Crazy range experience

[normdamarine]

I have done that before as well... Some people think they are swing doctors. I know my swing and I understand my faults... There are a few of my friends I will listen too, like if they think I am rotating my chin to early, something like that but they know my misses as well. I had a guy ask me once for swing advice and I had seen him hitting balls and told him to take up bowling... He didnt like that one...lol

[zrlaegel]

  Gerardv said:

I took my son to a new range a couple of days ago. It's a pretty nice set up with a grass hitting area, putting green, bunker and chipping/pitching area. Because I know people get nervous with a five year old hitting behind them, I always take him to the farthest spot on the right of the range. He is left handed, so that means he is facing me.

good on you

[TN94z]

  Gerardv said:

I took my son to a new range a couple of days ago. It's a pretty nice set up with a grass hitting area, putting green, bunker and chipping/pitching area. Because I know people get nervous with a five year old hitting behind them, I always take him to the farthest spot on the right of the range. He is left handed, so that means he is facing me.

Good job man!!! Those are the kinds of little comments that will make a young child not want to play any more. I take my 7 year old as much as I can. One day I brought him with me to our little group play and one of the high handicappers said something about me bringing him. So I just said, "well I tell you what, Jacob (my son) and I will play you two in low ball. The guy just laughed and made another comment. So we proceeded to play...granted I was pretty much playing them by myself, but Jacob really showed that guy up. Both of them had hit an approach short of a bunker. The high handicapper proceeded to dump it in the bunker, while Jacob hit his little wedge on the green and actually ran out to about 15-20 feet. I just laughed. And the funny thing is, that Jacob would hit his drive right down the middle about 80 yards almost every time (he was tee'n off at the corrected distance for him). The other guy hits this huge banana ball. There were other stories like this, but to make a long story short, we won and Jacob rubbed it in that guys face man (with a little coaxing from me)...it was great!!

[Gerardv]

Glad to hear it. I am always, absolutely always careful not to let my son get in anyone else's way. We play a local course during the day when it's not very crowded and also use a corrected distance. Depending on the hole, he hits his tee shot from the 100 yard marker or 150 marker. Quite often though, I have him hit his tee shot from where my tee shot lands, that way we aren't all over the place.

On par 3s, I make sure he can hit an iron of equal loft as what I hit into the green.

There is nothing better than watching the little guy on the green working to line up a putt. When he hits one over 2 feet he celebrates like he just won the Masters.

It's great.

[TN94z]

  Gerardv said:

Glad to hear it. I am always, absolutely always careful not to let my son get in anyone else's way. We play a local course during the day when it's not very crowded and also use a corrected distance. Depending on the hole, he hits his tee shot from the 100 yard marker or 150 marker. Quite often though, I have him hit his tee shot from where my tee shot lands, that way we aren't all over the place.

Sounds just like us. He was in the yard yesterday hitting the ball and he used to not even get it to our street. Yesterday he was hitting it all the way to the neighbor's trees right in front of his house. I told him that he hits it too far to be doing that now and the he needs to stop. He was so proud that he was hitting over the road!! He ran in the house telling his mom! I love it!

[Gerardv]

  TN94z said:

Sounds just like us. He was in the yard yesterday hitting the ball and he used to not even get it to our street. Yesterday he was hitting it all the way to the neighbor's trees right in front of his house. I told him that he hits it too far to be doing that now and the he needs to stop. He was so proud that he was hitting over the road!! He ran in the house telling his mom! I love it!

It doesn't get any better than that.

[Sunal]

I once had a family take 5 mats out of the 10 at my local municipal course range. They were all beginners and had 120+ balls at each of the stations. What drove me nuts was that they would laugh and chat for what seemed like an eternity between shots while a long line was forming. I waited for over an hour to get a station. I felt like asking the family members to speed up out of consideration but just sat there fuming. I wish more people would have etiquette..

[MeanDeen]

  Gerardv said:

It doesn't get any better than that.

That's awesome! I've been taking my 4 year old daughter out with me I haven't found any clubs for yet besides plastic ones but she just loves going out there with me. It can be kind of distracting but I've found that dealing with her out there can keep me from over analyzing my game during the round and I end up playing better. I can't wait to find some little clubs for her.

[TN94z]

  Sunil said:

I once had a family take 5 mats out of the 10 at my local municipal course range. They were all beginners and had 120+ balls at each of the stations. What drove me nuts was that they would laugh and chat for what seemed like an eternity between shots while a long line was forming. I waited for over an hour to get a station. I felt like asking the family members to speed up out of consideration but just sat there fuming. I wish more people would have etiquette..

I understand. I make sure that we don't slow anyone's play or get in anyone's way at the range either. That would drive m nuts. Many times, if the the range is busy, we will just share a stall and take turns hitting. That gives me a break and lets him really watch what I am doing.

