Push cart on greens

[maxcov922]

Played the other day during an unusually warm temperature for the area. Got paired up with a firefighter and a cop, one of which was pretty new to the game. The other one seemed to have played for a long time and was pretty decent. They took a cart for the front 9 but due to how much rain we had the back was walking only. They took push carts for the back. The one new guy would take his push cart all over the green from putt to putt. The first time I saw it, I had mentioned that he shouldn’t do that due to it being poor etiquette and horrible for the grass. This didn’t seem to get through to him and he continued to do it. He was a nice guy and didn’t seem to do it maliciously, just didn’t seem to care much. What would y’all do in this situation?

[Buzzkill]

You did what you could by mentioning it.  I would have reported him to pro shop after he ignored you.

[Hawkeye77]

Yep, nothing wrong with a positive, educational moment.

 

You tried.

 

 

[jholz]

Crap like that drives me absolutely crazy. Have some respect, for the love of (insert deity of choice).

 

But, I also recognize that I have zero authority to police anything on a golf course, much less anywhere else.

 

I'm sure the proshop will be concerned, but what are they going to do - station marshals at every green to catch the guy?

 

So, hopefully, over time, if enough of us give the guy a gentle reminder, he will get his head out of his a**. Best you can hope for, I'm afraid.

[Mr. Bean]

46 minutes ago, jholz said:

But, I also recognize that I have zero authority to police anything on a golf course, much less anywhere else.

 

 

 

 

From my point of view it is the responsibility of each and every player using a course to prevent damage done to the course, even if that means policing other persons. Taking a push cart on the green is a major bummer and that must not be allowed to happen again. The person in question is not a child but an adult and adults tend to understand if clearly explained.

[Pepperturbo]

When advising others on anything, including etiquette do so with authority, otherwise, very few listens.

[596]

2 minutes ago, Pepperturbo said:

When advising others on anything, including etiquette do so with authority, otherwise, very few listens.

As a retired cop, I'd beg too differ!  Being polite and respectful, even to those in the wrong, is always the best path!  

[dmecca2]

Ya depending on the conditions of the course (only situation i wouldn't get too mad at is if you're on a course where the greens are running less than a 3 on the stimp, lol), that's kind a big no no. Only thing I would've done differently is a continual reminder at every occurrence which if repeatedly ignored, would probably lead to an argument or a call to the pro shop, which would get him kicked off the course.

[jholz]

1 hour ago, Mr. Bean said:

 

From my point of view it is the responsibility of each and every player using a course to prevent damage done to the course, even if that means policing other persons. Taking a push cart on the green is a major bummer and that must not be allowed to happen again. The person in question is not a child but an adult and adults tend to understand if clearly explained.

 

Yeah, I agree. As I mentioned, this kind of thing drives me absolutely crazy. I hate it. I wish I had the power to make everyone less stupid and self-centered. I'd be happy to institute some kind of ban for people who take their carts on the green.

 

But as a private citizen, my problem is determining how far my personal responsibility should go.

 

I'm happy to give the guy a gentle bit of guidance like, "Hey, you should keep your cart off the greens. It damages the grass." But what if the dude ignores me a keeps doing it. What does one do then?

 

I'm not going to grab some guy's bag/cart and move it off the green for him. I'm not gonna get in his face and threaten him physically. That is not my place and not my job. I'm just causing further problems at that point.

 

So, you tell the proshop. The proshop comes back with "Yeah, that sucks. We wish people wouldn't do that either. We will do what we can to correct it."

 

But, either outcome is ultimately unsatisfactory. This is the nature of life.

 

 

Edited March 15, 2022 by jholz

[miamistomp]

14 hours ago, maxcov922 said:

Played the other day during an unusually warm temperature for the area. Got paired up with a firefighter and a cop, one of which was pretty new to the game. The other one seemed to have played for a long time and was pretty decent. They took a cart for the front 9 but due to how much rain we had the back was walking only. They took push carts for the back. The one new guy would take his push cart all over the green from putt to putt. The first time I saw it, I had mentioned that he shouldn’t do that due to it being poor etiquette and horrible for the grass. This didn’t seem to get through to him and he continued to do it. He was a nice guy and didn’t seem to do it maliciously, just didn’t seem to care much. What would y’all do in this situation?

