Should a test be required before playing public course?

[lamebums]

how about enforceing the dress code and anyone with Patty Bergs and wood woods should not be allowed on the course.

What's wrong with a persimmon club?

[Chris36]

I'm a newbie to the game of golf with an average (with only two games of nine holes to base it on) of 130 or so. I wouldn't qualify to play under one set of rules I read at the beginning of this thread.

Norm you took the words right out of my mouth. When the day comes that I consider myself good and I run up on a slower player, you can bet I'll remember I was a beginner to.

[Dyna]

Haven't read all the postings but my own personal opinions are.

The range is fine to learn how to hit the ball, but how many people can actually bring their range game to the course? It's a whole different story when you have narrow fairways, trees, bunkers, people watching, etc. My boss took 4 weeks worth of lessons, hit the range a dozen times & when he went to the course for the 1st time he was horrible, shot something like an 84 & that was 9 holes. I believe the only way to get better is to play the game. What's with the snobbish attitudes that basically want to exclude those of us who aren't shooting in the low 80's right now?

I agree with a basic dress code, I actually like to wear actual golf wear on the course, makes me feel more like a real golfer & not just some slob who doesn't care.

Pace of play is hard to enforce since people do lose balls, do have to wait for the foursome playing in front of them, blah, blah. Normally when I go with the guys from work we can play 9 holes in under 2 hrs easily if the course is relatively empty. But go on a friday evening & it's not unusual to see 2.5-3 hrs for 9 holes. Took 4.5 hrs today for 18 but wasn't holding anyone up & the group in front of us was keeping pace as well.

[iacas]

Haven't read all the postings but my own personal opinions are.

Perhaps you should have. I don't think people were saying you had to strike the ball brilliantly on the range before you could move to the course - just so that you had some idea what to do, a relative idea how far the ball went with any club, and that you were less likely to whiff.

At the "beginner" stage there is no "game" to "bring" or not bring. It's just a lack of whiffs and a general idea of what's possible. Nobody's saying "low 80s" and that's a gross mis-characterization of the posts that have come before yours on this two-year-old thread.

[Mr.Buckethead]

I agree with Fourputt when he brought up the legality of restricting tee times and the like. It would not fly at true public courses that receive taxpayer dollars.

Aspiring golfers need to learn the game and the etiquette. One simple way to do that is to model appropriate behavior. I was at a local driving range/par 3 course the other day hitting balls. They do golf camps every week in the summer so that kids can learn the game. I am thinking about helping out next year at one of these. So, get involved, make changes or sit on the internet and complain.

[iacas]

I agree with Fourputt when he brought up the legality of restricting tee times and the like. It would not fly at true public courses that receive taxpayer dollars.

That's not true. I know of a lot of municipal courses that restrict tee times by age groups on some mornings, not to mention in the afternoons for some leagues. Limiting times by skill rather than age is likewise acceptable.

Aspiring golfers need to learn the game and the etiquette. One simple way to do that is to model appropriate behavior. I was at a local driving range/par 3 course the other day hitting balls. They do golf camps every week in the summer so that kids can learn the game. I am thinking about helping out next year at one of these. So, get involved, make changes or sit on the internet and complain.

It has next to nothing to do with juniors. Or women. Or seniors.

[Mr.Buckethead]

Let's see. We complain about the lack of golf knowledge in current players. Younger players, ages 6 and up are the future of the sport. Therefore, getting involved and teaching them the proper way to behave and act on a golf course would ensure that there are more golfers capable of playing up to acceptable standards on golf courses.

While it would be nice if Joe Six Pack didn't talk extremely loud, curse, throw clubs or do other things that should not take place on a golf course, time and effort would be better spent on educating those golfers that are the future of the game.



As for the muni's that are restricting tee times, someone hasn't filed a lawsuit yet. Public tennis courts aren't reserved for just players that are rated a 5.0 or better. They are first come, first served, just as taxpayer supported golf courses would be.

[iacas]

Let's see. We complain about the lack of golf knowledge in current players. Younger players, ages 6 and up are the future of the sport.

Apparently you missed the part where I said this has nothing or next to nothing to do with juniors. You're the only person trying to make this about juniors.

You're also wrong about the law: it is perfectly legal to require a certain skill to play during certain hours, or to be a member of certain groups, etc. You can restrict by age if you want to give seniors and juniors a time to play, you can restrict people who aren't in a league, and you can restrict by skill. Perfectly legal. Perhaps not prudent, but legal.

