Kicked off golf course today!!!!

[rehberg]

Dude you need to relax. Sometimes you are going to get behind some very slow play. Take it as a bad day and chill.

 

Look at it like this. Whick would you be more mad at:

 

Playing behind extremely slow play or

 

Someone hitting into you TWICE with their drive!

 

Come on man ........ why would you hit into them..... that's more of a d-bag move then them not letting you play through.

[goldwolf]

Sorry, but you NEVER intentionaly hit into someone. It all started with that. I can't stand it when people get so up tight about pace of play, if you have somewhere to be, go there. Did you ever think maybe these guys don't get to play that much golf and just wanted to enjoy it.

 

Your reaction tells me this isn't the first time you've been bent qnou pace of play, and have unrealistic expectations ofnhow fast a round should be played in

 

 

You kindly (I assume) asked to play through which should have been the end of it, it is wrong for them to decline if they are holding you up all the time, you are allowed to look for a ball for 5 minutes maximum. Sounds to me as if they marshal should have spoke to the guys in front of you rather than you.

 

......and you should never have been put in a 5 ball! (but I dread to think how long you would have been waiting as a 3 ball!).

 

 

Woops, missed the bit when you said you hit into them when they were 150 ahead, that is a definite no, no I'm afraid. As said, you should never intentionally hit into a group, no matter how slow - just alert a marshal.

[HoosierGolfer]

bbeard10, It is OK that we may disagree. I play golf almost every day and work at the course one day every month or two, whenever they are short handed such as this past holiday weekend.

 

On a busy holiday weekend, playing golf is a little like driving down a busy freeway at rush hour. If you are driving and the speed limit is say 70 mph and you decide to drive 80 mph, the cars you encounter driving the speedlimit should yield to you if you come up behind them, but they are not obligated to do so.

 

In golf, the 30 handicap has the same privilege as the scratch player to be on the course. However, the slower 30 HC player should at some point yield to the faster scratch player, if it is in fact clear ahead of him. If the slow player does not yield in a hole or two, then a call from the faster player or group to the club house is the right thing to do. Let the course workers come out and to watch the slow group and be the one to tell them to allow the group behind to pass, if they do not do it themselves in good time.

 

Playing golf is not a right but a privilege. Just because the slow group may be breaking etiquette, it does not give you the right to do the same by going forward and having a exchange with the group. These encounters quickly go south and in many cases the faster group is going to get pissed just going up ahead and making a scene.

 

In many cases, the slow group does not do the right thing and let the group behind pass. The faster group then gets pissed, goes forward and makes a scene, and in some cases then finds themselves being the one shown the door for making a scene.

 

If you make a tee time on a holiday weekend in particular, you had better be prepared to wait. This is true at times on any weekend when the course is full. Again, it is a lot like driving down the freeway. Patience is key. If you lack any, you may want to make your tee time later in the day when the course is less busy.

 

Slow play is the cancer of golf. I have been a victom as many times as the next guy having now played for over thirty years. With that said, taking on the slow group or hitting into them is never the correct course of action. A phone call is the best thing. If you don't get satisfaction then, find another place to play. It is as simple as that. My course has signs at several tees and in the carts that tell you that you should not fall behind the group ahead. If you do, allow the group behind to play thru. If they don't do so, call the pro shop.

[mshills]

Hitting into someone by mistake is bad. It's incredibly embarrassing, but it does happen, and it happens to everyone.

 

Hitting into someone on purpose is worse, and is never, ever acceptable. It does not matter if the group in front of you decides to stop, light cigars, and turn on some music in the middle of the fairway - you can't hit into them, period.

 

That said, if I were the OP I would not return to that course. It's not like the golf industry is thriving right now, so there should be plenty of other places to play that aren't mis-managed. It makes no sense to send morning players off #10 and then make them wait at the turn for players on #1, that is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard of.

 

Furthermore, you'd never catch me playing a course that allowed or even encouraged a five-some. Forget it, I'd find somewhere else to play.

