Bad Experience at PGA West Stadium Course

[Pepperturbo]

[quote name='Sean2' timestamp='1370917730' post='7210852']
It's too bad golf has sunk to this level. People getting clubs stolen in front of club houses, leaving wedges on the course and not being turned in, sandbaggers, accusations like the above. We talk about the integrity of the game, but where has it gone?

Not much set's me off, but having my integrity or honor questioned is one.

In any case, don't golf courses have insurance for this kind of thing? And, how would one break one of those screens? Aren't they mounted fairly high up in the center of the cart?
[/quote]

We had a few broken my old club. People either are frustrated with the unit not responding in the manner they expect, or operator challenged, so they hit it. The only other way, least that I am aware of, for the screen to be cracked is torquing the unit by driving the cart up a tree, through deep holes or over curbs fast (which I've seen done). The screens are not damage proof, and not much different than a computer screen. And, yes, courses have insurance, but like you and me, they have deductibles, only much higher.

[Jack Pearsall]

JP PLAYED IT ONCE. WINDY!!!!!!!

[Pepperturbo]

Tell JP, most of the time, it's not windy in La Quinta.

[Skaffa77]

[quote name='Sawgrass' timestamp='1370624751' post='7190010']
I feel compelled to make a few comments.

I always check a rental car for damage before I drive away in it.

I've never gone to that effort with a golf cart, and I've never even seen anybody else do it. I certainly could have missed noting someone else doing it, but IMO it is not a common thing to do.

I've been playing golf for more than 50 years, and I've never even heard of anyone being falsely accused of damaging a cart. Thanks to the OP, I will now give this some consideration, particularly with a sophisticated cart.

How the hell do you break the screen on a cart-based GPS anyway? And do so by the second hole? Seems very odd that the OP could have done that, and as he says, odd that he would report it if he did do it, if it was his intention to avoid responsibility.

I think it's the OP's right to suggest that people not go anywhere he feels he was mistreated -- as long as he's telling the truth. And I think it's every one of his reader's rights -- in fact our obligation -- to take what he says with a grain of salt, understanding that the whole truth may be something different than that which we were presented.

I don't know the OP. Can't tell you whether he's honest or not about this. But why would he post a lie? If he was guilty and got caught, and had to pay his greens fee, would he really come on this forum to discuss it? Possible, but doesn't seem very likely to me.
[/quote]

Sawgrass...you captured everything I was thinking. Absolutely spot on...

[Jordews]

We did ask to see the surveillance video and of course he refused. At this point he was basically not talking to us any more. He just kept referring us to the loss prevention department and telling us to leave or we would be escorted off.

[trojangolfer]

[quote name='Jordews' timestamp='1371100959' post='7228534']
We did ask to see the surveillance video and of course he refused. At this point he was basically not talking to us any more. He just kept referring us to the loss prevention department and telling us to leave or we would be escorted off.
[/quote]

His refusal to show you the video he supposedly had tells me everything. Hopefully his superiors give him a lesson in customer service after this incident.

[idriveahonda]

If someone asks me to leave the golf course in this situation; I walk into the clubhouse and ask for a Manager/VP/President/Resort Manager/General Manager, or anyone higher than the individual who was spoken to. As one person previously said, how dare MF question your integrity unless he had 100% certainty (he or a camera witnessed the damage).

This isn't like slow play on the golf course, where you get warned and are then asked to leave. They are basically accusing you of a criminal act. Ask them to call the police, as they have no proof of a criminal act, and you have done nothing in order to be escorted from the property.

I was a professional at Kingsmill Resort, and there are always policies to prevent this. If we had an angry customer, and I was unable to manage the situation, I tried to politely ask them to wait while I found a higher power figure who's job it is to handle these very touchy situations. Most of the time it was an issue with a front-line staff individual, at which point the customer did the correct thing seeking management.

These situations are rare and far between. All you can do is hope that management has dealt with these situations in the past...effectively.

[larrybud]

I didn't realize I was to bring my wheel ramps and do a 50 points inspection of the cart I'm using for the day!

[Pepperturbo]

When I walk to my car or often times a car I am riding in, I "typically" do a visual once over, not a mechanics inspection. Did that last week to my wife's car before she left and noticed a low tire. She stopped at the nearby gas station to have it checked; they pulled a nail from the tire, before she got on the freeway. It's not rocket science, simply preventative common sense to check out moving vehicle you're depending on, no less taking responsibly for when signing a cart agreement.

But, if some people want to view such a menial precaution as too much responsibility, good luck with the possible consequences.

[Big Ben]

I agree with J.W. and he would know, this deserves a very respectful email/phone call to another member of there staff with authority, it's fundamentally wrong to assume this innocent was anyone's fault if absolute proof was not assured...BB

[avidtee]

When I saw this topic involving Michael Ferguson, I cracked up. I worked with this guy& he's a hothead & very immature. There is no surveillance to see a cart occupant smashing a GPS!! He was using his normal BS. Sadly this is how low he'll stoop to prove a point.
The only reason he's a director of golf was due to a connection of his grandfather who was known in the golf industry.
He isn't a member of the PGA...aren't real directors of golf at a big resort suppose to be a PGA member??
I really don't understand why he's still there. I was hoping the new executive director of golf would can his lazy butt.
The morale of having a bad experience @ pga west is not to waste your time with Michael. Go over his head to be dealt with in a professional customer service attitude. Maybe if enough patrons do this he'll be eliminated from his "power" position. Good riddance! !!

[Wriggles]

I wonder how much the rounds at the PGA West Stadium course cost. Its shameful to be treated in such a manner, whether at the lowest level course of the highest level. Every comment makes good points, but who's going to do a detailed inspection of a golf cart. I guess today you have to. I'd never think of it, though.

People are people, and idiots abound. I've seen people break things just for the heck of it. Drop stuff in stores, etc. Loss prevention today seems based around estimating loss, and increasing the product fees to pay for it. Stores do it for shoplifting. Maybe green fees will be raised based on historical loss data, so that the honest guys will pay for it.

[Sawgrass]

[quote name='avidtee' timestamp='1375762044' post='7613724']
When I saw this topic involving Michael Ferguson, I cracked up. I worked with this guy& he's a hothead & very immature. There is no surveillance to see a cart occupant smashing a GPS!! He was using his normal BS. Sadly this is how low he'll stoop to prove a point.
The only reason he's a director of golf was due to a connection of his grandfather who was known in the golf industry.
He isn't a member of the PGA...aren't real directors of golf at a big resort suppose to be a PGA member??
I really don't understand why he's still there. I was hoping the new executive director of golf would can his lazy butt.
The morale of having a bad experience @ pga west is not to waste your time with Michael. Go over his head to be dealt with in a professional customer service attitude. Maybe if enough patrons do this he'll be eliminated from his "power" position. Good riddance! !!
[/quote]

A memorable, impassioned first post from you, Mr. Avidtee. I'd say that Michael Ferguson has a detractor out there!

[jdhallissey]

Rounds at pga west range from 50-100 june thru december 25th. Then the 26th to june they are 250 plus depending on time of day and weekday or weekend