Tournament Etiquette

Played today in what I would consider a not insignificant tournament -- we played in threesomes.  One of the players in my group was young (year or two out of high school).  Whenever this guy putted out first, he would immediately grab his clubs and walk to the next tee before the other two of us in the group had a chance to putt out.

On one hole after three-putting, he made a bee-line for the next tee (I wouldn't call it storming off, but he was pissed) -- to get to the next tee box, we  had to go around a corner and walk back about 30-40 yards to the tee box.  By the time we had turned the corner and started walking back, he was addressing his ball.  So, we immediately stopped and took cover back around the corner and let him hit (and this is with me having the honors on the tee).

I am pretty laid back, so I really didn't give two shits and it certainly didn't bother my game.  My question is whether you would consider this out of line --- is this something that kids are taught to do in competition to get an edge or something?

Sounds like a sour apple in the basket.

I've never seen behavior of that description in events.

I have run into a few clueless individuals on rare occasion at lower level events, but even then their sociable.

Some of the higher level events, normally it's a handshake at the beginning and end of a round with a little small talk during the day.

I would shrug it off until they somehow crossed the line where the behavior was unacceptable.

Club Rat

Sounds pretty jerky-boy to me. Although, as Erik said, if the group is lagging I will essentially do the same...well maybe not actually tee off before you get to the box (that's a little much) but I'll definitely make it uncomfortable for the turtles till they get the point. I get the impression from your posting history that you're probably on pace though so I'm going with "pissy attitude brat." Hopefully he'll mellow with age.

Agree on all points. The highlighted portion is especially important. Only falling behind is an excuse, but then he should have said something to you too....

I don't really know tournament play, but for weekenders there is no excuse, this is called poor etiquette, even if you were falling behind.

Maybe if he said something and you all didn't address his needs to play faster, but I'm guessing this is not the case.

And what about grabbing the flag? the first to putt out does that, so again, him not doing that is poor etiquette.

And forget about teeing up before the rest of the group arrives, that's really poor etiquette.

Sounds to me like a youngster just throwing his toys out of the pram. I see that at times where ii play. Some kids these days seem to expect they can play like a pro and when they run into those occasions when it soesnt goes as planned then the mini melrdowns occur.

I personally cant tolerate people who leave for the next tee when the other players havent finished putting. Its just plain rude. I have unfortunatley had to speak to my brother in law about this (as well as refusal to shacke hands after the round when he lost)

Heck, I am that "youngster throwing his toys out of the pram". Well I'm in recovery, but I do love that expression. In the past I've done many things that aren't particularly flattering. Leaving the green while my partners putt isn't one of them. I'm much more likely to stand on the green and stare at the sky. It's a work in progress, but I've been handling my temper much better lately. If I've learned anything from golf, maybe that's it.

If the shoe is on my foot in that situation, I'd simply have treated him as a one-man group in front of me (making out like he'd never been in my group in the first place). In that event he better be well out of the way by the time I reach the next tee box.

Pace of play was not an issue for us, but I will give him the benefit of the doubt because the hole he teed off alone was one of maybe 2 or 3 holes where we did not wait on the tee box -- and we did eventually have to wait for the group in front of us once we were all in the fairway of that particular hole.

I know it is not an excuse, but he is a plus handicap that shot mid-80s (and got beat by an "old" guy that is a 5.5) -- so I'll chalk it up to young frustrations.

Some people are taught that it is all about them. Add some competition to that and it is still all about them.

The kid probably thinks that when his game is not right he can storm off. I know a guy like this and only play with him when paired.

Let him be a jerk

I doubt saying anything to him will change him.

Wow. If I had a nickel for every time I played with a college age kid who blew up and started to throw clubs the first time they three putted I'd be rich.

Also a plus handicapper shooting in the mid-80s and beaten by a 5 hdcp old guy don't all go in the same sentence. Many times you see younger guys in tournaments who are supposedly scratch or better playing way more terribly than believable. Worst I ever saw was in the Denver city am one year a guy shot 94, said he was a plus hdcp and he said he had just shot 71 yesterday. Yeah sure buddy.

I'd bet that guy was really a similar handicap to you and you just beat him. It's a bitch when a highly inflated opinion of yourself gets punctured in a serious way.

Good for you beating him! Not that he'll change any.