[marrigo]

Didn't anyone in your group have the pro shops phone number and a cell phone? Perhaps a call in to complain about the slow group refusing to let you play through would have resulted in a better outcome? I would assume that they would come out a set the group in front of your straight (although since they were letting groups out in front you maybe that's not a good assumption). Hindsight is 20/20 of course.

[krustyburger]

That sucks. I had an incident just yesterday at the course too. A twosome was about 330+ yards ahead, so I hit my drive out about 270. The guy thought it was too close and I was hitting into them and he got all upset about it pretty much overreacting and started to threaten to get me kicked off the course. I just apologized. I'll be sure and wait now till the group is at least up on the green. First incident I've had in two years or so of playing.

 

I figure if you play golf, it's inevitable that you'll be involved in some sticky situation at some point or another. It always puts a damper on the day. I guess if harry situations happen regularly then it might be time to have a look in the mirror. But one every few years or so is probably common, unfortunately.

 

Not to bash you or anything, but that sort of thing bothers me almost as much as actually being hit into. I can't begin to count how many times I've heard a thud in my backswing and damn near had a heartattack thinking the thing would hit me. Just my 2 cents.

 

So if you're 330 yards out, I'm not supposed to tee off because the sound of my drive landing 60 yards behind you sends you into a tizzy? If it's a 330 yard hole, am I supposed to wait until you clear the green before I tee off, even if I have no chance of reaching the green?

 

Sorry, but that's just ridiculous, and the previous poster is correct. You need to man up.

[857 Pro-Ti]

The best thing to do in a situation like this is: Drive past them to the next hole because obviously they are holding up the course and there should be a gap between them and the next group. If they say something to you as you drive by tell them to get a clue :cheesy:

[markheardjr]

I'd probably do the same thing as you, but then again, I'm a hot head, especially with annoying people. Probably the best thing to do would be just skip the entire hole and blow past em. Chalk down 5 par's for everyone and move on. Just make sure you play faster, which it sounds like you have no problem.

 

The last time I almost got in a fight was when a group of slower players skipped my group and went to the next tee...While we were finishing up putting, and they skipped to a Par3. They were slow, some played tow tee shots. We had some words for them (actually my more calm playing partners, not me.) They proceeded to hit some practice chips and putts. That blew us up. Get the F* out of the way, What the F* are you doing? F* you, No F* you, no you're a D-bag, get the F* out of the way, back and forth blah blah blah. I am thuroughly enjoying the banter and the effot my friends are putting into it, so I just remained mostly silent for this one....

 

Finally the head ****** puts his hands up and offers and invitation to a fight. In my foursome I had a marine, two 6'3" 225+lbs guys, and a martial arts dude in my group. They were a bunch of Orange County momma's boys wanna-be punk rockers covered in Nordstrom's prep gear. Lucky for them, they moved on quickly, the course layout did not have us crossing paths and they were nowhere to be seen in the parking lot. It was very close to a brawl. The martial did come over, but he didn't do anything. He just apologized for getting slowed down and said he'd tell them they aren't allowed to do that. He drove off the opposite direction and never said anything.

[Grogger31]

Skipping ahead of them assumes they have at least one open whole in front of them ... which seems to be an awfully big assumption in this case.

[highergr0und]

The way I see it, you got an extra few holes in. I think you should have gotten kicked off for purposely teeing off when the group was 150 out without being waived up. I would've called the clubhouse and had you tossed if I were in that group. There's no guarantee that you won't shank one 150 and right no matter how good you think you are. My next door neighbor's daughter once was standing about 150 out from someone who tried to hit over her group, and her jaw was shattered into 40 pieces. If I were a marshall, you would have been tossed with no credits and asked to not come back.

 

As for getting kicked, yelling obscenities probably should have just gotten you a reprimand, so I do think that reaction was a bit much. Maybe a different course of action with the marshall would've kept your round going. I do agree that the course totally dropped the ball. They were probably jamming groups in to make up for the lost revenue from the rain. I don't agree with those actions, but it really is what it is at that point and you teed off knowing what you were heading into. You then lost your composure.

[HoosierGolfer]

I'd probably do the same thing as you, but then again, I'm a hot head, especially with annoying people. Probably the best thing to do would be just skip the entire hole and blow past em. Chalk down 5 par's for everyone and move on. Just make sure you play faster, which it sounds like you have no problem.

