So you play a round at a public course, and someone just starts wiping your clubs as you finish up on 18. How do you react?

[jordan2240]

Do you tip the guy and figure it's just the way it works?  Do you get annoyed?  Do you tell the guy 'thanks' and just head to your car?  And what if you had no cash on you, as I often don't?

 

Me, I find it rather presumptuous, but when it happened recently, I just handed him a $5, had some friendly conversation, and gave no indication I thought it was lame even though I did.  Curious as to how others react.

[oldmotor]

Yeah, I’ve had that happen a few times. Can’t say I was too happy with the assumption that I should be obligated to tip them for something that I did not ask for.

[Beenerpro]

I was the head pro at a private club where we trained the cart staff to clean clubs and assist unloading carts as groups finished. It was a service we wanted to provide the members. Plus we were a very busy club and often needed to quickly turn around the carts to go back out. When I hired the cart staff, I told them that it was their job to clean clubs, paid to do it. I also told them not to expect tips. But if they were tipped, to be very grateful to the player for their generosity.

 

Not sure this helps the situation you were in, especially if it was just some random guy that thought cleaning clubs was more lucrative than washing windshields at the highway intersection. I just wanted to provide some insight on how some clubs operate.

[Soloman1]

Every course in the Phoenix area does that. The worst part about it is that they all say the same thing: "So, how was it out there?"

 

"Well, it was a just like a golf course..."

 

For me, it depends. Some courses have slugs who do nothing to help you get started, no one at the bag drop, don't help put your clubs on a cart, but are all "fake friendly" as they try to wipe a nasty rag over your clean clubs, looking for that tip. It's creepy and I get annoyed at it.

 

There are some places with good service and people and I'll tip them, even though I dislike the whole tipping culture of the US anyway. If you live away from it for a while, you realize how demeaning it is to both parties.

[Hateto3Putt]

Not a fan.

 

I feel like I'm being molested.

[Snowbirdie]

If I am playing at a high end public course. I WILL TIP 5$ at least.  

 

If its not a high end course but they actually do a good job 5$

 

 

The problem lies in the fact that a low end course will have ONLY one person cleaning clubs and after they have cleaned them I always find they did a horrible job.  

 

A high end course I see that they are cleaned grooves and all. 

 

 

 

 

[Greenie]

There is only one course I play that has some kids wiping clubs.They come over as you are putting out on 18. They usually leave mine alone because I have iron covers and headcovers on all my clubs. There have been a few times one of the kids looked like they were going to start pulling covers off. I keep an eye on the kids and yell over mine are clean. Now I make a point when we pull up to 18 green to let them know I wipe mine after every shot and the first thing I do when I get home is clean them so there is no need to pay attention to mine.

 

Years ago my group was playing at this course and we went in after nine to the snack bar. I always watch my bag. I see this kid come over and start wiping down clubs. He left mine alone but did my buddy's bag on our cart. When we came out he comes over to us and tells my buddy he wiped his clubs down. The guy sticks out his hand and my buddy shakes his hand. The guy picked one of the cheapest people I know.

 

I don't care for anyone touching my clubs or bag. I clean my own clubs and load my own bag always.

 

I had a guy load my bag one time and when I took off it fell off the back of the cart and got scuffed up on the blacktop. When I went into to complain the course wouldn't do anything more than say they were sorry and I should have checked the bag myself. It pissed me off because it was a brand new bag and it was the first time using it.

[Ghost of Snead]

If you have the $ to play high-end public course, have the $ to tip the cart girl and bartenders inside after the round, you've got the $ to tip the cart attendants after the round. Check your clubs after and have them redo the ones you think need attention. 

[analyticandrew]

Would it be weird if someone came and oiled down your ball after you finished bowling? Or waited at the end of the disc golf course and wiped down your “clubs”? Maybe it would be weird if at the Y, after you got done with a game, someone came through and sprayed your sneakers with odor eaters spray?
 

That said, I have been asked before, and I usually say “I’m sorry I don’t have anything to tip you with, but I’m good anyways”. When I’ve NOT been asked, I generally say “hey thanks, but I’m good, I clean them as I go”. 
 

It’s a nice service, but not necessary IMO. 

 

Also, I carry only emergency $with me and nothing else, so no chance I could even have cash to tip a kid. 

 

When I worked at a golf course, and in general when I was growing up, I was taught not to touch other people’s things. 
 

[braincramp52]

It's very simple for me. I'm not paying somebody to do something I never asked them to do. You don't touch my stuff unless you're told it's ok to do so.

