Golf Snobbery

[cougar978]

Drunks piss me off more than anything - two weeks ago, I went out for a Sunday afternoon round at a pretty busy muni.  Breezed through the first six holes, played through a group of Japanese guys on 7 tee.  There was a loud, obnoxious twosome on 7 green that put the flag in the green and walked toward their cart.  I figured I had the all-clear, so I hit my second shot to about 15-20 ft.  As I am driving up on the green, one of the guys gets out of his cart, goes on the green, and putts my ball.  I said 'I think you just hit my ball', he apologized and was cool about it, but him and his dumbass friend were barely coherent on the 8th tee - I ended up playing through them and joined up with three guys on 10 that had said they were being rowdy all day.  After some more hooliganism, they were escorted off the course as we were playing 13.  I would have had a police cruiser waiting at the gate as they drove off to lock them up for DUI.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harry Longshanks

None

Uggh, no joke. Drunks especially (not limited to rednecks).

Driving carts all over the place, yelling, hitting multiple balls. Not to mention (and yet I will anyway) failure to fix divots, ball marks, etc. Falls under etiquette.

[xKeenan]

I agree with you 100%. Especially with being 17 and playing at a semi private course. When I first went out and played a round there i felt like i shouldnt be there, and no one wanted me there. Not everyone is mean about it, theres actually some really nice people. But theres always that one group or cliche that are snobs. I remeber playing a slow nine because they wouldnt let me and my friends pass.They just think they own the place. I now have a cartboy job at this club, and still have issues with these people. I just try avoid them, and it seems like no one really likes them.

[PockyStick]

Had an incident at an upscale club where we were on the 18th green putting out and got yelled from the group behind to "get the f off the green already."  We were a 4 some(3 60YOs + me) all adequate golfers including an old lady but finished the round in 4 hours.  It really pissed me off since the group behind were 3 guys whom I assume were good players as that hole was a long par 5 one of their tee shots actually landed a few feet behind me on the fairway without any warning - it was a blind tee shot so I shrugged it off.  I only notice that they were behind us on the 17th hole and there were still plenty of sunlight left.  Pissed me off even more after the fact that I thought about they were hitting their tee shots at me.

cliff: snobby players think they own the course just because they are decent at golf.

[inthehole]

Originally Posted by dave s

I don't think you've seen true 'snobbery' until you acquire a taste for high-end guitar gear.

A couple of Custom Shop Fender Stratocasters, a PRS guitar or two, a high-end Martin or Taylor acoustic can set you back $3K EACH. A board full of boutique effects pedals another $2k. Now you need a couple (or more!) of amps to make beautiful noise. Some of the nicer nameplates include Matchless, Dr. Z, Two-Rock, Mad Professor ... some approaching $5K per copy.

Heck, all you can spend on a driver is around $500!

Honestly, I have more money tied up in my pedalboard than in my golf bag. And I have REALLY nice golf gear!

dave

agree - what I have tied up in my guitar gear makes golf gear seem CHEAP - not even close !!

[mattshaver]

if you want snobbery, check out racing.  unless you pull up with whatever car the "serious" guys deem worthy with your track wheels and r-comps in the trunk, you're not one of them.  and don't forget to strip your interior out.  god forbid anyone just wants to show up and drive around a track quickly and just have a little fun....

[ilikefishes]

Golf is actually one of the sports that I have participated in that does not have that much snobbery.  Unless you are talking about Shoal Creek or something.  But, the average public golf course, everyone is welcome.  And rarely do I get paired up with someone that is a snob.

That being said, there are some pretty big di*#wads in this sport and around my local courses as well.  So maybe you just ran into them all at once.  Give the rest of us a chance.

[Fourputt]

Not all golf snobs are found on the course either.  There is at least one other golf forum I hang out at where you have to be very careful what you say and who you contradict.  The wolves are always on the hunt there.  Don't dare go against the in crowd or they will tear you to shreds.

[ilikefishes]

Not all golf snobs are found on the course either.  There is at least one other golf forum I hang out at where you have to be very careful what you say and who you contradict.  The wolves are always on the hunt there.  Don't dare go against the in crowd or they will tear you to shreds.

Sounds like a great place to hang. Nothing like dealing with a bunch of snobs in an anonymous setting.

