What is your biggest pet peeve you see people doing on the golf course?

[imsys0042]

Unless someone really has control of their distances, I hate it when people use their range-finder for nearly every shot. Even without pacing off distances, it's usually pretty easy to tell how far away you are within 5 yards or so, and no one I play with has accuracy to within 5 yards.  Every once in a while? Sure. Every shot?  ....pet-peeve.

I also like to play ready golf, and, apart from the tees, I hate it when my playing partners try to play 'honors'.

And while I'm okay with people taking a practice swing or two, I can't handle three or more --- especially if it is for every shot.

...but the biggest one of all is:  when someone lines up a ball, takes two or three practice swings, addresses the ball, and then stands up, and starts lining up the ball and taking more practice swings again!  (And my regular playing partner does this frequently. Grrrr.....)

I personally hate range finders.   Not because a lot of people do find them useful, but for precisely the reasons above.   First, people I'm playing with at my home course are obsessive about helping me with it, to the point I am getting ready to swing and they push me aside to "help" me.   I already know the distances important to me (to the center, and for a forced carry, the yardage to the front of the green).   It's annoying because I have the notes and experience to know how far I have to carry the ball and especially on tees, it's the same shot as last week...and the week before...and the week before...

Second, if you have to do it for a 40 yard shot, why the heck are you out here?   Everyone I know struggles with the touch for a shot like that.   And no one can tell me how far back the club goes to achieve that distance...so why are you wasting my time?

I'll tell you why...more information does NOT always mean better results.   You can have all the info in the world, but if you don't know how to apply it then you're still screwed.   You'd be better off doing it by feel, or yardage to the center.

For people who can process that data and use it effectively on a 40 yard shot, good for you.   You have a better grasp of things that most of us.   I truly mean that.   There are people who know exactly what to do with their swing with that data.   Most people are being goofy pulling it out at that yardage.   Go take up bowling and get the heck away from me.

[saevel25]

Second, if you have to do it for a 40 yard shot, why the heck are you out here?   Everyone I know struggles with the touch for a shot like that.   And no one can tell me how far back the club goes to achieve that distance...so why are you wasting my time?

I'll tell you why...more information does NOT always mean better results.   You can have all the info in the world, but if you don't know how to apply it then you're still screwed.   You'd be better off doing it by feel, or yardage to the center.

For people who can process that data and use it effectively on a 40 yard shot, good for you.   You have a better grasp of things that most of us.   I truly mean that.   There are people who know exactly what to do with their swing with that data.   Most people are being goofy pulling it out at that yardage.   Go take up bowling and get the heck away from me.

Because knowing the number allows me to associate with the feel as well. Its the reason I pace off all my putts now, even out to lets say 50 feet. I want that methodical method ingrained so I can hone a feel. Given that depth perception fits more, but sometimes depth perception can be tricked as well. This course I play has a lot of tall bunkers. They block the view of the green. They decided to put 5-6 yards of distance between the green and the bunker. If you casually walk up and try to gauge a shot on site alone. I would be money that majority of players would end up either in the bunker or in between the bunker and the green. Not many places put that much gap between the green and bunkers. This can throw off expectation and depth perception. So what do I do, I laser the pin.

Do I know exactly what my swing does. Nope. I am not sitting here saying, "Oh 45 yards I have to take the club back for 0.3 seconds, and strike with this speed". I still feel out the distance like any other shot. What knowing the distance does is allows me to be sure with my shot.

[MS256]

First, people I'm playing with at my home course are obsessive about helping me with it, to the point I am getting ready to swing and they push me aside to "help" me.

What???

Can't say that I've ever had to experience anything like that but "pet peeve" would be too mild for my feelings if it did! I'm pretty sure it would only happen once.

I wear a GPS on my belt that shows me the distance to the center of the green and that's it. I almost always look down at it out of habit but inside of 100 yards the number really doesn't make much difference to me because it's just a feel shot anyway (but I still look). Like Matt said over time you develop a certain feel for say a 40 yard shot and a 50 yard shot.

Biggest advantage of knowing distance for me is on blind shots or shots from unusual places (which I have plenty of). Just knowing the distance lets me commit more to the shot with confidence instead of being hesitant and guessing. That's one area where I made a very obvious improvement when I got my first GPS.