[jordan2240]

Glad to see there are others who think similarly.  I think it would be far more appropriate for them to ask if you'd like your clubs wiped.  Of course, maybe he didn't expect anything, but both my buddy and I felt we'd been put in the position of a forced tip.

[nitram]

Well, you either want the service or not. If you do, tip what your heart tells you. If you don't, a simple "I'm good" is sufficient.

[2bGood]

I also get annoyed when I go into a restaurant and 'some person' comes up and ask what I want to eat. If I want something I will let you know - the nerve! 

 

 

[deadsolid...shank]

My clubs are always filthy so it works for me!

[jordan2240]

26 minutes ago, nitram said:

Well, you either want the service or not. If you do, tip what your heart tells you. If you don't, a simple "I'm good" is sufficient.

Exactly, but when they start wiping your clubs down while you are putting out, and you don't notice until they've already started, it puts you in a bit of an awkward situation, or at least I felt it did.

[jordan2240]

26 minutes ago, 2bGood said:

I also get annoyed when I go into a restaurant and 'some person' comes up and ask what I want to eat. If I want something I will let you know - the nerve! 

 

 

Not remotely similar, but thanks.

[miamistomp]

 Don't touch my stuff 

[miamistomp]

30 minutes ago, 2bGood said:

I also get annoyed when I go into a restaurant and 'some person' comes up and ask what I want to eat. If I want something I will let you know - the nerve! 

 

 

 So go use the drive through

 

 

See, I am funny too ...

 

Waiting for my coffee-2nd pot (-first one didn't do it)   to finish brewing  🙈

 

 

[analyticandrew]

37 minutes ago, 2bGood said:

I also get annoyed when I go into a restaurant and 'some person' comes up and ask what I want to eat. If I want something I will let you know - the nerve! 

 

 

I don’t go to a golf course to get my clubs cleaned. I would get annoyed if I went to a restaurant and they brought be dessert when I didn’t ask for it, but they expected me to pay them for it. 

[2bGood]

 

At these courses club cleaning is part of the service - you already paid for it with your green fee.

 

You can turn it down if you like and you don't need to tip if you don't want to.

 

Of course it is an entire other conversation about wether tipping should be a thing or not - or what service we tip for and don't. 

 

 

[disco111]

Put head covers on all the clubs, nothing to see or clean here - move along!   

[RSinSG]

When I moved to St. George I was surprised no one tipped the cart guys. They didn’t pounce on your clubs like hungry vultures, but it was always my habit to tuck a couple of dollars on the score card holder. Now when I go back to SoCal and play and I see the guys with the gritty towels I just tell them they don’t need to bother and I hand them a couple of bucks. I learned a long time ago the difference between tipping and not tipping, or giving a little more rather than less had no impact on my life, but may have a positive effect in some one else’s life. That being said if the employee does a crappy job or is undeserving of my gratitude there won’t be any tip. 

[Righty to Lefty]

I clean my clubs and grips after every practice session or round and I think the guys at my club just realized that I wasn't going to tip them for doing something that I didn't ask them to do...that I was going to go home and do myself again anyway.  I more than made up  for it with all the free gear and clubs that I gave them over the years though.  

[jol]

If they didn't ask you, they shouldn't touch anything. 
Luckily, most private clubs I frequent have a no tipping policy except for the locker room staff.
The staff at my clubs actually are instructed to politely refuse the tip.

[deep18]

Not a fan simply because I’d rather do it myself later.  It’s kind of like a car wash to me, it’s fine but I’m always going to do a better job.  I do appreciate the hustle however especially if they start the convo with something other than “how’d it go?”

[farmer]

When I've played places where these services are available, I take tip money for the cart kids, the beverage cart girl etc., so if an employee of the club came out and wiped down my clubs, I would tip them.

[manku]

I've never had anyone try to clean my clubs while still on the course, but I've learned to take my cart and zip over to the parking lot ASAP...it's one way to avoid the potentially awkward exchange.

 

Of course, this is NEVER a problem if you walk...another good reason to do so!

[steenboatmd]

Private club only.  I tip the staff once a year a large amount.  Get good service all year.  Public course.  No way I would tip unless they asked first and I accepted.  

[596]

Shoot, I played a place that cleaned my clubs twice.  On the range a guy ran up and cleaned every club as I put it back in my bag.  When the round was over they did it again!!  Yep, I tip them all,  as well as leaving a tip when I use a cart.  (They delivered a cart to your car before you could even put your car in park.  Even put the clubs in the cart for you.  Then after the round, loaded them in your trunk after they cleaned them)

[miamistomp]

 I just want to play golf

I don't need a butler