Its just fine to listen to music just as long as its at a respectable level and doesn't interfere with others on the course. I do listen to music while playing, especially if I'm playing alone. Its not like its so loud you cant have conversations with your playing partners or hear mother nature (the sound of the grass HA your killing me). Who the hell are you guys golfing with that cranks the music up so loud that you cant talk to each other? Sorry but I could say that the birds all of a sudden chirping is more a distraction then soft music constantly playing. I have portable ipod speakers that i put n the "glovebox" of the cart or clip to my bag if I'm walking. I keep the volume low enough to where you only hear it while in the cart. No one on the course other than me can hear it, and if I'm playing with friends I ask them before hand if they mind and no one ever has. I live in the country so hearing the "sounds of nature" is normal for me. I don't live in a city so no sirens or horns honking. It is not distracting at all, I paint houses for a living and listen to music or talk radio all day while working and its never broke my concentration or disturbed me. If music was a disturbance there's noway us construction workers could do our work without being distracted. Every job site Ive been on and will go on has music playing. So does just about every office you visit. Maybe weaker minds or people that aren't used to working or doing activities with music could startle or distract them. But you yourself determines what a distraction is, if you let something be a distraction it will become one. Golf (just like alot of things in life) are more mental than physical. Altho there is a level of volume that could make it distracting but i believe that's where being mature and common courtesy comes in. Its not ok to play rap music or pantera on a job site, nore is it ok to blast any music. For me music is soothing, not a distraction. That damn squirrel running infront of me as I'm about to make an approach shot is more of a distraction than music playing softly. I think the whole thing about playing music is to each their own but just like in life you have to be courteous and respectful to your neighbors. Its the people who just don't care about anyone in society but themselves that are the ones blasting there boom boxes on the course. It all comes down to being a good human being and putting others before yourself.