 

The last time I almost got in a fight was when a group of slower players skipped my group and went to the next tee...While we were finishing up putting, and they skipped to a Par3. They were slow, some played tow tee shots. We had some words for them (actually my more calm playing partners, not me.) They proceeded to hit some practice chips and putts. That blew us up. Get the F* out of the way, What the F* are you doing? F* you, No F* you, no you're a D-bag, get the F* out of the way, back and forth blah blah blah. I am thuroughly enjoying the banter and the effot my friends are putting into it, so I just remained mostly silent for this one....

 

Finally the head ****** puts his hands up and offers and invitation to a fight. In my foursome I had a marine, two 6'3" 225+lbs guys, and a martial arts dude in my group. They were a bunch of Orange County momma's boys wanna-be punk rockers covered in Nordstrom's prep gear. Lucky for them, they moved on quickly, the course layout did not have us crossing paths and they were nowhere to be seen in the parking lot. It was very close to a brawl. The martial did come over, but he didn't do anything. He just apologized for getting slowed down and said he'd tell them they aren't allowed to do that. He drove off the opposite direction and never said anything.

 

This is a great post. Very insightful and it really added a special touch to the discussion. This post points out the very reason why skipping ahead without permission is another bad idea. Great way to spend a quiet afternoon on the course.

That third paragraph is classic!

[Stenson]

I'm trying to sell my idea to some billionaires..

 

A golf course for people with an 18 H/cap or lower. Oh how we'd never have this problem.

 

In all seriousness, it actually bugs me when you play these courses over here like The Grove and Wentworth and you're stuck behind a group of millionaires who thought it'd be fun to try golf for the first time on one of the best courses in the country.

[mshills]

There's simply no correlation between ability and pace of play. No reason a 100 shooter can't play ready golf and get around in the same amount of time as a 75 shooter without anyone feeling rushed or uncomfortable.

 

This isn't "speed golf." A 3h 15 minute pace for a foursome to play 18 holes is not a reasonable, comfortable pace, but there's also no reason for the 4h 40 minute pace on most golf courses.

[Hidalgo]

OK...I sympathize with your position. I just HATE to wait on a slower group. And they should have had they common courtesy to let you play through.

 

BUT.......

 

You had ABSOLUTELY no business hitting through their group even though they were looking for a ball. No IFS, ANDS, or BUTS. If you had done that to me I would have picked up your ball also......and you would NOT have gotten it back. And take my cart keys? Friend, you just opened up a whole can of crap that you aren't prepared to handle. :angry: :aggressive:

 

I'm not a mean person, and I try my best to stay calm if at all possible. But you were dead wrong hitting your tee shot through their group.

 

Like was said above, either call for assistance or grit your teeth and bear the delay.

[kal32473]

while i can understand your frustration, you should not have teed off while they were in the woods looking for their ball...

 

you started the animocity, and only continued it by stooping to his level and taking his cart key...

 

frankly you are looking to blame this on someone else, when you clearly have noone to blame but yourself...

 

the fact that they let a 5-some go out at a semi private club, tells you what kind of place it really is...

 

 

So, asking a slower group to allow my group to play thru is starting animocity? I am not tracking that at all.

 

Asking to play through isn't starting anything, but hitting into the group in front of you definitely is. I know you didn't hit any tee shots near them, but what if you did? What if, in your blind rage, you hit a low line drive that caught one of those guys in the side of the head? Would it have been worth the lawsuit/jail time you would've faced? You had a right to be upset but you handled the whole thing horrendously. Next time call the pro shop and/or the starter. Let them handle it.

[FlorentinePogen]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuT12_bPla8...feature=related

 

:hunter:

[BlackDiamondPar5]

jotay21,

No doubt frustrating at the time, but look at the great golf story you can talk about for years... for decades. :D

 

In hindsight, you probably know by now you could have dealt with this in a better way and probably will next time.

