Etiquette Confessions

[Missouri Swede]

42 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

Someone tosses their club into the pond or 10-20yds...If that bothers you you’re not in the majority. 

Yet Rory was fined in 2015 for doing exactly that.

https://golftips.golfweek.com/golf-etiquette-kids-20038.html

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Respect

Respect the game and other golfers. Don't swear or throw your clubs.

https://www.pga.com/golf-instruction/instruction-feature/fundamentals/golf-etiquette

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Yelling, screaming, throwing clubs or otherwise making a fool of yourself are unacceptable

https://pineridgegolfclub.net/eugene-golf/golf-etiquette/

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Never throw a club,

https://www.golftec.com/blog/2014/09/10-golf-etiquette-dos-donts/

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DON’T:

...

Throw your clubs.

• Everyone hits bad shots. Not only does throwing your clubs make you look bad but it can be dangerous to others in the group (and expensive when the club breaks).

 

Edited September 19, 2019 by Missouri Swede

[Vinsk]

If you felt offended and turned the channel when Rory threw his club, or any of the dozens or hundreds of times it’s happened, you’re not in the majority of people’s responses. Bryson wasn’t fined for painstakingly making his playing partners age during the round. And Rory is a world star playing in front of thousands even millions of viewers. If I’m playing with someone on a local course and he tosses his club it means absolutely nothing to me. Rory tosses club, you chuckle and carry on...normal and easy life...you get all worked up and offended...that’s sad.

[NJpatbee]

My worse etiquette violation unfortunately took place in front of my grandson.  We were playing a resort with 5 golf courses and there are times when non-golfers who are staying there decide to play a round of golf.  A foursome jumped in front of us while we were playing and it was clear from watching them that they were not golfers and they were taking forever.  To make matters worse, they would leave their golf carts about 75 yards from the green and then take their time walking back to the carts after 5-8 putts each.  Finally on one par 5 they parked their carts about 150 yards from the green and strolled up towards the green.  At this point I was fuming and waiting to hit my second shot on the par 5 and I pulled out a hybrid and nuked the ball into one of their carts (I never thought I would actually hit one of the carts).  The players on the green just waved and seemed to think that I just hit a wayward shot.  My grandson thought it was "cool" and a great shot and I had to explain to him that I was way out of line and it wasn't cool, but stupid and inconsiderate on my part.  Very embarrassing and something I will never forget.  Fortunately my grandson did understand that I was totally wrong.

[Fairway_CY]

10 hours ago, Vinsk said:

If you felt offended and turned the channel when Rory threw his club, or any of the dozens or hundreds of times it’s happened, you’re not in the majority of people’s responses. Bryson wasn’t fined for painstakingly making his playing partners age during the round. And Rory is a world star playing in front of thousands even millions of viewers. If I’m playing with someone on a local course and he tosses his club it means absolutely nothing to me. Rory tosses club, you chuckle and carry on...normal and easy life...you get all worked up and offended...that’s sad.

Offended?  No.  Annoyed?  Absolutely.

I played an event in 2015.  It was my first event with this group and I unknowingly got paired with the hothead.  You know the guy.  "I used to be a 1 index!"  Now he's unable to break 90.  

First hole, he hits an 'awful' drive (it landed 4 feet in the rough) and complains about it all the way to the ball.  The pin is tucked in the back-right corner of the green behind a trap.  He hits a shot about 35 feet left of the flag at the center of the green.  A good, smart shot.  He proceeds to fling his 7 iron approximately 40 yards into the fairway.  

Later in the round, he hits a second shot on a par 5 that he tugged a little bit.  He got a little unlucky and it hit the cart path and kicked it to the left.  The ball came to rest in play, but near a log that, if he moved it... the ball would move as well.  He took an unplayable, chopped the ball forward a bit with his wedge and then proceeded to use his wedge as a hatchet on the log.  About his 8th smash of the wedge, the head snapped off.  

Par 3 later in the round, he missed a 10 footer.  He tossed his putter in the air and let it fall to the ground.  The blade of the putter buried itself in the green about 4 feet from the hole.  He attempted to repair it, but it was evident that there was damage and SOMEONE was going to have to putt through his tantrum later in the round.  

I wasn't offended by any of his actions.  A 50 year old acting like a petulant toddler?  His problem... not mine.  I was annoyed by his antics, however.  

I've told this story before, but... when I was a caddie back in high school at a local country club, I had a guest of a member fling his club over a fence that bordered a local hospital.  This was on the 10th hole.  He was pissed that he hit a poor shot, so he reared back and let it fly.  It cleared the fence.  I looked at him in disbelief.  He told me to climb the fence and get the club.  I put his bag down, apologized to the member and walked back to the caddie master and told him what happened.  Shortly after, the member and his guest arrived back at the caddie area where the member paid me for the full round, tipped me nicely, took my side with the caddie master and then told his guest he'd not be welcomed back any time soon.  

Throwing clubs is not acceptable and it IS poor etiquette.  The word is literally defined as:

"The customary code of polite behavior in society or among members of a particular profession or group."

I don't see how throwing clubs and having a tantrum on the course can be deemed anything but IMPOLITE.  

CY

[Eric C]

On 9/17/2019 at 7:36 PM, GolfLug said:

I guess one thing comes to memory is a few years ago I played a round with a couple from up in Wisconsin. Long story short I kept driving to my ball after the husband and I teed off without waiting for his wife to tee off completely out of forgetfulness.

The husband didn't say anything but she finally said "Excuse me, I haven't teed off yet, would you please mind waiting?". I have never felt like a bigger bonehead. Of course I apologized profusely for a couple of holes but I could tell she was a bit indignant for a while. She probably thought I was a sexist jerk.

Was  a good lesson in mindfulness for me.

Heck, I will occasionally do this when playing with my wife.  I always feel like an ass when it happens, but she's a good soul and cuts me a break.