Pet Peeves - Page 14

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Originally Posted by Double Bogey 

I might be able to elaborate on this one... assuming I understand what he is saying.  

 

I played a few holes on Sunday night, I only played three.  I caught some guys after the first hole and they asked me to play with them.  I told them I was just practicing, but they insisted.  I obliged.  After hitting my drive on the 3rd hole (my last hole), I miss hit my second shot, not out of play, but still miss hit it.  I dropped another and hit it.  (FWIW I was working on moving the ball left to right).  When we got to the green one of the guys asked me, "what I thought I was doing dropping another ball?"  I told him I was practicing, exactly what I told them I was doing before joining them.  He got all huffy and puffy about it and told me, "that is against the rules of golf."  So I just told him to show me where in the rules of golf it tells me that I cannot practice.  It shut him up, but still was a PITA.  

Thank you. I was in a hurry this morning (late for work) and didn't explain myself properly. But this is exactly the kind of people I'm referring to. My apologies to all for the too short first post.

For me, I have 2 big pet peeves.. both are related to "slow" play.. 

1) I wish they would stop calling tee locations as  Pro - Regular - Senior - Ladies.. Id like to see people using them according to skill level.. If you are whacking away 130 from the pro's or regular, MOVE up.. If it's physically improbable to keep up the pace of play from one set of tees, then move up..

2) deliberate slow play of each group member NOT going to their own tee shot and wait, but to take turns following each other.. grrr OH and the next time I see someone take plumb bob from both sides of the cup, then spend another 5 minutes looking at the break from all angles from ONLY 6 feet out and still 3 putt.. I'm going to hurt someone.. lmao  /joking..  But seriously.. too many spend way to much time on the greens according to their skill level.. This isn't the US Open with millions on the line.. Hit it already.. lol

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Originally Posted by Meisce 

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Originally Posted by mdl 

One thing that just really gets to me is guys (I've only seen men do this) who don't drive a ball over 210 yards all day, but on a 415 yard par 4, they hit one that rolls to 200, then wait til the green clears to hit.  I've seen this kind of thing even on like a 430 hole.  If you can't drive the ball further than 210 off the tee, I'm damn sure you can't put your 3W 210 off the deck.  Hit the damn ball!  Worst is when the group in front does this the whole round but never puts a ball closer than 30-40 yards short of the green, even on well struck shots.

 

This really pisses me off when I'm waiting at the tee box.  I know it shouldn't cause if there's a group on the green it's not like play would suddenly get much faster if the group in front didn't like to pretend they could hit it 30 yards further than they can, but it just really peeves me...

I understand this can be frustrating. My buddy and I joined a twosome at the 12th recently and they were excellent players, whereas we were driving short ( but reasonably straight ).

They did not understand why he would hit before me on his second whereas I would always wait, even tho we had equivalent length off the tee. We usually ended up in similar spots.

The reason is, he has a consistent swing, and I do not. He will always hit his 3 wood ~190. My multitude of swing flaws occasionally cancel each other out and I'll catch one flush. This has happened a number of times in the past, and I've been just as surprised as the folks putting out 250 yards away. It's nearly always occurred when I've been laying up.

One question I always hear asked during a round is 'do you think you can reach them'. If the answer is not categorically no, then yes, you wait. Then you hustle up there and make sure you get the pace of play back on track.

Spot on. I make no bones about it, 96/97 times out of 100 if I have 200-210y left, I probably won't hit the green. BUT, I have hit my 3hybrid 235y off the ground before, and it's in a way my inconsistency which makes me wait in that situation. Someone who knows their swing is consistent and they will hit X club Y yards, fine, hit to lay up or whatever. But because I'm not a good enough player to know exactly what I hit, I could hit that hybrid anywhere between 160/170 if I thinned it and 220/230 if I flushed it. I'm not taking the risk of hitting into someone putting out ahead of me just because someone behind me thinks I'm not good enough to hit it that far. I'll wait, let them clear the way, and then hit - because if it's the 2 or 3 times in 100 I flush it perfectly, and I kill someone, its me who gets to deal with the ramifications, not the jackass on the tee getting huffy because he has to wait 30 seconds.

I don't really see the dilemma.  If you can't normally reach with your 3 wood--or whatever club--then don't people lay up to a comfortable yardage?  

When I'm on a par 5 (or even some long par 4s with a bad tee shot) and I'm in that range of 240-250 which is typically out of reach of my 3 wood unless I crush it perfectly, I either try and crush my 3 wood perfectly or I lay up with an iron to a distance I like (typically 80 or 120 yards).  In the former circumstance, I would wait for the green to clear, in the latter, I don't have to.

