How do yall handle inconsiderate players on the course?

[rckwd]

Today, our foursome was about to tee off on #6 when a foursome of inconsiderate teens began teeing off on #5. On this particular hole it is proper course etiquette to let the forward players tee off due of the location of the tee box on #6 (the yellow box in diagram where we were standing or sitting in carts at the tee location). Well they didn't have any respect or didn't care because they began teeing off with their drives (the red dots in diagram where balls landed around us) and one of the balls landed right over us and another hit one of our carts. Well, when they came down the fairway I politely told them, "I thought it was inconsiderate for them to drive on us like that" and we left it at that without even getting an apology. Then on the very next hole they done it again. This time one of my friends, who I have NEVER seen nor heard him loose his temper in 30 years told them that if it happens again they all would have to go home and get their mommies to get their clubs out of their A$$!!

I am still steaming over this tonight, I guess because it ruined the rest of our round and I wound up shooting a 89. It wasn't like we were holding them up, we had offered to let them play thru on #4 but they said no. It would have been one thing if they couldnt see us but that is a 311 yd straight hole and we purposely left a cart on the edge of the fairway in-line with the tee box just so we wouldnt get drove on.

[ApocG10]

Damn, thats a horrible location for a tee box.

I could see if they just didnt know any better and made a mistake and apologized, but itt sounds like they didnt care, and probably were pretty impressed with themselves.

There should be a sign at the tee on 5 saying not to tee off till the tee's on six have been cleared.

Inconsiderate a-holes probably dont even realize the damage they could do htting someone in the head with a golfball.

[rckwd]

Damn, thats a horrible location for a tee box.

I know!! What made me so mad was that my 13 year old daughter, that was just out for the day with one of the others daughter, was sitting in the cart that got hit!!

[shankapotamus]

I know!! What made me so mad was that my 13 year old daughter, that was just out for the day with one of the others daughter, was sitting in the cart that got hit!!

Let me just say, I would not have reacted as maturely as you did. Good job.

[ApocG10]

oh, damn, if I had a child with me, I would have lost it. That compounds matters even worse.

You should have reported them at the clubhouse..

[CG031]

I simply ignore them if at all possible. If they reach intolerable I'll let them know how I feel, because at that point (usually pretty patient with people on ettiquette) I'm probably pretty pissed off.

I once played with a guy who was REALLY crowding me over my shot on a par 3. I was trying to stand behind my ball and take my practice swings so I simply asked him to back up, which I did VERY politely. He fired back at me "How you think you are, Tiger Woods?" I tried to make a comical situation out of it by saying "Haha, I wish!" as I wasn't really sure if he was just joking around and was going to move, or was seriously pissed I even asked him to. So he didn't move. At that point I said, "Look, please move or your going to get hit with my club, and to be honest, I really don't care." At that point he moved because he realized I was going to take my practice swings and just hit him if I had to, I really didn't care at that point - lost all respect for him.

If someone asks me nicely to move if I'm bothering them on a putt line, shadow, crowding them, anything, I'll absolutely do it - no questions asked. What is it with people thinking they are essentially bigger than the game?

[rckwd]

oh, damn, if I had a child with me, I would have lost it. That compounds matters even worse.

Well in a sense that was one of the reasons of this post. I know at least two of the boys plays on the school golf team and have thought of telling their coach (who goes to my church) of their actions but I didn't want to make a big deal over this. But then again it is the coaches responsibility to instill in them proper rules, etiquette and code of play.

[ApocG10]

thing is, if the coach was there, it never would have happened. Im sure their coach would never condone those actions.

[CG031]

Well in a sense that was one of the reasons of this post. I know at least two of the boys plays on the school golf team and have thought of telling their coach (who goes to my church) of their actions but I didn't want to make a big deal over this. But then again it is the coaches responsibility to instill in them proper rules, etiquette and code of play.

To be honest, you should tell their coach. I play on a high school golf team and some kids need to learn the etiquette and rules of the game the hard way, sadly.

[senorchipotle]

Today, our foursome was about to tee off on #6 when a foursome of inconsiderate teens began teeing off on #5. On this particular hole it is proper course etiquette to let the forward players tee off due of the location of the tee box on #6 (the yellow box in diagram where we were standing or sitting in carts at the tee location). Well they didn't have any respect or didn't care because they began teeing off with their drives (the red dots in diagram where balls landed around us) and one of the balls landed right over us and another hit one of our carts. Well, when they came down the fairway I politely told them, "I thought it was inconsiderate for them to drive on us like that" and we left it at that without even getting an apology. Then on the very next hole they done it again. This time one of my friends, who I have NEVER seen nor heard him loose his temper in 30 years told them that if it happens again they all would have to go home and get their mommies to get their clubs out of their A$$!!

i handle situations like this very easily. if a ball lands within about a 20 yard radius of where i am, i simply walk over and pick their ball(s) up. i'm 27 and have done this quite a few times, only 3 people have ever said anything. aside from the fact that i'm 6'5'' 230 lbs., they always know they're in the wrong and shouldn't have done it in the first place so they usually wait until i've cleared out to rehit. out of those three, two of them honestly did not see me, so i politely replaced their balls and apologized. and when the other who came asking for his ball back, i took my 3 iron, dropped the ball, hit it into the woods, and told him he should be glad i wasn't aiming at him. problem solved. i do not suffer fools lightly, especially those who put my health in danger.