 

The bottom line is that this situation started because of incompetent rangers and starters. Slow play is the bane of the game and most golf courses need to do more about it. Good golfers, bad golfers whether walking or riding can play quickly if they play ready golf. And quickly doesn't mean rushing, it just means ready to hit the ball when it's your turn. Problem is too many people don't play ready golf or don't care, and they act like they own the course no matter how many people are backed up behind them. I've called the club house numerous times because of slow play and would encourage you to do the same. Nothing will change until enough customers start pounding on golf courses to do more about slow play.

 

I'd be curious to know what others think the right pace of play is. FWIW my definition is not necessarily bound by the clock, because if you can play faster you should when others are behind you. If there are groups constantly waiting behind you, and no one is in front of you, then you are playing too slow, even if you're on pace for a 4 hour round.

[MattCarter]

Sounds like someone needed a face-punching...seriously though you got hosed. I would have lost it.

[stevestrike]

What a bad post! Where to begin...

 

In the Rules of Golf slow play will cause you to be stroked and in match play cause the loss of a hole.

Right, and who calls the penalty? Not the group behind them, and not by hitting into them

 

At my course, the rules state to "Yield to quicker golfers"

He wasn't at your course

 

And also, calling the pro shop first seems to be the "tattletale" route. Remember that kid everybody hated in Middle School that would run to the teacher over everything, rather than discuss things like gentleman? You should definitely try to talk things out first before running to mommy.

Yeah, we're not in grade school anymore, this is real life and he DID ask to play through and was denied.

 

I think the real issue here is what is the right thing to do about slow play, and how to deal with it on the course. Ideally everyone would follow etiquette and allow faster groups to play through. If not, the marshal should get involved. If that doesn't work, I think you'll just have to deal with it or go home (or skip a hole!). But hitting over/past another group intentionally is a big no-no.

[tariq]

its the starter's fault...

he should have realized the 3some...whom took 6 to get pass the ladies tees...told them if they are continuously looking for balls and slowing the pace of play...to let people play thru

its the starters fault...

he should not let you be a 5some...cos 3some in front will do their maths and say "we will be fatser then a 5some, if they get in front of us, we have to wait forever"

[wolfpackblack]

When they didn't allow you to play through, they created a problem. Frankly, if you can't play well, don't play the tips and don't play on a holiday. No one held a gun to their head and made them pick this weekend.

 

And I do not agree that you should have to call the clubhouse to notify them of a problem. If they pay people to keep pace and enforce club policy, the person supervising the course should have been aware enough to dock the problem before it started.

[kal32473]

"No one held a gun to their head and made them pick this weekend."

 

Same things applies to the OP, does it not?

 

And as far as you not agreeing about calling the pro shop, you realize that the starter, as awful as he may be, could be on an opposite corner of the course and not know what's going on. Calling the shop so they can notify the starter is a no-brainer. It also gets the Pro involved and you have now escalated the situation to the point where those in charge of the starter are aware as well. I realize for the most part, when people are on a golf course, common sense gets thrown out the window. After the OP was denied access to playing through, if he had called the shop or called the starter over if he was in the area, all of this would've been avoided. It's pretty simple really.

[mikey634w]

Taking that guys key for bargaining purposes was awesome. I can picture the guys in front of you and I'll be honest, I don't like them.

[BogeysBGone]

Taking that guys key for bargaining purposes was awesome. I can picture the guys in front of you and I'll be honest, I don't like them.

 

 

You must be a young man...but encouraging such behavior of the OP could get him killed. In states that allow concealed carry weapons - based on what the OP has stated, the driver would have been justified in many states to shoot the OP dead.

 

Real "awesome" dude. :clapping:

[Johwak121]

this story reminds me of a time last summer i was out playing a quick 9 with a buddy of mine (hes not very good) about the same skill level as the guys who were playing ahead of you. So im sitting in the cart right next to the tee box. My buddy goes to tee off and i get a feeling that something is not going to go right. I duck my head into my armpit a little just as he is teeing off and he slices the ball right THRU the golf cart (inbetween the seat and roof) inches above my head...man was i lucky i dipped my head!

[larrybud]

While it's a PITA to wait, you have absolutely no right to hit a ball with players 150 yards in front of you, regardless of the fact that they're off in the woods.

