Do you say something or not?

[PokeForeLyfe]

So I'm playing a round by myself today (wife riding in the cart and drinking wine) as we are out of town supporting our daughter. We are following a threesome that clearly doesn't play a lot of golf and they are behind the last foursome of a tournament so I know it's going to be slow. Three holes in though the group in front has fallen a hole and a half behind and it's getting worse. I ask once if I can play through and one guy says where you going to go, there's a tournament up there.

 

These guys are barely getting off the box, hitting multiple balls off the tee, several in the water every hole and we are pulling up on them on every shot. Then on the forth hole one of them drives his cart past the cart signs which are 50yds in front of the green and runs it right up to the front of the green. I'm pissed. Wife begging me not to say anything and start a fight so I call the shop and ask them to send a ranger out. Nothing.

 

Next hole they drive the cart over the curbing and down a steep embankment on the back side of the green so they can get right to their ball. Hits it long and goes after it with a wedge. Gets it on the green then has to go all the way back to the cart to get his putter which he should have taken with him. Carries on through nine holes and I asked one more time nicely to play through and got ignored.

 

Reported them at the turn and the pro acts like it's an inconvenience to go out himself or have anyone go say anything to them. Hole 10 I just go around them but my wife says don't say anything, it's not your place. Here's the thing, I think it is. I paid $75 to play an enjoyable round of golf. I don't want to pay to play something guys are tearing up. Front nine took three hours. I respect the game, the course, the rules and those around me. And I think it's fair to try to help others learn about the game and preserve it for everyone.

 

So after all of that the question is do you feel obligated to say something about keeping carts away from the greens and letting faster groups play through when appropriate? I did.

 

 

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[GB13]

I would always say something about slow play. I think you handled it superbly. Talk to the people, inform them of normal golfing protocol and then if they ignore you, call the pro shop.

 

Would I say something about driving carts near greens?

Well, it depends. If you are older and can't physically walk or disabled etc., I would let it slide.

If you are able-bodied, and just being an A-hole, absolutely, I would say something. Again, if the offending party didn't change behavior, I would call the pro shop and complain.

 

I feel that you handled it quite well. If you want to, I would email the manager (or whomever is above the pro) about you poor experience and the pros nonchalance about poor service.

[PokeForeLyfe]

These guys were all very able bodied. I'd say late 20's early 30's. The kind the rules don't apply to. Drive really gut between two signs and park feet from the green. Didn't fix a ball mark the entire time. Not sure mentioning anything made any impact but I couldn't not say something. I'll be leaving feedback at the course too.

 

 

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[tony@CIC]

I'd would probably continue calling the pro shop til they send someone out.

 

 

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[srooch2]

These guys were all very able bodied. I'd say late 20's early 30's. The kind the rules don't apply to. Drive really gut between two signs and park feet from the green. Didn't fix a ball mark the entire time. Not sure mentioning anything made any impact but I couldn't not say something. I'll be leaving feedback at the course too.

 

 

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That was my suggestion, leaving poor reviews. Nobody likes those.

 

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[josmi15]

I've called before too. In my case, they sent out the ranger and had them taken care of.

 

I'm all for enjoying a round, sounds like those guys just need to learn the rules and let faster players play through

 

 

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[SteddyGolf]

So I was behind a young man yesterday. He had a set of rentals in his cart and was pretty much all over the place. I was playing in a twosome with a guy I've played with by chance on a couple of occasions. Very nice mild manor guy.

 

Well the young man in front of us was driving his cart green side, bunker side, and just about anywhere else four wheels could go. My playing partner stopped him with the cart just on the edge of the bunker next to the green. He was very polite as he explained the rules. The young man became not only irritated but confrontational and aggressive.

 

I guess my point is a lot of times folks just don't know what they don't know. When you explain their mistake they become embarrassed then lash out. I can handle myself physically in just about any situation but I have no desire to be that guy on youtube choking someone out on the golf course. Maintaining order is the responsibility of the pro and his staff.

 

I think you handled it beautifully and professionally. The only other thing I would have done additionally was ask for a refund and ask for the name of the general manager.

 

 

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[revkev]

I would have handled it about like you did. I also wouldn't be playing there again unless the course comped my round or gave me a pass for another round with the assurance that this wasn't normal and the Pro was having a bad hair day.

 

 

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[ole gray]

Back in my drinking days, I would have went over there and whupped two or three of their arses and played through.  Now that I'm been sober (as of yesterday) 5 months, I would have done the exact same thing you did.  Well done. 