  MeanDeen said:

That's awesome! I've been taking my 4 year old daughter out with me I haven't found any clubs for yet besides plastic ones but she just loves going out there with me. It can be kind of distracting but I've found that dealing with her out there can keep me from over analyzing my game during the round and I end up playing better. I can't wait to find some little clubs for her.

It can be very distracting!!! My main objective when I take Jacob is to make sure he has fun no matter what. I don't get upset in front of him and I don't try and shoot my best score. My thoughts behind this are that I want him to think of golf as being something fun to do and not something that will make you mad or that you can't enjoy. He has some natural talent and I don't want him straying from the game because he sees me getting frustrated and upset at a shot and getting the impression that golf is not fun.

[Gerardv]

  Sunil said:

I once had a family take 5 mats out of the 10 at my local municipal course range. They were all beginners and had 120+ balls at each of the stations. What drove me nuts was that they would laugh and chat for what seemed like an eternity between shots while a long line was forming. I waited for over an hour to get a station. I felt like asking the family members to speed up out of consideration but just sat there fuming. I wish more people would have etiquette..

Yeah, that would drive me nuts too. I also understand that people like that are responsible for causing me problems when I bring my son to the range or course, which makes it even more aggravating. Why can't people simply pay attention?! About two weeks ago, my son and I headed to the local muni for nine holes. In front of us was a threesome with the slowest player I have ever seen. It just happened to be a woman, which doesn't have much to do with this other than she took FOREVER to get to the lady's tees, and forever to tee up her ball, and forever to pick up her tee, and forever to put her club back in her bag, etc, etc. She could hit the ball maybe 75 yards but waited at her tee shot for the green to clear. Even my five year old son figured out she could hit four shots while the group in front of her was on the green and not put anyone in danger. Etiquette is what matters, as you stated. That goes for the family who held you up for all that time at the range, the jerk who upset my son at the range, and the threesome in front of us who took forever and never offered to let us play through. Bothering others with crazy suggestions while at the range, or using someone as an example of what not to do while on the range is also unacceptable. Especially if you are talking so loud the poor hacker can hear you. We understand that, and are dedicated to the game. These other bozos aren't - hence the problem. Golf courses are in a bad spot with this too. Many are never going to force a slow foursome to play faster or throw them off of the course since they need the revenue. Especially in the Columbus area where I live. That just won't happen. Yes, that's shortsighted because it will chase away dedicated players, but many businesses simply don't plan for long-term stuff. While growing up in Chicago I saw marshals force groups to the side so others could play though, or even throw very slow groups off of the course. They had to give them the money back which frustrated me. If you show up at a packed premier golf course on a Saturday and let three holes open in front of you because of slow play, you should forfeit the green fees. But then, I am not the most tolerant person when it comes to slow play so my views are biased. Same thing for the people on the range who harassed Retrun2Golf and compelled him to start this thread. They should be more considerate - but then if people were nicer, I wouldn't have as much to rant about! OK - rant off. Sorry for venting a little.

[yenner]

  Gerardv said:

Golf courses are in a bad spot with this too. Many are never going to force a slow foursome to play faster or throw them off of the course since they need the revenue. Especially in the Columbus area where I live. That just won't happen. Yes, that's shortsighted because it will chase away dedicated players, but many businesses simply don't plan for long-term stuff.

Couldn't agree more. Ever play Split Rock in Orient? Horrible staff. The tee tiems are so random. We set a tee time and they let a foursome walk-in, grab keys, and dash to the tee box between us and the group ahead of us. Plus the Ranger there knows nothing of golf. He actually picked up my cousins ball off the fairway and called him a fat***! I need to find courses around here, or within 45 miles of Circleville/Columbus to play where teh staff cares. Crown Hill in Williamsport and Homestead Sprigns in Groveport are the best staffs I have dealt with so far.

As for "players" as mentioned by the OP? Can't stand them. I'm WAY more verbal and a good bit more abusive with my language when provoked. I tend to keep my mouth shut unless someone runs theres b/c I have no reason to give advice or honestly care about a persons game regardless of whether they're better than I am or not. OP, you're a better person than I am.

[Gerardv]

  yenner said:

Couldn't agree more. Ever play Split Rock in Orient? Horrible staff. The tee tiems are so random. We set a tee time and they let a foursome walk-in, grab keys, and dash to the tee box between us and the group ahead of us. Plus the Ranger there knows nothing of golf. He actually picked up my cousins ball off the fairway and called him a fat***! I need to find courses around here, or within 45 miles of Circleville/Columbus to play where teh staff cares. Crown Hill in Williamsport and Homestead Sprigns in Groveport are the best staffs I have dealt with so far.