 

I also think it's crap that they put you off on 10 and had no provision to fit you in when you made your turn.

[Pepperturbo]

:D I have a few thoughts regarding behavior. I am not telling anyone how to behave. Just to say some people are pretty lucky...

 

I agree, the course starter caused the problem; but if I understood the OP correctly he and his buddies helped cause their frustration by not checking in with the starter on 1 before heading off the get some food, so they ended up in line. Then lack of self-control got the better of the OP after the group in front said the OP’s group can’t play through. From then on something tells me the OP was looking for a confrontation of sorts even though it sounded like there was no where to go anyways.

 

Problem with that is had that been me up front the result might have been worse. Setting aside I’d never pickup another persons ball, anybody hits into me, threatening the safety of my wife or me and calls me names thinking he’s going to intimidate me will likely face a consequence that gets both of us throw off the course. Difference being I would be walking while the youthful ill-mannered person would be hobbling if I am in a good mood. Some golfers have skills beyond golf, and age doesn’t mean we don’t keep them sharp.

 

It doesn’t matter how good of a golfer someone is or isn’t, everyone has a right to play a nice game of golf. I get their pace contributed to attitude, and it would have bothered me as well; but still that’s no excuse for the OP’s behavior. I’ve come upon hacks that are playing from the tips as well and the only thing I do is be patient and polite, especially if the field is full; and based “only” upon how the OP described the line on 1, it was probably full. Where the OP and I differ is carrying an etiquette book doesn't make him fluent in etiquette and throwing it exhibts my point. We’re responsible for our own behavior no one else’s.

[jacksonlui]

shouldn't have hit into them knowing that they were still looking for their ball.

even a good golfer can hit a stray shot and even a bad golfer can be accurate enough to knock someone out.

hitting into someone knowing that they were there was wrong and there's no excuse for that.

either way, you would have to have waited till they cleared the green, there's no point.

sounded like that guy was a moron, but that's still no excuse for hitting into them. he shouldn't have touched your ball.

 

do what I do..call the pro shop and say I want a raincheck for 9 holes for their inability to start properly. they are usually pretty good about it.

[Hathstauwk]

I had a scenario last week with my girlfriend. She had just finished a week of golf lessons and a top golf school that was at a facility with a 9 hole course attached to it where they often take beginners out to get their 'card' after their lessons ()was in South of France and they require a card to be allowed to play a course) so they regualrly get beginners on there.

 

My girlfriend and I were playing 9 holes together (jsut the two of us) the day after the got her 'card' and is her first round ever on a course (the 'card' was based upon playing 3 holes only). We played a scramble format so she was obviously not hitting every shot of her own. Ok, she was a little slow with her pre-shot routine and she acknowledged that and is worknig to change it. At about hole #5, a lady comes up behind us. We are obviously slower than her (a 2some always slower than a single) so we offer to let her play through and she signals "no thank you, go ahead and keep playing". So we do. On the next tee, after I hit from teh men's tee and come up to teh women's tee, we see the lady approaching the tee box so we again offer to let her play through and she says no, because there is just another group behind her anyway (not sure how this made sense as if we were still slow, we let them through as well). My girlfriend explained that this is her first time playing a round on a course and the other lady has some critical type of sigh and comment (was in French and I am not fluent. Then the lady said, in very nasty tone of voice "you just have to play faster and it will not be an issue".....what a nasty thing to say to a beginner. If it is that much of an issue, then accept the offer (made twice) to play through!! We are 2, she is 1 person!!

 

Oh well.

 

The wors part is that it upset my girlfriend and she was thinking about that and not her shots. It is ahrd enough on your first round EVER, never mind having that on your mind.

[Hidalgo]

Moral of your story ( and several others on here)..............

 

No matter where you,

Or what you do,

If you get out in public,

There's always an a****** that will try their best to screw up your day.

 

My MO when stuff like happens: Jump on them with both feet. They'll think twice before they do it again. Scenarios like yours are in all reality a form of intimidation. They "think" that they will get by with their attitudes. I simply will NOT be intimidated. No way...no how.