[Dave2512]

I was paired with strangers on Sat so I chose to not go through some of my routine, including not using my gps for every shot and it made me slower. Despite not having the ability to drop it on the number I was wrong in my estimation several times and ended up short and over greens I should have easily hit. Also faced longer putts. The end result was I played worse than usual which slowed me down. The guys I played with didn't mark balls on greens and seemed to randomly make club selections. I think they thought it was faster but was a mess. Longest day I've had on the course in a long time.

[imsys0042]

What???

Can't say that I've ever had to experience anything like that but "pet peeve" would be too mild for my feelings if it did! I'm pretty sure it would only happen once.

I wear a GPS on my belt that shows me the distance to the center of the green and that's it. I almost always look down at it out of habit but inside of 100 yards the number really doesn't make much difference to me because it's just a feel shot anyway (but I still look). Like Matt said over time you develop a certain feel for say a 40 yard shot and a 50 yard shot.

Biggest advantage of knowing distance for me is on blind shots or shots from unusual places (which I have plenty of). Just knowing the distance lets me commit more to the shot with confidence instead of being hesitant and guessing. That's one area where I made a very obvious improvement when I got my first GPS.

Oh it's happened more than once.   Usually with a retort from me of "You should have saved the $200 and just asked me.  I was within 2 yards."   Yes, literally standing over my shot because the other three golfers use it for every swing so they think "Why wouldn't he use it as well?"

[imsys0042]

Because knowing the number allows me to associate with the feel as well. Its the reason I pace off all my putts now, even out to lets say 50 feet. I want that methodical method ingrained so I can hone a feel. Given that depth perception fits more, but sometimes depth perception can be tricked as well. This course I play has a lot of tall bunkers. They block the view of the green. They decided to put 5-6 yards of distance between the green and the bunker. If you casually walk up and try to gauge a shot on site alone. I would be money that majority of players would end up either in the bunker or in between the bunker and the green. Not many places put that much gap between the green and bunkers. This can throw off expectation and depth perception. So what do I do, I laser the pin.

Do I know exactly what my swing does. Nope. I am not sitting here saying, "Oh 45 yards I have to take the club back for 0.3 seconds, and strike with this speed". I still feel out the distance like any other shot. What knowing the distance does is allows me to be sure with my shot.

That's a good idea for putting.   I personally don't get any help from knowing at those short yardages.   When I'm standing over a shot I need to know what side to err on.  Do I make sure I get it past a hazard, so I make sure that my error is past the pin?   Or is there something where playing short or below the hole is more important.  My thought process is that too many times I've played a yardage, under 75 yards really, and played for that yardage without taking those things into account.   Just the way I think about things I suppose.

[Spitfisher]

My biggest pet peave....when the players in front of you do not seat the flag properly for other to play into. The Pin is leaning one way or the other.

[Golfingdad]

Second, if you have to do it for a 40 yard shot, why the heck are you out here?   Everyone I know struggles with the touch for a shot like that.   And no one can tell me how far back the club goes to achieve that distance...so why are you wasting my time?

A couple of things about this one:

I used to think I was a "feel" player like you do, in the sense that any shot under a full swing was done just by looking with my eyes.  No numbers.  However, I have learned a pretty effective pitching technique recently (thanks to the people on this site) and after buying a rangefinder, I also learned that my "full swing" with said pitch - basically, as far back as I can go and feel like I'm taking a smooth swing and without feeling like I'm really hitting at the ball - goes 45-50 yards.

So every once in awhile I do break it out for a shot of that length because I need to know if I'm "pitching" the ball, or if I'm 60-65 yards out, then I'm going to play another type of shot.

And I can do this before it's my turn, so I'm not "wasting" anybody's time either.  If you're playing partners are, then they're doing it wrong.

Lastly ... I already bowl.

[rehmwa]

Two flavors of peeves here

1 - things that happen that affect me directly (poor treatment of course, etc)

2 - things that other people do that don't really affect me at all, and I choose to let it bother me (other's routines, club selection, use of tools, harmless habits)

For #1, I speak up, immediately, politely and directly (Hey, your ball mark is over here.  Here's your divot.  We need to catch up to that other group guys, etc)

For #2, I figure that's my problem, not their problem

[MS256]

Lastly ... I already bowl.

