What winds you up on the course?

I am sure we have had many of these threads over the years but having a moan is always good and we are far enough into the season to have been reminded of all the things that really wind us up while playing golf.

So lets here what really winds you up when playing golf?


For me it is the atmosphere in the clubhouse, the clubhouse is an uncomfortable place to be as the attitudes and services are very outdated.

For starters the coffee in clubhouses is probably some of the worst you will find. I admit to being into 3rd wave/specialist coffee, but really the formula for a decent coffee is pretty simple. Decent beans and the correct grind. Oh, and a latte or flat white don't come in a bucket sized cup.

The food in clubhouses is dire. Why not just offer a decent bacon roll instead of trying to offer a restaurant style menu. If they really feel the need for more then opt for sandwiches with some organic meat and other top notch fillings and maybe a simple terrine and soup. Why the obsessions with frozen deep fried food and manky burgers?

And finally the beer. Lets just say it isn't exactly craft beer.

The thing is even in the so called better clubs the food and drink offered is some of the worst you will find in any walk of life.

As for the people, I think you all know how I feel about the average golfer. So lets just leave that alone for now.

What winds you up on the course?

(Or indeed the clubhouse, as I failed to read my own title)

Interesting view on Clubhouses, I'm a member at a couple of clubs, and I dislike the clubhouse atmosphere at my St.Andrews club as it's cliquey, sexist, football daft, stupid rules etc whereas the other one is much more laid back, inclusive and a much more pleasant place to be.

Super, If golf clubs in general serve the worst coffee, more specifically the visitor clubhouse near the new courses 1st tee actually serves the worst coffee.

Wasn't too bad last time I had it Mac. Perhaps they've improved it.

Last time I was in there I ordered a long black and got one crappy shot with about 250ml hot water poured on top.

Probably worse things on a golf course/clubhouse to complain about.

What I would give for just some coffee with water on top!
Our place have invested in one of the fancy coffee making machines and it takes about 15 mins to make you one. Half the time your food is ready before the coffee - and that's not an exaggeration.
The bar is meant to open at 7am. One time recently I turned up about 7.05 and asked for a coffee. The answer was I couldn't have one as the coffee machine takes 20 mins to warm up. I asked if they couldn't just put the kettle on and apparently they can't because of health & safety. Ok then........

I've taken to bringing a flask on the course. Not so much now it's warmer.

The abundance of grumpy old men mostly.

Slow play, in all its manifestations.

Golfers

I'm never wrong wrote:Slow play, in all its manifestations.

 This usually manifests itself (in my experience) in men, who have no idea how far they hit the ball, or thinking they hit it further than they do (or are better players than they actually are), waiting for the green to clear when there is obviously no chance of them reaching it; people pulling trollies across greens & tees; leaving bags and trollies in front of the green then spending an age standing there counting up the score when they should be aware of people playing behind; searching for a ball for at least 5 minutes before calling someone through (especially if those behind happen to be women ). I could go on but I'm getting hot under the collar here!

What winds me up?

Uncouth people who change their shoes in the car park.
People who think it's acceptable to have a drink in the bar without changing in to jacket and tie.
People who feel the need to use a mobile phone in the clubhouse.
Women who think they should be allowed in the bar or on the course at weekends.
People who think they have the right to play through if they are faster than me. I don't care if we've fallen three holes behind the group in front, I've been a member at this club for 40 years!
People who try and park next to me, don't they know my Bentley needs two spaces.
People who think they can join the club, just because they play golf and can afford it, when their social standing or ethnicity is inappropriate.

And above all, People who don't wear long socks with shorts!

Sounds like the R&A

ladyputt

I agree, there is nothing worse than looking back down a par 5 (or any other hole) and seeing someone (as you say usually male) waiting for the green to clear when they are about 250+ yards out. In fact general macho attitudes on the course wind me up a little. An example would be club comparisons on par 3's. Where someone will hit an 8 iron an you hit a 5 iron. They are 20 yards short and right, and you are safely on the green, but the 8 iorn hitter feels the need to question why you need to hit 5 iron on a 160 yard hole. Not realising the pin is in its very back position and the wind is at least 1/2 a club.

I hate people commenting on my game, or guys who fancy themselves as swing gurus giving advice even though its against the rules

5-balls, 6-balls or even 7-balls with gambling going on which slows down play exponentially. The total lack of knowledge on golfing etiquette. But then I live in Thailand.

