Egos and Golf why do they clash!

There have been a couple of good threads on here ercently regarding the Average Golfer and the 7800 yard Torrey Pines and what does it mean to course design etc.

Well last night I came across what can only be described as the Ego of the flash golfer! Which really annoyed me so I wanted to share my frustrations with my fellow posters and as have you eperienced this and would you have behaved the same as I did....

I decided to try out a driving range not to far from my office, it was a well laid out place and balls were not what I would call well priced though but wasn't to worried about that.

It was relatively busy 40bays but only 5 were available so I took myself off to the quite spot which happened to be a few bays down from the teaching area (now in my ignorance when at the range I pay no attention to who is around me and focus purely on myself and what i am there for).

After about 15mins hitting a few warm up wedges and few little knocked down 9irons, I decided to get to work on what I was there for and work on moving the ball with the driver ready for a winter knockout i'm playing this weekend at a course where shaping the ball makes life easier, I had hit no more than half a dozen shots when an Oik appeared from seemingl out of nowhere and i quote said to me "ere mate I see you can hit a ball, but i bet i can outdrive ya on every shot!" My retort well thats nice for you but i'm here to practice not measure c*ck sizes, and went back about my business

He preceded to tee it up in the bay next to me and everytime i Hit a ball in my own time and working on my drills he would fire one off straight after then turn and say to his mate behind him you see that told I could do him on everyshot!
This then led to a brief argument in which I told him in no uncertain terms he should have respect for other range users and that I was there not see how far I can hit it but work on my game and that his behaviour ws more suited to the stands of a league 1 match and not the driving range. His response to this is what shocked me the most and again I quote "look pal i'm a 4handicap assitant pro here and this fella watching me is someone having lessons with me so I think I know how to behave it ain't my fault I can hit it further than ya and that I'm better is it!"

That really annoyed me this chav was not someone who turned up giving it large no he was worse he was someone who should know the etiquette and respect it and set an example for his pupil! With this in mind i'd had enough and said right ok 5 shots whoever is longest 3 times out of five loses and pays up a tenner to the loser! He grinned like a chesire cat accepted my wager and I out hit him 5 times out of 5, only then did I tell him of my handicap which is lower than his and picked up mubs left the half bucket of balls i had left and complained this morning in person to his head pro and club secretary on my drive into work. They assure me they will respond later today!

What would you have done, I was close to making him eat my driver! and I wont be going back there again!

Really must start using the PC to type on threads and not the balckberry just noticed my attrocious spelling misktakes!
That should read my clubs not mubs! :606laugh:

Think you handled it perfectly Mav - glad you had the confidence and ability to take his money too.

Complaining to the head pro and secretary is undoubtedly the best approach though. I'd be interested to hear how they respond

Not sure what the point of that kids approach was... But it sounds entertaining.

To be honest Davie I was angry enough that he had spoiled what was my practice time so I was not going to let him win if i had to knock the skin off the ball iwould have. His behaviour to disrupt me still angers me now, I'm waiting for the Secretary to call me, he assures me i'll have areponse by midday so I'll update this and let you know

LondonJonnyO wrote:Not sure what the point of that kids approach was... But it sounds entertaining.

Exactly one of the reasons it realley annoyed me LJ, there was no point whatsoever other than to massage his ego in front a novice!

Are you sure he was the assistant pro? Seems like he may have been bluffing.

I do think there is some sort of unmentioned competition at the range. There are many times that I have picked up on the player next to me trying to hit further than me. Not in a confrontational manner but i guess just to see how far they can hit it. It does not really bother me when it is done in that manner but not sure I would have taken your situation as well as you did mav.

You will have to keep us posted on the situation.

I'd have loved to have seen his face, well handled Mav.

Indeed he was MAC I went into the pro shop there was a lovely mug shot of him up behind the till I han't noticed when I purchased my balls, update within the hour

Mav I'm not sure about your betting technique. Hit it further 3 times out of 5 and lose. Then pay a tenner to the loser? You must have confused the hell out of this muppet. :606laugh: Obviously typing this you were still mad about it. What's next? heads I win, tails you lose...

I must admit I would be annoyed by some plonker trying the same, serves him right that you showed him up. I think Mac's post about competition is true, I've noticed it at times and so must have others.

The call has been received.

Club Secretary has rung and informed me " The assistant in question has been taken to task over his behaviour towards not only a customer, a member of the golfing community and his lack of respect for the games etiquette"

The secretary and Head Pro have taken the decision to remove the assistant's paid for teaching priviledges for the time being and make him work with the Juniors teaching them the games correct etiquette whilst re-establishing his own grasp on what it means to be in a priviledged position of qualifying as a PGA Assistant and not one to help pump his ego.

