Quote:
Originally Posted by jimschlaefer
I know there's a quick, easy, brute force solution to this dilemma, but I've gotta start this thread anyway. Not too long ago, proper attire for a golf outing included, for men at least, a collared shirt. Then Tiger Woods came along wearing a Henley collared shirt and the PGA decided, "if it's good enough for Tiger, it's good enough for all". Well, The Villages Golf organization decided to go along with that PGA position and changed their requirements for men's shirts to include Henley collared shirts. They even updated their 'Proper Attire' poster to include a blue Henley example. Then the dilemma came about when going to Executive Courses (haven't tried this on the Champion Courses yet) at tee time while wearing a Henley collared shirt and being told it was not proper attire. Even when the poster showed a Henley on it. Now this isn't ALL Executive Courses, but seems to follow specific individual starters more than anything. It's tough showing up at a specific course where you have played in a Henley before and have a different starter tell you, you're under-dressed and can't tee off. How can we get everyone on the same page?? Apparently not all starters either know the rules or have decided to interpret them as they see fit. One starter told me I was wearing a Henley, but the collar wasn't high enough so he considered it a tee-shirt.
And before anyone suggests the easy fix "wear a collared shirt and the dilemma doesn't exist", I get that. This is about seeking some consistency. That's all.
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Don't know if you've been here long enough to find out this is the craziest place you can find in regard to the subject of "rules", attire and others. I LONG ago came to the conclusion that the rules can even change day to day at the SAME course. It makes your head spin. I had a starter once ORDER me into a cart with a man actively smoking a cigar. Not wanting to insult the man, I just quietly told the starter I'd take my own cart. He began a LOUD argument with me, to the point the man with the cigar could hear. I kept saying no, no, I'll just take my own cart. He said "that is NOT allowed, do you want to play or not ?" I said no, I would just go home then. Actually I went directly to the golf office, I had to wait a long time, had to tell two people exactly what it was I wanted to discuss. I replied I'd rather wait until I could talk to someone privately, but no, could not see anyone unless they know the topic. So I told two different reception people. Finally got to see someone, but the summary was (and you can guess this one): "we'll look into it". Nothing about REGULAR INCONSISTENCY for YEARS here. Also once had a starter tell me that my top had LESS than the required 2 inches width on each side of shoulder strap. Actually it was nearly TWICE that, but I was on the 4th hole when a marshal came up in a cart and said " I hear you had quiet a dust up with ____ back in the starter shack". I was so startled I was nearly speechless... a "dust up" I said, with "who ?". The only thing that had been said to me when I checked in was: "are you going to change before your starting time ?" I was confused because I'd worn the same top from N. L. pro shop many times at other courses. I said, "no, I just dressed at home, I didn't bring additional clothes with me." She said, " welllllll, I could let you go THIS TIME, but you need to dress properly from now on". I was not that surprised because we've been here for so many years now that we know that even the same course does not have the same rules. I thought that was it, but then this "ambassador" came on hole #4 with this "dust up" talk as if I had objected and not offered to go home and change. He seemed a bit embarrassed, and but he got a PAPER measuring ruler (like they give away at various displays and have advertising on them). He said he needed to "measure" the shoulders of my scoop neck shirt... and in his other hand he had a paper with the "rules" of proper dress and handed it to me. I told him to hand ME the ruler, I would do the measuring and told him politely and calmly that I was not comfortable with him doing the measuring. He was polite and said no problem. I measured both straps, left and right, they were each just short of 4" in width. He nodded, and left, but it really ruined the round and that was my fault because I kept thinking how inappropriate of a male being sent out to "measure" a female's clothing and to hand them a copy of "rules" that had never been the rules in the previous 5 YEARS ! It was "over 2" for women when we first built here, the idea was (and I agree) to keep tank tops off the courses. But then you see men with no shirts on at times, you see men whose shirts do not even do a fair job of covering their stomach ! ? I would never complain about that, or if someone had on very short shorts, I prefer proper attire as that was what we were used to, but I'd never make it my job to be the rules police on proper attire, or lack of it. My only point is the inconsistency here has been carried to a level I don't even think about any more, it's just the way it is here...life is short, not going to worry about it, I just expect it. Also once had an interesting experience at Saddle brook many years ago. Man checking in was outside the starter shack "checking" people in (?) while smoking a cigarette (?). I couldn't figure this out since the computer was inside the shack. He took my card, checked off my name/time on a clip board, and we were off next. But, honestly it was not ideal since he had no problem blowing smoke right on those of us checking in, but again, if I or any one complained, I am sure we'd be looked at as ridiculous since this all happened outside in the open air....but again, it's just the inconsistency. One day the starters can smoke, next day they can inside, another place they can smoke but must stand outside, it's just so crazy and hasn't changed in the last 15 years... fortunately it's not a weekly or even monthly thing. It's clearly a lack of a proper training program... we're probably lucky they can even get enough people for those jobs, so I say, don't fight it (like I did once when I reported it), it's Florida, if you don't like today's rules, it's like tomorrow, it'll change tomorrow, LOL ! Just can't resist one more example, N.L. pool, the routine is you check in with the pool monitor, walk in, sits at table, and one day this past summer, no one at table, fine, went over to empty lounge and put my things down, started reading my book. Forgot reading sunglasses, went back out to cart to get them. Walked back in, still no monitor at table, and I just headed to my lounge where my things were. WOMAN came RUNNING behind me, stop stop, I need your CARD she says. That was fine with me, but was confused about where she came from, monitor has always been at a table. So I tell her I have to go to my lounge in get my card out of my swim bag. I come back and reach out my hand to give it to her and she really snaps at me telling me to PUT IT DOWN ON THE TABLE, not to hand it to her and she pulled her hand back so quickly my card dropped on the ground. She told me to pick it up and put it ON the table because she did not touch cards "due to Covid" ! ! This was way past the time there was anyone who didn't know this was not passed on hard surfaces, but I again said nothing. When I left the pool that day I realized she worked differently than any other monitor I've encountered at any of the country clubs. They all sit at some kind of table near the entrance. As I left I finally saw this woman sits in her AUTOMOBILE, with the AC running, and then runs AFTER people as she sees them going into the pool. She must have been looking at her cell phone when I entered so she missed me until I went back out to get my glasses ! Again.... LOL... different rules for every employee for every location... LOL !