Choosing clubs off the tee around here is making me a paranoid schizophrenic.

 

Funny thing is that I have held on to my index fairly well even with having to learn the course and how to hit flighted down everything. Another funny thing is I can drop my index almost at will if I would move back to white or blue tees. Huge increase in yardage (over 1000 yards if blue), with very little change in approach shots (except par 3s). I just use a longer club off the tee and layup to the same place! Not sure this is what the USGA had in mind. LOL. Having fun though learning new shots although frustrated that 30 plus years of playing just prepared me to spend more time learning more shots.

 

Hope your year has started by now and you are playing well. A little later start than we get way down here I suspect.

[gioguy21]

and...

[Circaflex]

The music thing really bothers me. It is a distraction to anyone around you. I know a lot of people will say they keep it low enough so only they can hear it, but trust me we can hear your music. Realistically, it does nothing to my game, but it is more of an etiquette thing to me. I have two people I play with semi-frequently that will do it. One guy, is a pretty big dude so no one will ever say it is bothering them. Matter of fact, I dont think I have ever seen anyone complain, but it is probably because they dont want to be that guy. We will be paired up with random two-somes or singles and hell ask if music bothers them and I generally think people just dont want to be that guy and say it does. You never know how someone might act when they get told they are being a distraction. The other guy we play with will start blasting his music when his round goes sideways. Basically for me, it comes down to respect and respecting those around you.

 

 

I've posted this before but, The worst thing about being paired up with someone who want's to play music is when they ask you "you don't mind if we play some tunes do you?" .. If you say no, then they hate you the rest of the round.... you can't win.

 

100% agree with you!

[jholz]

Here in colorado I know bunkers cost a fortune, while not as dry as say arizona, the dryness combined with the high altitude, which draws trapped air out of the sand, means that a couple of Wheelbarrows full of sand turn into concrete the next day. One course, a Gary player design, for Pete's sake, has switched to perlite in the bunkers.

 

Growing up in Colorado, a nice course was one that had bunkers. A really nice course was one with sand in the bunkers.

[dlygrisse]

Several things that have bothered me lately.

 

1. Threads about loft gaping, I mean 2 new one's a day are plenty

2. Threads bitching about music on the course. I guess music is the new smoking.

3. Threads about dress codes

4. Threads about PXG clubs costing too much, and how much we hate them

5. Fake news, and Stormy Daniels without video.

6. Threads bitching about golf related things in general, seriously First World Problems.

[Sean2]

The music thing is driving me crazy. Pinehurst just opened a very wonderful par-3 course that is very challenging and a lot of fun. But, they installed a sound system on the course. All of the rocks are actually speakers. It's very distracting. Personally, I don't need to hear "Hotel California" while I'm trying to focus on a target.

 

I really like music, but when I am on the golf course all I want to hear are the sounds of silence, and whatever Mother Nature wants to provide.

[Sean2]

Several things that have bothered me lately.

 

1. Threads about loft gaping, I mean 2 new one's a day are plenty

2. Threads bitching about music on the course. I guess music is the new smoking.

3. Threads about dress codes

4. Threads about PXG clubs costing too much, and how much we hate them

5. Fake news, and Stormy Daniels without video.

6. Threads bitching about golf related things in general, seriously First World Problems.

 

Well...there go all the winter threads...

[Sean2]

 

I've posted this before but, The worst thing about being paired up with someone who want's to play music is when they ask you "you don't mind if we play some tunes do you?" .. If you say no, then they hate you the rest of the round.... you can't win.

 

 

If someone asks me I say I do mind. If they want to hate me, I'm okay with that. It's not like you are in a night club and asking them to turn off the music.

[Birdie Mac]

People not raking bunkers is my pet peeve.

 

Same here. I assume it's either just plain inattention or trying to keep up pace of play...nah, got to be just plain inattention. To help move things along, if I mark my ball close to the hole, I'll often rake bunkers for my playing partners so they can go line up their putts. Helps pace of play, and also encourages them to remember to rake the bunkers.

 

What bugs me is players that don't prepare for their shots from the fairway. Rather than get their distances, clubs, and get aligned, they sit in the cart and wait to be driven to their ball. Drives me crazy, and especially when I'm behind them waiting to tee off.

[Dpavs]

And it's also against the rules.

 

Not always and I doubt it is something the USGA would enforce if it was done outside of a competitive round. I would expect some courses are going to start banning music if inconsiderate players keep pushing the envelope.

 

Decision 14-3/16 covers listening to music or some other broadcast during a round.

Here is the text of that Decision:

 

Rule 14-3a states that a player may not use any artificial device or unusual equipment that “might assist him making a stroke or in his play.” Listening to music or a broadcast while making a stroke or for a prolonged period might assist the player in his play, for example, by eliminating distractions or promoting a good tempo. Therefore, the use of an artificial device to listen to music or a broadcast, whether or not through headphones, while making a stroke or for a prolonged period of time during a stipulated round is a breach of Rule 14-3. However, it would not be a breach of Rule 14-3 for a player to listen to a device briefly, for example, to obtain the results of another sporting event or traffic information, while walking between the putting green of one hole and the teeing ground of another hole.