They have also said he will be writing to me in person as way of apology and in the letter will be a voucher for a complimetary round of golf for myself a 3 others to be used anytime from March until October and includes a meal for four after our round courtesy of the club for the poor treatment shown to me by a member of there staff

So all in all MAVs a winner, still annoyed me though!

Sounds like a good deal. I wonder if the assistant in question will be working in the shop when you go down there.

Nice one Mav - sounds like you got your point across to the secretary just right

Indeed it is a good deal but that said yes i am happy for a free round of golf for a fourball and free grub afterwards, but what I am happier about is the Secretary and Pro have taken the decision to suspend his revenue of teaching and making him divert this time to teaching etiquette a)to help the juniors and b) to make sure he knows it himself.

After all it's teaching him a valid lesson that in his chosen profession, arrogance, attitude and lack of respect will severely hit him in the pocket.

LJ I certainly hope he is in the shop when I go down there that would be icing on the cake

Phew! I was getting worried there for a moment Mav: I thought Mubs was one of those modern shortened phrases (possibly short for Man boobs :606laugh: ) which I have to confess has painted a rather hilarious image in my mind of you confronting a Chav at yon driving range and offering to breast feed him :606laugh: rather than the image you probably wanted us to have of you confronting 'yon punk' in your poncho uttering the immortal words 'yep sure is a nice peice of hickory' as you beat him within an inch of his miserable worthless life :spit:

Mav

I'm free! lol

Seriously though, well handled and a good outcome. Not sure what I would have done, either calmly walked away to another bay or given him both barrels.

D4S if there hadn't been kids about i'd have performed the major surgery on im of insertion of hybridius in rectal cavity sideways but s it is i've vome out of it with a decent resolution

Mave if you have to insert a club into a cavity select the appropriate tool for the job.

The SQ Black driver has a large head with aerodynamic properties and also has fewer grooves for annoying stuff to get clogged into. These make it more suited to the insertion you describe than a hybrid.

LJ I have that exact driver, but i would be inserting it as a permanent splint not as a temporay behavioural tool. So therefore I wouldn't give that up for the world

On the rare occasion when I had to deal with a serious complaint I always got the member of staff to write a hand written apology.
That was the bit that they really hated. It generally had the desired effect.
Well done Mav, nicely handled.

what an absolute tw@t. i think you were incredibly restrained, well done! and the club's response is spot on. i look forward to hearing about your next encounter with the half-wit!

Very entertaining, Mav. Has nearly all the elements of being an excellent short story. The only thing missing was the physical descriptions of the characters involved. Did he pay you the ten spot? And did you notice what his supposed student's reaction to the ordeal was? Maybe you'll further reward us by posting his written apology to you if that's appropriate. Good stuff.

Mav, was the guy actually any good?

Did he pay me the ten spot! Yes he did but i gae it back to the secretary this morning and said tell him i didnt want his money it was more the principle of it
What was the reaction of his student, well he wasn't what i would call a typical golfer he was farely brash himseld and full of it, I got the opinion they new each other away from the course too
Was he any good, hard to say Mac as all he did was try to hit the driver as hard and far as he could and 4 out of 5 were not straight!

Good to shut him up - but am I not right that if he had a handicap he is not an assistant pro?

His handicap is only forteited once he becomes fully affiliated assistant with the PGA and he has to have handicap of 4 or less to begin the PGA course, I am led to believe by the secretary he has only just had his application accepted by the PGA so he can retain his handicap and play club events off his 4 handicap until his full affiliation is received but is still allowed to be classed as and employed as assistant in the meantime!

iain poulter turned pro with a handicap of four and i have no doubt he would have been a cocky git. i dont like poulter but admire his will to win and fighting spirit.

the young lad you taught a lesson will no doubt remember his lesson and hopefully will help him when he gets too big for his boots the next time ! i tend to cut juniors a bit of slack as they really have no life experience whatsoever but sometimes they need brought down a peg or 2

liegerwoods

lieger. He wasn't a cocky git... he was well supported by his pro at Leighton Buzzard who told him to spend all his time on the practice ground or suffer for it!

As a young assistant he was good, dedicated and very humble. How do I know this? I've been around him.

LJ

i find that really hard to believe after watching him for years but i do not doubt your opinion of him.

so come on LJ what stories do you have on him ??????



liegerwoods

You know what Poulter is undoubtedly I bit of an essex man, however over the last year or so I have found him increasingly more likeable.

Just gonna say he's a nice guy Lieger. Which is something you hear from most of the people who have met him.

Mac. He's not from Essex mate. He's from hertfordshire.

oops, he looks like he is from essex. Are the people on that gypsy wedding show from essex?

