Annoying Cellphones and 9 Other Hang-Ups

[meroj]

Good article on golf course manners

Subject: Golf

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

April 21, 2008

On Par

Annoying Cellphones and 9 Other Hang-Ups
By BILL PENNINGTON

Are you the Annoying Guy in your weekend foursome?
What a silly question. If you were, you wouldn’t know it.
So let’s ask a few other questions: When you shank a shot, do you immediately pull another ball out of your pocket so you can shank another one? Do you take three, maybe four practice swings before every shot? Or, are you the one giving everyone else in the group unsolicited swing advice and golf lessons?
Aha, now you’re not so sure.
It is O.K., golf is a game of chivalry, and we are here to foster good social graces. Look, I have seen the Annoying Guy in the mirror more than once. So, as a public service, I propose the 10 Most Annoying Things People Do on the Golf Course.
10. They stand in another player’s line of sight and/or move when another player is hitting.
It’s pretty simple: stand where you can either see the chest or the back of the person hitting, preferably behind the player if on the tee. Anywhere else can be a distraction. And understand that it can be downright annoying if you choose this moment to fumble for a tee in your pocket or adjust your golf glove. Stand still, and unless a blimp is about to crash on the course, don’t move.
9. They play from the wrong tees, usually the back or championship tees.
New equipment technology has casual players thinking they can drive the ball 275 yards just because it happened once — on the range. Statistics show that the average golfer usually hits a driver less than 210 yards. Problem is, people don’t think they are average. So the tees that are farthest away, once actually reserved for championships, are jammed full of players insisting on “seeing the whole course.”
What this means is that they spend all day looking for sprayed drives farther from the green. And that often leads to more searching for second shots that end up in trouble around the green. This is apparently “the whole course” that is so important to see.
Golf is not a pie-eating contest. More is not better; it just makes you and everyone else take longer to play a round. If you’re playing from the blues or the tips, and you’re not consistently breaking 90 — be honest — move forward one set of tee boxes.
8. They act as if they were rules mavens.
There are a lot of rules in golf, and some people relish the intricacies and sleep with the rule book under their pillows. We need those people to settle arguments in the bar, but on the course, we don’t need anyone loudly and officiously castigating some novice player for innocently breaking Rule 18-2, because the player’s ball moved slightly after a practice swing.
I understand that the rules are essential and that no one likes people who blatantly ignore them (more on that later), but it’s also true that some people are just learning or are playing a friendly round. A quiet conversation later about some rules would suffice.
7. They make excuses after bad shots.
Golf is a fickle game. Unfair things happen out there. But it is better to take it in silence. I have done the opposite, and I swear that if you whine, the golf gods will make it worse.
6. They are oblivious, walking through the rough yelling, “Hey, did you see my ball?” just as someone else in the foursome is preparing to hit.
It is better to know what is going on around you and respect your surroundings. Don’t just pull the cigar out of your mouth and scream, “Found it!”
Even if your foursome isn’t bothered, someone on an adjacent tee might be.
5. They anoint themselves the golf instructor for the group.
People giving unsolicited lessons are just trying to help. But when someone has messed up a shot for all the world to see, trust me, a golf tutorial at that very moment is not a salve for the situation.
A nice smile aimed their way sometimes helps. Maybe add, “Crazy game, isn’t it?” Besides, giving advice on the golf course, according to the rule book, can be a two-stroke penalty. Not that I’m a rules maven.
4. They cheat.
We’ve all seen it. They roll their ball over to a better lie in the fairway (who cares if winter rules expired months ago). They roll their ball over to a better lie in the rough. Shoot, they think no one is looking as they kick their ball out from under the trees.
They also decline to putt out 3-footers, calling them all gimmes.
Who cares? Well, maybe nobody. But taking unashamed, unfair advantages cheapens the whole experience.
3. They take too many practice swings.
I know you’ve seen Tiger Woods take four or five practice swings on the 18th tee of a big tournament. Or maybe you just took a lesson, and you’re working on something. But the rest of us had hopes of getting to our cars before Jay Leno starts his monologue. Take one practice swing, at most. Chances are, you will play better.
2. They brag about their equipment.
If you are an 18 handicap but you genuinely feel you must play with blade irons or that you swing too hard to use those “too soft” graphite shafts, there’s no rule against such illusions. But the rest of us don’t have to be introduced to your dream world.
1. They use their cellphones.
This is, without question, the most annoying, irritating thing of all and the unquestioned scourge of the golf course. Turn them off, and if you must check into the digital world, be discreet and tactful. Turning your back to the green as you talk doesn’t qualify. It just makes everyone make faces behind your back.
Well, there you have it. Doubtlessly, I have left out some popular misbehavior. But golf being a game of decorum, I didn’t want to seem judgmental.
Because that is really annoying.

