Being a jerk for jerk's sake

[sonicblue]

I really want to use a different word.... My buddy and I go out yesterday. 40's and sunny, a little windy. Decent enough but the course is near-abandoned. Maybe ten cars in the lot or so. We take our time, play real casual, practice chipping, etc..., no one behind us. The first group we see is playing a parallel hole, I think 4-5 holes ahead of us. Super casual, we see no one else the whole front nine. We get to #10, and decide to kick back and grab some food and drink inside, no hurry. We spend probably 20 minutes inside, then come back to #10.

Get our gloves on, blah, blah, finally I go to tee it up and two guys come around the corner having come off #9. My friend tees his up and, unfortunately, nearly misses the ball, topper job. He turns and says he'll just drop up with me, whereupon this guy who is standing behind the tee says something. We ask, "what?" and he says, "are you going to be quick?" My friend's a little hotter-headed than me, and I think he said sort of a sarcastic, "are we going to be QUICK?" while I said, "if you're in a hurry, go ahead of us, we're just taking our time." The guy responds, "you know you have to start on #1, right?" My friend is kinda boiling and snaps back, "we did." The guy says, "we haven't seen you guys at ALL," and my friend says, "well, you weren't looking." I again reiterated to the guy, "we're taking our time, if you're in a hurry, go ahead of us," but he just says, "nah, I don't want to play in front of you." "Good," my friend sharply snaps back and we walk away.

The whole time, the guy just had this really arrogant smirk on his face, I'm sure, convinced that we jumped on right in front of him, starting on the wrong nine and probably thought we were complete duffers that would hold him up. Then, like it was his job to scold us or something? It NEVER occurs to him that we stopped in at the turn, and that - just maybe - on a day of nearly empty course winter golf conditions, we took a little extra time? The fact is, we were playing really fast, despite not being in a hurry, plus the course is wound through lots of trees, it's not like you can see more than even one hole ahead of you. He acted like it was simply absurd to think anything other than his rash assumption. EVEN AT THAT, think what you want, but the whole thing could have been addressed by, "do you think we can play through?" If we say no, then you can bring on your little lecture, but I was more than willing to let them go, and he declined, twice.

If it was any other day, rest assured, I would never have spent that kind of time at the turn. The kicker: we look back and it looked like they ended up going in at the turn, too, so we never even saw them behind for the entire rest of the round. So all of his remarks was to what end, to condascend to two golfers that weren't going to have any effect on his play anyway?

[Golf Yokel]

The way I see it, you answered your own question.

The guy could have simply asked, "Mind if I play through?" and avoided the whole thing.

I would have told him to take his sensitive ass on somewhere else, that I was now going to be walking the back 9

By the way, perhaps your friend didn't help the situation, though.

[sonicblue]

In retrospect, I almost wished I would have snapped at him like my friend did. I tried to give the guy the benefit, that maybe he wasn't quite being so rude. I didn't want to misinterpret and jump. In the end, I think the guy was just flat being a prick right from the get-go, and my friend read him much faster than I did. I believe in maintaining my own dignity and respect no matter what, but sometimes people also need it to be made clear to them that they're acting like a punk. My "Costanza moment" is:

"Listen, a$$wipe, we DID start on #1, all we did was take our time at the turn, a pretty reasonable thing when there's only three groups out here, wouldn't you say? Now, if you're in a big rush, or otherwise think you're better than us because you've never topped a drive, then, please, go ahead of us, we have no problem with that. Otherwise, shut your piehole and we'll be out of your eyeshot in six minutes. Got it?"

[murdock_]

"Listen, a$$wipe, we DID start on #1, all we did was take our time at the turn, a pretty reasonable thing when there's only three groups out here, wouldn't you say? Now, if you're in a big rush, or otherwise think you're better than us because you've never topped a drive, then, please, go ahead of us, we have no problem with that. Otherwise, shut your piehole and we'll be out of your eyeshot in six minutes. Got it?"

