What is your golf pet peeve?

[Nickie]

Slow play and groups what more then 4. the pace of play on a Sunday should not take 6 hr . 

[jgrcincykid]

Slow play, and people who are inconsiderate, and don't: pick up tees on tee box; fill divots; fix ball marks; rake bunkers; drag their feet around the hole (really, if you're not strong enough to pick up your feet when you walk, you don't need to be wearing golf shoes); and play loud music.  

[P Mitch]

I along with I would guess will be 95% of the people have the same pet peeve and that is slow play not playing ready golf.  I dont care if you need to take a few minutes looking for your ball, we all have been there. its okay to stop and get a drink and enjoy being on a beautiful course.

But if you and your group are the ones waiting on every shot and they groups behind you are.  Pick up the pace!!!

Its just common courtesy

[Shapotomous]

10 minutes ago, Duffer_E said:

Okay, so I am still relatively new to golf, and I'm certainly not a wonk when it comes to all the rules and etiquette. However, this happened to me a couple of weeks ago:

I took a Friday off of work to recharge my mental batteries, de-stress a little and play golf (I know, sounds improbable). I slid into the fourth slot of a random tee time (i.e. I didn't know the other three players). When I got to the course, and my tee time came up, the other three players never showed up, so I went out as a single.

Obviously, I played faster than the group in front of me (a foursome), and was quickly (but not intentionally) waiting for them on every hole to play. They were not the fastest players, they were very deliberate in their swing routines. Plus, one woman in the group would bring a Sunday bag to the green every time. It had a couple of wedges and her putter in it. She would walk to where her ball was (usually just off the green), plunk down her Sunday bag, hit a chip/pitch, THEN TAKE HER PUTTER (ONLY!!!) to where her ball ended up, hit her putt(s), then walk back to the Sunday bag, then back to the cart.

Well, on the 3rd hole (a par 3), she drives back to me (where I'm standing on the tee box) and asks if I would like to play through. I said "sure", and proceeded to tee up my ball and hit, expecting that they would wait at the tee box of the 4th hole for me to catch up and play through.

However, after hitting my tee shot, as I am driving up to the green, I look over, and they are teeing off! I think the expected me to skip the 3rd hole and immediately go tee off at the 4th.  This may be where my knowledge of golf etiquette breaks down, but doesn't "play through" mean "PLAY" through, not skip through? If you offer to let someone play through, then let them do so...

Did they wait on the tee box after they hit?  Maybe their idea was to hit tee shots and wait for you to hit your tee shot and go ahead of them on the second shot. 

We have done that in letting a single go through but we communicated it a little better than she did.  It may work better to have waved you to hit when they were on the green of the par 3.

[Hacker60521]

1. “Bro-dudes” playing from the tips that really shouldn’t be
2. Thinking you’re on the PGA tour and missing a 15’ putt
3. Not being aware of ready golf and pace of play. 

[Wesleyb22]

I don't mind slow play and I feel like it's over-stated here. I'll go with the two polar opposite guys in my group. I hate an overly positive "nice shot, good putt" guy every time someone hits. Some compliments and encouragement are great, but don't blow smoke when I chunked it 20 yards short 

Also probably hate the angry, self deprecating guy even more. I definitely used to be that guy, but I've since realized how hard golf really is. I've seen some crazy stuff people do when they're mad on the golf course. It's just pointless and annoying for everyone else.

[DougW]

20 hours ago, TSauer said:

Whether it be with mannerisms or course layout or something else that just drives you nuts... What is it?

I'll start, mine is when people aren't ready to hit when it's their turn. I used to golf with one of my father-in-law's friends and every time it was his turn to hit, he would still be in the cart carrying on conversation, finishing a smoke, and just oblivious to everything else going on. Needless to say, I don't golf with him anymore.

Most of this is fixed by actually marshaling and having tee times more than 3 minutes apart 

[Jeremy26]

Slow players and music. Probably both equally, but I still play if I get paired up with a slow player. But if I get paired with someone playing music, I'm not staying in the group. I'll either jump to an open hole, fall back, or leave.

[NubianRugby]

19 hours ago, Shapotomous said:

Whether it is divots or ball marks there is no excuse for not fixing them other than being lazy.  

