Would You?

[RCF]

I check with the group in front of me and then everyone else I pass in front of me on my way back to the clubhouse. It can cause a delay with my group or partner, but I think returning the club immediately is more important than my game on any given day.

[pxc]

If I found a club on the course I would return it. IMO that's a lot different than picking up a ball with no apparent owner. I've left short irons on the green before, but I've either remembered and gone back to get them, or had them returned to me. That was very embarrassing but I was very grateful. I don't see how someone can justify keeping a golf club. It's not like a ball where you have a certain expectation of losing those occasionally.

[Meddle]

Just a few weeks ago I lost a nice North Face fleece on the course and could have sworn saw a guy a couple groups back wearing it. So infuriating but I shouldn't have dropped it in the first place.
Anyway, I definitely think that between 95% of golfers there is a common spirit where we are friendly and look out for each other out there, whether it's looking for a stray ball or returning a golf club or head cover.

[FHopper]

My lowest act was to find a wedge on the last green after following the slowest group of my life. I left it there. When I got to the club house one of the guys from the slow group ask if I had seen his club, I said I believed it was still on the green, he then put his cane to the ground and limped off to get it. I am an ass.

[sean_miller]

My lowest act was to find a wedge on the last green after following the slowest group of my life. I left it there. When I got to the club house one of the guys from the slow group ask if I had seen his club, I said I believed it was still on the green, he then put his cane to the ground and limped off to get it. I am an ass.

Imagine how bad you'd feel if you'd stolen the club!

[Clambake]

I can't fathom the mentality of anyone who wouldn 't return the club. While many golfers will throw a club on the course, no one would knowingly throw away a club, so there is no way someone can assume "finders/keepers". It is theft, pure and simple .

A good tip if you find a club: use your mobile phone and call the clubhouse and let them know you've found a club, what it is, and what hole you're on. They'll alert the marshall over the radio and he can then help track down the group that lost it very quickly.

[zeg]

You're REALLY gonna flame the guy for actually having the balls to be honest in this thread?? I guarantee he's not the only one who's done so in this forum.

I agree. Also I'll note that the OP said he'd probably call the pro shop, not just slink off and hope no one saw him pick it up. Just drop the probably and I think it's a fine approach. Letting them know to reach you and holding on to the club seems perfectly ethical to me. If the owner shows up, they get it back, if not, you're as entitled to hang onto the club as the pro shop is. Personally, I'd drop it off because I'd rather not bother with getting involved in returning it if the owner does pop up.

[senorchipotle]

You're REALLY gonna flame the guy for actually having the balls to be honest in this thread?? I guarantee he's not the only one who's done so in this forum.

yeah, i'll call him out. just cause someone answers honestly doesn't mean it's a respectable answer.

[senorchipotle]

You act like if I find one I just stick it in my bag and leave. As I posted, I make every effort to find the owner. But I will never turn a club into a pro shop.

you make every effort, huh? so you quit your round, then drive around to every hole asking other players if they've lost a club? of course not, you only give it back if you get called out. which is still no better than theft.

[Jay-Bird]

I've found countless clubs, headcovers, gps/laser (twice), cell phones etc... never left the course without anything that's not mine. Either find the owner or TURN IT IN TO THE PRO SHOP.

DaSportsGuy - you suck.

[nevets88]

Golf Digest never did their survey in the NYC area, full of people who just plain suck, this based on life experience, not just golf. I've lost about 5 clubs this way.

I've returned every club and cellphone I found but one. I kept the club in my bag with intention to return it, forgot I had it and life happened and I never got around to go back to that course and totally forgot.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Yeah, actually last time i played a couple of months ago i left my vokey wedge out on the course because i was rushing to finish before it got dark. I didnt even know i had lost it at the time and i stopped by the pro shop some two weeks later for something else and they had it in there for me.

But when i find a club on the course, i usually just prop it up and leave it where it is. Somebody will come back for it. I tend to think when you take the club from where you found it to give to the starter or pro shop, the owner usually thinks somebody has stolen it and doesnt bother to ask anyone. I see so many forgotten clubs just stacked up in pro shops and starter shacks.

[ET-Taylor]

I've found countless clubs, headcovers, gps/laser (twice), cell phones etc... never left the course without anything that's not mine. Either find the owner or TURN IT IN TO THE PRO SHOP.

At least he is being honest about his dishonesty

[pxc]

My lowest act was to find a wedge on the last green after following the slowest group of my life. I left it there. When I got to the club house one of the guys from the slow group ask if I had seen his club, I said I believed it was still on the green, he then put his cane to the ground and limped off to get it. I am an ass.

If that had been me I would've had to run back out to get it for him.

[James_Black]

actually havn't been honest.
I was out with a friend looking for golf balls and we found a 3 wood in the trees before.
somebody must've thrown it in.
My friend kept it and is still playing with it.

Doubt anybody would have claimed it though.

[dblbgy17]

i think you should, after all, it's a gentleman's game right? luckily, knock on wood, i've never lost a club before but i've found several on the course. i usually ask the group in front of me if it belongs to them the next time i catch them at the tee box, 9 times out of 10 it is.

funny story - last season i hooked a tee shot into a little patch of trees, got up there and my ball was just on the outside of the group of trees so i could get a club on it without picking up, while i was setting up for the shot i glanced into the trees behind me and saw a $1 bill tucked under some leaves on the ground. golf gods gave me two breaks there, no drop and a $1...i'll be honest, i kept the $1, haha, i think it got me a snickers bar at the turn.

[OCdude12]

Have lost some clubs in my day and found some clubs in my day, always turn them in and have got my club back after being turned in. For the guy that said he doesn't turn them in, what about when you lose a club? Do you expect to get it back or do you assume people are greedy like you and keep it?

I worked at a course for a little bit in the shop and clubs would get turned in all the time. They always went to the lost and found bag and the owners would usually call to see if it was there (if it was a nice enough club, otherwise the bag mostly just had old raggedy wedges), however if it was a pretty decent wedge the rule was usually let it sit for 2 months and if no one called it was free game. I never took any of the clubs, but my buddy got a nice Titleist Oil can wedge that barely looked used.

[Greg]

I left an 8 iron by the green once as I was using it for chipping and forgot it, somebody did turn it into the pro shop and I got it back. If I found a club I would try to catch up the to group ahead of me. If its not theirs, I would turn it into the pro shop when i was done. I wouldnt keep a club that wasnt mine.