I tend to wear golf shorts/pants and a golf shirt and my golf shoes when I go to a golf course. Dont really care if it is to the range or to play a round, its the same reason I wear soccer clothes when I go play soccer, and work clothes when I go to work. they are clothes designed for me to golf in....
I love listening to music when I am practicing, especially when there are people around goofing off or telling stories/yelling. I dont mind that they do those things, because golf is supposed to be fun, but I mind less when I cant hear them. I also find that now when I play without music on, Im distracted less by noise and things around me. Plus, if the fact that I wear bright blue shorts with an obnoxiously pink shirt and hit pink bridgestone golfballs distracts you when we're out on the course (since it seems to impact some people's practice sessions), then you need to spend more time working on your mental game.
As far as things that bother me on the practice green:
- People hitting out of a bunker and skulling their shots at people. I appreciate youre working on the skill, but maybe try that when people arent around, especially if youre being dangerous. Golf balls hurt
- People who take divots on the green
- Chipping on the putting green (only when signs are present advising against the act)
- Hitting flop shots and not repairing your ball marks
- Bringing over a bucket of balls and leaving them on the green when youre finished. Ive often been the guy who will pick up the bucket as the guy is walking away and sarcastically ask if it is ok for me to clean up after them. I understand they think they are being courteous (some of the time) and that they are giving them to someone who might follow them, but grab your bucket, grab your wedge, lift them into the bucket and put the bucket in the rough by the green.
- General courtesy
- I really dont care if people play little games or competitions, again, golf is fun. however, being mindful of where you are and where others are as to not limit or distract other players is key. A prime example of this would be this last season when I was at my home course. I finished my practice on the range and walked over to the practice green to work on a few things. There were 2 kids who played on the local school's golf team, probably each 14 years old. They were challenging eachother in a little game to pick a hole on the green and see who could get Up-and-Down from a series of holes in the fewest amount of strokes. They rotated around the green, varying shot types, and putting out. They were also very conscious of where I was and what I was doing, as to not detract from my experience. If I was putting towards a hole, they would pick a hole where even a missed shot wouldnt interfere with me and they would take a longer route to their next location as to not walk in my line or near the hole I was aiming at. Contrast this with the drunk group of guys in their 40's (again, no issue here, golf is supposed to be fun), who were coming off of 18 and had a bet to settle. They decided it would be a "closest to the pin on the longest putt on the putting green". They loudly hurried to the putting green and found the longest putt and without regard for the 3 of us on the green, putt by all the holes, people, balls on the green and each ran across the green after their shot. It wasnt the game that was an issue, it was the appreciation for another person's golfing experience. It's really as simple as that.
Hopefully that doesnt make me douchy 