 Split off from them if possible

 Every profession has idiots

 

Courses around here just want the money-I used to do some rangering but quit that

 All the bad actors seem to be tolerated by management

[Mr. Bean]

21 minutes ago, jholz said:

 

Yeah, I agree. As I mentioned, this kind of thing drives me absolutely crazy. I hate it. I wish I had the power to make everyone less stupid and self-centered. I'd be happy to institute some kind of ban for people who take their carts on the green.

 

But as a private citizen, my problem is determining how far my personal responsibility should go.

 

I'm happy to give the guy a gentle bit of guidance like, "Hey, you should keep your cart of the greens. It damages the grass." But what if the dude ignores me a keeps doing it. What does one do then?

 

I'm not going to grab some guy's bag/cart and move it off the green for him. I'm not gonna get in his face and threaten him physically. That is not my place and not my job. I'm just causing further problems at that point.

 

 

There are intermediate means as well between a gentle reminder and a fist in the face, such as 'Listen, do not do that again because it may damage the green, and I mean it! If yuo continue to do that there will be consequences by the course management.'

 

A person needs to be a massive jerk if that does not help. In such a case pick up your phone and call the marshal / caddie master.

[rooski]

52 minutes ago, dmecca2 said:

Ya depending on the conditions of the course (only situation i wouldn't get too mad at is if you're on a course where the greens are running less than a 3 on the stimp, lol), that's kind a big no no.

 

When I caddied at Bandon bringing push carts across the greens was allowed and I believe even encouraged so that the areas around the green didn't take all the traffic.

 

Those greens are a bit different than a standard US parkland course though for sure. Caddying out there for 7 years I think I only ever managed to find 2 or 3 ballmarks ever to repair, looking for them every time I stepped on a green

Edited March 15, 2022 by rooski

[jholz]

2 minutes ago, Mr. Bean said:

 

There are intermediate means as well between a gentle reminder and a fist in the face, such as 'Listen, do not do that again because it may damage the green, and I mean it! If yuo continue to do that there will be consequences by the course management.'

 

A person needs to be a massive jerk if that does not help. In such a case pick up your phone and call the marshal / caddie master.

 

Yeah, I don't know man. Maybe it's just me, but that certainly sounds like threatening language. You are giving the individual an ultimatum.

 

Beyond that, I don't know where you play, but it doesn't sound much like the munis where I hang out. We are a hairy, brutish lot out there. Beer flows freely and clueless morons abound. We don't have marshals. We don't have caddie masters - much less caddies. It's essentially the wild west.

 

I'm not Wyatt Earp and don't want to be. I just want to play golf and go home to my kids. 

[jholz]

1 hour ago, Pepperturbo said:

FYI... A person can be polite and respectful yet speak with authority.  Still today, I train with Swat, FBI counterterrorism, and SOG/agency boys.  A tough lot... all of which are what I call respectful and polite "sir" "boy scouts" to the core, till the sh** hits the fan. 😛

 

 

Oh Pepper, gotta love you dude. Glad you're out there keeping us safe with those 2-iron stingers - 4" groupings at 230-250 yards right?

[Pepperturbo]

1 minute ago, jholz said:

 

Oh Pepper, gotta love you dude. Glad you're out there keeping us safe with those 2-iron stingers - 4" groupings at 230-250 yards right?

I use a 5.56 & 7.62 NATO plus .45 (old school)... and great 3" groupings at 400 meters.  When younger it was 600m +, but unfortunately it's a deteriorating skill.  lol   I'd love 4" grouping at 200yds on the golf course, but that's pretty hard to do.  Still benefiting from 2 iron.  The other day got 230yds out of it, down the middle.  The course didn't overseed so dormant fairways were running like crazy.

[sittingbull]

Damn 3 inch groups at 430 yards..remind me not to piss you off 😁

17 minutes ago, Pepperturbo said:

I use a 5.56 & 7.62 NATO plus .45 (old school)... and great 3" groupings at 400 meters.  When younger it was 600m +, but unfortunately it's a deteriorating skill.  lol   I'd love 4" grouping at 200yds on the golf course, but that's pretty hard to do.  Still benefiting from 2 iron.  The other day got 230yds out of it, down the middle.  The course didn't overseed so dormant fairways were running like crazy.

