Over the past couple of years I've noticed more and more golfers are listening to radios on the golf course. They keep them in their golf cart. I'm NOT talking about ipods and earbuds but rather little radios that you can hear across the fairway and while you're putting. How do you feel about radios on the course?

If someone else doesn't hear it, or the rest of the group don't mind, i don't see an issue.

really?  that's awful!  i don't get why some people need to constantly have music around them.  i used to have roommates in college, that on the weekend as soon as they're up they would crank up the radio super loud.  you couldn't carry on a conversation or anything!

use ear buds and save the rest of us!

If it's at an appropriate volume I'm fine with it. Several groups I play with have those little external speakers for their ipods but you can't hear it more than about 10 steps away from the cart.

A little music while your in the middle of a 5+ hour round may be the only way to keep your sanity.  It may help you stay relaxed while you are waiting on every shot for the group ahead to clear.  I agree that is should be kept at a low volume so that it can't be heard more than a few feet from your cart.

I have never seen someone bring a radio onto a golf course. if they did and I heard it throughout the round, I would for sure ask them to turn it off.

i personally dont listen when i play, but i know people who do. and like it was said as long as its OK with the group and other groups can hear it its fine. But it cant be like Al Czervik in caddyshack

Radios? They still sell those things?

Can't say I've ever heard one on a golf course, but I think I'd prefer people use headphones. If someone jingling coins in their pants during your backswing is a breach of etiquette, having to listen to "Enter Sandman" as you draw back the club would be quite worse I think.

I have an app on my phone that I can get almost any sports event over the radio. I will listen to college football games and nfl games sometimes while I play but you can hear it more than 5 feet from the cart. Plus I can mute it if someone is too close.

I always used to keep a small radio with me if the Cardinals were playing.  Just something to listen to and keep track of the game.  With smartphones it is pretty easy to keep track of the game without a radio so I don't use it much.

In my opinion, the appropriate volume for a radio on the golf course is zero.  I don't want to hear somebody's music while I'm trying to tee off or putting... If they really want to listen to their music while they play they can wear earbuds; then they hear it and I don't which is perfect.

Ditto.  I listen to my Droid all the time on the golf course.  Frankly, I think the notion that golf needs to be played in total silence is silly.  Try doing that at a bowling alley or baseball diamond. The pros could use a healthy dose of reality, in terms of audible distractions, IMHO.  Try coming out to a muny on weekend sometime, Mr. Primadonna.

If I was playing for the kind of money the pros are I wouldnt want noise either.  But I dont mind if I hear music on the course.  I hear people out in the pools jamming and splashing all the time and I just zone them out.  You can hear trains and planes and stuff too.  I dont see it any different than people around you talking and such on the range.  Just gotta be able to zone everything else out and focus on your shot.

caddyshack! I didn't even think of that. now, that scene is pretty dang funny. I would laugh if I saw someone who converted their bag into a radio like that. but, please, don't turn it on while I am trying to hit my ball.

The thing is that golf isn't baseball or bowling or any other sport you want to compare it to... it is very different than any other sport and can't really be compared.  I do play munis regularly and yes there is music sometime and I really don't let it get to me but in my opinion it just shouldn't be on.  Above anything else it's not that I want complete silence but rather I don't want to have to listen to somebody else's music.

Actually, it's not.  Bowling requires every bit of concentration that golf does.  Hitting a spot.  Timing a release.  Judging and adjusting speed.  It's all there.  And hitting an 88 mph slider that twists 3-4" in the strike zone is far more difficult than hitting a stationary golf ball.  Trust me - I umpire high level high school and college level baseball.  Great hitters require every bit the concentration a great golfer does.....while all sorts of noises, yelling, and other distractions are going on.  Pro golfers flinching at the slightest noise is strictly a self-imposed distraction, IMHO.

Don't kid yourself that golf is significantly more difficult than other sports at the highest levels.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  Look at the plethora of athletes from many other sports who are damned good golfers in Pro-ams and Celebrity tourneys.  Tony Romo, Mark McGuire, Jerry Rice, Mario Lemieux, John Smoltz, Derek Anderson, etc.....they're all scratch golfers and do it strictly in their spare time.