[RDhot]

Perhaps you could’ve asked or told them not to do the things that they were doing. That way they would have learned and you would have not had a problem

[Scudder]

The lost ball rule is now three minutes not five thank goodness

[RDhot]

There is a certain level of etiquette and decorum expected on a golf course. You don’t get to hold up the rest of the people because you don’t want to play by the rules.

[ts12755]

Remember 80% of the players here are just having fun and camaraderie. Their Pro years are over. I'd recommend since you are so good that you play on the championship courses.

[b0bd0herty]

Where is the fault?

[John_W]

Originally Posted by Leadbone1

You need to just go play by yourself. You’re taking it way too seriously. I’m not surprised though! It seems that out on this ‘talk of the villages’ there are so many people that are just looking for reasons to be offended. I guess this gives them a venue to do that. Excessive whining every day! Yes I know, I have the option to just stop reading it!

In your comments directed toward Winston the OP, I think you're way off base. He would fit in our group very easily, we have a threesome and in the winter a foursome. We're not the greatest group, but one member shot 73 yesterday at Mallory and a 70 last week at Bonifay from the while tees. I shoot about 80 and the current third member shoots low 80's.

Once you know the golf etiquette, it's like driving a car, it will become automatic. We do play ready golf, we almost never have honors on the tee, we generally hit in the same order everytime or whoever is ready. We all have our own rangefinders, I wear one on my wrist, so it's right there with me. My cart has two sand bottles, so the passenger doesn't have to walk around the cart to get a bottle. Yes, you fill your divots with sand, it's not a big deal, the sand is free.

I've been playing with the same neighbor since 2012, but in 2011 before than, I did once play with a group of 20. They were the Buttonwood group. They were very casual, but they all followed the rules. It was a fun group and yet they knew how to play. It was also the first time I broke 80 at TV from the blue tees. Good etiquette inspires good golf.

[DonH57]

Originally Posted by coconutmama

Totally agree. Good Golf school should be required.

Not shooting into those playing ahead of you is also a concern to me. Dangerous. See it quite a bit, especially in the winter months when those new to the game are on the courses more often

Our group have had that happen to us as well, usually during the winter months. We had one group shoot on to us as we were trying to walk off the green. We informed the ambassador since it happened twice. They apparently scrambled off the course before he could get to them.

[DonH57]

Originally Posted by Scudder

The lost ball rule is now three minutes not five thank goodness

That's a whole 2 minutes I lose on every hole trying to find that ProV1 or Callaway ERC that I didn't lose to begin with, dang it.

[stadry]

Originally Posted by coconutmama

Totally agree. Good Golf school should be required.

Not shooting into those playing ahead of you is also a concern to me. Dangerous. See it quite a bit, especially in the winter months when those new to the game are on the courses more often

this 1's easily resolved,,, you hit the ball back to them & motion them to wait,,, unfortunately i have to wait often - not that my balls get the distance they did 50yrs ago BUT, now & then, i do hit that 1 shot that makes the round worthwhile,,, in our league, we've kind of lapsed yelling 'fore' because: 1, voices lose strength as we age; & 2, most of our guys wear hearing aids but turn them down :-)

[John_W]

Originally Posted by stadry

this 1's easily resolved,,, you hit the ball back to them & motion them to wait,,, unfortunately i have to wait often - not that my balls get the distance they did 50yrs ago BUT, now & then, i do hit that 1 shot that makes the round worthwhile,,, in our league, we've kind of lapsed yelling 'fore' because: 1, voices lose strength as we age; & 2, most of our guys wear hearing aids but turn them down :-)

I made a mistake about ten years ago. I was playing Aberdeen Proving Ground Golf Course in Aberdeen Maryland. I hadn't played in a few years and took the game back up in 2009. Ahead of us was group of women and I thought they were well out of the way. I connected on a drive that landed right behind the women in a golf cart that was beginning to move, and took one hop and landed in the back of their cart. They didn't stop, turn around, or do anything. I thought, I'm lucky, they didn't notice. Then I thought, should I ask for my ball back, no I'll just take a drop. That the last time I ever did that.