McLaren wrote:ladyputt

I agree, there is nothing worse than looking back down a par 5 (or any other hole) and seeing someone (as you say usually male) waiting for the green to clear when they are about 250+ yards out.  In fact general macho attitudes on the course wind me up a little.  An example would be club comparisons on par 3's.  Where someone will hit an 8 iron an you hit a 5 iron.  They are 20 yards short and right, and you are safely on the green, but the 8 iorn hitter feels the need to question why you need to hit 5 iron on a 160 yard hole.  Not realising the pin is in its very back position and the wind is at least 1/2 a club.

Wow Mac - for once I am in complete agreement with you!

I always felt it was bad manners to play from 250ish if there was a good chance my ball might land 20 yards short of the green and disturb someone putting. In the same way I wait to tee off not only when golfers ahead are clear, but also my ball landing behind them isn't going to disturb them playing their third short just 20ish yards up from my landing zone. Not because I necessarily think I'm getting it up to them.

LadyPutt wrote:

I'm never wrong wrote:Slow play, in all its manifestations.

 This usually manifests itself (in my experience) in men, who have no idea how far they hit the ball, or thinking they hit it further than they do (or are better players than they actually are), waiting for the green to clear when there is obviously no chance of them reaching it; people pulling trollies across greens & tees; leaving bags and trollies in front of the green then spending an age standing there counting up the score when they should be aware of people playing behind; searching for a ball for at least 5 minutes before calling someone through (especially if those behind happen to be women ). I could go on but I'm getting hot under the collar here!

I see this all the time.

But... At the weekend I was playing with a 21 handicapper who was in the rough about 200 yards out, waiting for the green to clear. It's all the way uphill to a raised green with a false front so plays more like 220 yards. There was a group waiting on the tee and I was standing in the fairway thinking to myself "come on mate just hit it, you're not going to reach the green, you're never going to connect with a 3 wood from the rough, you should be laying up with a short iron. You can barely hit it 200 yards with your driver off the tee."

Luckily I kept my thoughts to myself. He nailed it on to the middle of the green and rolled in a putt for birdie.

Something else that annoys me... actually makes me laugh more than anything else: a mate of mine who hits his tee shot into the rough and then walks about 50 yards past where it is to start looking. sometimes he can be looking 100 yards further forward. Because all his drives fly about 300 yards into the rough!!!

incontinentia wrote:I hate people commenting on my game, or guys who fancy themselves as swing gurus giving advice even though its against the rules

Is it against the rules? Didn't know that. I suppose otherwise pro's would have their coaches following them around on course. I assume a caddy can give advice? And comment on the player's swing?

The "waiting for the green to clear" scenario is an obvious one - but as with anything there is always a grey area and as barragan said sometimes you don't really want a ball coming up just short of a green if you really nail one. Twice in the last three days that has happened to me - I've thought I was out of range, and wouldn't get close, then hit a "shot of the day" that hasn't exactly rolled around their ankles but at least come up 10 yards short of the putting green. If the flag is at the back of a big green and they are all putting out, then not such a big deal but if they are still on the front of the green then it's a bit disconcerting.

I'm all for quick play and often play from positions I know won't get close when others would wait just in anticipation of a 120% shot distance - but if there is ANY danger of getting close then you should wait - that extra 30 seconds isn't going to make that much difference to speed of play, especially as in that situation you are clearly keeping up with the group in front.

All the other observations are spot on though - leaving bags/trolleys in inappropriate places, taking ages over tap-ins, having a meeting in the middle of the green and counting up the 8 shots they've played to get in the hole

Excessive number of practice swings is probably more irritating. I was in a 3-ball this afternoon, held up all round by a four ball and with a 2 ball behind us. We just about kept ahead of the 2 ball despite waiting on the 4 ball until the 16th where one of our group had an unexpected call of nature (the 16th tee is close to the clubhouse). We let him take his comfort break and invited the 2 ball to tee off while we waited. They then kept us waiting all the way through the last three holes with excessive practice swings and general bad course etiquette - no wonder they hadn't really pressed us until that point.

Ray's first post made me laugh though

I agree that in some instances you should give those ahead some breathing space but if you have just hit it 180 yards off the tee into the rough, it is a pretty safe bet that your next shot won't be within 100 yards of the green from 250 out.

Lack of consideration manifesting itself as
Slow play
Unreplaced divots
Unrepaired pitchmarks
Unraked bunkers
Excessively loud groups (particularly at the top of backswing).

I think Barra and JAS have pretty much nailed this one, but here are two more for consideration:
On the putting green, why do some people stand by one hole while putting to another, effectively taking 2 holes out of use! Do I mention it or does that make me seem petty?
Why do some, experienced golfers stand directly behind me on the tee. Do I ask them to move to the side, or does that make me seem petty?

