Etiquette Violations (and Other Things) That Bug You

[mcanadiens]

One thing I fell victim to this weekend is the guy that picks up your ball.

I don't know why these people just assume any ball is abandoned when there are so many hacks like me on the course. It's hardly an unusual thing for someone's tee shot to find the rough of the hole you are playing. 

 

[WillieT]

1 hour ago, Old1964 said:

* Golfers who do not fix their ball marks on the greens - or find one to fix!

Oh yes - make one, fix it, find one, fix it....don't know how, read here:  

 

 

Edited July 3, 2023 by WillieT

[bkuehn1952]

27 minutes ago, mcanadiens said:

One thing I fell victim to this weekend is the guy that picks up your ball.

I don't know why these people just assume any ball is abandoned when there are so many hacks like me on the course. It's hardly an unusual thing for someone's tee shot to find the rough of the hole you are playing. 

 

So true. We had this happen in one of our tournaments recently. One of our players in another group picked up a ball of someone in my group. When our player came over the hill to look for his ball, I could see the guilty party cringe a bit, turn around and toss the ball down. At least he had enough spine to admit his mistake and return the ball.

[DeadMan]

57 minutes ago, mcanadiens said:

One thing I fell victim to this weekend is the guy that picks up your ball.

That reminds me - people who you are playing with picking up your ball. Either because they're giving you a short putt or they found it in weeds and figured you wouldn't want to play it. I don't want people touching my ball in either situation. I want to putt out 2+ foot putts. And I want to see where my ball is so I can make a decision on what to do.

I won't pick up a ball or give a putt without asking first.

[ChetlovesMer]

43 minutes ago, bkuehn1952 said:

So true. We had this happen in one of our tournaments recently. One of our players in another group picked up a ball of someone in my group. When our player came over the hill to look for his ball, I could see the guilty party cringe a bit, turn around and toss the ball down. At least he had enough spine to admit his mistake and return the ball.

Oh this is a good one. 
I hate when this happens and lately it's been happening a lot. Nearly every week in league play somebody picks up somebody else's ball. "Guys, it's a shotgun start. There are people on every hole. If you find a ball that's not yours, it's because somebody on a neighboring hole hit it there!" 

Drives me nuts. 

Just last week in league we are coming up hole 9. There's a ball on the edge of our fairway that doesn't belong to anyone in our group. One of my opponents picks it up. I'm like "Dude, I'm sure that belongs to somebody coming up hole 5." (Hole 5 runs parallel at that point and most people miss to that side as there's OB and other trouble on the other side of 5.) 

He's like "I don't think so." And picks it up. I'm like "They're right there. It's probably their ball." .... "I don't think so." 

Sure enough 2 minutes later there's a search party over right where the guy was. I told the guy he'd better go back and apologize. Get this, the guy says "No, I still don't think it's his." How the F would you know that!?!?! 

I shouted over. "Hey what kind of ball you looking for?" Then I sent the guy over to return it. 🤦‍♂️

2 hours ago, Old1964 said:

Can't imagine you hitting it sideways all day!

I once played an TST event with @Divot Master He was very kind and always helped me look for my ball. Even though it seemed like it was happening every hole. I told him he didn't have to help any more, but he's a nice guy and kept helping me. I was definitely hitting it sideways that day. 

[billchao]

1 hour ago, mcanadiens said:

One thing I fell victim to this weekend is the guy that picks up your ball.

I don't know why these people just assume any ball is abandoned when there are so many hacks like me on the course. It's hardly an unusual thing for someone's tee shot to find the rough of the hole you are playing. 

 

Yea this one bothers me. Unless it’s obvious that it’s not another player’s ball in play, like we’re the second or third group out and the holes don’t run that way, just leave the damn thing. It’s one thing to pick up balls you found in fescue or penalty areas, but a ball in the middle of a parallel fairway is probably not abandoned.

17 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

I was definitely hitting it sideways that day. 

Sideways? You don’t know what sideways looks like.

I can hit a ball almost 90° left of the target. And I have 😜

[iacas]

One of the perks of playing Snells is that people are less likely to pick up your ball.

[billchao]

3 minutes ago, iacas said:

One of the perks of playing Snells is that people are less likely to pick up your ball.

Yup.

I played a pink Vice Pro ball for a year once. Never had anyone pick up my ball in play. Once, a person found a ball I lost on a previous hole and she gave it back to me when we were near each other playing on different holes. She said she knew it was mine because I’m the only person she knew who played them 😃

[ScouseJohnny]

Mister "I play better from the tips" (when actually, they don't).

