I moved in last summer and one of my first games was at the Volusia course. I was walking and the couple I was teamed up with was in a cart. They both were very overweight, he smoked cigars and she smoked cigarettes, they played loud music and drove their cart to wherever their ball was. On the last hole he parked on the black tee box and waited for me to walk up and play my tee shot. They were talking over the music and blowing smoke across the tee box. I stood there wondering if I was good enough to shank my tee shot into their cart. I barely any room to swing the club and decided to just walk to my car and forget the last hole. He asked if the music was bothering me but I had let go on too long to respond in a calm manner. I could have said something in the beginning and I'm sure they would have turned it off.

About 6 months ago I was playing at Gray Fox with a guy and two women that talked non-stop and were in constant motion and making other noises, hitting the gas in my backswing and fiddling with their equipment. Again, I said nothing. By the time we got to hole 7 I had enough. I was standing over a long putt and they were all standing around me talking. I took a liitle extra time lining up the putt waiting for them to pause their conversation and the guy laughed out loud and said something like "are we distracting you?" I gave him the middle finger and said f u. I picked up my ball and went to another course. Again, I could have asked them to be quiet when it's my turn, stand still and wait until I'm done with my swing before gunning the gas pedal etc. I didn't and that's my fault.

Tiger Woods father used to play music and make noise when Tiger practiced. He told him that if you can't play with distractions then you can't play.

I remind myself of this and challenge myself to become a better player and a better person despite my surroundings.