UPDATE: What is NOT wrong with people (not turning in club)

[e-man]

My 17 year old son has become obsessed with golf. I play about 60 rounds a year but never pushed him to play because he had baseball and basketball and friends and not much time for anything else. Anyway, there is nothing he’d rather do now than play golf (and frankly not much else to do because of Covid). So I bought him a seasons pass at our local course and he goes out several times a week, sometimes by himself.

Long story short, and we’ve all done it, he left his lob wedge (which matches his set) on the 18th green on Sunday afternoon. It has a shaft sticker with his name and cell on it. As of today, no one has turned it in.

I just don’t get people. It’s not like someone found it on the 14th hole, put it in their bag and then forgot to turn it in after the round. He left it on the 18th green, which leads me to believe that whomever picked it up has no plans on turning it in. So disappointing.

[nikeblades00]

First of all I would like to think most people would turn clubs in. However im willing to bet the most 'stolen' clubs are nice wedges, nice putters and obviously nice drivers. Theives probably would turn in a random iron from a random set or a Top Flite lob wedge.

[dbdors]

I don’t get it either. I had a guy keep my towel he found on a hole where I dropped it. I asked them if they saw my towel, but then saw him with it when they finished on 18. I turn stuff in when I see it. Even called a guy once that had a label on his wedge he left on the range.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

Guy I was playing with recently picked up a nice Fourteen RM-22 56* wedge on the course. After checking that it wasn't mine, he held on to it until he had a chance to check with the group ahead if they had left it behind (the next tee was a bit away from the green we were on). Sure enough, one of them had left it behind, and he gave it back to them. Oddly, it hadn't been left around the green, but was about 60 yards out.

I've never played with anyone who has done otherwise.

[straightshot7]

Sadly, human nature is pretty bad in many cases.

I always turn stuff in but if I left a nice wedge on a green I would expect a 50/50 chance of getting it back.

Some people do not have a strong conscience. Don't leave your clubs behind.

[courcy75]

Picked up a headcover this weekend on 18 and chased the guy down in the parking lot. There's no place in this game for sh*tbag thieves..

[e-man]

Thanks for all the support guys. Here’s the thing. It’s not like it’s even that nice of a lob wedge. It’s a G25 lob wedge to match his set. Unless you have a set of G25s, I just don’t see the reason to keep it, unless you were going to sell it.

[larryd3]

Unfortunately scumbags play golf also. I just don't understand why some people don't turn in stuff they find on the course.

[Ironman_32]

Theres always what should happen vs what you expect to happen. If I left a million dollars cash in the middle of Times Square, should it be there an hour later when I come back- yes; do I expect it to be there- no.

On one hand, its a shame that someone would take it. "Rub of the green" if you will; its like locking your doors at night, you're not worried about the 99 out of 100 people, you're just worried about the one.

On the other hand, maybe look at it as a cheap lesson for your son to learn to make sure he has everything.

[ChitownM2]

Definitely sad to hear and I agree that this doesn't seem like a club someone would really even want to use. My guess is it is someone with trash equipment and who doesn't already own a lob wedge. Probably the best club in their bag now.

Some people are scum of the earth and that will probably never change. My dad's friend had his driver stolen out of his bag once when he went in to pay for his tee time. That takes serious stones as he was inside less than 10 min...

[puttnforthe8]

Just to clarify, are you sure it was left near the green? The reason I ask is post one of my glorious and amazing shots :), I found a club out in the bushes just the other day; I turned it in to the guys and they mentioned it was so & sos club that he lost over a week prior. It was just lost in such an obscure place that the chances of finding were longer.

As you say, for a G25 wedge, it makes no sense to keep.

Personally, I have found many clubs, including nice clubs, before and can't even stand to hold them....the most I have ever did is take a couple of practice strokes with a putter.

[thevaporz]

Welcome to the world. Tell him to do chores and pay for it.

[e-man]

Exactly. He worked as a day camp counselor this summer. He’ll pay for a replacement out of his earnings. It’s a relatively cheap lesson to learn I suppose. But we’ve all been there, done that. Sometimes it works out, sometimes not.

[LeoLeo99]

My local course has a bin full of lost head covers in the pro shop. They're unloved and unclaimed. I've left a Hydroflask water bottle and laser range finder at courses and people turned them in.

