Workers on the course

[tommyb1683]

We have always talked about golf etiquette from fixing divots to pace of play. How about when workers are on the course? I was playing the other day and they were mowing which I understand it needs to get done. There were multiple times when I was about to hit my shot into the green and the guy can see me and starts cutting the green. ok not a huge slow down, they are fairly quick and who doesn't like a freshly cut green. I get to hole 9 and another worker sees me on the tee and it's a short par 4 (drivable with 3 wood) starts cutting the area up to the green back and forth, then proceeds to cut the fringe, then starts mowing the fairway directly towards me. Should I just sit and wait? should the worker have let me hit and then continued? Am I wrong for hitting my ball once he started mowing the fairway? 

[russtopherb]

Here's my take, as someone who's never worked at a golf course - workers out there know that they are potentially in the way of golfers, especially when the course has a decent amount of people on it. If they see you on the tee, or in the fairway waiting to hit your approach, and they keep on working, that's tacit permission for you to keep playing. They are assuming the risk of potentially being hit while out there mowing/watering. 

I am totally fine with being told I'm wrong by someone like @Golfspy_CG2 or anyone else who works/has worked at a course.

[GolfSpy_APH]

1 hour ago, tommyb1683 said:

We have always talked about golf etiquette from fixing divots to pace of play. How about when workers are on the course? I was playing the other day and they were mowing which I understand it needs to get done. There were multiple times when I was about to hit my shot into the green and the guy can see me and starts cutting the green. ok not a huge slow down, they are fairly quick and who doesn't like a freshly cut green. I get to hole 9 and another worker sees me on the tee and it's a short par 4 (drivable with 3 wood) starts cutting the area up to the green back and forth, then proceeds to cut the fringe, then starts mowing the fairway directly towards me. Should I just sit and wait? should the worker have let me hit and then continued? Am I wrong for hitting my ball once he started mowing the fairway? 

I have this happen almost every round I play because I play first thing in the morning. 

I normally just wait it out. Not my favourite, but if they arent moving or stopping to let me hit I am not about to hit into them. 

As you said it isnt deal breaking, but it certainly can disrupt the flow of a good round. 

[Tom the Golf Nut]

Touchy subject. My son is part of a grounds crew. Now working at his second course (We moved). From experience a higher end course instructs the crew to find cover to allow the golfer to hit into the green. But if the green is in the process of being cut the golfer should wait as the mower has priority. The crew is being paid by the hour and has to accomplish set goals in their shift and are held accountable. They can't sit around and wait all day. Especially wait for a group of golfers that take their time looking at the putt from 5 directions and think they are tour pros and wind up 4 putting. These courses also start much earlier than the first tee time so in essence they are ahead of the crowd. 

On the other hand, when you are not at a premium course the rules are more flexible. The crew does not start at the crack of dawn, and they are informed to be careful but get the job done quickly. They do not have the budget for people to sit around and wait. They do start earlier than the first tee time but only by an hour or so. 

All courses do not mow in order. If you have a guy mowing greens, they start on the closest hole working from front to back of the course. always mowing what is closest from the last hole. you will run into them eventually. Fairway mowing is different. When they mow towards you, once they get close, they will pull to the side then wait for you to hit then continue on. You should never hit when they are mowing away from you. They need to see that you are ready to hit or are hitting so they can prepare.

If you have ever seen someone hit by a ball, then you would know the damage it can do to the body. Just because you paid $50.00 to play doesn't give you the right to injure someone. I always give the grounds crew the right of way. For two reasons Life is more important than waiting a minute or two and I get the best conditions for my shot. I am one of the first ones off in the morning and I have personally told the grounds crew that if you see me, continue doing your job. I can wait a few minutes. Even if they waive me on, I will waive them on because by the time I get to the next hole it is pristine and waiting for my approach. Trust me they appreciate that you waited. I've even had a few come over and thank me and hand me some Pro V1's that they find.

[CrazyGolfNut]

We play first thing in the morning as the first group off.  We give the grounds crew the "right of way" any and all times.  They will wave us throught but we figure that they need to get their work done so that we can enjoy the game.  If we have to wait for them, it is usually only a hole or maybe two. Still, 18 holes takes us about 2 1/2 hours to play. 