[sean_miller]

I know of a golf forum where a person who chose to call a kid who needs a haircut and dresses like a clown, "a clown", and he got flamed. True story.

I think people should be allowed to voice their honest opinions without being insulted. When people say that, "attacking the idea, not the person" is okay, they need to be honest with themselves. Or look up the word "attack" in the dictionary. I need to remind myself of this occasionally.

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Not all golf snobs are found on the course either.  There is at least one other golf forum I hang out at where you have to be very careful what you say and who you contradict.  The wolves are always on the hunt there.  Don't dare go against the in crowd or they will tear you to shreds.

Tell us where and we can organize a ST outing. We'll all show up en masse and raise hell!

[stealthduffer]

I see less "snobs" and more "jerks" - been drinking, think they are better than they are (skillwise), bad etiquette, etc.  To me "snobs" think they are just "better" than you - socially, morally, monetarily, whatever.  I'd never say anything to someone about how they look, what their clubs are like or how or where they play (other than my golf buddies but we deal sh*t to each other on just about everything).  But, act like a jerk or a snob around me and I won't be bashful about letting you know.  Fortunately most of the people I meet up with are very nice.

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

I think people should be allowed to voice their honest opinions without being insulted. When people say that, "attacking the idea, not the person" is okay, they need to be honest with themselves. Or look up the word "attack" in the dictionary. I need to remind myself of this occasionally.

Have you seen the beatings that Franky21 has taken on some of these threads? "Attacking the idea, not the person" can become a pretty blurry line real fast.

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

Have you seen the beatings that Franky21 has taken on some of these threads? "Attacking the idea, not the person" can become a pretty blurry line real fast.

It's blurry because it's the person idea, or opinion.

[Tomboys]

Unfortunately, snobs, jerks, heck, even snobby-jerks exist in the world.  At the end of the day, you can't (really) change people, all you can do is change the way you react to them.  That being said, I'm not suggesting that you "take it up the a**" every time you run into these type(s) of people.  Rather, if necessary, let these people know when your tolerance level has been reached and/or exceeded.  But, do so in a manner that demonstrates your level of respectability and common courtesy.

[GolfHippy]

I do not find it that snobby here in the States but when I am in the UK I do feel a bit intimidated.

[imtomtomim]

The world is full of snobs and sometimes they're there when you're golfing.  I ran into one l to last weekend at the range!  It was a crowded day and he pulled up next to my stall and started hammering balls as hard as he could.  The one shot every 20 that he hit nicely, he'd say out loud something like "look at that"  or "oh yeah", just so everyone would look at it.  Then a beginner pair of young brothers came up and had a go at it next to us, he turns around and says, check these guys out.  Then he decides it's his prerogative to instruct these guys.  Poor kids, he was telling them to do this and that, you gotta snap the club at the ball so you can hit it harder, oh these clubs are not good for you, blah blah.  I felt so bad.  Worst off was that he was a really loud breather and bathed in cologne.  Completely grossed me out.  I stepped away from my stall, with around 100 balls left, and went to putt and chip until he left.

But anyways, there are plenty of people out there like that.  They just want to put themselves above others.  Sometimes it's just best to let them be.  I wonder how many nice people would go out of their way to be nice to guys like that.  Karma will get to them.

[GolfHippy]

Quote:

Karma will get to them.

I believe in Karma. I treat people how you would want them to treat me.

[MiniBlueDragon]

Originally Posted by GolfHippy

I do not find it that snobby here in the States but when I am in the UK I do feel a bit intimidated.

I guess it depends on the types of club you're playing. I've played members-only clubs in the past where everyone was friendly, happy and relaxed but I also know of clubs that are the complete opposite. There are courses near me with requirements and rules like:

• all players must wear a plain pillar-box red outer garment
• you may wear golfing attire in the "wooden-floored" area of the clubhouse, or outside on the verandah
• leave your mobile telephones in your car
• current handicap certificates, 18 maximum for men, 36 for ladies
• membership interviews
• referral for membership only from existing members

etc

Ridiculous to go that far with it when it's a game that everyone is supposed to enjoy. I agree with handicap limits to stop the course bein destroyed by people who can't play golf to save their life but a different handicap for guys and girls? Madness...