Having not seen it I wouldn't be able to clarify.

However the show This is Essex... I do know the places on there and some of the people who have appeared on it. They have chosen the very worst spots to cause some sensationalism out of it. They are not very popular in my area at the moment... film crews have been staying clear for quite some time now! :606laugh:

Mav - thanks for that I had assumed once working as an assistant that was it! Still surprised he would reveal his handicap rather than make the claim "I am a pro!" Maybe when he grows up?

Now worries Puligny, am here to help and to help teach a lesson to arrogant little fools like the one I had my run in with, that said, received my free voucher for 4 guys. Have already booked my round for next month so as to entertain some potetnital clients of my business and it's costing me nothing yet they wont know that and will think im going above and beyond to win their custom 8)

Mav

Don't forget to declare it on your tax return

:606laugh:

D4S good call my friend

Another trip down memory lane...

I was reading Golf Monthly recently, and at the back they have a readers rant section where they copy and paste a post from the GM forum. I've never been on the GM forum before, but I was amazed to read this post from a chap called "Fader". It reminded me of this thread, initiated by a guy called Maverick, who incidently also is from Kent. I wonder if they have anything in common with each other? Luckily this Maverick dude did really well out of it and managed to get an apology and a free round... what a legend eh?

Why is it there is always someone or a group there that always irritate, think they own the place or generally want to show off rather than just get on with hitting balls!

Tonight prime example, HID is away for a couple nights for my sisters birthday pampering. So thought would have nice couple days myself starting today by finishing work early to go and teach a kids Taekwondo as a stand in for regular instructor, then had a brief matt session with one of the other instructors. After this showered, changed and off to the range for bit of work and nice quiet evening!

That's where it went wrong! Nice and empty driving range, got myself a nice spot where I could fire at all the targets and 4 balls in some guy puts himself in the bay next to me and instead of getting on with what he's doing he decides to stand behind me and watch me, then starts trying to give me advice on why i'm not hitting my wedges right out there! Errr I'm hitting 1/2 shots to different targets at 40,60,80,100yds out to warm up not trying to kill the ball!

He then leaves me alone and half dozen balls later is telling me again how he can correct my swing as he can see i'm inconsistent what with slicing, hooking and thinning shots! Err no that's purposeful practice hitting a fade, draw, low and high shots with different clubs again to different targets and shots being aimed for and executed!

So leaves me alone again but at this point i'm hitting my driver and he starts hitting his then leans over stating how much further he's hitting his! Now I've had enough and tell him at least mine goes straight and tell him where to go with his advice and move myself down a few bays. But it didn't end there he came strolling over and said to me "look mate clearly you think you know how to play golf but I play off 11 and have been for years so I know what I'm talking about and maybe you should learn to take advice from better players like myself"

After he said this and I'd finished and I couldn't help but unload on him and how maybe he should learn manners, respect and to leave others alone to their practice and next time he thinks of talking to me to think again and foxtrot Oscar!

Never read the initial thread before. Are we saying it may not have been true?

He forgot to mention his Audi q7, BMW X5 and little Mavette, who must surely be on tour by now.

Yeah and look at 'em all drinking it in. I can remember the stick I used to take when I was trying to take the bloke down a peg or two. Thankfully McLaren found "proof" to out him.

Though if I recall you did take all of the credit for yourself didn't you Mac?

What proof was found?

Youtube videos of "Maverick" and "Fader", who certainly didn't live up to the Scratch or Plus golfer he portrayed himself, plus he was about a 23 year old Essex chav, not a successful ex forces businessman.

Mac's finest hour.

I still think it was Mac . . . . . just outing himself.

I certainly wouldn't want to see those videos Kwini.

Why not super? Adam Scott might be in them.

I am not sure any of us deserve credit for the mav/fader incident. Although I figured fader was a fraud almost as soon as he joined the boards, we were all taken in by Mav for way too long. I think we all knew some of his tales were a little far fetched, but to think his whole life was actually fabricated!


So, is he now posting on a GM forum as fader? Can't help but think I should sign up under the name maclaren "the fader slayer" M23, just to spook him a little.

McLaren wrote:...So, is he now posting on a GM forum as fader?  Can't help but think I should sign up under the name maclaren "the fader slayer" M23, just to spook him a little.

Now, that does have a little potential for fun and games...

Well that was easy

googled first paragraph from rraycastles post + golf monthly

"Google search"

And first result was this.

range goons! a rant

The best bit is the first response

"Reading this you would think you were lying... who would honestly be that much of a "rhymes with rock""

If only they knew.....

Post #5 is a close second:

fader wrote:Plus I don't have that good an imagination to make it up! If I did I'd be writing novels!