Sunflower seeds: healthy snack or just annoying?

[GolferXY]

I like sunflower seeds.  I've chewed on them since I was a kid.  Hydroplanes were the only "big league" sports event in my home town in the 60's, and I remember using the seeds as pretend-hydros, driving them around the course made up of the living room couch, and when they would crash, I'd pop it into my mouth.  Weird?  Yeah, probably not something I'd do as an adult, and never thought about the whole "what happens to the driver" thing...c'mon, I was 8 or 10 years old...maybe I'm oversharing...anyways, nowadays I seem to see the damn shells everywhere!  On the fairways it's no big deal, but the discarded shells are on the tee box and most egregiously on the putting greens!

Now maybe you just brush the things away like a bit of sod or tuft of grass, but that thing was in somebody's mouth a few minutes ago, and it's just gross.  Not to mention how discourteous it is to leave it on the green.  How often does that shell affect my game?  Once that I know of, where a perfect 40 yard pitch got deflected away from the hole and instead of a 2, I was putting for 3.  Aggravating for sure.  How much work is it to spit those shells into the rough?  Every time I find these things on the green my patience meter goes down a notch.

What are your thoughts?  Am I being too sensitive?  Are sunflower seed shells an impactful impediment to golf enjoyment for you?

 

 

 

[Jared3]

I say this as someone who frequently has sunflower seeds on the course. 
 

They should be spit nowhere near the green. That’s disrespecting the course. I typically spit shells out in the rough or a bottle. People leave enough broken tees on the tee box, we don’t need to add sunflower seed shells to that disaster. 

[Kenny B]

Sunflower seeds should be banned at all golf courses; it might be a State Law.    I've seen signs posted in some pro shops that sunflower seeds were forbidden.  

[Caddie1966]

You can buy them already shelled.  The shells are annoying and frankly unnecessary. People don’t spit their chaw on greens, frying, tee boxes etc.  why leave sunflower seeds hulls everywher?

[Blaine Dye]

personally as someone who smokes but don't like to smoke on the course I almost always have sun flower seeds I also always keep a empty body amour bottle to spit my shells in but i don't see the issue with them but i definably agree if you cant put them in a bottle or at least in the rough then you don't need to be chewing them

[GolfSpy_APH]

On 5/13/2023 at 7:36 PM, GolferXY said:

I like sunflower seeds.  I've chewed on them since I was a kid.  Hydroplanes were the only "big league" sports event in my home town in the 60's, and I remember using the seeds as pretend-hydros, driving them around the course made up of the living room couch, and when they would crash, I'd pop it into my mouth.  Weird?  Yeah, probably not something I'd do as an adult, and never thought about the whole "what happens to the driver" thing...c'mon, I was 8 or 10 years old...maybe I'm oversharing...anyways, nowadays I seem to see the damn shells everywhere!  On the fairways it's no big deal, but the discarded shells are on the tee box and most egregiously on the putting greens!

Now maybe you just brush the things away like a bit of sod or tuft of grass, but that thing was in somebody's mouth a few minutes ago, and it's just gross.  Not to mention how discourteous it is to leave it on the green.  How often does that shell affect my game?  Once that I know of, where a perfect 40 yard pitch got deflected away from the hole and instead of a 2, I was putting for 3.  Aggravating for sure.  How much work is it to spit those shells into the rough?  Every time I find these things on the green my patience meter goes down a notch.

What are your thoughts?  Am I being too sensitive?  Are sunflower seed shells an impactful impediment to golf enjoyment for you?

 

 

 

I find them annoying. Just a mess everywhere and not what I enjoy seeing. If they are picked up or cleaned up fair enough, but yeah when left around everywhere. Not a fan.

[GolfSpy_KFT]

I have not witnessed sunflower seeds on the course here, but I would find the shells a nuisance if they were on/around the green and affecting approach and finesse shots. If in the rough, etc., fine, but I would prefer to not see them if I had to choose. I have chewed on tens of thousands of seeds as a former baseball player who did not chew tobacco, and I remember dugouts being littered with them as a kid all the way up through college. It definitely makes a mess, so I can see why it isn't wanted to be seen on a golf course. My cheeks get raw just thinking about it. As @Blaine Dye mentioned, it is not hard to carry around an empty water bottle and spit the shells into that.

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

As a former ball player who loved sunflower seeds, I do not love them on the course. I prefer some gum now that I do not dip anymore.

As for others I honestly rarely see seeds on the course, I find more cigar ashes on the green to be honest. As long as they are not on the green or tee box than its fine.

[fixyurdivot]

On 5/13/2023 at 7:21 PM, Kenny B said:

Sunflower seeds should be banned at all golf courses; it might be a State Law.    I've seen signs posted in some pro shops that sunflower seeds were forbidden.  

+1. Sunflower seed shells, cigar burns, and chew on tees and greens are annoying.  I have no issue with folks partaking in their use/consumption but there is no need to crap up the course with them.  It simply comes down to folks not giving two-$hit$ about others.

[tdroma98]

Agree with most everyone else, sunflower seed shells should not be on or near the green.  Annoying as heck & disrespecting the course!

[Hobert]

14 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

+1. Sunflower seed shells, cigar burns, and chew on tees and greens are annoying.  I have no issue with folks partaking in their use/consumption but there is no need to crap up the course with them.  It simply comes down to folks not giving two-$hit$ about others.

This! Don't be selfish. Respect others and the course. Apply those rules to almost activity (in life) and we are good to go. 

I like sunflower seeds generally. But do not chew them on the course. I stick to  a granola bar or similar if I need some energy.

[MacTourney]

You jettison sunflower shells on a course you're gone, don't pass go, don't collect 200 dollars.

[tommyb1683]

I only eat sunflower seeds in the spring time and only when im at work watching the baseball or softball games. Otherwise I could really do without them. They definitely aren't healthy with the amount of sodium that is in them. Moderation is key. I actually really like the BIG's brand Taki's. 

[russtopherb]

1 hour ago, Lacassem said:

As a former ball player who loved sunflower seeds, I do not love them on the course. I prefer some gum now that I do not dip anymore.

As for others I honestly rarely see seeds on the course, I find more cigar ashes on the green to be honest. As long as they are not on the green or tee box than its fine.

Same here - can't say I've ever seen seeds anywhere, but I am constantly wiping or kicking away piles of ash, especially on the greens. There's no need for it.

[richk9holes]

As a former baseball player, my experience with sunflower seeds is sucking the salt off them and spitting them in a cup with the other bench players and pitchers who weren't scheduled. We all got better at that than baseball. I had a .500 spitting average at one point.

[JCgolfer]

I do not mind golfers partaking in the snack, just don't spit them out on the greens or where they may interfere with golf swings.  There was one time where we had shells on the green and that was annoying as heck.  If you're on a course just take care of it don't leave trash and debris all over the place.

[jaz29]

LOL, I just had this conversation on my weekend round. I get the fascination with seeds. I coached baseball forever and its a hard habit to break. But please, If you are chewing them, so not spit the shells on tees and greens. Greens especially!!