The first time couple of times this happened, I somehow got shamed into joining such players from the blue tees. Ever since then, I've let them hit and then make my way to the white tees.

I'd entirely understand it if these guys were youthful, single-digit-handicappers, but quite often, they're not.

[StuM]

4 hours ago, Old1964 said:

Those golfers who look for balls in water holes and edges of the weeds when they haven't even lost their ball - slowing everyone down!

100% agree, do they really need balls?

And to add another, those players that "Find" a ball that is not theirs in a hazard and drop it in the rough.  Then a golfer in the next group thinks that is their ball and thus does not start looking immediately.  If you pick up a shag ball from the hazard, put it in your cart, NOT on the course!

Another: Players who do not stick to the cart path on Par-3 holes.  I've always considered all Par-3s to be Cart Path Only, even if there is no signage and/or no ropes.

[snapfade]

42 minutes ago, StuM said:

100% agree, do they really need balls?

And to add another, those players that "Find" a ball that is not theirs in a hazard and drop it in the rough.  Then a golfer in the next group thinks that is their ball and thus does not start looking immediately.  If you pick up a shag ball from the hazard, put it in your cart, NOT on the course!

Another: Players who do not stick to the cart path on Par-3 holes.  I've always considered all Par-3s to be Cart Path Only, even if there is no signage and/or no ropes.

Do that around here you might wind up missing a hand or get bit by a snake. 

[MrLeek]

18 hours ago, iacas said:

Fight!

P.S. I'm more on @colin007's side here. I walk ahead, to the side, and keep aware of the players behind me. I generally do this more with people that I know really well, though.

On the side is completely fine. As that person goes further in front, there’s an increased risk to them…but they know the risk so it should never get too crazy. Plus it’s an extra pair of eyes for a blind shot (for instance). Lots of good reasons why it can be ok.

But my worst example is having a playing partner standing 60yds in front on the direct line of the shot you want to play. Ok, it’s a 150yd shot. The ball should be way over your head….but you really think that standing there is a good choice? Really?? 😆

[Missouri Swede]

6 hours ago, mcanadiens said:

One thing I fell victim to this weekend is the guy that picks up your ball.

I don't know why these people just assume any ball is abandoned when there are so many hacks like me on the course. It's hardly an unusual thing for someone's tee shot to find the rough of the hole you are playing. 

One guy drove his cart across his fairway, through the rough between our fairways, across my fairway, across my cart path and picked up my ball from the rough by my cart path (as I was walking toward the ball).  I just don't get it. 

4 hours ago, iacas said:

One of the perks of playing Snells is that people are less likely to pick up your ball.

Less likely. Didn't prevent the above. 

[stealthduffer]

My choices would be:

1) Broken tees. For heaven’s sake just bend over and pick up your tee. And a special corner in golf h*ll for anyone who knocks it further into the ground. 
 

2) Not a fan of music on the course but if you must keep it so barely audible outside your cart. And not during tournaments!

 

3) Ball marks and divots are easy to fix. If you’re so helpless you can’t fix them take up a different hobby. Like knitting. 

[iacas]

13 minutes ago, stealthduffer said:

1) Broken tees. For heaven’s sake just bend over and pick up your tee. And a special corner in golf h*ll for anyone who knocks it further into the ground. 

And do what with it (on tee boxes that don't have a little box for them)?

I appreciate them, as I'll use the broken tees on par threes or any par four that isn't a driver.

[dsc123]

On 7/3/2023 at 11:33 AM, iacas said:

One of the perks of playing Snells is that people are less likely to pick up your ball.

Playing a fouball with friends, I hit what I thought was an okay drive but couldn't find my ball.  Rather than go back to the tee, I just give up my score on the hole.  

At the next tee, my opponent/friend, a very nice but oblivious guy, says to me, "Hey, you play snell, right?  Found this on the last hole, do you want it?"  🤦‍♂️

[GolfLug]

1 hour ago, dsc123 said:

At the next tee, my opponent/friend, a very nice but oblivious guy, says to me, "Hey, you play snell, right?  Found this on the last hole, do you want it?"  

Well, did you thank him or did you beat the shit outta him?😂

[guitarget]

Back in the 1970's and 1980's I played a lot of golf around (and on) the Groton submarine base.  At the time, chewing tobacco was a big thing, and these folks would spew all over the tees and greens.  Makes my stomach churn thinking about some of the places my ball rolled into.