Idiots on the Course

[dagolfer18]

How many of you have seen idiots on the course who are either a) doing things they have no business doing, b) just plain rude, or c) showing poor etiquette. To make it clear, b and c may have some overlap, and that’s fine. They will not always be the same. I’ve got two stories.

1) This falls in category C. I told this story in another thread. Last week, I was chipping up to the fifth green. The single walker in front of me was on the next tee. With a walking twosome still hitting, he just gave his ball a merry whack down the fairway. I was thinking, “What in the world is he doing??”

2) I put this in category A. This is actually a story about me. Back in September, a few teammates and I went down to play a scramble, fundraising money for another school’s volleyball team. They sold drinks at the turn. During the 18 holes, I probably downed half a dozen sodas. Not calling myself an idiot here (well, maybe), but reflecting on it a few days later, I realized that probably wasn’t the best idea.

[billchao]

There’s an idiot who doesn’t know what he’s doing on the course every time I go out for a round.

[Patch]

I have seen those types of folks on the course. They are entertaining.  Plus, on the flip side, I am sure others have seen me acting a little ignorant on the course a few times.

The next question might be how many readers of this thread have, at one time, or another, acted a little ignorant when on the course themselves? 

[Double Mocha Man]

I joined two novice golf guys.  On the 3rd hole we all putted out and I started the walk up to the next tee.  When I glanced back they were both rolling their pushcarts across the green!  Hey, it was the shortest distance to the next tee.  We had a little, and diplomatic, talk before we teed off.  They didn't know, or claimed not to know.

[billchao]

8 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

I joined two novice golf guys.  On the 3rd hole we all putted out and I started the walk up to the next tee.  When I glanced back they were both rolling their pushcarts across the green!  Hey, it was the shortest distance to the next tee.  We had a little, and diplomatic, talk before we teed off.  They didn't know, or claimed not to know.

I’m told this is common practice in some other countries. Australia, I think?

The force on the ground from a bag and pushcart distributed over the wheels is significantly less than what the average person exerts from simply walking so I don’t get what the big deal is.

[Double Mocha Man]

2 minutes ago, billchao said:

I’m told this is common practice in some other countries. Australia, I think?

The force on the ground from a bag and pushcart distributed over the wheels is significantly less than what the average person exerts from simply walking so I don’t get what the big deal is.

I agree.  PSI is less than that exerted by a shoe.  And possibly less than the broad tires of a power cart.  I explained it to them in terms of etiquette and decorum.  It's a bad look.  And they did have to turn their carts on the green to avoid the sand trap they didn't see on the far side of the green.  

[billchao]

3 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

I agree.  PSI is less than that exerted by a shoe.  And possibly less than the broad tires of a power cart.  I explained it to them in terms of etiquette and decorum.  It's a bad look.  And they did have to turn their carts on the green to avoid the sand trap they didn't see on the far side of the green.  

Yea, the only reason I don’t do it is because it’s not socially accepted, not because it can damage the greens or anything.

Don’t people realize mowers have wheels and weigh a whole lot more than push carts?

[Double Mocha Man]

21 minutes ago, billchao said:

Yea, the only reason I don’t do it is because it’s not socially accepted, not because it can damage the greens or anything.

Don’t people realize mowers have wheels and weigh a whole lot more than push carts?

Now there's a speed of play idea!  Let golfers roll carts across the green... shortest distance between two points.  I'm serious, not being a smart ass.  Rolling through bunkers... no.  There's a nearby course where management doesn't even blink an eye when you roll your push cart across the tee boxes.  Personally, I'm reluctant to even let a cart wheel encroach on the fringe.  I think I got yelled at once for that.

[billchao]

15 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Now there's a speed of play idea!  Let golfers roll carts across the green... shortest distance between two points.  I'm serious, not being a smart ass.

Slow play isn’t going to be solved by shaving a few seconds of walking.

[Typhoon92]

You can’t fix “stupid.”

[Cantankerish]

2 hours ago, Typhoon92 said:

You can’t fix “stupid.”

My brother said that to my wife.  I wonder what he meant.

[colin007]

4 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Now there's a speed of play idea!  Let golfers roll carts across the green... shortest distance between two points.  I'm serious, not being a smart ass.  Rolling through bunkers... no.  There's a nearby course where management doesn't even blink an eye when you roll your push cart across the tee boxes.  Personally, I'm reluctant to even let a cart wheel encroach on the fringe.  I think I got yelled at once for that.

Huh??? There's people who have a problem with push carts on a tee box??? That can't be for real....

[phillyk]

2 minutes ago, colin007 said:

Huh??? There's people who have a problem with push carts on a tee box??? That can't be for real....

I was going to say I’ve been to a few places that are anal about push carts on tee boxes. It is odd but whatever. 

Being a cart only course, I’ve seen way too many idiots do stupid things. Most involve flipping carts one way or another. Or driving into ditches. 

[Double Mocha Man]

1 hour ago, colin007 said:

Huh??? There's people who have a problem with push carts on a tee box??? That can't be for real....

At the course where I practice, I once had a marshal, off duty, playing golf himself, come up and chide me for having one wheel of my cart on the tee box.  He's known as the Nazi Marshal.

1 hour ago, phillyk said:

I was going to say I’ve been to a few places that are anal about push carts on tee boxes. It is odd but whatever. 

Being a cart only course, I’ve seen way too many idiots do stupid things. Most involve flipping carts one way or another. Or driving into ditches. 

Final hole at Shuksan, driving up the bluff to the clubhouse... a couple wrapping up a scramble drove through the wooden fence and tumbled their cart down the cliff side until a tree stopped them.  They were bloodied and ended up owning a totaled power cart.

[Sandy Divot]

There are idiots everywhere. Why the surprise to see them on the course?

[colin007]

30 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

At the course where I practice, I once had a marshal, off duty, playing golf himself, come up and chide me for having one wheel of my cart on the tee box.  He's known as the Nazi Marshal.

I would ask to see that policy in writing. Leaving a gaping divot is ok but pushing my cart across the tee is forbidden?

[Buckeyebowman]

8 hours ago, billchao said:

I’m told this is common practice in some other countries. Australia, I think?

The force on the ground from a bag and pushcart distributed over the wheels is significantly less than what the average person exerts from simply walking so I don’t get what the big deal is.

The same is true for a motorized riding carts with 2 riders and bags! Ask me how I know! I had my foot run over by a cart, and it did not hurt at all. No pain whatsoever! Much less than if some guy had stepped on my foot! 

[Double Mocha Man]

17 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

The same is true for a motorized riding carts with 2 riders and bags! Ask me how I know! I had my foot run over by a cart, and it did not hurt at all. No pain whatsoever! Much less than if some guy had stepped on my foot! 

Gotta love empirical evidence.