 

There is no restriction on listening to music or other broadcasts while practicing (whether on the practice ground or on the golf course, and whether by oneself or while playing with others), although club rules and disciplinary codes could apply in such circumstances.

[Dpavs]

I've posted this before but, The worst thing about being paired up with someone who want's to play music is when they ask you "you don't mind if we play some tunes do you?" .. If you say no, then they hate you the rest of the round.... you can't win.

 

 

If someone asks me I say I do mind. If they want to hate me, I'm okay with that. It's not like you are in a night club and asking them to turn off the music.

 

and I had to laugh... would love to reply this if asked about music on the course during league play.

[andrue]

I've posted this before but, The worst thing about being paired up with someone who want's to play music is when they ask you "you don't mind if we play some tunes do you?" .. If you say no, then they hate you the rest of the round.... you can't win.

 

 

If someone asks me I say I do mind. If they want to hate me, I'm okay with that. It's not like you are in a night club and asking them to turn off the music.

One of the few good things I've found about ageing is that I care less and less what people think. I avoid annoying others but I won't tolerate them imposing on me.

[Sean2]

I've posted this before but, The worst thing about being paired up with someone who want's to play music is when they ask you "you don't mind if we play some tunes do you?" .. If you say no, then they hate you the rest of the round.... you can't win.

 

 

If someone asks me I say I do mind. If they want to hate me, I'm okay with that. It's not like you are in a night club and asking them to turn off the music.

 

and I had to laugh... would love to reply this if asked about music on the course during league play.

 

Well, only if they are upwind. :-)

 

I've posted this before but, The worst thing about being paired up with someone who want's to play music is when they ask you "you don't mind if we play some tunes do you?" .. If you say no, then they hate you the rest of the round.... you can't win.

 

 

If someone asks me I say I do mind. If they want to hate me, I'm okay with that. It's not like you are in a night club and asking them to turn off the music.

One of the few good things I've found about ageing is that I care less and less what people think. I avoid annoying others but I won't tolerate them imposing on me.

 

Yes, and you can go about it without being rude or anything like that.

[j.b.newton]

One of my Anal Retentive/OCD ones is how the green's crew put the old holes back in. It seems that the ones at the courses I play put them back haphazardly instead of matching the direction of the grain.

[DavePelz4]

Several things that have bothered me lately.

 

1. Threads about loft gaping, I mean 2 new one's a day are plenty

2. Threads bitching about music on the course. I guess music is the new smoking.

3. Threads about dress codes

4. Threads about PXG clubs costing too much, and how much we hate them

5. Fake news, and Stormy Daniels without video.

6. Threads bitching about golf related things in general, seriously First World Problems.

 

Can we add people who tell you to move up a tee box because it's more fun???

[HatsForBats]

And it's also against the rules.

 

Not always and I doubt it is something the USGA would enforce if it was done outside of a competitive round. I would expect some courses are going to start banning music if inconsiderate players keep pushing the envelope.

 

Decision 14-3/16

 

Right. My point being not all players play by, or are expected to play by, the USGA defined rules. If it becomes a problem for the courses, when it starts bothering other paying patrons, then it may become a rule.

[CELTIC]

People who text or have to check their cell phones while playing...

 

Years ago i did triathlons - swim first, then bike, then run. The swim made my wife incredibly nervous; I'm not really sure why, but she was terrified I would drown. Anyway, to make her feel better I would text her after the swim, right before I got on my bike to let her know I wasn't dead. At one race, the guy next to saw me doing this and got really pissed. He started berating me about cell phones and that I shouldn't be racing and cell phones were ruining everything. I honestly didn't understand how my actions affected his race but he was definitely put off by it. My wife was happy I didn't drown and I continued with my race. Sorry buddy that I messed up your day so badly.

I'm trying to reread in my post where I said that CELTIC messed up my day so badly (if you're referring to me). I agree with you that spouses can be very concerned about each other, particularly at times like you mentioned (and we about them). Just two weeks ago my wife took place in her first indoor triathlon, and had only begun swimming in January. I couldn't go myself but our daughter was there and texted me the entire time as to what was going on. My wife is a 23 year breast cancer survivor, so we keep a close eye on each other like you do. I wouldn't have been playing golf though while she was swimming particularly, and hopefully your wife wouldn't have been either as she was concerned about you not drowning. I have learned a wonderful lesson about posting before thinking from you today, however you didn't mess up my day so badly as you said, I can handle life quite well, and in relation to the topic, I was more entering my opinion based on many folks today who seem so connected to their phones that life goes on around them and they miss what's happening at the moment. Example, we were at a restaurant Saturday night, and a very nice family came in, father, mother, two kids. The kids spent the entire time on their phones texting as was the mother, while the dad was on his Notepad. No one even spoke except to order food. I'm glad you didn't drown too...

 

I meant the guy at the triathlon - not you. Sorry for the confusion.