I'll never understand this. Isn't one of the great pleasures of playing golf bombing a green from 180 yards & when you get up there saying, "Hold on! I have to find and fix my ball mark!!!"?

Same thing with divots, if I'm swinging it nice and taking a PGA tour quality divot I love the act of hustling over to a chunk of turf and replacing it, before waving apologetically at the group behind me. When I see someone going through that ritual, it says not only do they have a little game, they're also a good citizen that cares about the course.

[Wheelieb]

Let me add one. Mother Nature changing the weather when it was supposed to be nice and sunny, then a pop up rain storm just soaks everything. I hate you Mother Nature!!!

[MoHuncho13]

Growing up w my grandfather as a ranger at his local Muni, etiquette was not something he ever took lightly. I can be a grouch sometimes about my pet peeves but its for a reason

1. First pet peeve is taking an extra shot after duffing one. If no one is behind you that is waiting, go for it. Or if it is a mulligan that is decided upon by group (me and my buddies allow 1 mully per 9) then cool. But teeing up another drive just to make yourself feel better for slicing one into the pond, while the group behind is walking off the green will never cease to drive me crazy

2. Being late to the tee box. Another one is being late to the tee box. Not late to the course, but when tee time is at 8:46 and people walk over... at 8:46. Be ready to tee off when the starter gives the okay. Dont slow down the rest of the golfers after you because you needed to hit a 30th driver on the range to feel good!

 

other than that enjoy golf. Its hard enough game if you need to do things to be happy playing, do it! Just let me tee off earlier

[bobbo24]

For me it is Pro Shop personnel that dont appreciate you handing them money to play their course.

[archship]

4 hours ago, Rob Person said:

Push cart and bag carrying Walkers!  Yeah,  I said it!!!  

They don't have to follow the "cart path only" rules, they can go up to the edge of the green with their clubs, they play a hole faster than most, Marshall's can't track them with GPS, they can walk into areas my cart can't go, and the list goes on!!!

in case you took this seriously,  I was just being sarcastic. I'm actually jealous of the ones who can pull off 18 holes in 80⁰ +temps with high humidity!!! Im lucky if i can handle 9 holes!!!

I resemble this remark!   I live in Myrtle Beach.  I walk in 95+ degrees with very high humidity in the summer.  I am 50 years old and play 100-150 rounds per year.  It isn't the walking that bothers me, but the standing around waiting on slow players.  It is like riding a Harley.... you don't notice the temperature while you are actually moving.  It cooks you to well-done when you are stopped at a light and waiting.  

Edited February 28 by archship

[Gary Benchich]

I have been playing over 70 years. We always played ready golf if everyone was agreeable unless we were playing tournament golf. We played this way in the British Isles. 

[Ben_Howell34]

Not fixing ball marks on the green. You know if you left a ball mark on the green, fix it. Just look at it as your humble brag for hitting the green  

[archship]

3 hours ago, Wicki said:

The last one is members pushing their carts ACROSS THE GREENS!  Yes across the greens!  They try saying it does not harm the greens.

Well, considering a cart, bag, and clubs might weigh a total of 50-60 pounds and be sitting on three soft rubber tires, thus distributing the weight to around 17-20 pounds per tire, while the average american golfer probably weighs 200 lbs, stands on 2 feet (100 lbs per foot standing and 200 per foot as we step) and is wearing golf shoes with spikes that can puncture or scuff the grass, the carts are not harming the greens anywhere near the level that every single golfer walking on them is.  Now, that being said, I do keep my cart on the fringe on the side of the green from which I plan to walk to the next hole.  

Edited February 28 by archship

[psquared]

This is a fun topic, I'll bite.

For some reason I'm just not as sensitive to slow play as so many others seem to be. I am actually much more annoyed by the opposite. You're playing at a perfectly acceptable pace but getting pushed by a group whose only goal seems to be to play as fast as they possibly can. This often happens at a local private club where I am fortunate to be a frequent guest. Of course I'd prefer we move over and just let them go through, but as a guest I don't really feel like it's my call.

My other pet peeve is this new 21st century phenomenon of music on the course. It's not because I don't love music (quite the opposite actually) but one of the reasons I fell in love with the game as a kid is that the golf course is just a nice place to be, just as it is. When did we get so desperate for constant, continuous stimulation and entertainment that we can't allow ourselves to enjoy the unique atmosphere of serenity that the golf course can provide?