I ask people to stand aside if they stand directly behind me or directly in the line I'm facing when playing a shot.
I see it a lot during match play and suspect it might be a tactic people use to try and put you off

It seems quite common for people to like to walk about a few feet away in your line of sight when you're putting in matchplay, rarely in medals or stablefords

puligny wrote:I think Barra and JAS have pretty much nailed this one, but here are two more for consideration:
On the putting green, why do some people stand by one hole while putting to another, effectively taking 2 holes out of use! Do I mention it or does that make me seem petty?
Why do some, experienced golfers stand directly behind me on the tee. Do I ask them to move to the side, or does that make me seem petty?

I find it all but impossible to follow the flight of someone else's tee shot unless I watch it from directly behind the swing.... have never considered that people might be annoyed by it. Would quite happily step to one side if asked, but don't ask me where your snap hook's ended up....

The thing that has annoyed me more than anything else on the course is being angrily and agressively told off by some knob that 'you're holding up the whole course...' This happened a few weeks ago in a club texas scramble when we were playing the 10th. The knob in question shouted it to me, so I replied..."what, just me?!!" What the knob didn't realise was that we had tee'd off 20 mins after the group ahead of us as there was a planned break in the tee times. One of our group had also had an issue with his electric buggy (they're worth including in this thread seperately!), and had to run back to the club house to drop it off and pick up an alternative for the remainder of the round (assistant pro had promised to meet us at the 8th but forgot). We had invited the group behind through explaining the issue - but they'd told us just to carry on, they weren't fussed... so we had lost a little ground due to that incident, despite this, the group ahead were only approaching the 11th green ahead of us as we walked off the 10th green following the knobhead's comment... as the round progressed we noted a couple of points where the knobheads group lost ground - they made up for this by letting only 1 group member (their lady) tee off on a couple of holes where there were forward tees - fair enough. At the end of the round, one of the group ahead of us apologised for holding US up. I asked if he would be so good to pass the message on to the knobhead when he showed his ugly grumpy face in the clubhouse later.  

Yeah, so that winds me up a little

I used to get wound up by all sorts, not least my own poopy play. These days it's not worth it, I only get to play once a fortnight if I'm lucky so I just try to enjoy it whatever.

Slow play.
Couldn't care about the clubhouse; one of the better courses I used to play (and Shotrock may remember it) had no social clubhouse, but had the added entertainment of the 18th hole bordering a State prison. Best thing about that was taking a wedge and hitting a ball or two over the barbed wire!

But slow play is the absolute worst thing ever.

Was going to post this in a new thread but seems to fit in here.

I finally built up the courage to join a golf club and have my first medal next week and I am unsure if there is any specific competition etiquette (other than normal golfing etiquette).

Any general advice would be great

I will have to stop the interesting choice of language after a couple bad shots as it can be quite colourful.

Things that annoy me people who just walk on your fairway to hit their next shot, without a care in the world that you are stood waiting to tee off

Nay Bother wrote:
I finally built up the courage to join a golf club and have my first medal next week and I am unsure if there is any specific competition etiquette (other than normal golfing etiquette).

The one thing I have to remember is not to ask what club a fellow competitor is going to take. It wouldn't make any difference to me as I don't hit as far as most people, and I make my own mind up.
In friendly games it's just a conversation point, but not in a medal.

Apologies if this is obvious to you.

Best advice I can think of in a medal is hit a provisional if even the slightest doubt over the first ball. Nothing worse than that walk of shame back to the tee. Less important in a Stableford as you can just give up that hole but if you want to complete your card then make sure you have a ball in play

And if you do hit a provisional be sure to utter the word "provisional". There is always one of those guys in the group that will try to impose a penalty if you don't actually say it.

But above all else have fun. Despite others losing sight of this it is just a round of golf and you are spending your weekend time trying to do something that brings you pleasure.

This does remind me of something that winds me up, and that is those players who ruin medal (or any other rounds, but it happens more often in medals) rounds by taking it too seriously and thinking they are in a PGAT event.

McLaren wrote:And if you do hit a provisional be sure to utter the word "provisional".  There is always one of those guys in the group that will try to impose a penalty if you don't actually say it.

That's because they will incur a penalty if they go on and find and hit the original ball

People who get wound up by the silliest things, have the mental strength to not let it bother you.

But yeah easy to say, harder to do........my number 1 when I playing was the elitism.......those players who think they are waaaay better than they actually are (not just limited to amateurs, but some pros too).

New one....putting on badly hollowtined greens. It took a few holes on Sat but 4 jabbing from 12 foot on the 6th for a quadruple bogey 7 when level par was enough to wind me up past the point of no return. Pin was at front of green, the percentage play was an 8 iron to the middle, I went for the pin with a 9 and dropped into the ditch just short (mainly because I didn't fancy a 25 footer down a slab of Ryvita. Hindsight is a wonderful thing :-) Really do have to work on developing mental strength & inner peace!!

