Bad etiquette? Or just a sign of the times…

[sharkiesj]

I’m wondering if I’m being overly sensitive about 2 particular instances of golf “etiquette” that I experienced recently. And each time it has happened, or continues to happen, it bugs me more and more. Wondering what the Wrx community thinks of these situations and if it has happened to any of you as well, please give me your thoughts.  
 

1.  Practicing on a huge chipping green with 6 holes spread evenly over the green. There’s other people chipping to their respective holes but there are open holes available if any other people ramble over and want to chip. I’m chipping with only 5 balls and retrieve my balls then drop in a different location to chip again to the same pin. Another guy comes over and starts chipping. There’s open holes but he starts chipping a whole bucket of balls to my hole that I’ve been chipping at for the last 20 minutes. I have chipped 2 balls around the hole before he started chipping his balls. I look at him and he looks at me but still keeps chipping. I chip my 3 last balls and proceed to get my 5 balls.  I walk out to get my balls and he stops chipping, waiting for me to clear. I take an unusual amount of time getting my balls, trying to let him know that bruh, WTH.  He has his hands on his hips.  We look at each other and he doesn’t get it.  As soon as I turn to walk away a chipped ball goes past my feet. Wow.  Ok. I turn around and he acts like nothing happened.  I shake my head, laugh out loud and decide to leave. He wins. Him: young, 21ish, small, skinny, good player.  Me: old, 60ish bigger than him, used-to-be-good player. Not that we would’ve fought but am I being overly critical about this? And how can he be a good player and NOT know about good etiquette on the course and practice areas?????? I seriously don’t get it.  Would any of you guys start chipping a whole bucket of balls to a pin that another stranger has already been chipping to with other open holes available??? Pissed me off big time but I just walked away and went home.  
 

2.  Practice putting green atrocity’s. It’s usually juniors, who are very good players, practicing putting and leaving the little pins lying on the green and not replacing them when they’re done practicing.  Also, they put tees and putting boards around the holes, practice, then they’ll leave for 30-45 minutes leaving their balls, tees, and boards all around the hole so no one else can use the hole when they go inside the clubhouse to eat or take a break.  
C’mon bruh!!!! SERIOUSLY????! What on earth is happening to our etiquette???? Also practice bunker is left unraked and destroyed.  I’ve seen people spend 15 minutes in the bunker, hit good quality shots out of that bunker, exit, put their club in their bag and walk away without even thinking of raking the bunker and making it nice for the next person. That rake has been there for years and it looks brand spankin new.  Nobody freaking uses the rake.  It actually makes me sad.  Nobody cares about the golf course, other people or the workers at the course.  Again, am I being overly sensitive and a full on boomer??
 

[Colin L]

1.  There's a value in actually talking to someone to resolve a situation. 

 

2. a. Remove all the balls, tees and boards from the green; leave them in a mixed up heap at the side of the practice green;  occupy the space.

    b.  Since everyone leaves the bunker unraked (except you, of course),  it's a management matter.  What has been the reaction when you have spoken to your managers about the issue?

 

 

Edited July 7 by Colin L

[naj959]

My 2 cents:

 

1- people are inconsiderate. I've been in similar scenarios. I just move to an open hole. I practice at public facilities so it's hard to lay claim to any one area. I have a bad temper so I try to avoid unnecessary confrontation.

 

2- if the juniors left thegreen unusable I'd speak with the pro or whoever was in charge. If they're worth a darn they'll try to accommodate you. If they blow you off take your money elsewhere.

 

2b- the practice bunker is a bit of a thinker. Since no one is shooting a score out of a practice bunker, leaving it unraked doesn't seem that big of a deal. If you've hit so many shots that you're down to the liner than I would argue that you need to rake it to take care of the facility. Not necessarily for the next person that's going to use it.

[antip]

1. This one is a bit problematic. Some folk just don't share nicely. Either open the batting on a confrontation or not, your choice.

2a. Just toss that stuff off the green, it's as simple as it gets.

2b. Worry not, get in there and have your practice, leaving the bunker as you find it. If it's a mess, rake the area you want to use, do your practice then walk away. If it's neat, practice and return it to neat. 

In my experience, trying to explain decent etiquette to the young folk now just receives the 'nobody is home' stare.

[SNIPERBBB]

1 is absolutely a YOU problem. Nowhere does it say that holes/targets on the practice area are yours to use exclusively if you were there first.  If thats the culture at your club fine, but I've not seen that anywhere. Just make sure your balls are marked or using balls you dont care about. 

 

Anyone that uses, let alone types, "bruh" is an idiot.