I've played a lot of sports. Almost anything that involved running, jumping, hitting something (or somebody), or something that involves a ball.

Of all of the sports I ever tried there are two where I would say I'm simply not any good. Golf and bowling.

But I still enjoy both!

[Jeremie Boop]

When anyone stands and talks/hits on the cart girl for 15 minutes on the course thinking that they're going to get lucky....

[Dave2512]

When anyone stands and talks/hits on the cart girl for 15 minutes on the course thinking that they're going to get lucky....

Even more annoying when the guy is old enough to be her grandfather. Usually it's the older guys I see doing it. Thankfully both courses I play most put coolers on the carts. I buy all my whatever in the bar and wave her through.

[legitimatebeef]

Biggest pet peeve is not playing ready golf. When people don't even begin thinking about their shot until it's their turn. These people usually get way too engrossed in everybody else's shots, obviously.

There are a thousand annoyances caused by typicals on a golf course, many of them can be worked around. But when people fail to play ready golf, it kills any hope of playing at a good pace and I hate the feeling of being held captive by someone else being too stupid to understand how ready golf works.

[saevel25]

Can't remember if this one has been said. When you walk up to the green and notice a big 3" long gash in the green because someone decided to take a swipe at the ground or their ball and dug their putter through the green. No fixing that with a divot repair tool.

[imsys0042]

A couple of things about this one:

I used to think I was a "feel" player like you do, in the sense that any shot under a full swing was done just by looking with my eyes.  No numbers.  However, I have learned a pretty effective pitching technique recently (thanks to the people on this site) and after buying a rangefinder, I also learned that my "full swing" with said pitch - basically, as far back as I can go and feel like I'm taking a smooth swing and without feeling like I'm really hitting at the ball - goes 45-50 yards.

So every once in awhile I do break it out for a shot of that length because I need to know if I'm "pitching" the ball, or if I'm 60-65 yards out, then I'm going to play another type of shot.

And I can do this before it's my turn, so I'm not "wasting" anybody's time either.  If you're playing partners are, then they're doing it wrong.

Lastly ... I already bowl.

Yeah....I don't care if they don't impress it upon me...and they treat every swing like a church service where everyone has to cluster around and they don't do any prep before their shots.   It's talk about what to do...then range find it....then make the shot...then do commentary.   Ugh.   The pro played with them once when I wasn't there and quit after 9 holes and 2 hours 45 minutes.

I don't care if you're naked doing cartwheels with your range finder (or anything else) as long as you play smart on ready when it's your turn.   Or even pointing the darn thing for a couple of seconds and then drawing your club.   Just keep it moving.

[whatwoodtigerdo]

When an entire group in front of me doesn't know what "ready golf" means. Take your time and enjoy your round as long as you aren't hacking all over the place but if you are near your balls and I have the time to ask out loud "What the F is this group in front of us doing" and nobody is swinging yet then it angers me to no end.

People who do 2 or 3 practice swings before every shot and then hack it, rinse and repeat. Look the practice swing isn't helping, let's see if you can hit it without them. It certainly won't get worse and maybe you will be less tired at the end of the round.

Anybody who has to count their strokes while pointing at the course behind them. Really, you didn't know what you were laying? I'll just put you down for a max.

On a confessional note.....I don't replace my divots or use the sand and I take a big ole bacon sliver every good iron shot. I am sorry if this has affected any of your scores and I will try to do better.

[rehmwa]

well, at least you're hitting down through the ball like you are supposed to

fitting that big, beautiful, perfectly carved, divot right back into it's original spot has it's own little bit of satisfaction sometimes (wow, nice shot, look at how this was just carved out like a piece of turkey from the bird - scrapers don't get to enjoy that at all)

[legitimatebeef]

When an entire group in front of me doesn't know what "ready golf" means. Take your time and enjoy your round as long as you aren't hacking all over the place but if you are near your balls and I have the time to ask out loud "What the F is this group in front of us doing" and nobody is swinging yet then it angers me to no end.

Exactly, when I see whole groups standing around not playing golf, I want to go postal.