A golfer devoid of etiquette

[Boomermike]

Should it bother me?

A buddy of mine who I play with regularly will sometimes bring along a friend of his to play in our foursome if we have a spot open, and this is what we can expect from this fellow EVERY time he plays:

1) He shows up at the course wearing blue jeans and loafers with no socks (it's a muni with a loose dress code, but still...)

2) He starts on the first tee by saying "one mulligan per nine, right?" And he takes them.

3) Any ball that is behind a tree, he kicks out without taking a penalty stroke.

4) For his second shot on any par-5, he builds a little dirt-mound tee on the fairway and places his ball on top of it so he can hit driver off the deck. Of course, he takes no penalty strokes when doing this.

5) Any time we're near any water (it's all spring-fed and cyrstal clear on our course), he pulls out his telescoping ball-retriever and goes ball-fishing, no matter how disruptive it is to our pace of play, or the group behind us.

6) He marks his ball on the green with a Bowie knife. I'm not making this up. He pulls a huge jacknife out of his pocket and sticks it in the green to mark his ball. "Great idea...we'll never hit that thing with our putts, dude!"

I told my buddy recently that if this character is invited to play again in the future, count me out. Maybe I'm letting him bother me too much, but I don't enjoy the round as much when somebody in my group egregiously spits in the face of the game's rules and etiquette. I said to him once, "If you're going to take a mulligan per nine and move your ball without penalty strokes, then keep your score on a separate card from the rest of us, because you're not playing the same game we are." He told me I take golf too seriously and need to learn to "just have fun" out on the course.

Anybody else find themselves in a foursome with a similar character? How did you handle it?

[StephenB]

The first 3 just depend on who/where you are playing. I definitely take days like that where I try and make it easy on myself.

5 & 6 on the other hand I can see being fairly frustrating.

[TMfan54]

no one in my groups act like that but i agree with you. i would be too embarrassed by him to play with him.

[sheldonjhacker]

I would never play with that guy again. you look forward all week to play golf...and then have to spend 5 hours with a horse's a**? life is too short.

[foster_justin]

I've seen some weird stuff on the course before...but never a bowie knife as a ballmarker, that's wild.

[hawaiiandude]

I could see how he would bother you and nobody should question you if you decide never to play with him again. If he bothers you - get rid of him!

As for me, so long as he was otherwise pleasant to be around, I wouldn't care about stuff unless it affected my game.

For example, the fact that he takes mulligans, moves his ball, goes ball hawking and dresses like a baffoon wouldn't bother me because it doesn't affect me directly. If his antics slowed up play then it would be affecting me and I'd leave him behind or tell him to knock it off.

However, marking his ball with a bowie knife would piss me off if I could see it in my field of view or line of sight. I would definitely ask him to use a proper ball mark.

We used to have a guy we played with on occassion that never marked his ball without being told and didn't putt out even at two feet because he doesn't take gimmes. You often end up putting while his ball is by the hole or in view (my pet peeve). I refuse to play with him anymore as well.

[highergr0und]

For number 1, it's weird but whatever. Numbers 2-4..... fine if you're not playing for money. Number 5 is stupid. When I play with guys that like to go on ball hunting missions, the first time they go looking I tell them I have a few balls they can use if they run out. They usually get the hint and I think I've only ever given out a few balls. For number 6, he's messing up the green. Just tell him to put the knife away and toss him a quarter to mark his ball with.

[bobmarley]

Nothing wrong with 2 and 3 if you are playing with friends for fun. (i.e. no money)

[KickaPoo]

#4 and #6 are freaking hilarious!

[snyper1d]

[quote name='Boomermike' date='24 May 2010 - 03:26 PM' timestamp='1274732762' post='2464239']
A buddy of mine who I play with regularly will sometimes bring along a friend of his to play in our foursome if we have a spot open, and this is what we can expect from this fellow EVERY time he plays:

1) He shows up at the course wearing blue jeans and loafers with no socks (it's a muni with a loose dress code, but still...)

2) He starts on the first tee by saying "one mulligan per nine, right?" And he takes them.