I haven't played Split Rock. My favorite places to play are Bent Tree which is a little north of Columbus, Blue Ash which is way south near Cincy, Turnberry which is in my hometown and Firefox where I played in a league before medical problems took me out of the game about eight years ago.

Willow Run, a little east of Columbus is OK as well. It's not the most beautiful course out there but was in good shape the last three times I played it. Unfortunately, I have only been back to playing the last two years and don't know many places to play outside of the Columbus area. Bent Tree is my favorite if I absolutely had to pick but it's way north of you. If I lived near Blue Ash I would play there a lot. By default, I end up at Turnberry since it's so close to my house. It's an OK course and claims to be a links style lay-out. I'm not sure I agree, but one thing is sure, the greens are hard. The staff there does a pretty good job of keeping their finger on the pulse of what is going on and I like the pro. He does a kids seminar once a month in the summer months. For $15 you get an hour group lesson and 9 holes of golf. I really like his teaching style - his name is Scott Jones. If you get stuck there they will try and help as much as possible. Even going so far as to let me come back for free one time when a very slow group made me unable to finish 18 holes before dark. The ranger and pro noticed and offered the two groups behind the slow-pokes a raincheck which they didn't have to do. The slow-pokes were probably the same people who harrassed Retern2Golf at the range the other day! If you're ever looking for someone to fill out a foursome drop me a PM. I will gladly drive down to Circleville to play.

[GamerJG]

  Return2Golf said:

So tonight I went down to the range to try out my new sand wedge (Nike Tour SV - like it). 2 stalls down there was an older guy teaching his daughter to play. They were talking pretty loudly and the daughter (about 20 or so) was whining after every shot and making really loud noises of frustration. I was doing my best to ignore that when the father says "see that guy there? He's swinging too hard". I was like "are they talking about me"? and then I pulled a shot way left. I heard the father say something about pulling shots to his daughter. Over the next 20-30 balls I heard the father use me as an example of what not to do about 3 or 4 more times and then I started seriously shanking. About 20 shanks in a row. At first I was furious . . and then I started getting worried. I couldn't hit even my 7 iron to save my life!

sometimes that happens to me on the course if i'm paired up with people that distract me. a couple times this season i went to the course swinging great, then when i'd play with a couple people that were either rushing me or having no course etiquette(hitting out of turn, talking during swing etc.). i just couldn't concentrate and completely lost my swing and got frustrated. i tried like crazy to ignore it and find my swing again but nothing worked. it really was strange that would affect me so much. golf is such a game of great concentration and i understand when players need complete silence and people to stand still. any little thing could throw you off.

[ITBs2k]

I hate when that happens. Messes me up sometimes.

[SQ Bimmer]

  Gerardv said:

I took my son to a new range a couple of days ago. It's a pretty nice set up with a grass hitting area, putting green, bunker and chipping/pitching area. Because I know people get nervous with a five year old hitting behind them, I always take him to the farthest spot on the right of the range. He is left handed, so that means he is facing me.

Good for you. And I do not think it makes you any less of a person, you did the right thing to make sure the game stayed fun for your son, which was the top priority in that situation and you just got backed into a corner and had to re-take control. Bravo.

I started showing my GF's nephew (3) how to swing a golf club recently. He's a lefty, and he seems to enjoy swinging at the ball! He's 3 and was hitting a 5" polyfill baseball with a plastic club and was hitting it to me about 4-5 yards away and was hitting it straight to my club as if we were in hockey practice. The Neice was swinging my GF's 56* choked down, and as she is a bit older, was hitting a real ball about 10 yards! This was just at an empty baseball field. Can't wait to get them on the range. And yes, you are right, that guy that was giving you a hard time had a Dad that didn't take him to the range as a kid. Exactly like my Dad who played golf regularly throughout pretty much all of my childhood and never once took me that I can remember. Your son is a lucky kid and I am envious!

  Sunil said:

I once had a family take 5 mats out of the 10 at my local municipal course range. They were all beginners and had 120+ balls at each of the stations. What drove me nuts was that they would laugh and chat for what seemed like an eternity between shots while a long line was forming. I waited for over an hour to get a station. I felt like asking the family members to speed up out of consideration but just sat there fuming. I wish more people would have etiquette..

My GF and I used to just share a mat when the range was busy. Not a big deal, I don't know why these people didn't get a clue. I guess they didn't get the memo? They could have gone down to 2-3 mats easily it sounds like.

[Gerardv]

  SQ Bimmer said:

Good for you. And I do not think it makes you any less of a person, you did the right thing to make sure the game stayed fun for your son, which was the top priority in that situation and you just got backed into a corner and had to re-take control. Bravo.

Thank you.