Spitting

[T.J.K.]

  Jamboboy said:

It's hardly the point, if someone needs to spit, which incidently is illegal in public in the uk anyway, they can do it off the green. Spitting is something that is fine in a fast paced sport that involves a lot of running as you build up lactic acid and spitting is a good way of releasing it, but in golf it is unecessary.

Spitting and pissing is hardly the same in my opinion. It's just spit. I don't see what it hurts thats all. It will be absorbed by the ground pretty quickly and no one will know the difference. There are grosser things in the fertilizer they use IMO. I just don't see spitting as a big deal at all.

[Jamboboy]

  T.J.K. said:

Spitting and pissing is hardly the same in my opinion. It's just spit. I don't see what it hurts thats all. It will be absorbed by the ground pretty quickly and no one will know the difference. There are grosser things in the fertilizer they use IMO. I just don't see spitting as a big deal at all.

Fair enough, it's not really the phlem that would concern me, more that it's a sign of disrespect. Maybe it's different in the US but it's looked on as something animals do in the UK, it would anger me not because of the spit on the green but the fact that the spitter thought it was acceptable to just spit.

I know it's a cliche but they wouldn't do it in there lounge at home, so why do it on the golf course. I appreciate that you don't spit and I probably wouldn't say anything if I saw someone spit on my local course but I was just a bit shocked to see a pro doing it.

[TheGasman]

My weekend playing partner dips and spits the whole time we play. I stopped dipping a few years back but I still spit a decent amount too. I wouldnt spit on a green, but I see nothing wrong with spitting on the fairways or the rough. You shouldnt be touching your ball when they are out there anyway and chances are that if it landed on spit, it probably clean itself off after your next hit.

[Jamboboy]

  TheGasman said:

My weekend playing partner dips and spits the whole time we play. I stopped dipping a few years back but I still spit a decent amount too. I wouldnt spit on a green, but I see nothing wrong with spitting on the fairways or the rough. You shouldnt be touching your ball when they are out there anyway and chances are that if it landed on spit, it probably clean itself off after your next hit.

True enough, the strike would likely knock the spit off the ball.

By the way, what on earth is dipping? Sounds interesting.

[T.J.K.]

  Jamboboy said:

Maybe it's different in the US but it's looked on as something animals do in the UK, it would anger me not because of the spit on the green but the fact that the spitter thought it was acceptable to just spit.

And see, I would compare it more to spitting in my backyard, which I would do :)

Sometimes you just have to spit in my opinion. Especially when you walk 18 holes in a 100+ weather like we often do in Oklahoma.

[iPutt]

  Jamboboy said:

True enough, the strike would likely knock the spit off the ball.

Dipping is another word for chewing tobacco.

[Jamboboy]

  T.J.K. said:

And see, I would compare it more to spitting in my backyard, which I would do :)

Shitting hell!!! I don't play golf if it's over 80!!!

[iacas]

  Jamboboy said:

It's hardly the point, if someone needs to spit, which incidently is illegal in public in the uk anyway, they can do it off the green. Spitting is something that is fine in a fast paced sport that involves a lot of running as you build up lactic acid and spitting is a good way of releasing it, but in golf it is unecessary.

Spitting does nothing to relieve lactic acid levels.

I spit on the golf course - sometimes spit builds up when you're outdoors - but not on the green. As someone else said, it's just grass, and spit is one of the less offensive things a ball could roll through on its way to the hole, particularly since the odds of one golf ball finding my tiny little area of spit 270 yards from a tee before it dries up are basically nil.

[Stacey_E]

  iPutt said:

Dipping is another word for chewing tobacco.

Actually it's like a rough cut form of tobacco snuff. You don't actually "chew" it but it does make you spit immensely.

Interestingly, I think the consensus of the forum is that spitting on the green is somehow worse. I feel the same way and I'm not sure why. When all is said and done, I think it actually boils down to a respect for the game. This is a good thing I suppose. What would bother me more, and I see on occasions, is a cigarette butt on the green. I am a smoker, and admittedly deposit my butts on the course (yeah I said it) but never on the green. But I would never want my butts to interfere with a lucky golfer's chance at an ace or a hole out eagle.

[T.J.K.]

  Stacey_E said:

Actually it's like a rough cut form of tobacco snuff. You don't actually "chew" it but it does make you spit immensely.

I used to be a smoker but would never deposit my butts on the course. You should field strip them and put them in your bag till the end of the round. Then discard of them properly.

Nothing looks trashier than cigarette butts.

[The Golfing Polack]

Wow, I'm guessing that a lot of the anti-spitters haven't played other sports. I picked up my spitting habit while playing little league baseball 16 years ago. Now if I'm outside involved in any sort of athletic activity the spitting starts. I refrain from clearing my sinuses and hocking wads of moucus on the course, and I also try to keep from spitting on the green, but spitting is just a knee-jerk reaction.

That said, spitting while others are teeing off or lining up putts would be a bit disrespectful.

[microcrayfish]

  Stacey_E said:

Actually it's like a rough cut form of tobacco snuff. You don't actually "chew" it but it does make you spit immensely.

Ahh but what if your cigarette butt deflected someone's ball into the hole?

But seriously, on the golf course is one of the only places I do spit. Usually when I'm really pissed off at myself which actually usually just ends up me getting spit on myself due to my lack of practice at the art of spitting! Guess that'll teach me.

[AK jr.]

i seem to spit continuously. pretty much anywhere outdoors too. its extremely common in highschool/juinior tour golf matches haha

[chrt396]

  T.J.K. said:

I guess I will be the first one to state that I don't care if someone spits on the green or anywhere else. I don't do it, but it's grass. It won't hurt anything. And I don't think it's disrespectful at all.

I agree...albeit disgusting as a bad habit. If its a nasty honker though...I really don't wanna stand there on the green with some nasty goo in front of my lie. I guess it depends on the consistency of the saliva. Let's do an analysis on spit in another thread. You know...thick, chunky and gooey versus thin and penetrating.

[julie_m]

  The Golfing Polack said:

Wow, I'm guessing that a lot of the anti-spitters haven't played other sports.

I have, with ladies of course, and they usually don't. In fact, I can't think of a single time one has (that I've played with). I notice it's often a male poseur thing. (IMO.)

[The Golfing Polack]

  julie_m said:

I have, with ladies of course, and they usually don't. In fact, I can't think of a single time one has (that I've played with). I notice it's often a male poseur thing. (IMO.)

Perhaps it is a habbit picked up only in little league, which I would guess 75% of men played in.