Was I a jerk?

[DonW]

My wife and I walked off 13 and were literally ten feet from tee box for 14 (we were walking the full course) when two guys on a cart swerve around us and ask/announce "we're playing through, okay". They had not played holes 12 or 13, course received over 6" of rain in the past two days therefore carts were not allowed on those two holes today, pull carts were placed at the 12th tee to allow people to walk these two holes if they chose to play them. I was so taken back by their rudeness before I knew it I was saying "no your not". This really pissed them off and they started to argue about how they had to skip 4 when they had passed us earlier, they never waited on us but simply drove right past us as we played 4. We would have gladly let them play through on 4 if they had just teed off and actually caught us. As we approach the 4th green I look over to see one of them peeing on a tree at the front of the 5th tee box (there is a porta potty right behind the tee box). As we played the 5th I notice that they hadn't raked the bunker, one of them had walked the full length of it while playing their shot out of it (we were the first two groups out on the course and the bunkers had all been power raked by staff already).

I'm not the fastest player but my wife and I playing in a foursome will never fall behind the group ahead of us on a busy day, I have always waved people by when they catch me. This is a small town course where you know most players and the course is rarely full. I'm never in a hurry to finish my round and will often take a break as people play through if they do catch me. I felt like a real @$$ after telling them no they couldn't play through and I'm sure their earlier actions on 5 weighed into my reaction to them. They ultimately skipped 14 but not before letting me know what a jerk I was. Kinda put me in a bad mood for the rest of the round, but seeing as how they were skipping holes I don't get how they felt they had the right to play through us.

So what say the majority? Am I a Jerk? or Not?

[jonnythan]

Uh, no, you weren't a jerk.

[ted dibiase]

I would hate to hear what you would have to say about some of my on course antics. That barely scratches the surface of rude.

[ArrrrJay]

Not a jerk at all, the fact that they are skipping holes takes away any "right" they may have to play through. Otherwise, anyone could just go from hole to hole, and tell whoever is about to play, that they are going to play through them... Not how the golf course works.

[goblue107501]

If you were on the 14th tee and they intended on playing 14 in front of you then no. That is rude on their part. If they want to skip holes that is their business, but it doesn't give them the right to just start playing right in front of you.

[alomar123]

no, you werent, they sounded like a bunch of hillbillies though

[DonW]

  goblue107501 said:

If you were on the 14th tee and they intended on playing 14 in front of you then no. That is rude on their part. If they want to skip holes that is their business, but it doesn't give them the right to just start playing right in front of you.

That indeed was their intent, to tee off right in front of us on 14. I was pulling my club out of the bag before they could even get out of the cart.

[Fat Slice]

Crazy people...I wish they would stay off the course. No, you were not a jerk. Good for you for sticking up for yourself.

[Knockglock]

I agree you were definitely not a jerk. In fact, I commend you for sticking up for yourself. Not that many people would.

If you let people like that keep acting that way it only reinforces their behavior.

I say good for you.

[kfowler]

Not a jerk and incredibly presumptive on their part.

Had something similar happen yesterday. Course was backed up on the back nine. My buddy and I grouped up with a two-some in front of us. While on 11th hole we see this single in a cart drive by us. Didn't think anything about it until we get to the 12th tee box and he's out in the middle of the fairway. So he skipped the holes and now we're having to wait on him as well as the group in front of him. There was no where for him to go because the course was packed. He didn't even ask if he could play through. One of the guys we teamed up with drives the ball right next to him.

[Shindig]

You're not a jerk ; you're a hero.

[mhodar13]

I don't understand how someone could be in such a rush that they skip holes just to get in front of you. Someone skipped a hole today just to get in front of us. I personally would rather just wait a few minutes and play every hole or wait till the next tee and then ask to play through. But if you need to be somewhere at a certain time than just play nine or don't even golf and wait for a better day. I hate rushing when I'm golfing.

[Treetop]

Where you a jerk? Not at all. These are the kind of clowns that need to be snapped back. Glad you stuck up for yourself not many would esp with the wife along.

Give yourself a big pat on the back.

[TheGeekGolfer]

No, they were jerks! Don't let guys like that ruin your day.

Played with some hillbillies on a nice course in Napa (Silverado) a couple of months ago. We had a 3-some, they would tee off and hop in their cart before I even had a chance to hit and would be standing on the green when I'd go to hit my approach shot. I finally confronted them on the 9th hole when I got so distracted with them standing on the green (3 feet from the hole) that I dumped my approach shot in the water. I yelled at them, put my next one on the green. Drained the putt from 45ft and yelled at them some more. They wanted to 'fight' me. I told them they weren't worth it and dropped back (after checking with the marshall) with the group behind me (2-some). The back 9 was fun, this 2-some was the exact opposite of the first group. Got some good recommendations for wineries and restaurants.

[pweenie]

Yes of course you were a jerk ................. for letting these idiots get to you and spoil the rest of your day!! You should have been proud and happy for putting them in their place. Morons like this would not be allowed on our course.
Golf etiquette is that you invite (or are invited) to play through .... not demand unreasonably.
Just a pity you let them get to you!!

[microcrayfish]

  pweenie said:

Yes of course you were a jerk ................. for letting these idiots get to you and spoil the rest of your day!! You should have been proud and happy for putting them in their place. Morons like this would not be allowed on our course.

What's your home course in Auckland? I've played a few of the courses up there, can't say I enjoy that funky thick grass you guys have on the fairways though

. To the OP, no way you were a jerk. It astounds me that somebody told you what they were going to and then got mad when you told them right back that they weren't going to do it .

[pweenie]

My home course is Peninsula golf club up in Orewa.
Where do you play?
Oops we are hijacking this thread!

[John Kyle]

not a jerk at all. maybe if they had been like "hey can we play through?" and you were like No but even in that case you still wouldn't have been a jerk because of what they had done earlier and they were skipping holes but just simply that he assumed he could and said "were gonna play through" is enough to say no right there... good job standing up to them