 

[miamistomp]

 I used to shoot 308 in benchrest comps-If I recall correctly you are looking for the bullet to drop 5 feet or so @ 500 yards

 

I don't use scopes any more-they are the SGI of rifle sights

 

Saw a guy do 3 inches or so prone with stock iron  sights @ 200 yards with an 03 Springfield ( bedded barrel and Canjar trigger) - that was some real world stuff there

[2bGood]

2 hours ago, Pepperturbo said:

FYI... A person can be polite and respectful yet speak with authority.  Still today, I train with Swat, FBI counterterrorism, and SOG/agency boys.  A tough lot... all of which are what I call respectful and polite "sir" "boy scouts" to the core, till the sh** hits the fan. 😛

 

I had the pleasure of training with and being mentored by the great James Dalton. He would always remind me “be nice, until it is time not to be nice.”

[Mr. Bean]

For those who like good books and are interested to get a grip of long range sharp-shooting I can heartily recommend this: David Mason - Shadow over Babylon.

[Mr. Bean]

Just now, 2bGood said:

I had the pleasure of training with and being mentored by the great James Dalton. He would always remind me “be nice, until it is time not to be nice.”

 

 I used to practice with Grat and Emmett Dalton but that was a looong time ago 😆

[sittingbull]

5 minutes ago, 2bGood said:

I had the pleasure of training with and being mentored by the great James Dalton. He would always remind me “be nice, until it is time not to be nice.”

You sure that wasn't Patrick swayze

Edited March 15, 2022 by sittingbull

[2bGood]

23 minutes ago, sittingbull said:

You sure that wasn't Patrick swayze

No, Dalton was bigger. 

Edited March 15, 2022 by 2bGood

[miamistomp]

11 minutes ago, Mr. Bean said:

 

 I used to practice with Grat and Emmett Dalton but that was a looong time ago 😆

 Golf is relaxing after robbing banks , I guess

[Mr. Bean]

Just now, miamistomp said:

 Golf is relaxing after robbing banks , I guess

 

And no handicaps those days!

[sui generis]

1 hour ago, sittingbull said:

remind me not to piss you off

 Walter Mittys are not uncommon here. 🙄

[DLiver]

3 hours ago, rooski said:

 

When I caddied at Bandon bringing push carts across the greens was allowed and I believe even encouraged so that the areas around the green didn't take all the traffic.

 

Those greens are a bit different than a standard US parkland course though for sure. Caddying out there for 7 years I think I only ever managed to find 2 or 3 ballmarks ever to repair, looking for them every time I stepped on a green

There are a lot of courses that allow push (pull?) carts on their greens for the reasons you mentioned. I know that Hazeltine allows it. Personally I think it should be encouraged and accepted in places where greens can accept it.

[Mr. Bean]

29 minutes ago, DLiver said:

There are a lot of courses that allow push (pull?) carts on their greens for the reasons you mentioned. I know that Hazeltine allows it. Personally I think it should be encouraged and accepted in places where greens can accept it.

 

The way I see it is that 3- and 4-wheel push carts would be ok but with a careless handling of a 2-wheel pull cart one may damage the surface of a green rather snappily.

[Newby]

43 minutes ago, DLiver said:

There are a lot of courses that allow push (pull?) carts on their greens for the reasons you mentioned. I know that Hazeltine allows it. Personally I think it should be encouraged and accepted in places where greens can accept it.

Apparently it very common (if not the norm) in parts of  Australia.

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

1 hour ago, DLiver said:

Personally I think it should be encouraged and accepted in places where greens can accept it.

May I ask why? Maybe it’s just me, but I think of this as an unnecessary risk, especially when greens are soggy.

Too many people don’t have any antennae for potential damage and I don’t see any issues with keeping the greens a walk-only zone.

There’s people roughing up the surface by dragging their feet on the greens, why risk more by sharp turns with a push cart?

Just my € 0.02, and no hard feelings. 

Edited March 15, 2022 by LukeDonaldsTiger

[DLiver]

18 minutes ago, LukeDonaldsTiger said:

May I ask why? Maybe it’s just me, but I think of this as an unnecessary risk, especially when greens are soggy.

Too many people don’t have any antennae for potential damage and I don’t see any issues with keeping the greens a walk-only zone.

There’s people roughing up the surface by dragging their feet on the greens, why risk more by sharp turns with a push cart?

Just my € 0.02, and no hard feelings. 

Because it would help save the green surrounds, some of the hardest worn places on virtually every course that allows walking. You spread the wear of push carts (and pushers) over the large area of a green rather than a small strip of grass adjacent to the green.