3) Any ball that is behind a tree, he kicks out without taking a penalty stroke.

4) For his second shot on any par-5, he builds a little dirt-mound tee on the fairway and places his ball on top of it so he can hit driver off the deck. Of course, he takes no penalty strokes when doing this.

5) Any time we're near any water (it's all spring-fed and cyrstal clear on our course), he pulls out his telescoping ball-retriever and goes ball-fishing, no matter how disruptive it is to our pace of play, or the group behind us.

6) He marks his ball on the green with a Bowie knife. I'm not making this up. He pulls a huge jacknife out of his pocket and sticks it in the green to mark his ball. "Great idea...we'll never hit that thing with our putts, dude!"

I told my buddy recently that if this character is invited to play again in the future, count me out. Maybe I'm letting him bother me too much, but I don't enjoy the round as much when somebody in my group egregiously spits in the face of the game's rules and etiquette. I said to him once, "If you're going to take a mulligan per nine and move your ball without penalty strokes, then keep your score on a separate card from the rest of us, because you're not playing the same game we are." He told me I take golf too seriously and need to learn to "just have fun" out on the course.

Anybody else find themselves in a foursome with a similar character? How did you handle it?


[/quote]


Here's how I see it for a casual game (no money on the line)-

1) Not a huge deal, doesn't bother me
2) Ok to do sometimes. Every once in a while I will hit another ball (if it doesn't affect the pace of play), normally playing the first ball I hit.
3) If it's on rocks (bad soil up here), or a piss-poor lie, the guys I play with and myself included will play it up to not damage our clubs.
4) If he's just wanting to go for it in 2 with his driver, offer him a tee and tell him it's the same thing he is doing. I would bet that he will start playing the 5's differently.
5) If it slows the pace of play, then continue to walk on and not wait for him. When he sees you guys pulling the pin and putting out, he will hurry up and put the retriever in the bag.
6) Throw him a quarter next time he is going to mark the ball, and tell him to use it. He'll get the picture when you call him out while he is doing it.

If he is unwilling to change his behavior, then I would not invite him in the round with the other guys.

[dirtytrees]

Once on the course we came across a bird with a sock stuck on his beak ( in FL so a big wading bird) I fought like hell trying to get that sock of him until the ranger came by and had a flip knife on him, cut the sock and boom on our way ( triple bogey the next hole mind you).
Since then i have carried a flip knife in my bag, I had no idea it can be used as a ball mark...priceless

[elunoputter]

[quote name='dirtytrees' date='24 May 2010 - 05:46 PM' timestamp='1274737584' post='2464407']
Once on the course we came across a bird with a sock stuck on his beak ( in FL so a big wading bird) I fought like hell trying to get that sock of him until the ranger came by and had a flip knife on him, cut the sock and boom on our way ( triple bogey the next hole mind you).
Since then i have carried a flip knife in my bag, I had no idea it can be used as a ball mark...priceless
[/quote]


I have my great grandfathers civil war sabre...If I knew I was playing with this guy, I would keep it in my golf bag and when he put down his bowie knife, I would pull that sucker out and say 'You think that's a knife? This is a knife and lay it down'.
that came from some movie but I can't remember what it was.

[KickaPoo]

Once on the course we came across a bird with a sock stuck on his beak ( in FL so a big wading bird) I fought like hell trying to get that sock of him until the ranger came by and had a flip knife on him, cut the sock and boom on our way ( triple bogey the next hole mind you).

Since then i have carried a flip knife in my bag, I had no idea it can be used as a ball mark...priceless

 

 

I have my great grandfathers civil war sabre...If I knew I was playing with this guy, I would keep it in my golf bag and when he put down his bowie knife, I would pull that sucker out and say 'You think that's a knife? This is a knife and lay it down'.

that came from some movie but I can't remember what it was.

 

take that thing to Pawn Stars!

[elunoputter]

Once on the course we came across a bird with a sock stuck on his beak ( in FL so a big wading bird) I fought like hell trying to get that sock of him until the ranger came by and had a flip knife on him, cut the sock and boom on our way ( triple bogey the next hole mind you).