I don't think the problem is people who are at a distance that they might be able to reach with a perfect shot making people wait for them, the problem for the OP is the person who has no chance of reaching making people wait.  People who can possibly reach are different, and I don't see why those people who can possibly reach would hit the same club for a layup shot that they would for a "go for it" shot.  That sounds like poor course management to me.

Brandon

Quote:

Originally Posted by bplewis24 

I don't really see the dilemma.  If you can't normally reach with your 3 wood--or whatever club--then don't people lay up to a comfortable yardage?  

 

When I'm on a par 5 (or even some long par 4s with a bad tee shot) and I'm in that range of 240-250 which is typically out of reach of my 3 wood unless I crush it perfectly, I either try and crush my 3 wood perfectly or I lay up with an iron to a distance I like (typically 80 or 120 yards).  In the former circumstance, I would wait for the green to clear, in the latter, I don't have to.

 

I don't think the problem is people who are at a distance that they might be able to reach with a perfect shot making people wait for them, the problem for the OP is the person who has no chance of reaching making people wait.  People who can possibly reach are different, and I don't see why those people who can possibly reach would hit the same club for a layup shot that they would for a "go for it" shot.  That sounds like poor course management to me.

 

Brandon

I agree. Those who in their own estimation could only reach with a perfect shot should lay up to a comfortable yardage with club they can hit more easily and consistently.

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Originally Posted by brightonrock 

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Spot on. I make no bones about it, 96/97 times out of 100 if I have 200-210y left, I probably won't hit the green. BUT, I have hit my 3hybrid 235y off the ground before, and it's in a way my inconsistency which makes me wait in that situation. Someone who knows their swing is consistent and they will hit X club Y yards, fine, hit to lay up or whatever. But because I'm not a good enough player to know exactly what I hit, I could hit that hybrid anywhere between 160/170 if I thinned it and 220/230 if I flushed it. I'm not taking the risk of hitting into someone putting out ahead of me just because someone behind me thinks I'm not good enough to hit it that far. I'll wait, let them clear the way, and then hit - because if it's the 2 or 3 times in 100 I flush it perfectly, and I kill someone, its me who gets to deal with the ramifications, not the jackass on the tee getting huffy because he has to wait 30 seconds.

This whole thing about being huffy having to wait in these situations makes no sense to me.    If the course is sufficiently crowded so that a group has a group right behind them waiting and a group right in front that you're having to let clear the green, then you're not going to get around the course 1 minute faster if the group lays up on a par 5 and waits to go for it.   Either way you'll be right behind the group in front on the next hole - it just doesn't matter!   

I don't like slow play as much as the next person, but it is also supposed to be a relaxing game and not something where your enjoyment is determined by a stopwatch.   

I have 2 that I can think of right now,

One that has always bothered me for some reason is when people don't put there broken tees in the box or if there is not one place them by the tee marker closest to the cart path.  I hate walking onto a tee box littered with broken tees.  It also makes it easier when I'm looking for a broken tee to use on the par 3's or par 4's where I hit a three wood or hybrid. 

The other one I hate to see is when people give up on a hole.  I'm not sure why people do this but I see it all the time.  Someone in my group or the group ahead of me that I can see will have a bad shot or a couple bad shots in a row.  Then proceed to pick up there ball and move on to the next hole.  So what's your score? how can you turn in a scorecard when you didn't hole out.  It also is just hurting you, how can expect to get better if you give up that easily.

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Originally Posted by Clambake 

 

This whole thing about being huffy having to wait in these situations makes no sense to me.   

 

There are ways to keep yourself busy while waiting, I've had plenty of practice at that, but with the advent of smartphones, there is just no more excuse to stand around and do nothing (unless that's what you want to do, which is fine sometimes you want to decompress). With the world's info in your pocket, slow play, while it still sucks, is time that can be taken advantage of.

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Originally Posted by Aquaguru 

 

The other one I hate to see is when people give up on a hole.  I'm not sure why people do this but I see it all the time.  Someone in my group or the group ahead of me that I can see will have a bad shot or a couple bad shots in a row.  Then proceed to pick up there ball and move on to the next hole.  So what's your score? how can you turn in a scorecard when you didn't hole out.  It also is just hurting you, how can expect to get better if you give up that easily.

Actually, ESC - while not expressly encouraging this - does provide a mechanism for many leagues to speed up play.  It's not uncommon for local leagues or outing/event administrators to ask you to pick up when you reach your ESC max.  In match play, you often pick up anyway once you are out of the hole.  So it's possible (maybe not probable - but possible) sometimes the folks you see picking up are simply conceding the hole in match play.

Another one I just thought of.....