[MacTourney]

A lot of considerations in your question so don't really want to go there,  but don't short change the mower jockeys for knowing where to be when.  Some of them have cut their territory so many times they could probably do it blindfolded.  It may seem like they're mindless driving but they are also observing customer flight and play patterns as well in the area, and calculating odds of not being hit in their favor.    Usually the priority is cut where you can't first, where you can second. 

Edited May 25, 2023 by MacTourney

[OdinSnipes414]

2 hours ago, russtopherb said:

Here's my take, as someone who's never worked at a golf course - workers out there know that they are potentially in the way of golfers, especially when the course has a decent amount of people on it. If they see you on the tee, or in the fairway waiting to hit your approach, and they keep on working, that's tacit permission for you to keep playing. They are assuming the risk of potentially being hit while out there mowing/watering. 

I am totally fine with being told I'm wrong by someone like @Golfspy_CG2 or anyone else who works/has worked at a course.

I use to work on the greens crew at Petrifying Springs golf course here by me! It is proper respect of the game to move aside and let the golfer threw! I also had a chat with the heads green keeper that said the kids now a-days that work the course don’t care! No respect! So yea hit into them they will wait when you get up there! If not the. Contact the golf course! While on the tee box so you can tell them time and place of the problem! Greens should never be cut past a certain time either! 

[tommyb1683]

 

38 minutes ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

Touchy subject. My son is part of a grounds crew. Now working at his second course (We moved). From experience a higher end course instructs the crew to find cover to allow the golfer to hit into the green. But if the green is in the process of being cut the golfer should wait as the mower has priority. The crew is being paid by the hour and has to accomplish set goals in their shift and are held accountable. They can't sit around and wait all day. Especially wait for a group of golfers that take their time looking at the putt from 5 directions and think they are tour pros and wind up 4 putting. These courses also start much earlier than the first tee time so in essence they are ahead of the crowd. 

On the other hand, when you are not at a premium course the rules are more flexible. The crew does not start at the crack of dawn, and they are informed to be careful but get the job done quickly. They do not have the budget for people to sit around and wait. They do start earlier than the first tee time but only by an hour or so. 

All courses do not mow in order. If you have a guy mowing greens, they start on the closest hole working from front to back of the course. always mowing what is closest from the last hole. you will run into them eventually. Fairway mowing is different. When they mow towards you, once they get close, they will pull to the side then wait for you to hit then continue on. You should never hit when they are mowing away from you. They need to see that you are ready to hit or are hitting so they can prepare.

If you have ever seen someone hit by a ball, then you would know the damage it can do to the body. Just because you paid $50.00 to play doesn't give you the right to injure someone. I always give the grounds crew the right of way. For two reasons Life is more important than waiting a minute or two and I get the best conditions for my shot. I am one of the first ones off in the morning and I have personally told the grounds crew that if you see me, continue doing your job. I can wait a few minutes. Even if they waive me on, I will waive them on because by the time I get to the next hole it is pristine and waiting for my approach. Trust me they appreciate that you waited. I've even had a few come over and thank me and hand me some Pro V1's that they find.

I myself used to work at a decent country club in my area when I was younger and would always at least stop, wave for the players to hit and then continue about my business after they do. To me that creates a better flow than just waiting. This course I was playing was more of the second place you described with not a lot of workers or money i'm sure, so I understand they are out there later and trying to get done quick. There was a big enough wait that there was a backup at the tee box. I would never want to injure someone of course but I feel there should be a give and take. 

[tommyb1683]

2 hours ago, russtopherb said:

Here's my take, as someone who's never worked at a golf course - workers out there know that they are potentially in the way of golfers, especially when the course has a decent amount of people on it. If they see you on the tee, or in the fairway waiting to hit your approach, and they keep on working, that's tacit permission for you to keep playing. They are assuming the risk of potentially being hit while out there mowing/watering. 

I am totally fine with being told I'm wrong by someone like @Golfspy_CG2 or anyone else who works/has worked at a course.

I'm perfectly ok with them mowing the greens while im on said hole. However, when I am about to hit a shot and see you drive in to cut the green I am going for I don't think that is the right thing to do. Most likely I will miss the green and then you can cut it while I walk up to my next shot anyway, lol. 