Since then i have carried a flip knife in my bag, I had no idea it can be used as a ball mark...priceless

 

 

I have my great grandfathers civil war sabre...If I knew I was playing with this guy, I would keep it in my golf bag and when he put down his bowie knife, I would pull that sucker out and say 'You think that's a knife? This is a knife and lay it down'.

that came from some movie but I can't remember what it was.

 

take that thing to Pawn Stars!

 

no way...He was a captain in the new york milita...fought at gettysburg.....the thing is really heavy.

 

the movie was crocodile dundee when a mugger came with a switchblade in the park....and he pulled out his big knife.

[Bogie Hokie]

[quote name='elunoputter' date='24 May 2010 - 08:16 PM' timestamp='1274746607' post='2464679']
[quote name='dirtytrees' date='24 May 2010 - 05:46 PM' timestamp='1274737584' post='2464407']
Once on the course we came across a bird with a sock stuck on his beak ( in FL so a big wading bird) I fought like hell trying to get that sock of him until the ranger came by and had a flip knife on him, cut the sock and boom on our way ( triple bogey the next hole mind you).
Since then i have carried a flip knife in my bag, I had no idea it can be used as a ball mark...priceless
[/quote]


I have my great grandfathers civil war sabre...If I knew I was playing with this guy, I would keep it in my golf bag and when he put down his bowie knife, I would pull that sucker out and say 'You think that's a knife? This is a knife and lay it down'.
that came from some movie but I can't remember what it was.
[/quote]

Crocodile Dundee

[MtlJeff]

i wouldn't want to play with either of you to be honest

obviously some of his behavior is totally unacceptable for a golf course, anything that holds up play or damages the course is a major no-no. But if someone played in our group and made the comments you did they wouldn't be invited back either. There are golfers who play and keep a strict handicap and would probably commit suicide out of shame before improving their lie, and then there are those that play for fun and the desire to get out there and walk 18 holes and enjoy time with their friends. Either one is fine by me, but unless someone is cheating in a tournament (or to influence their handicap for competitive purposes) i really don't understand why people care so much. It's your right to play with whomever you choose but in a lot of groups making comments like refusing to keep someone's score might leave you as the odd one out.

I play a lot of pick-up basketball, it's not like 3 in the key or illegal screens get called much. Sometimes it's OK to play sports for fun and loosen the tie a bit

[JMBZL]

If everybody I play with agrees to one mully per 9 (or per 18) then it's fine. I don't take it even though there are times where I could use it. I do occasionally take an extra ball on the tee box but play my first ball unless I can't find it.

I don't think you're out of line for telling your buddy not to bring this guy to the course when you play. Hopefully he shapes up or you never play again. Either way would be good for you.

[RJRJRJ]

1-4: No big deal. He's only fooling himself when he adds up his score after the round. My problem is when somebody we're playing with does dumb stuff like that (when the rest of us arent) and then treats the scores like we're all equal. No, pal, we didnt shoot the same score as each other.

5: Wouldnt bother me unless it slowed up the pace.

6. Id tell him to put that back in his bag.

[Dizz]

Honestly, as long as the guy isn't playing for money or handicap purposes then I really wouldn't care. The last two are kinda weird. The beauty of playing a casual round of golf is you can pick who you want to play with. If you want to take the game seriously and play golf (by the rules) then find guys who share the same interest. I play with people I want to play with.

[Speedly]

[quote]1) He shows up at the course wearing blue jeans and loafers with no socks (it's a muni with a loose dress code, but still...)

2) He starts on the first tee by saying "one mulligan per nine, right?" And he takes them.

3) Any ball that is behind a tree, he kicks out without taking a penalty stroke.

4) For his second shot on any par-5, he builds a little dirt-mound tee on the fairway and places his ball on top of it so he can hit driver off the deck. Of course, he takes no penalty strokes when doing this.[/quote]
These do not (or at least, *should* not) affect how or when your club strikes your ball. While bad for his game, unless you're playing in some form of competition with him, I'm inclined to say "get over it." I use that phrase not to be degrading, but more so to illustrate how little it really should affect your game.