Why can I play great golf and score well if I take a mulligan on every hole? My swing doesn't change!!! My pet peeve is I can hit every green if I take a mulligan, but only hit 3 or 4 playing properly. Argh!

Quote:

Originally Posted by nevets88 

There are ways to keep yourself busy while waiting, I've had plenty of practice at that, but with the advent of smartphones, there is just no more excuse to stand around and do nothing (unless that's what you want to do, which is fine sometimes you want to decompress). With the world's info in your pocket, slow play, while it still sucks, is time that can be taken advantage of.

 

Agree with this.  Yesterday I played twilight as a single and caught up to a threesome on about the 7th hole.  I noticed there were groups directly in front of them, so I purposely took extra time on each shot, occasionally hit a few extra shots, and spent some time meandering around the course or double-checking yardages on my phone/GPS.  I wanted to give a clear impression that I was not breathing down their backs, since it wasn't like it they were playing slow or anything.  I know how that feels and how it may sometimes rush you into a bad round.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NEOHMark 

Actually, ESC - while not expressly encouraging this - does provide a mechanism for many leagues to speed up play.  It's not uncommon for local leagues or outing/event administrators to ask you to pick up when you reach your ESC max.  In match play, you often pick up anyway once you are out of the hole.  So it's possible (maybe not probable - but possible) sometimes the folks you see picking up are simply conceding the hole in match play.

I have definitely given up on holes in the name of pace-of-play a few times.  Only twice that I can think of over the past two years.  I made it clear to my partners that I was taking a 8 or 10 or whatever would be 1-2 strokes over what I would have likely taken on that hole, and moving on.  Rushing an additional few shots can also hurt your psyche more than it already has been damaged.

Brandon

People that can't decide what kind of club to hit, people that are there to just fool around and they hit 3 or 4 balls for each shot and people that will insist on staying behind you and not playing through.

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Originally Posted by noobgolfer 

People that can't decide what kind of club to hit, people that are there to just fool around and they hit 3 or 4 balls for each shot and people that will insist on staying behind you and not playing through.

I prefer not having people behind me when playing as it removes the "quick, have to rush and keep speed" that runs through my mind.

I frequently insist on not playing through if I'm not prepared, e.g. I've just arrived at a tee or if I think I'll end up holding that person up once I'm ahead of them. Just last week someone duffed a tee shot on the first and waved me through but then one stroke into every subsequent hole he'd be waiting on the tee for me to clear. He wasn't close enough for me to let him play back through but I felt that I needed to play as quickly as possible so as not to hold him up and my game went to shit.

If someone chooses not to play through then your best option is to let it be, not get annoyed.

i absolutely cannot stand it when people give themselves gimme's. . . don't get me wrong, in a relaxed setting, i'll give myself a putt that is shorter than my putter grip length-ish.  but when people have say a 15 foot put, then leave it 5 feet short, then knock it 2.5 feet past and hit it with the back of their putter from the opposite side of the hole and miss and pick it up and say 'o that was good' it's like come on!!! there are putts that are only a foot and a half on my home course that might break a whole cup depending on the speed, i'm sorry but maybe this is just me. . .

Been months since I've been on.  Need to stir thing up again. This time I am wondering were the opinions fall concerning the long putter.  I haven't looked up the rule about anchoring a club to your body but if that is the rule than how can they be legal?  Golfers seem to have the "our sport is a sport of gentlemen, with strict compliance to the rules" attitude. If so, how have long putters circumvented that rule?? Can anyone clarify the rule?

New pet peeve for me; dads who take their kids to the course and let them wander off to hide in bushes and scream "fore" at people teeing off or rolling down the bank at the back of a 208 yard par 3 assuming the tee shot won't get there.

Incidentally I did wait a good few mins and yelled at them to move before I eventually tee'd off and they ran away when the ball landed on the green but I really shouldn't have had to.

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Originally Posted by airic31 

i absolutely cannot stand it when people give themselves gimme's. . . don't get me wrong, in a relaxed setting, i'll give myself a putt that is shorter than my putter grip length-ish.  but when people have say a 15 foot put, then leave it 5 feet short, then knock it 2.5 feet past and hit it with the back of their putter from the opposite side of the hole and miss and pick it up and say 'o that was good' it's like come on!!! there are putts that are only a foot and a half on my home course that might break a whole cup depending on the speed, i'm sorry but maybe this is just me. . .

this bothers me too.  i'll give people a putt if their ball stops a foot or less away from the hole, but that's about it.  i was furious with myself yesterday because i had a 6 footer for par, missed it 2 feet past, then somehow missed THAT putt as well.  my dad tried to say "aw, that was good," but i shook my head and said "no.  the pros would have to make that putt, and if i ever expect to get any better, i have to make that putt too.  it's a double."