Protocol when finding clubs on course.

[KingG]

Last month I squeezed in a round while out of town for some work training. Early in the back nine I picked up a wedge left near the green side bunker. I tossed it inmy bag expecting the owner to realize they were missing a club and come back to look for it. No one ever came back and in the rush to finish the round before dark I forgot the club was in there and didn't remember until I saw it once I got back home. I guess I should have left it at the club house at the end of the round but in the rush it slipped my mind. What do you do you do when you find a club?

[Double Bogey]

This happens too often in my opinion.  Everyone thinks that they will find the owner or return it to the pro shop and they forget and it goes home "never to be seen again."

I leave it on the green closest to the exiting spot.  That way it is easily seen by everyone including the person who lost it.  The only issue is the folks coming up behind me could possible hit it, but the chance of such are nil.

[TomK82]

I always just leave them where i find them im a lefty so i rarely have anyone ask me if i have there club

[inthehole]

Originally Posted by Double Bogey

I leave it on the green closest to the exiting spot.  That way it is easily seen by everyone including the person who lost it.  The only issue is the folks coming up behind me could possible hit it, but the chance of such are nil.

Good idea ... I'll do this in future.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Double Bogey

This happens too often in my opinion.  Everyone thinks that they will find the owner or return it to the pro shop and they forget and it goes home "never to be seen again."

I leave it on the green closest to the exiting spot.  That way it is easily seen by everyone including the person who lost it.  The only issue is the folks coming up behind me could possible hit it, but the chance of such are nil.

Precisely because of what you said in paragraph one, I disagree with paragraph two.

I agree that there are plenty of unsavories out there who would pick up the club, hang onto it willing to give it back to the owner when he came back looking for it, but then if he didn't, claim it as their own.  And because of that, I will do what most do (I think), and what the OP intended to do (why don't you believe him?) and pick it up and turn it into the pro shop at the end of the round if its not claimed by the owner during the round.

Because if it happened to me, that is exactly what I would hope somebody else would do.

[Goonsidious]

i don't trust other people.. i believe if I do leave the club alone.. the people behind me will most likely take it for keeps.

But also, the chance that you get to the club house before the ones who left the club and are a few holes ahead of you are slim to none.

It's a tough situation.. I have no answer for it. But I do know I would pick it up myself and hold onto it.

[Double Bogey]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Precisely because of what you said in paragraph one, I disagree with paragraph two.

I agree that there are plenty of unsavories out there who would pick up the club, hang onto it willing to give it back to the owner when he came back looking for it, but then if he didn't, claim it as their own.  And because of that, I will do what most do (I think), and what the OP intended to do (why don't you believe him?) and pick it up and turn it into the pro shop at the end of the round if its not claimed by the owner during the round.

Because if it happened to me, that is exactly what I would hope somebody else would do.

I believe him but I know from experience at my home club, that most folks have good intentions but the club ends up in the trunk or a closet.  If I chose to move it to the exiting spot of the green I made an effort.  If someone comes back looking for it and asks me if I saw it, I can tell them where I moved it.  At least that narrows down the culprits in case of some one wanting to swipe it.

[dsc123]

I dont understand why anyone would leave it.  If the guy realizes it, he's going to backtrack and ask every group he passes if they found it.  So by leaving it there, you're just making him go further to get it.  If he doesn't realize it until after he leaves, then he's going to call the clubhouse.  I can't imagine a circumstance where it is beneficial to leave it.  Why not pick it up and leave it at the clubhouse if he doesn't come by?

[KingG]

This is prob the third club I've found on course and the first time someone has not come back looking for it. The one time I forgot a club it was picked up by a group behind me when I went back looking for it. I assumed this was standard practice but this is my first year playing so Im learning as I go.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Double Bogey

At least that narrows down the culprits in case of some one wanting to swipe it.

You know what else really narrows down the culprits in case of someone wanting to swipe it?????

Somebody with good intentions (yes, you.) picking it up so the "culprit list" gets narrowed down to zero.

[zeg]

In the OP's situation, I'd give a call to the clubhouse and let them know you've got it. They may have been asked about it, or the person who lost it may inquire the next time they come in.

In general, I would always pick up the club and carry it with me. The odds that someone warps back to a previous green without passing by me are basically zero, and I know I'm just as likely or more likely to turn it in when I finish the round. But even more likely is I see someone sheepishly making their way back up the fairway a hole later and I hand it back to him then.

Leaving it out doesn't really solve much, though I don't think you're obligated to pick it up. Moving it to the green or a visible location is also ok, especially if you find it in a strange place off in the rough where it may be lost for a long time or get run over by a mower. However, I think it's best to bring it back to the clubhouse, even if you occasionally forget to drop it off.

[vo-man]

I usually pick it up for the owner who, in 100% of the times I've picked up a left behind club, comes back down the cart path asking golfers if they've come across

a lost club...same thing for head covers.  Never had to leave one with the clubhouse yet.

[Topper]

I pick it up.  If I forgot to leave it at the clubhouse when nobody came looking for it, then I'd call the clubhouse to let them know and make arrangements for it's return.  The latter situation would be a PITA but I would hope someone would do the same for one of my clubs.

[Chief Broom]

I like the idea of calling the proshop to tell them you've picked up a club and will be turning it in after your round.  This way if the person who has lost their club checks in with the clubhouse before you've had a chance to turn it in they will be notified that the club has been found and will be turned in shortly.

I always pick up any club or personal item I find on the course and turn it in after my round if the owner hasn't approached me prior to finishing.  I used to go around the clubhouse after finishing prior to turning the club into the proshop and ask if someone has lost a club, but one time I gave a Vokey wedge I'd picked up to 2 guys who after thinking about it afterward I was pretty sure wasn't their club (they just acted strangely and I wouldn't have given them the club but the second fellow backed up the first by saying it was his so I gave it to them).  Now unless someone approaches me about a lost item I immediately turn it in to the proshop.  This way the proshop handles the return and whenever anyone loses something on the course the proshop is always the first place they will inquire.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by zeg

In the OP's situation, I'd give a call to the clubhouse and let them know you've got it. They may have been asked about it, or the person who lost it may inquire the next time they come in.

I have the clubhouse in my contacts list and will consider calling them next time, but for now I just pick it up, put it in my bag (with my wedges since I'll always notice a stow away there) and drop it off at the clubhouse/proshop after 9 or 18 depending on whether I found it on the front or the back. It's not rocket science.

[David in FL]

I have the clubhouse in my contacts list and will consider calling them next time, but for now I just pick it up, put it in my bag (with my wedges since I'll always notice a stow away there) and drop it off at the clubhouse/proshop after 9 or 18 depending on whether I found it on the front or the back. It's not rocket science.

Yup

[14ledo81]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

I have the clubhouse in my contacts list and will consider calling them next time, but for now I just pick it up, put it in my bag (with my wedges since I'll always notice a stow away there) and drop it off at the clubhouse/proshop after 9 or 18 depending on whether I found it on the front or the back. It's not rocket science.

Do you assess penalties to yourself for extra clubs in the bag?

[JaxBomber17]

I usually pick it up and keep it in the front of the cart if I'm riding, or in the umbrella well of my bag if I'm walking. I haven't left with one yet, but honestly I've only had to turn one in to the clubhouse. Usually it's a wedge, and people tend to miss those quickly.