[quote]5) Any time we're near any water (it's all spring-fed and crystal clear on our course), he pulls out his telescoping ball-retriever and goes ball-fishing, no matter how disruptive it is to our pace of play, or the group behind us.[/quote]
If it's slowing you guys down for more than five seconds, then yeah, I'd say speak up.

[quote]6) He marks his ball on the green with a Bowie knife. I'm not making this up. He pulls a huge jacknife out of his pocket and sticks it in the green to mark his ball. "Great idea...we'll never hit that thing with our putts, dude!"[/quote]
Absolutely unacceptable. Greenskeepers work hard to keep the course in good shape. Huge knife gouges in the green, no matter how small the puncture may appear, can tear up the root structure around them and leave much larger patches of damage in its wake over the next few days. Also, who the hell brings a bowie knife to a golf course? Does he have it in case he steps in a gopher hole, breaks his ankle, and is forced to survive out on the golf course for the next three weeks?

I'd not play with him again for, mostly, the last reason. The others are, in my opinion, pretty minor.

[Boomermike]

Great responses by all.

MtlJeff: I've also played a lot of basketball (dad was a basketball coach - ate, breathed, and slept the game growing up, and just as passionate about it as golf). Since you think pickup hoops and a casual round of golf are comparable, try this the next time you're playing hoops: Add a point to your team's score after a missed shot, and when your opponents protest, say "Aw, come on guys...this isn't the NBA Finals...it's just a casual game...the ball hit the rim and almost went in...what difference does an unearned point or two make?"

You'd never dream of doing that on the basketball court, but it's 100%, completely, thoroughly, and factually IDENTICAL to taking mulligans and ignoring penalty strokes on the golf course while keeping your score on the same card with guys who play by the rules. I challenge anybody to tell me the difference. An illegitimate score is an illegitimate score, regardless the sport. Black and white, cut and dry, no gray area.

JMBZL: You touch on a great point - fine for guys to bend the rules if it helps them enjoy the game more, but don't compare that score to guys who follow the rules. Here's my thing with taking a mully per nine: What if, at the end of the day, the scorecard adds up to the best round I've ever shot? I can take no satisfaction in claiming that number knowing it was a b.s. score from a round in which the rules weren't followed. I mean...when I break 80 for the first time, I want it to be legit, not with mulligans. Never know when the stars will be alligned, my swing & ballstriking will be at their best, the putts that usually rim out roll in instead, and that magical day will happen. Wouldn't it be a shame to waste a day like that on an illegitimate score?

No doubt I'm giving the appearance of being "uptight" with this thread, but I'm really a pretty relaxed dude to spend four hours with & drink a few beers with on the course. It just doesn't sit well with me when guys play golf & don't respect the game.

[_MS22_]

I'd say don't play with the putz but then again I think we all know/play with someone who plays a few times a year that reminds us of this guy.

I have a guy who brings 3/4" GREEN tees in his left pocket -- for every shot he has on the fairway. The beautiful part is that he thinks everyone is totally oblivious to him doing this. The ball is clearly elevated about 1/6-1/4" and he thinks nobody notices. Some times you see the tee fly up in the air, yet he think he has everyone fooled.

He also brings a circular level for reading the greens which is amusing when he measures the break at 4 or 5 places and tries to play all of them . . .

What can you do, he does not effect our money matches and I only laugh at him cheating his way to a gracious 105 or so . . .

Your guy is priceless though. A Bowie knife . . . next time you should bring ninja stars and throw them into the green to mark your ball.

[nebatty]

[quote name='Boomermike' date='25 May 2010 - 08:12 AM' timestamp='1274793123' post='2465811']
Great responses by all.

MtlJeff: I've also played a lot of basketball (dad was a basketball coach - ate, breathed, and slept the game growing up, and just as passionate about it as golf). Since you think pickup hoops and a casual round of golf are comparable, try this the next time you're playing hoops: Add a point to your team's score after a missed shot, and when your opponents protest, say "Aw, come on guys...this isn't the NBA Finals...it's just a casual game...the ball hit the rim and almost went in...what difference does an unearned point or two make?"