[DiscipleofPenick]

This is my point of view from a public golfer prespective. If a worker is in the middle of cutting a green it is on the golfers to wait for them to finish. If a guys drives up on a green and starts mowing after seeing you in the fairway, or fairway mowers don't pull off to the side after seeing you on the tee, then it's on them. I actually hit a fairway mower on #6 last week because the guy made about 4 passes back and forth without pulling off. I was playing on a Tuesday morning, so maybe he figured it was all seniors and he was out of range. Also I've been in several situations where a mower is racing you from tee box to tee box and you gotta keep waiting for him to finish. I also had one where a worker was pulling a big leaf blower with a cart. He followed us for about 4 holes driving right in front of the tee box and right up to the green making us wait to both drive and putt. At the turn I asked the clubhouse attendant if he could tell the worker to quit following us.

[injectedcutty]

Usually around here in Louisville the grounds crews stay out of the way. I've been able to play the last two days in a row and dealt with crews both days. Yesterday a guy was cutting fairways, he moved over and waved me on.

Today, I was playing a nice semi private place. There was a guy on the back of a par 5 green. He moved and I successfully hit the green in 2, but he also watched me lip out the eagle dangit. He had a moisture meter and was checking the green in random spots. Placed called Glen Oaks Country Club, fast ass greens!!!!

[JerryB]

The guys on my home course are super cool.  I've told them again and again that they can keep working around me but they're insistent on stopping to let people pass.  At the other muni in town, I've been stuck behind the kid that frantically tries to keep in front of us.  Super annoying, but not the end of the world.  As has been mentioned, a lot has to do with the type of place you're playing.  Either way, I would never consider hitting into anyone, be it the slow foursome in front of me or the guy trying to cut the grass.

[tommyb1683]

I guess my take away from the responses is that not all golf courses are created equal when it comes to workers and I have to gauge what type of place I’m playing. I still think it should be a two way street no matter where you are playing. A little kindness goes a long way. 

[jbern]

On 5/25/2023 at 3:21 PM, Tom the Golf Nut said:

Touchy subject. My son is part of a grounds crew. Now working at his second course (We moved). From experience a higher end course instructs the crew to find cover to allow the golfer to hit into the green. But if the green is in the process of being cut the golfer should wait as the mower has priority. The crew is being paid by the hour and has to accomplish set goals in their shift and are held accountable. They can't sit around and wait all day. Especially wait for a group of golfers that take their time looking at the putt from 5 directions and think they are tour pros and wind up 4 putting. These courses also start much earlier than the first tee time so in essence they are ahead of the crowd. 

On the other hand, when you are not at a premium course the rules are more flexible. The crew does not start at the crack of dawn, and they are informed to be careful but get the job done quickly. They do not have the budget for people to sit around and wait. They do start earlier than the first tee time but only by an hour or so. 

All courses do not mow in order. If you have a guy mowing greens, they start on the closest hole working from front to back of the course. always mowing what is closest from the last hole. you will run into them eventually. Fairway mowing is different. When they mow towards you, once they get close, they will pull to the side then wait for you to hit then continue on. You should never hit when they are mowing away from you. They need to see that you are ready to hit or are hitting so they can prepare.

If you have ever seen someone hit by a ball, then you would know the damage it can do to the body. Just because you paid $50.00 to play doesn't give you the right to injure someone. I always give the grounds crew the right of way. For two reasons Life is more important than waiting a minute or two and I get the best conditions for my shot. I am one of the first ones off in the morning and I have personally told the grounds crew that if you see me, continue doing your job. I can wait a few minutes. Even if they waive me on, I will waive them on because by the time I get to the next hole it is pristine and waiting for my approach. Trust me they appreciate that you waited. I've even had a few come over and thank me and hand me some Pro V1's that they find.

My favorite part of this write up is that Pro V1’s are used as golf course currency!

I one hit into a group of 3 ahead of me (blind shot and I was playing by myself and hadn’t seen anyone for the first three holes). I was thankful no one got hurt and gave them each a Pro V1 and they were thrilled and said I could hit into their group anytime. Haha

My philosophy on golf course workers has been to wait until they’re out of the way or wave me through. If they don’t seem to notice me on the box I’ll wave them down and motion like I’m going to hit an usually they give me the wave to hit through. If they keep working I let them work. 

