seeds on the course

[bigbear43]

So i reach the green the other day in two on a par 4 and I have a pretty line, but in my line is a moveable obstruction, a spit out sunflower seed. This got me thinking about etiquette and the like, and I've come to the conclusiom that I see no problem about "seeds" on the course, but I do have a problem when one spits them out on the green. What are all your thoughts?

[saevel25]

I would agree, keep it off the green. The best option would be to have a empty spare cup and just spit them out there and throw the thing away after the round.

[Harmonious]

Isn't it great to get on the green and see sunflower seed, cigarette butts and unfixed ball marks?  In my opinion, this just shows the laziness, stupidity and/or rudeness of some players. No excuse for any of these things.

[bigbear43]

Thats another one of my pet peeves cigarette butts or cigar butts. On the course we are outside in nature, not that I am a nature nut but being on the course is not only a sporting experience but a chance to get outside usually on a meticulously kept course. I want to enjoy being outside I dont feel like looking a cigarette butts or trash. If you want to smoke on the course or drink or eat fine just keep your trash to yourself be responsable and throw it away.

[Brad_MB]

I can't stand it when people leave their cigarettes on the green, the green of all places should be left as clean as possible.  I chew seeds, but never do I spit them on the green.  Its annoying and obstructive

[xxsoultonesxx]

Pure class.  Do what you want, but don't leave it around for others to deal with.

[zeg]

I personally think you should treat being on the course like campling: if you bring it in, you bring it out.  Unlike camping, there are trash cans, so if you're not going to bring it out with you, then make sure it's left in a trash can.  Personally, I wouldn't bring sunflower seeds on the course unless I was prepared to store and throw out the shells rather than spit them out.  Cigarette butts, cigar stubs, old chewing tobacco, etc, should never be left around anywhere, putting green or otherwise.

Sunflower seeds are sort of on the edge of acceptability for places other than the green, since they are small and don't make much more mess than occurs naturally.  Still, I think it'd be better to leave nothing at all out there.

On the green?  No way.  If it's on someone's line, that means they're going to have to pick up and move something you spat out.  That's not cool.

[ghalfaire]

  Harmonious said:

Originally Posted by Harmonious

Isn't it great to get on the green and see sunflower seed, cigarette butts and unfixed ball marks?  In my opinion, this just shows the laziness, stupidity and/or rudeness of some players. No excuse for any of these things.

I second this.  No excuse for being inconsiderate of the other people playing behind you.

[ohiolefty]

I chewed seeds.....when I was playing baseball.

But, if folks want to chew seeds...whatever. Spit them in a cup, or else don't spit them on the green or fairway. Nobody wants to fiddle with the seeds from your unclean mouth.

[NI4NI]

It just proves the Forrest Gump axiom, "Stupid is as stupid does".

[Fourputt]

  bigbear43 said:

Originally Posted by bigbear43

So i reach the green the other day in two on a par 4 and I have a pretty line, but in my line is a moveable obstruction, a spit out sunflower seed. This got me thinking about etiquette and the like, and I've come to the conclusiom that I see no problem about "seeds" on the course, but I do have a problem when one spits them out on the green. What are all your thoughts?

First - let's get the terminology correct.  Sunflower seed hulls are loose impediments, not obstructions.  Different rules apply to each.

Second - I say no to seeds on the golf course, period.  Why, you ask?  Because if they are allowed, they will end up on the putting green.  Guaranteed! And I really, really hate having to clean up what some slob has spit out.  If I ran a course, they would be banned, the ban would be clearly posted, and anyone ignoring the ban would be ejected.  My father-in-law's course has such a ban, and it is enforced.

[1par2win]

  Fourputt said:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

First - let's get the terminology correct.  Sunflower seed hulls are loose impediments, not obstructions.  Different rules apply to each.

Second -   I say no to seeds on the golf course, period.  Why, you ask?  Because if they are allowed, they will end up on the putting green.  Guaranteed!  And I really, really hate having to clean up what some slob has spit out.  If I ran a course, they would be banned, the ban would be clearly posted, and anyone ignoring the ban would be ejected.  My father-in-law's course has such a ban, and it is enforced.

Is this a real problem out there? I mean seriously, is this such an issue that a course would actually go through the trouble to ban sunflower seeds and kick anyone off the course caught with the demon seed? I guess I can't recall ever having to deal with greens covered in spent shells.

[sean_miller]

  1par2win said:

Originally Posted by 1par2win

Is this a real problem out there? I mean seriously, is this such an issue that a course would actually go through the trouble to ban sunflower seeds and kick anyone off the course caught with the demon seed? I guess I can't recall ever having to deal with greens covered in spent shells.

I haven't seen it very often on a golf course, but it can get pretty gross in the dugout at a ball diamond. Dam%% things getting in your cleats and even into your shoes. Especially gross when you consider each one of those thing was chewed on and spit out by someone.

[rwfastrax]

I encountered this for the first time just yesterday and was not impressed. Absolute disregard for other golfers...they left their seeds within a couple of feet of the cup too. Not cool.

[phillyk]

It's the worst of all, when you have guys spitting seeds into the driving carts' bins and don't clean up after themselves.  So, being a cart cleaner sucks, when you have to clean it out, because it likes to stick to things when it's wet from your mouth.  In general, I'm fine with them, but not on the greens like everyone said.

[zeg]

  1par2win said:

Originally Posted by 1par2win

Is this a real problem out there? I mean seriously, is this such an issue that a course would actually go through the trouble to ban sunflower seeds and kick anyone off the course caught with the demon seed? I guess I can't recall ever having to deal with greens covered in spent shells.

I've never seen it out here in California or back where I grew up in Indiana, but I presume it's a regional thing.  I've also never encountered chewing tobacco plugs on the course, either, thank goodness... I suspect it must be a pretty serious problem for bans to be instituted.

I've never quite understood it, it's sort of like the custom of eating peanuts at a baseball game and dumping the shells on the floor.  Certainly seems to be accepted in a few of the ball parks I've been to.  However, I have to say that the guy at the city park dumping shells all over the bleacher while watching his kids play little league was probably out of line unless he cleaned up his own shells after the game....

[Dave Gordon]

When I used to be a greenkeeper and we'd do our morning sweep of the course, sometimes you'd come across discarded cigars that had burnt out and would leave a mark on the grass. The worst ones would be when it had rained overnight and they disintegrated leaving a nice little mess of tobacco to clean up. Cool!!!

[NEOHMark]

  bigbear43 said:

Originally Posted by bigbear43

If you want to smoke on the course or drink or eat fine just keep your trash to yourself be responsable and throw it away.

That's it, in a nutshell (pun intended).