[foreverdank]

Demand a refund

 

 

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[Mr. 82]

In this day and age, there are two things I am aware of in life now. First, you can't judge anyone else's behavior, no matter how egregious. You can video the bad behavior and put it on YouTube, but you can't say anything to anyone about their behavior. Secondly, if you do say something to anyone, especially as you noted in this case, if they are 30 or younger, then not only are they not wrong, but all of a sudden you are public enemy #1, and now their bad behavior became personal to them, and then they go after you, either physically, or in some other way.

 

The older I get I think knowledge is power. And knowing the above two rules would simply have me handle it another way. Instead of saying a word to anyone on the golf course about playing through I either skip a hole, and go around them, not even interferring with their game, or I head back into the pro shop and ask for a refund.

 

Now I'll also say that I am not a guy to start any sort of confrontation on the golf course anymore. I've had a few bad experiences in this regard, and every single one of them never ended well for me, and I've lost the battle every time, no matter whether I was right or wrong. Basically, you can't win a confrontation with anyone on the golf course, no matter who it is, so I don't even waste my time anymore. So the alternatives have to come into play, where I change my behavior to make a positive out of a bad situation. So skip a hole or two, or just go back into the pro shop and ask for a refund.

 

And one last thought, if they didn't tell me there was a tournament out there before I started, I would use that against them when asking for a refund. I would have never paid to play golf if I knew a tournament was going on. But a 3 hour front nine would not have happened with me. I give it 2, maybe 3 holes of that BS, and then I wave the white flag and either quit, or skip a hole around the slow players in front of me.

 

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[ridgewalker]

Yeah I'd do pretty much what you did...tell the pro shop and skip ahead of them when nothing was done. Then circle back and play the missed hole.

Ultimately this is one is on the pro / pro shop. They're allowing people to drive carts up to the greens and take 6 hours to play.

Playing through seems to have disappeared. When I was a Jr playing with friends , we probably let 2-3 groups play through per round. And if you had a single or twosome behind you, you always let them through.

 

 

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[PMookie]

I'd just pass them and go on to the next hole without asking them, and CONTINUALLY call the pro-shop. This very thing you experienced today is ONE of the reasons people don't play golf: time. Add to that, rudeness, and a pro shop not willing to do anything, people don't come back to that course, and it just compounds itself.

The main issue at most courses is that singles don't have rights, technically, so a lot of times pro shops don't help.

I had a slow group in front of me recently, and I just drove past them after they hit their approaches to the green. Didn't say anything, and didn't call the pro shop as our MUNY doesn't have a ranger anyway. Just one guy behind the counter....

 

 

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[Bucky CC]

Sounds like people have given pretty good advice already. Say something in a nice way to them and then call the pro shop. Online reviews of the course end up having a pretty big impact as well. Leave a tough (but fair) review online and I would not be surprised if they made the situation right for you and were a little more proactive for groups like that in the future.

 

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[808nation]

I'm all for having fun when I'm out on the course, relieves my work week stress. But, when immature stupid no class ignorant knuckleheads make it an unbearable game to play, I would contact the pro shop to have them deal with it, if they don't, I would demand a full refund as others have mention and write to the GM there.

 

#PowerToThePlayer

[deauxrite]

I think that you did the right thing too.  Here is my take as an employee of a golf course.  Do not escalate any discussion on the golf course.  Allow the pro shop to handle it and if they do not, then take your complaint to the Pros boss.

 

We had a bad situation that involved an unstable individual and a physical assault on the golf course.  When all of the arguments, threats and altercations were finished, nobody won.  People were banned from the golf course, feelings were badly damaged and nothing was resolved..all over golf balls.

 

When all is said and done, there is nothing to be gained from pursuing the discussion beyond a polite request.  Idiots are idiots and no amount of discussion will change that.

[bens197]

Golf staff are entertainers, shoulders to lean on, mentors and keepers of the peace.

 

I cannot tell you how often a complaint would come to the shop asking us to do something about slow play. The staff always has an obligation to maintain order and pace of play. It often turns into a “I don't want to be the bad guy or make things awkward.” The ranger or lowest guy on the totem often has the daunting task of confronting the slow players.

 

Truth is this is relatable in life. See a problem, confront it or ignore it. But if you ignore it I don't want to hear you ****** about it.

 

 

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