[DoubleBogeyDad]

I've always wondered why the grounds crew doesn't start mowing from 18 and work their way backwards. That way you will only ever run into the same group on one hole. One of my biggest pet peeves on the course is playing right alongside the mower on hole 4, then having them follow you to 5 and 6 etc. I can think of a couple reasons to start at 1 or whatever is closest to the maintenance shed, but it feels like a simple change to improve the experience. Anyone former/current grounds crew members with some background?

[Kenny B]

It's so difficult to get and keep a good maintenance crew during these times.  Most of them here at my muni are not golfers so they don't consider our point of view.  Overall, they do a decent job.  We play early in the summer to beat the heat, and we have never had to wait for a green to be mowed.  I think all are mowed every day as the sun is barely coming up; fairways mowed early as well, but not every day.  Rough is mowed on Mondays, which is normally the slowest golf day.  Pins are moved on Sunday, Wed, Friday.

They don't stop and wait for golfers, but they will move off out of range and mow somewhere else until the golfers are by.

11 hours ago, SpencerKelly said:

I've always wondered why the grounds crew doesn't start mowing from 18 and work their way backwards. That way you will only ever run into the same group on one hole. One of my biggest pet peeves on the course is playing right alongside the mower on hole 4, then having them follow you to 5 and 6 etc. I can think of a couple reasons to start at 1 or whatever is closest to the maintenance shed, but it feels like a simple change to improve the experience. Anyone former/current grounds crew members with some background?

I'm sure you might feel differently when you play on unmowed greens at the start of your round and somewhere during your round, the greens were all of a sudden much faster!  

As for the rest of the course, the crew will mow in the most efficient pattern to get the job done the quickest at their course.  I've gotten to know the crew that has stayed on the past few years, and waving to them and giving them some space is the right thing to do if you want to keep them on the job.

[Blueberry_Squishie]

20 hours ago, SpencerKelly said:

I've always wondered why the grounds crew doesn't start mowing from 18 and work their way backwards. That way you will only ever run into the same group on one hole. One of my biggest pet peeves on the course is playing right alongside the mower on hole 4, then having them follow you to 5 and 6 etc. I can think of a couple reasons to start at 1 or whatever is closest to the maintenance shed, but it feels like a simple change to improve the experience. Anyone former/current grounds crew members with some background?

Mowing like that increases the amount of fuel used. It's not a trivial amount and would end up in higher fees for players.

[DoubleBogeyDad]

That's understandable and one of the things I'd considered. I think there's a misconception out there that courses just print money.

Maybe the high end ones do, but I know from talking to the folks at some of our smaller local courses that they need to be very considerate just to stay open.

[ParFore74x]

Being one of the first golfers on course on the weekends means that I have a high chance of interacting with the grounds crew and today ended up being the perfect example. Mower arrived at the first green as I arrived at my ball for my second shot. He waved me through to finish the hole. On hole 6 he saw me coming down the fairway as he arrived to the green so he waved at me and drove to the 4th, which isn’t too far away, while I played on.

I’ve had a lot interactions with the grounds crews at different courses over the last few seasons and they have always been positive. I’ve waited for them, they’ve waited for me, and I’ve had the occasional stop and talk with them. They’re always positive and polite and I’ve even received the occasional ball from them.

Every course is probably a little different and I am definitely grateful that my local courses seem to have some great people that take care of them. They always seem to be easy to deal with while they work and I play. 

[Brooky03]

I will wait a reasonable amount of time for workers to move, especially if they might not be aware that I'm there.  But if they see me, and then to decide to start cutting around the green when I'm standing at my ball 150yds away, I'm sending it.  They know, or should know, the risk of the decision they just made.  I couldn't imagine a head groundskeeper telling his guys it's cool to just cut away while golfers are within range.

[Brooky03]

On 5/30/2023 at 8:06 PM, Blueberry_Squishie said:

Mowing like that increases the amount of fuel used. It's not a trivial amount and would end up in higher fees for players.

The 18th green and the 1st tee box are often pretty close to each other (ending and beginning at the club house).  What about mowing backwards would increase the amount of fuel?

[Blueberry_Squishie]

It's a travelling salesman problem. Going to each hole in order is likely to not be the shortest possible distance. You reduce the distance the mowers travel, you reduce fuel costs.