[waynem80]

I think a test would be a little much... but it wouldn't be bad to hand out some info to those that "need" it.

[P3R3]

My response is "Absolutely not", if you have a problem with the clientelle at a particular course then dont play it. There is a reason for private courses, join one. EVERYONE has to start somewhere, doing this would further inhibit the accessability of the game and further enforce the steriotype of golf being an elitest sport.

[iacas]

My response is "Absolutely not", if you have a problem with the clientelle at a particular course then dont play it. There is a reason for private courses, join one. EVERYONE has to start somewhere, doing this would further inhibit the accessability of the game and further enforce the steriotype of golf being an elitest sport.

I think the general point of those who want a basic rules + etiquette test is that the game of golf is a

gentlemanly game. Some golfers who play a few times per year have no idea how to behave, and that stinks. When you play hockey or soccer or basketball, you have a ref to enforce the rules so that everyone can enjoy themselves. Golf has no such referee, so one idiot can ruin the rounds of several other groups. It's not a matter of "join a private club" or not - you don't have to join some high-priced basketball league to play basketball and have a reasonable expectation that everyone else playing knows the rules. Heck, you can join the Y. Furthermore, I think telling people "go play somewhere else" when they may not have that option is more harmful to the game than making sure people know not to take divots on the putting greens and have a general understanding about things like pace of play, what to do when you hit into a water hazard, etc. Too many people are blowing things out of proportion here. The tests they give in other countries are not as strict as y'all seem to think: it's just a basic test of etiquette and rules. That's it. Some add to it a basic skills test, but people who don't toss the ball in the air and hit it like a baseball pass.

[lamebums]

Let's see. We complain about the lack of golf knowledge in current players. Younger players, ages 6 and up are the future of the sport. Therefore, getting involved and teaching them the proper way to behave and act on a golf course would ensure that there are more golfers capable of playing up to acceptable standards on golf courses.

I have to agree - golf has to begin at well...the beginning. More time has to be devoted to the future of the game - the juniors, mainly, but also to some extent anyone, at any age, trying to pick up the game. Although it would take many years for change to be noticed, it's just like changes to the education system - it takes a long time to see any noticeable results.

At muni's there's no real way to restrict tee times based on skill, age, or whatever without killing their business. Figure it this way - if you're a junior and you can only tee off between 3:30 and 4:00, how welcomed do you feel at that club? Or, if you're a 20 handicapper whose serious about the game, but they say only people who play to a 15 or less can tee off at (insert time here)? Odds are the hacks - who pay just as much as a scratch for their round - would just take their business elsewhere. I can understand some restrictions, but nothing too drastic. As to etiquette on the course, this is best enforced in two ways - devote a part of the score card telling players about fixing their pitch marks, replacing divots, and keeping up the pace of play. Most courses do that already. Then, the ranger needs to do his job. I know that most of them are there for free golf and don't want to get into a fist fight over slow play or divot holes, but it's their job to make sure that rules are enforced and the game isn't ruined for everyone else. I can't count the number of strokes I've dropped because my drive lands in divot holes, or the number of times I've moved my ball because of old pitch marks on the green. In short, ending the pussification of the modern golf course ranger is the first step to fixing the problems with the game.

[P3R3]

I think the general point of those who want a basic rules + etiquette test is that the game of golf is a

I guess I have NEVER encountered horrible behavior that wasnt severly isolated. If you avoid the redneck courses, you will avoid the a-holes.

[iacas]

I guess I have NEVER encountered horrible behavior that wasnt severly isolated. If you avoid the redneck courses, you will avoid the a-holes.

I'm just saying that not everyone has the choice to go elsewhere.

[P3R3]

I'm just saying that not everyone has the choice to go elsewhere.

Well thats kinda tough sh*t then. You cant expect August National in rural Kentucky.

[rogolf]

There should be an elementary Rules test that all players must pass before they're allowed to play on a golf course, like a driver's license.  (Oh, there is, in some European countries!)

[iacas]

There should be an elementary Rules test that all players must pass before they're allowed to play on a golf course, like a driver's license.  (Oh, there is, in some European countries!)

Yeah. That'll help participation. :-P Virtually no courses would turn away business.

[BENtSwing]

There should be an elementary Rules test that all players must pass before they're allowed to play on a golf course, like a driver's license.  (Oh, there is, in some European countries!)

LOL...that's a joke, right?