Not much wind Sat but CSS went up 3 to 74 (normally it takes a hoolie to get it to 72)

JAS wrote:New one....putting on badly hollowtined greens.

I've often wondered why they don't do one half of the green and put the pin on the non-hollowtined bit. Ok if you land on the recently hollowtined half you've still got the problem, but if you hit it close you're rewarded with a smooth green. Then the next week swap it over - that way the area where the pin is will have had a week to settle.

As for the original question...trees. But only because I ended behind them 5 times on Sunday in the medal.

2 weeks ago the greens at one of my courses were exceptional. Probably the best i've ever seen them. Yesterday they were like a teenagers face. That winds me up.

Not replacing divots and being utterly incapable of raking a bunker properly.
Everything else pales into insignificance. I am more than capable of staying relaxed and switching off whilst hanging around behind a very slow game in front.

Nay Bother wrote:Was going to post this in a new thread but seems to fit in here.

I finally built up the courage to join a golf club and have my first medal next week and I am unsure if there is any specific competition etiquette (other than normal golfing etiquette).

Any general advice would be great

I will have to stop the interesting choice of language after a couple bad shots as it can be quite colourful.

Things that annoy me people who just walk on your fairway to hit their next shot, without a care in the world that you are stood waiting to tee off

Nope. Normal golfing etiquette should be fine. Enjoy it - it's only a round of golf!

I'm never wrong wrote:The one thing I have to remember is not to ask what club a fellow competitor is going to take. It wouldn't make any difference to me as I don't hit as far as most people, and I make my own mind up.
In friendly games it's just a conversation point, but not in a medal.

Apologies if this is obvious to you.

Don't ask anyone about what club they're going to take (you're asking for advice) as it'll cost you a 2-shot penalty. Rule 8, I think.
Once you've all hit, you can ask them what they took...

I didn't think you could ask at all, I thought you could only look or be shown.

is it against the rules for me to be rooting around in someone elses bag to see what club is missing?!

Rule 8: these questions would cost you a 2 shot penalty:

Hey Hedrick, did you just snap your 7 iron over your knee there?

Hey Tiger, did you just throw your driver into the crowd?

Davie wrote:

McLaren wrote:And if you do hit a provisional be sure to utter the word "provisional".  There is always one of those guys in the group that will try to impose a penalty if you don't actually say it.

That's because they will incur a penalty if they go on and find and hit the original ball

Davie I am well aware of the rules, and as a single figure player do not appreciate such a patronising tone from a high handicapper. The better player always has a better understanding of the rules. :boxing:

The point is I would never enforce a penalty on a playing partner if they forget to actually verbalize that they were playing a provisional. It would be clear if they were trying to cheat whether or not they uttered the words. In a clear case of cheating I would call them out on that but in all other scenarios what's the point?

McLaren wrote:

Davie wrote:

McLaren wrote:And if you do hit a provisional be sure to utter the word "provisional".  There is always one of those guys in the group that will try to impose a penalty if you don't actually say it.

That's because they will incur a penalty if they go on and find and hit the original ball

Davie I am well aware of the rules, and as a single figure player do not appreciate such a patronising tone from a high handicapper.  The better player always has a better understanding of the rules.  

The point is I would never enforce a penalty on a playing partner if they forget to actually verbalize that they were playing a provisional.  It would be clear if they were trying to cheat whether or not they uttered the words.  In a clear case of cheating I would call them out on that but in all other scenarios what's the point?

Personally, I just ask "I presume that's a provisional?" or words to that effect before they hit, then the issue doesn't arise.

I do query your "The better player always has a better understanding of the rules" statement though. I have a much better understanding of the rules than most professional golfers I see on telly...

Don't rise to the bait GM - he's just trolling again

I do feel it's important though to make it clear if a second ball is provisional or not

Imagine the first ball going into some bushes, where it may or may not have gone through but if not, perhaps unlikely but not impossible to be found

A second ball is hit from the tee; the first is then found, borderline-unplayable in the bushes and no dropping point

Not knowing if the second ball was provisional, what do you do now?

If the second ball had been declared provisional it would now not be an option as the first was found - so he'd have to play as it lies or go back to the tee and drive again. If the second ball HADN'T been declared provisional then that was the ball in play and he could pick the first up and continue with the second ... but when you don't know? ....

Davie

Poking a little fun at your high handicap is not trolling, unless you really are as sensitive as you seem.


As I said, I always assume the second ball is a provisional. If you are playing with me and hit a second ball it is a provisional. Unless you clearly state otherwise.