[Lefty44]

They brag about their equipment.

 

Wrong site to post this on! :wacko:

[thenewbie]

the equipment part definetly doesn't apply around here. I used to think that everyone was like me, and took all of their golfing enjoyment from lowering they're score. But I've learned that some guys take their enjoyment from finding, buying, and collecting good equipment. If I play with an 18 HC who wants to show off his brand new redwood or scotty, then I'm happy to give him the enjoyment he gets from my taking a look. But the blade question is a tough one. if you want a set of beutiful blades, then for god sakes buy some. But get ready for people to be unhappy when your having an off day and can't even get the beuty's airborn.

 

same goes for the guys who improve their lie. I played with a 3-some once who were quite surprised that I played every shot as it lied. almost every shot they hit was off an improved lie, and THANK GOD for it. . .it would have taken all day to finish if they hadn't.

 

in the end, they had more fun playing that way. . .and that really is the point.

[xxio]

During monthly tournaments we have a condition of play that it is a 2 stroke penalty if your phone rings out loud. Lots of phone on silent.

 

I've never actually written the USGA to ask if that can be imposed as a condition of play, but it helps so I don't want to find out that it is not allowed.

[Baycal92510]

I agree with most of the list. Except the practice swing thing. I am definitly a feel player and I like to take 3 to 4 before every shot. Granted I usually do this while others are playing there's, providing i'm out of thier sight range. There is nothing wrong with that. Much better than taking a mulligan.

[mozgolf]

I try not to let these things bother me- if you run around with a checklist that long in your head, nearly every round will be an exercise in frustration.

 

So what if they have new gear or are a 20 h/cap with $10, 000k or tour only gear, i'm happy as hell to take their money with my $1k worth of largely second hand GI sticks.

 

I dont care about cellphones- sometimes they are the difference between being able to play of not; and one of the lads having to deal with a call or two on the course beats him sitting in the office waiting for that one 2 min call. I'd rather have a mates company than worry about a call or two.

 

Practice swings are OK if its done in a timely fashion, ie. while you are waiting for some one to play on the other side of the fairway- ready golf ,as longer as your ready to hit when its your turn sort of deal.

 

If a social group playing for beers agrees on a Mulligan a 9 or 18 before the round so what?- if its not in a comp. Same for rehitting a poor shot, but continuing to play the original, if the course is clear/ it doesnt slow up play

 

The instructor is one I really dont like and normally give a short shift, or those that cant count.

[larrybud]

During monthly tournaments we have a condition of play that it is a 2 stroke penalty if your phone rings out loud. Lots of phone on silent.

 

I've never actually written the USGA to ask if that can be imposed as a condition of play, but it helps so I don't want to find out that it is not allowed.

The GAM (Golf Assoc of Michigan) will DQ you if you 1) use a cell phone during the round or 2) your cell phone rings or vibrates during the round.

[QuadrupleEagleDuffer]

People taking improved lies too far can be quite amusing.

 

One time last summer, a buddy and I came to the 5th tee, and saw a guy walking up to his errant tee shot that had landed in the rough near the 5th tee box from the 8th tee. For a ball in the rough, it was almost a perfect lie ... sitting up pretty as if on a tee. Being polite golfers, we waited near the cart about 10 yds away for him to hit his shot. Well, he wasn't happy with his lie apparently because he began to roll the ball around with his club. Then he addressed the ball, was about to hit, and then apparently decided the lie still wasn't quite perfect enough, and rolled the ball around again. He addressed the ball again, was about to swing, and then stopped, picked up the ball, and placed it high on a tuft of grass before finally hitting the ball.

 

Some people just can't resist improving their lie any way they can. I've played with people that have a perfect lie in the fairway, but still have to roll the ball around with their club. Some take offense to this, but honestly, I don't care, and it cracks me up.

[Big D McGee]

Only quibble I have is about turning your cell phone off. I agree that using a cell phone on the course poor etiquette. However, if you have kids, you've gotta keep your cell phone on, period. When my son broke his leg last year I was 8 holes into a round. If I hadn't had my cell phone on (vibrate, of course), he would've sat in daycare with a broken femur for a hour while my wife struggled through traffic to pick him up. I was 10 minutes away.

 

But yeah, everything else is spot on!

[blade_man]

Some people just can't resist improving their lie any way they can. I've played with people that have a perfect lie in the fairway, but still have to roll the ball around with their club

 

This is my BIL (brother in law)! You work hard to get the ball in the fairway, so when he does, he looks, he rolls and then he hits! Drives me crazy, what can I say he is 71 now and can still blow it by most golfers and can shoot in the low 80's from the back tees! If he would just stop rolling the ball ;) As a PS to this he still hits his tee shot over 250 yards! (measured with a GPS!) for all you doubters.