 

[Zatty]

Having that guy in the group ahead of you waiting for the green to clear (300 yards away) because he doesn't want to hit into them.   And - yep - dribbles one 50 yards up the fairway.  Also loud music from 3 fairways away.

[tourstriker]

Liter!!!

Cigarett butts disposed of on the course like they magically disappear by the Cigarette butt fairies.

Sunflower shells on the green! Really! Arseholes. 

Oh, and the damn "single" player who wants to get in a quick round....F off... Skip the hole or find friends to play with. 

[dboy54]

It's definitely slow play. But to take it a step further the group behind hits into you while you are waiting for the group in front to clear the green

[Silvermanj]

Slow play. When the course is full and the group on the tee is not ready. They are just sitting in their carts talking. I'm all for having fun but we all have to keep moving.

[MTDAWG]

Slow play!!!!

[archship]

54 minutes ago, Duffer_E said:

However, after hitting my tee shot, as I am driving up to the green, I look over, and they are teeing off! I think the expected me to skip the 3rd hole and immediately go tee off at the 4th.  This may be where my knowledge of golf etiquette breaks down, but doesn't "play through" mean "PLAY" through, not skip through? If you offer to let someone play through, then let them do so...

Yes, you are mostly correct.  Play Through does not mean skip over.  However, the fastest way to do it for everyone on the course behind you is for them to get their drives out of the way while you are finishing the previous hole, you then drive last on the new hole, play the approaches with them normally, but then putt first no matter who is out and go on to the next hole while they are finishing this hole.  You will have hit your next drive and moved on while they are putting out. Otherwise then they are waiting 10-15 minutes for you to play through the hole by yourself, and then they might be blocking traffic again. 

[Gripit]

11 hours ago, bens197 said:

People who recreationally search for lost balls.  

Leave your fishing poles on the bass boat...this one gets me every time.

I was wondering when this would come up!  I hate playing with someone who has more fun fishing for balls than actually playing golf.  If you can get your ball out of the water, great...get it, drop it, and then hit it!  I quit playing with a guy because he would pick up / fish out every ball he saw and waste five or more minutes doing it.  Let's play golf!!! 

[Jeremy26]

42 minutes ago, Shapotomous said:

Did they wait on the tee box after they hit?  Maybe their idea was to hit tee shots and wait for you to hit your tee shot and go ahead of them on the second shot. 

We have done that in letting a single go through but we communicated it a little better than she did.  It may work better to have waved you to hit when they were on the green of the par 3.

This is how I always do it, and the way it should be done, in my opinion. If you let the single tee off and then wait for him, you're running a good risk of getting caught again. All 5 players should tee off together. Then let the single finish out the hole and move on. That way you're likely hitting approach shots before the next group gets to the tee.

[bsutton1187]

Playing music in your cart for all the course to hear, hate it. Should be respectful of the peace and quiet of the course. 

[StrokerAce]

that person who can't stop talking about their last shot and what could have happened or how they almost made that putt or ....

really - it's awesome and I'm excited for someone when they hit a good shot but nobody needs a Jim Nantz narration; celebrate and move on.

[jdischy]

I have several that have been mentioned, but I really get irritated when a course over books a course and it causes slow play without any way to get out of it. 

[TheJones]

I dislike SpeedRacer behind me.  This guy stands back there with hands on his hips, pacing like an expecting Father, while you are waiting for group in front of you.  He hits as soon as you move and you hear ball come down 10 yards behind you. 

Trash on the course is another one I dislike.  If I see a piece of trash, I pick it up & throw it away at the next trash bin.  Makes the course look much nicer when you dont see debris everywhere!! 

The twosome behind you that asks if they can play through, umm where you going buddy? there is a 4-some, then a 3-some in front of us, then who knows what is in front of them....

[Jeremy26]

I have one that I'm sure will draw the ire of some folks on here. Sorry Walkers. I know, I know, it's the way golf is "supposed" to be played I've just gotten accustomed to cart golf and I absolutely love it. I belong to 3 clubs and 2 of them are mandatory carts. It's fantastic. So yes, when I play elsewhere, I get annoyed by the walkers