I always thought that was one of best scenes in the movie Sideways, when Thomas Hayden Church and Paul Giamanti are playing golf and the group behind them hit into them. Of course, they were standing in the fairway talking about their lovelife. Thomas (Jack) hits the ball back and makes a perfect shot, when they don't react quick enough, he grabs his driver and chases them down the fairway. One of my favorite movies.

[DON10E]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

I'm having a difficult time enjoying myself on the golf course due to the behavior of people I play with. I usually sign up as a single and get paired with different people. Most of them are very nice and I'm sure that I'd have no problem with them off the course. But too many of them have no idea about golf etiquette.
I played with two guys today who just wouldn't stop talking. They had no idea where anyone's ball was and generally didn't understand the need to keep quiet, not walk on other player's lines, not let there shadows go where they can break a player's concentration.
Now I understand that a lot of people, especially those that play executive courses are out for fun, sunshine and exercise. But there are some of us that are trying to hit good shots and shoot a score.
When I play golf, my concentration begins when I start to line up my shot. I stand behind the ball pick out an aiming point and envision the shot that I'm going to hit.
Today on the first hole, these two guys are talking and I was getting ready to hit. I got over my ball and they didn't stop so I back away and gave them a look. They finally shut up but just as I'm about to take the club away the two of them walked behind me and cast their shadows over my ball. I backed away again and they didn't get it.
They did this over and over for nine holes. On one hole, the fourth member of the group was standing over a four foot putt for par and one of them starts talking in the middle of his backswing.
On another hole, one of them dropped two clubs on my ball marker and walked up my line. That not bad enough but the guy must have weighed close to 300 pounds.
If you haven't played golf before, or you're a casual golfer, I understand that these things may not be important to you, but you need to learn to be considerate of other people. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, go to the good golf school and read a bit about golf etiquette. It will make for better relationships and make golf much more pleasant for everyone.
I feel bad that I went out to have an enjoyable day and come home and have to write something like this.

I feel for you. When I play I do take it seriously, but not too seriously. I’m competing against myself and want to do well. That doesn’t mean throwing clubs or a stream of curses if I blow a shot. Those folks would surely stick to championship courses and not spend much time on executive courses.

I think many executive course players are new to golf, so they may just not know what the courtesy rules are. I’d suggest you politely ask for their cooperation rather than suffer through nine holes. They may just not realize they’re doing anything wrong. I find most people try to be considerate if they can.

I frequently play as a single, often alone. Please feel free to contact me and maybe we can connect for the executive or even the championship courses. Seriously. But not too seriously. 😊

[salgent]

This will continue so you will have to get used to it, more homes sold, new residents who bring their own habits with them.

[DON10E]

Originally Posted by nancymiller217@yahoo.com

Ok, question here. I know we are supposed to play “ready golf” so in my understanding if someone is raking the bunker or looking for their ball, or overshot and had to walk a distance for their ball, other players who were ready were supposed to shoot, even if the delayed player was further away. Is that not the rule when “serious players” join your group?

Courses set their rules. If the course wants ready golf all players should try to comply. Nobody likes a 2 hour/5 1/2 hour round. At least I don‘t.

Golfers who don’t want to comply with the rules of the course should play elsewhere.

[Albany]

Many golfers in TV only play the executive courses and were not golfers in their former lives. They have no idea of the rules of etiquette. Don't shoot them a look, ask them politely not to talk while you are taking a shot. Educate them nicely about walking on your line and casting a shadow on your shot. You can always just say "please guys...." It's golf, not curing cancer. If you can't stand it, play the championship courses where in general there is more golf knowledge.

[EviesGP]

Sorry for you, Winston. Both of your experience on the course, as well as, here, with the 'usual suspects' and their comments. It's just plain courtesy and respect, period. I don't think anything you posted was extreme. Cheers!