Theres your answer

[SteelDriver]

I have a buddy I golf with who played College football...he's very bad. One time he tee'd off and hooked it nearly 90 degrees into a golf cart shed on 1. loudest damn sound you ever heard. The guys waiting behind us laughed but really not at him.

They were actually really cool guys who were respectful of him being new to the game and understood he was kinda like Happy Gillmore when he said "im a hockey player but im playing golf today".

Anyways, he turned around, picked one of their pull carts up upside down and dumped all of the clubs out on the ground. These guys were so cool about it even with their clubs scattered at their feet, they said they were sorry and were not laughing at him and went on to explain how they were once new too and they were just there for a good time. My buddy and them hit it off great and got along the whole rest of the way.

I think you did the right thing giving that guy the benefit of the doubt... my buddy didnt and it could have ruined everyones day, luckily it panned out.

[srjorion]

You offered to let them play through and they didn't take it. Tough luck for them.

Some people are simply jerks. Sometimes they need to be put in their place.

[Raidermatt]

I actually think the jerk factor is a bigger problem on golf courses than slow play. Some people just never learn that they are the only one who believes the world revolves around them.

[golf_junkie27]

Next time, go into your pocket, take out your receipt, point out the day and TIME and simply ask "What were you saying?"

You did the right thing. Golf is a gentleman's game and you behaved as such.

[joseywales]

You did the right thing. He sounds like a total douche. You offered to let the guy play through. Some people just think they are the golf traffic police sometimes.

[BDE]

Well done on doing the right thing, it could have got out of hand if you didn't. You offered for him to play through he didn't take it, his problem, not yours.

[jcrew]

I have a buddy I golf with who played College football...he's very bad. One time he tee'd off and hooked it nearly 90 degrees into a golf cart shed on 1. loudest damn sound you ever heard. The guys waiting behind us laughed but really not at him.

holy shit. I've got a lot of respect for that guy who got his clubs strewn across the ground. I don't even want to know how I would have reacted but what an a-hole move by your friend. the world needs more people like the guy that just laughed it off and apologized. I need to emulate that.

[immts007]

I actually think the jerk factor is a bigger problem on golf courses than slow play. Some people just never learn that they are the only one who believes the world revolves around them.

Quoted for Truth.

[immts007]

holy shit. I've got a lot of respect for that guy who got his clubs strewn across the ground. I don't even want to know how I would have reacted but what an a-hole move by your friend.

Probably the same unless you were a college football player too

[walk18]

I know it's easier said than done, but don't let people like that take you off your game, give 'em the finger and move on.

[walk18]

Probably the same unless you were a college football player too

Destroying personal property crosses a line though..

[PB1973]

Destroying personal property crosses a line though..

No kidding, sounds like a typical meathead. roid rage maybe

[JaY_B]

I really want to use a different word.... My buddy and I go out yesterday. 40's and sunny, a little windy. Decent enough but the course is near-abandoned. Maybe ten cars in the lot or so. We take our time, play real casual, practice chipping, etc..., no one behind us. The first group we see is playing a parallel hole, I think 4-5 holes ahead of us. Super casual, we see no one else the whole front nine. We get to #10, and decide to kick back and grab some food and drink inside, no hurry. We spend probably 20 minutes inside, then come back to #10.

I got kicked off the course once for doing this (Although I was probably not as polite as you

) but that's the beauty of being a junior, everyone treats you like poo

[hawkeye]

Anytime I get hassle off a jerk - I simply smile, be polite and let it be his problem.

End result of one person being a jerk is (a) he's pissed off, (b) you're pissed off or (c) you're both pissed off. I let him be pissed off so I can enjoy my game. Offer to let him play through. Offer to play with him - they love that one


Most of us play it as a past-time - so enjoy it :) don't let some jerk ruin your weekend game - away from work/the wife etc.