[rckwd]

i handle situations like this very easily. if a ball lands within about a 20 yard radius of where i am, i simply walk over and pick their ball(s) up. i'm 27 and have done this quite a few times, only 3 people have ever said anything. aside from the fact that i'm 6'5'' 230 lbs., they always know they're in the wrong and shouldn't have done it in the first place so they usually wait until i've cleared out to rehit. out of those three, two of them honestly did not see me, so i politely replaced their balls and apologized. and when the other who came asking for his ball back, i took my 3 iron, dropped the ball, hit it into the woods, and told him he should be glad i wasn't aiming at him. problem solved. i do not suffer fools lightly, especially those who put my health in danger.

LOL...we honestly discussed doing just that.

[denver_nuggs_15]

Depending on who I'm with, I may say something. If I'm angry enough I may say something like what your buddy said, "Next time a ball lands within xx feet of me, they're going up your @$$." But, probably not. I would probably tell them that they hit me twice. And I'd get their names and tell them to expect a letter from my lawyer. Maybe they'd appologize.

i handle situations like this very easily. if a ball lands within about a 20 yard radius of where i am, i simply walk over and pick their ball(s) up. i'm 27 and have done this quite a few times, only 3 people have ever said anything. aside from the fact that i'm 6'5'' 230 lbs., they always know they're in the wrong and shouldn't have done it in the first place so they usually wait until i've cleared out to rehit. out of those three, two of them honestly did not see me, so i politely replaced their balls and apologized. and when the other who came asking for his ball back, i took my 3 iron, dropped the ball, hit it into the woods, and told him he should be glad i wasn't aiming at him. problem solved. i do not suffer fools lightly, especially those who put my health in danger.

It sounds like you're a bully. My friend is 6'2" 230 and an amateur boxer with like 60 wins. All I'm saying is that if you mess with the wrong guy, you're done. In my experience, it's best not to start crap with people I don't know. He may be the wrong guy.

[imtomtomim]

Etiquitte has gone out the window these days. If another player's behavior is extremely disturbing, I usually take the time to cross them on parallel fairways or adjacent teeboxes to let them know. I feel like I owe it to the game and others who play.

Recently, I ran into this 4some that was playing extremely slow (so slow, a man who joined us left and apologized because he wanted to get in a quick 9). After 4 holes of one of the shortest courses you will ever play, an hour 45 was out the window. So on the way to the 4th green, I stop by the 5th tee box and wait for them to take their tee shots then said "excuse me, the group infront of you has made a large gap and we are getting hit into, could you try to close it up a bit?" One man said, oh, well you want to play through? I left it up to him, but then another guy from the back shouts out, there's nowhere to go a-hole. The 4some of old geezers had just teed off the 7th hole as they're getting off the 5th tee box. 2 shots later, on the 5th hole, I barely miss a bit left. The guy walks out, brings his knee to his chin height, and stomps my ball down into the ground.

The rest of that round I continued to follow him around the course whenever convenent. Whenever he swung, I stood there with my bag hanging from my shoulders, hands in pocket, staring him down, stalking. Not another good swing out of him. Never muttered another word to him. Mind you, I'm 22, 5'10", and 145 lbs, swimmer build, but still skinny. Managed to turn this big bully into a school boy in detention.

You gotta let them know that they're wrong and inconsiderate.

[BigTazz53]

Agreed, you handled it well. And yes I think a friendly chat with their coach would be useful. Not to make you feel better ,but to maybe prevent the kids from teeing off with people down range of them again.
Next time they just may injury someone.

[senorchipotle]

It sounds like you're a bully. My friend is 6'2" 230 and an amateur boxer with like 60 wins. All I'm saying is that if you mess with the wrong guy, you're done. In my experience, it's best not to start crap with people I don't know. He may be the wrong guy.

no, i'm not a bully in any sense of the word. i'd just prefer not to get hit by a golf ball. and i'll start something with anybody who thinks it's ok to hit golf balls at others. people have been seriously injured in situations like this.

[flopdarock]

first you shoulda called the proshop...
if they didnt get a marshall down there in a few minutes i woulda looked for one...
if all that fell through... or even if it didnt... id say something to them... if it continued to happen id just chip their balls into the nearest hazard or OB

[Scottydoint]

i handle situations like this very easily. if a ball lands within about a 20 yard radius of where i am, i simply walk over and pick their ball(s) up. i'm 27 and have done this quite a few times, only 3 people have ever said anything. aside from the fact that i'm 6'5'' 230 lbs., they always know they're in the wrong and shouldn't have done it in the first place so they usually wait until i've cleared out to rehit. out of those three, two of them honestly did not see me, so i politely replaced their balls and apologized. and when the other who came asking for his ball back, i took my 3 iron, dropped the ball, hit it into the woods, and told him he should be glad i wasn't aiming at him. problem solved. i do not suffer fools lightly, especially those who put my health in danger.

If I was the third guy, you would have your driver wrapped around your head and your putter up your ass...

[Golfer71]

I think you handled the issue appropriately, most importantly you did say something to alert them to the issue. On reflection and once the adrenalin has settled I would hope that next time they play that hole they do follow your advice.

If I was close to the college coach I would mention it to him - I'd think there is a decent chance that he feels their behaviour reflects on him and he may be able correct their behaviour without drawing attention to this incident.