 

 

[caniac6]

If you don’t like the actions of another guy, start chipping to an open hole. The passive aggressive move of taking extra time picking up your 5 balls, the look, and the laugh are as big a jerk move as the guy chipping to “your” hole. If kids are bothering you by leaving their gear on the putting green, either move the stuff off, or putt to another hole. Neither situation is worth getting worked up over. I didn’t even see the bunker situation. Just rake it. 

Edited July 7 by caniac6

[Bad9]

For #1 I'd be online telling the story of what a tool this guy was at the chipping green, spent 20 minutes using the same hole and then gave "tude" when I dared use the same hole. I think you are the one with the etiquette problem in this instance.

[mshills]

I am slightly with the OP on this one. Large practice green, if someone is obviously practicing chipping a half-dozen balls at one target, I’m going to use a different target to chip my balls to, and NFW am I going to send one by someone’s feet. That is obnoxious….however….the passive-aggressive taking your sweet time retrieving your half dozen balls is rude too. 
 

Passive-aggressive responses suck. They amplify impolite behavior and frankly, you are punking out. If you feel compelled to address something, man the # up and address it. You don’t have to be snide or escalate the situation, be polite and be direct. 
 

As for me, if this happened at a busy public practice facility I’d let it go. If it was at my club I might be annoyed enough to say something polite but direct.
 

Leaving training equipment on the green is also really impolite. If that player hasn’t been there for a while and is eating lunch or taking a 💩 or whatever, I’m not standing with my hands on my hips tapping my foot expecting him to materialize and move the pins and the string. If I want to or need to putt to that hole, I’m removing all that stuff and setting it out of the way. 

[rogolf]

Nobody "owns" holes on a practice green.

[iacas]

9 hours ago, sharkiesj said:

I take an unusual amount of time getting my balls, trying to let him know that bruh, WTH.  He has his hands on his hips.  We look at each other and he doesn’t get it.  As soon as I turn to walk away a chipped ball goes past my feet. Wow.  Ok. I turn around and he acts like nothing happened.  I shake my head, laugh out loud and decide to leave.

YATA

[Avidswampthing66]

IMO it's slightly aggravating but you just pick up and move on.  Golf cracks me up.  Why is is SO SERIOUS.

[Nard_S]

If area is trafficked, i have an issue with guys hitting 20 balls to a hole. I never use more than 6, if it's real busy, it's 3. Also don't believe in repeating same shot more than a handful, then I rotate away to another hole. You cannot control others actions but you can watch your own. Read the area, find a an alley to work, repeat. If it gets too crowded, take a break but hunkering down on one hole and hitting a gazillion to it is just rude.

[Cliffy2020]

[Pepperturbo]

11 hours ago, sharkiesj said:

I’m wondering if I’m being overly sensitive about 2 particular instances of golf “etiquette” that I experienced recently. And each time it has happened, or continues to happen, it bugs me more and more. Wondering what the Wrx community thinks of these situations and if it has happened to any of you as well, please give me your thoughts.  
 

1.  Practicing on a huge chipping green with 6 holes spread evenly over the green. There’s other people chipping to their respective holes but there are open holes available if any other people ramble over and want to chip. I’m chipping with only 5 balls and retrieve my balls then drop in a different location to chip again to the same pin. Another guy comes over and starts chipping. There’s open holes but he starts chipping a whole bucket of balls to my hole that I’ve been chipping at for the last 20 minutes. I have chipped 2 balls around the hole before he started chipping his balls. I look at him and he looks at me but still keeps chipping. I chip my 3 last balls and proceed to get my 5 balls.  I walk out to get my balls and he stops chipping, waiting for me to clear. I take an unusual amount of time getting my balls, trying to let him know that bruh, WTH.  He has his hands on his hips.  We look at each other and he doesn’t get it.  As soon as I turn to walk away a chipped ball goes past my feet. Wow.  Ok. I turn around and he acts like nothing happened.  I shake my head, laugh out loud and decide to leave. He wins. Him: young, 21ish, small, skinny, good player.  Me: old, 60ish bigger than him, used-to-be-good player. Not that we would’ve fought but am I being overly critical about this? And how can he be a good player and NOT know about good etiquette on the course and practice areas?????? I seriously don’t get it.  Would any of you guys start chipping a whole bucket of balls to a pin that another stranger has already been chipping to with other open holes available??? Pissed me off big time but I just walked away and went home.  
 