You'd never dream of doing that on the basketball court, but it's 100%, completely, thoroughly, and factually IDENTICAL to taking mulligans and ignoring penalty strokes on the golf course while keeping your score on the same card with guys who play by the rules. I challenge anybody to tell me the difference. An illegitimate score is an illegitimate score, regardless the sport. Black and white, cut and dry, no gray area.

JMBZL: You touch on a great point - fine for guys to bend the rules if it helps them enjoy the game more, but don't compare that score to guys who follow the rules. Here's my thing with taking a mully per nine: What if, at the end of the day, the scorecard adds up to the best round I've ever shot? I can take no satisfaction in claiming that number knowing it was a b.s. score from a round in which the rules weren't followed. I mean...when I break 80 for the first time, I want it to be legit, not with mulligans. Never know when the stars will be alligned, my swing & ballstriking will be at their best, the putts that usually rim out roll in instead, and that magical day will happen. Wouldn't it be a shame to waste a day like that on an illegitimate score?

No doubt I'm giving the appearance of being "uptight" with this thread, but I'm really a pretty relaxed dude to spend four hours with & drink a few beers with on the course. It just doesn't sit well with me when guys play golf & don't respect the game.
[/quote]


So what this is really about is comparing scores. Is this guy claiming to beat you while he is not observing several rules? Or, do you just want the satisfaction of knowing his score should be 50 strokes higher than yours? Loosen up.

[swbyps]

I dont know man...For the sake of us all on WRX, you might need to play with this guy one or two more times. From the sound of it, you never know what antics this guy might pull next. Dude might show up in some cutoff jean shorts and a wife beater. He might hit it in the rough, take out that knife and shave down the grass around his ball. Do you know how much mileage we could get out of a threads like that. Come on now...take one for the team!

[Asleep]

I'll play with guys like that ..... [i][b]once[/b][/i].

[boo radley]

[quote name='Boomermike' date='25 May 2010 - 09:12 AM' timestamp='1274793123' post='2465811']
No doubt I'm giving the appearance of being "uptight" with this thread, but I'm really a pretty relaxed dude to spend four hours with & drink a few beers with on the course. It just doesn't sit well with me when guys play golf & don't respect the game.
[/quote]

I actually agree with you 100%.

Folks, such as the player you describe, do nothing but drag your own game down. Sure, they *shouldn't*, because after all you're playing (pick one: 'for fun, not money', 'the course', 'your own ball', etc.), but it's simply no fun playing with someone warping the rules to suit their own agenda, and showing blatant disrespect for the game, period.

[pet575]

Everyone gets something different out of the game. Who cares if the guy claims to be as good as everyone else on the scorecard if there is nothing at stake for winning or losing on the scorecard. He shoots an "82" and goes home happy and loving golf. You shoot your 82 by the rules and everyone else knows that guy's "82" isn't legit.

If you know the truth and everyone else knows the truth, then what is the big deal if no money/prizes are at stake. Live and let live.

As for the knife, that is freakin' ridiculous. Damaging to the turf.

[RedSide]

Im using the bowie knife next time I play...

[RJRJRJ]

[quote name='pet575' date='25 May 2010 - 10:50 AM' timestamp='1274813454' post='2466574']
Everyone gets something different out of the game. Who cares if the guy claims to be as good as everyone else on the scorecard if there is nothing at stake for winning or losing on the scorecard. He shoots an "82" and goes home happy and loving golf. You shoot your 82 by the rules and everyone else knows that guy's "82" isn't legit.

If you know the truth and everyone else knows the truth, then what is the big deal if no money/prizes are at stake. Live and let live.

[/quote]

I agree somewhat, but even though its rare that somebody shoots as bad a round as I do, its insulting for them to tell you how they eeked out the win on the 18th hole with their sweet put. More like they were out of contention after the first hole because of the eight penalty strokes they had to add.

[mwl111006]

The fact that the guy doesn't play by the rules of golf wouldn't bother me unless we were playing for money. If any of his other antics really slowed down play, that would bother me.