Its my fault, but where are the honest golfers?

Long story short, my father was in town last Friday so hit the local municpal course for grins. Upon completion of our round, I was putting my bag in the truck and noticed my driver wasn't in the bag.

I'll spare you all the story from this point, suffice it to say I did everything you are thinking and more.

I spoke to the course all weekend and it never turned up. So somebody has a Cleveland Hi-Bore with a brand new (hit three rounds) Aldila shaft in it. I hope that the thieving bastard develops a slice that is beyond a cure.

I'm sorry for your loss. Guess you have to expect the worst, and hope for the best in those situations.

Golfers are just a microcosm of the world - good and bad all mixed in together. I would have returned it to the Clubhouse, at a minimum, but who knows what happened. I know guys who used to work at golf courses where returned items are taken by the employees - the real culprit could be anyone.

Wouldn't it be cool to get a sort of "ClubJak" just like LoJak for cars - press a button, and follow the GPS beacon right to the culprit for the proper comeuppance (maybe it's only a few holes away - that would be nice).

It may show up, probably not. With these lost club stories, I'm thinking about spray-painting my driver all black so if it gets lost, someone will think it's a piece of crap and just turn it in or leave it. Maybe a different color like bright orange so if I see it on the course in someones' bag, I can recognize it and take it back.

Yeah I did the drive around bit for about 20min looking in the bags of folks that were behind me and talking to all the groups. I didn't see it in plain view and there again, nobody was voulunteering any information.

Just curious... How do you misplace your driver? I've lost a 5-iron before, but the driver doesn't leave my hands. Think you may not have slid it all the way into the bag and it fell out?

Sorry you lost your driver. Maybe make a picture of it and see if you can post it in the clubhouse. That might pressure the guy who has it to know you're looking, and it might help if the guy is constantly afraid you're watching for him.

Often it feels like there's no return for being honest (just to be honest). I was working three jobs trying to pay for college, hadn't eaten a meal since lunch the previous day, when I found an envelope on the sidewalk packed with, not small money, but $100 bills. I saw a lady panicked and upset and asked if she was looking for the envelope. She said "ohgodthanks" and snatched it from my hands and just...took off. I don't know why I remember that story, besides it made me just that much more p*ssed and cynical.

I am curious about this as well. I have seen people leave wedges behind on the green but a driver?

There are honest golfers all over. Just a couple of days ago I left a 3W and a 4H in the grass next to my parking space (was rearranging my bag) and forget them there, played my round, went back to the car and realizes that the clubs were missing (not in the trunk). Went to the pro shop, someone turned them in. A few months ago my friend lost his laser rangefinder, it got turned in. As it has been said, there are honest and dishonest people all over. I do like to keep my clubs in sight as much as possible, tho...

There are dirtbags everywhere. I'd say the majority of golfers are more honest than the average person, but you must have run into a bad one. At one of the courses I play at, the groundskeepers will find balls and leave them in piles next to (or on) the greens or drive up and offer them to you. It's pretty cool.

In fact, until I got on this forum, I never even worried about leaving my clubs anywhere on a course. Now I always keep an eye on my gear. I'm not sure if that's good or bad?

Why would this make you cynical? Do you think you *deserve* something for doing the right thing? This should make you feel good about yourself, not bad about others. That is your "return".

As an aside, I've had that happen too. The average human mind, when in panic mode, is VERY serial in thought. i.e. "one thing at a time". Once she calmed down, I'd bet she had regrets about not thanking you better.

This is what I think happened. As a group golfers are pretty honest, but eventually a bad one will turn up. It was just your luck to have come across the wrong one.

Do you think someone stole it of your bag while you were away from the cart?
Surely, you did not leave it on the tee as putting the "big stick" in the bag is almost second nature to hitting the drive itself. I like the folks above am confused, maybe you left it home?

Thank you all for your well wishes. I'm trying to find the silver lining in this, and the fact was that I hit the 10.5* club pretty damn far but it went very high. So maybe this is the call to the 8.5 or 9* driver. I'm headed back to Cleveland for sure though, and it will have an Aldila VS-Proto shaft. That was the the nicest driver I've ever hit in my short golf career.

My guess is that I put it in my cart bag and it must have hung up on something and hopped out when I hit a bump. I called the course the next morning and they had an outing so I know for fact that somebody had to pick see it and pick it up.

I've done both I've left the club lay where I've found it, and I've also turned them in at the club house. I've never in my wildest dreams thought of taking one home. Some people I guess. This is is the first and last time this will ever happen to me though.

I always pick up clubs and ask the people in front if they left it (90% yes). If not, someone usually makes their way around asking. Otherwise, it goes to the pro shop.

The only time I made an exception was on a muni with a sketchy pro shop crew working. I found a money billfold with $1,100 in it - that's it, no name, ID, anything, just the small black leather thing. I called the pro shop and told them I found "something" and that if someone comes in looking for it, to call my cell. They wanted me to bring it in to them...ah....no way. So the guy calls, I ask what he lost, he describes it exactly. I tell him we are just hitting onto the 18th green, we'll meet him at the clubhouse. He cannot wait, it seems, and comes driving out. I give him the billfold, he opens it up, counts the money, turns around and leaves. No "thank you" - nothing. We go into the bar to have a drink and he's in there, sees us, and doesn't even think to buy us a drink.

Some people! Anyway, I did it to please myself, not him.

I can almost understand leaving a wedge behind greenside. How can youy leave a driver on a tee box? Hate to say it but, maybe this is a lesson well learned.

Counting the money right in front of me probably would have made me a little angry. You were nice enough and honest enough to call it in to the clubhouse, yet he still felt the need to count the money right then and there. I would have had to say something to the guy about that.

Its heart breaking to know these bastards go on to a golf course,i myself had a wedge stolen a few weeks ago,i always have the raincover on my bag,so when i'm in the pro shop,bathroom e.t.c the cover is zipped up.

I feel your pain! I think many golfers have left a club on the course one time or another. My son is classic for doing it. He gets so wrapped in what he's doing..he constantly is leaving his wedge on the side of a green. I can't telly ou many times we have to double back to search the greens for his stuff. It gets irritating at times..especially if the course is a little slow...we have to take time out to go hunting. However...we have always been lucky enough to find them. Many times the group one or two behind us finds it. I guess the fact that he is a lefty makes it less valuable to most.

But like you said...maybe the golfing gurus are sending you a sign to switch drivers and that the next report will be that your hitting 300 plus drives and that you are hitting par 5's in two and your average score has dropped 10 strokes. I'm sure that there is an upside to all this!

It happend, its over and I've moved on. Michigan winter is coming. I'll play out the rest of the year with my 3W and move on.