2.  Practice putting green atrocity’s. It’s usually juniors, who are very good players, practicing putting and leaving the little pins lying on the green and not replacing them when they’re done practicing.  Also, they put tees and putting boards around the holes, practice, then they’ll leave for 30-45 minutes leaving their balls, tees, and boards all around the hole so no one else can use the hole when they go inside the clubhouse to eat or take a break.  
C’mon bruh!!!! SERIOUSLY????! What on earth is happening to our etiquette???? Also practice bunker is left unraked and destroyed.  I’ve seen people spend 15 minutes in the bunker, hit good quality shots out of that bunker, exit, put their club in their bag and walk away without even thinking of raking the bunker and making it nice for the next person. That rake has been there for years and it looks brand spankin new.  Nobody freaking uses the rake.  It actually makes me sad.  Nobody cares about the golf course, other people or the workers at the course.  Again, am I being overly sensitive and a full on boomer??
 

Two lines of thought... any type of practice green is there for everyone.  Because you are chipping or putting into a hole doesn't necessary mean it's your hole until you're done, we share.  At times, it's difficult because I only use 2 balls, NOT a bucket of crappy range balls.  When that's the case, you can be assured he's a hack around the green.  As for leaving stuff on the green, there's no laying claim to a hole.  I'd just remove it to the side of the green.  

 

Essentially, though, etiquette is lost on most younger generations.  Then there's the hell with passive aggressiveness hoping to send a signal.  Get in their face when they behave like youngsters with no manners; that they are NOT used to.

[Cliffy2020]

1). You chipped 2 balls before he  “started” chipping a whole bucket of balls.  So how many balls did he chip?  Not the whole bucket.  Maybe he was only going to chip 5 or 6 to that hole too and switch just as you were.  Grab your golf balls and move on if sharing a hole bothers you.

 

2). If training aids are left on the putting green for 30-45 minutes you could

     A). Easily gather them up and neatly set them aside

     B). Turn them into the clubhouse as “somebody forgot these out on the putting green”

     C). Use the stations until the guy comes back and exclaim “Wow, these are awesome!  Did you set this up?  Am I using it right?”

     D). Use the available 300*+ of putting space still available.

 

3). Is the bunker just unraked or destroyed?  If destroyed, how did the other guy hit 15 minutes of quality bunker shots?  Or did all those quality bunker shots “destroy” the bunker?  Just rake it before you use it and then set the example of raking it when you’re done.  Suggest to the clubhouse adding a small sign “Please rake after use.  Thank you.”

 

4). Please stop using “bruh” at all costs.

 

 

[david.c.w]

1 - YTA.   Get over yourself "bruh".

 

2 - NTA.  Nobody should "own" a spot.  (see #1)

 

3 - Meh.  Would it be nice for people to rake the bunker after it used?  Yes.  Do I expect it to be raked except first thing in the morning?  Absolutely not.

[straightshot7]

Personally I am all about being sort of low profile, quiet, extremely polite (sounds maybe like you are too) at the golf course and on the practice range.

 

So, I would have chipped to an open hole.

 

However, it's very possible that in this kid's mind he isn't doing anything wrong. He may not care at all if someone else hit to the hole he was using.

 

So it is a gray area. It is not a hill I would die on.

 

I would just say hmm okay, and probably leave and come back when the green is empty if I want more privacy.

 

Some of these kids are completely devoid of any thoughts in their heads of considering other people, though. It is annoying. But it is inevitable if you're "sharing a pool" with lots of different age groups/backgrounds.

[sharkiesj]

Thanks for all your response’s people.  Appreciate sharing your thoughts.  

[Lobby]

I practice chipping and putting with yellow golf balls. 
 

I feel I don’t own a practice area, therefore I make it easy separate my golf balls from theirs

[NJBigFish22]

Number 1 has happened to me and yes it is annoying, but I just move to a different hole, cause that could be a different type of practice shot. 
 

Number 2, if they had stations set up to every hole, I would remove, but if there are other holes open I would move to 1 of those. 
 

As for the bunker, currently the members bunkers are being redone so we will see if people rake or not when finished.  The public bunker (which ends today) that 1 is so bad a rake wouldn’t help, an excavator and dump truck load of sand might help.  
 

Some people are inconsiderate, does it annoy me yes, but I’m not going to get that upset, not worth the time or effort.  We play with a guy that is very inconsiderate, but he’s 90 years old and we ain’t changing him.

[Augster]

Nobody owns a hole on a practice green. WTH? It’s a practice green. “I own this hole the entire time I’m here.” Is so preposterous it’s laughable. 
 

Go inside to management and let them know someone was chipping to “your hole”. I’m sure they’ll take care of it. 
 

Raking practice green bunkers? Really? THEY DON’T EVEN PREPARE THEM IN THE MORNINGS. Come on man. 
 

Players leaving crap on putting greens is totally inconsiderate. Move their crap to the side if they leave. 

[bcjim]

Chipping greens are the worst. Do the people that show up with a bucket of range balls play with range balls?