[brkuck]

One of the guys in my group left a LW on 12 and we were on 15 when he noticed. We finished and waited for others to finish and asked. Sure enough one guy had it, but he was hesitant to say yes.

 

Sucks that he lost it, but guarantee he won't ever forget again.

 

 

[dekez]

The same type of folks that find a headcover and list it on eBay for $20 or more.

[e-man]

UPDATE

So today, 4 days after my son left the club on the 18th green, someone finally turned it in. My guess is that they found it, put it in their bag and then forgot about it (although I don’t see how you could forget about it between the 18th green and the clubhouse).

Anyway, all is right with the world (well, not really), but my faith in humanity has been restored.

e

[ChitownM2]

Good to hear. Wonder if they really forgot about it or just realized that after shipping and ebay fees they couldn't make any money off of it

[ckay]

I’m sure it was an honest mistake.

[clinkinfo]

It’s easy to understand, they want to sell them and profit.

 

As the parent of a teen at a private course, I've had clubs not returned, a gps not returned, and a laser not returned.

 

im sure they are all on the bst here or eBay or craigslist

[MaddMaxx]

On a similar note at the end of the year my club puts everything out that has been turned in.

Some members see this as a free for all and grab anything that they want.

Do you think this is correct? I asked a guy in my group and he said "If it hasnt been claimed its up for grabs".

I dont know, seems a bit like stealing bit if it hasnt been claimed and what would the club do with all of the clubs.

Cant store them forever.

Thoughts???

[cval]

As long as it is communicated it sounds fair to me.

[SPIF]

The world, and people in general, are for the most part incredibly good. Cynicism is easy to possess and sell, but I've never in my life played golf with someone who would keep a club they found without exhausting all options to find the owner. It's the 90/10 rule.

[RainShadow]

Maybe they went from 18 to 19 and forgot all about it?

[Jab3384]

Glad it worked out.

Friendly suggestion coming from someone who left behind a 588 BeCu LW that I still miss to this day... I keep my clubs in the same slots and do a quick 14 club check everytime I finish my round. Good habit I engrained as a teen that I still do years later.

[kdog25]

It can’t go on forever. I can’t necessarily define an acceptable timeframe but at some point it needs to be cleaned up.

But maybe a better solution would be have a light hearted type auction with ALL money going to the 1st tee or some other worthy charity. Or donate some of it to the 1st tee.

[twixster888]

My friend lost a 9 iron from a brand new set of MP-69 he had just bought. He lost it on course in LA. He was searching for one ebay to replace. He found a newish looking one on ebay from a seller in the San Francisco area. What luck he thought. When he received his club, the serial number matched his set. LOL. I didn't follow up on how he dealt with it at the end but i thought i would share this extraordinary luck or bad luck story.

[pseudoswede]

I'm still waiting for someone to turn in my 2015 Ping Glide LW from late June. Thankfully, a replacement can (eventually) be bought pretty cheap; maybe I'll splurge and get a Glide 2.0. In the meantime, my even older Vokey LW is doing an acceptable job as the interim wedge.

At the same course a few weeks ago, we were behind this really slow group--from what we could deduce from afar, a decent golfer trying to teach three friends how to play golf (all in their late 20's). The course was packed due to a junior tournament, so they really couldn't let us through even if they wanted. As we walked onto the 18th green, in the very middle of the green, there was a PXG SW lying there. After we putted out, we tried to find them in the clubhouse and parking lot, but it appeared they bolted pretty quickly after the round. We shrugged our shoulders and turned it into the pro shop.

[dxdgenert]

Hopefully I have similar luck... I just lost/left my wallet at a restaurant this weekend. Of course no one has it (server, bus boy, couple seated after us) or the $500 in cash, gif cards, etc. Luckily, I was able to cancel all of my cards but the prepaid/gift cards and cash are likely gone. I’ve made a promise to myself to always turn something in and I hope others will do the same. I’m fortunate enough that I can take the kick in the nuts without it affecting my life but others may not be able to. Always turn things in, folks. Be kind.

[typhoonoid]

I've lost TWO bushnell xe rangefinders....:(

That magnetic mount is great but not if you leave it on the cart.