Encounter on golf course

[WhackAndHack]

I have always heard stories of verbal altercations on the course, but never seen one. That is, until yesterday *cue dramatic music*. I was playing with a scratch junior in college. Also with my was my close friend and teammate who is an 8 handicap. The course reopened a few days ago, and was absolutely packed so the play was excruciatingly slow. There is an upcoming tournament at this course, and the first couple days you play from the whites, then you play from the blues for match play. So the scratch golfer had a cart while me and my friend were walking and he would play a ball from the blues, and the whites.

So on the 14th tee we heard and saw a golfer absolutely flip out about missing a short putt, like he brought the whole Holy Trinity in one curse... We were halfway through teeing off when he said to the scratch golfer "HOW MANY F***** BALLS ARE YOU GOING TO HIT?" To which he politely explained the situation and that he isn't holding up play any, and we were ahead of the pace of play. Then the hothead said "WELL IF YOU WANNA F***** PRACTICE, GO TO THE F***** RANGE THEN!" We decided to ignore him and finish teeing off. Me and my friend looked over in disbelief to which he then said "AND WHAT THE F*** ARE YOU TWO LOOKING AT?". Thankfully his playing partners calmed him down and one came over to apologize. The Ranger ended up taking him back to the clubhouse. Crazy crazy day, but I think we are all ending up going to get free balls out of it.

[formula428]

That's crazy...some people.

I just had an issue today where it almost ended up in a fight.  The guy (and his lady friend) were playing ahead of me.  I had been waiting for them for 2 holes (they wouldn't let me play through).  I'm by no means a great golfer, but they didn't make contact most of the time.  Meanwhile, I'm en route to shooting a 44 or 45 (ended up with a 45).

Finally, I was on this one Par 4 hole and there's a blind spot about 250y from the tee box.  There are no visible yardage markers (see my other thread about that).  I didn't see them (must have been about 270 over the hill) so I hit my 3W (which goes darn near exactly 250y including the roll).  I got up to where i thought my ball would be and the guy tells me that I almost hit him, and that he just hit my ball back toward the tee box!  I thought it was going to happen and I reached for my 4 iron.  Thankfully it didn't.

After assessing the situation, I saw the ball land from my drive and I know there was no way it could have ever came close to him.  Just no way.  Plus, it was a wide fairway and my ball landed on the right side, while he and his lady were on the left.

Maybe he just felt the need to show off in front of his woman?

[WhackAndHack]

The worst part is he's an ex police officer..... But yeahhh that's probably the case.

[Fore Left]

A guy in your group was playing two balls.    I think that's the most important element of the story...   If I were behind you etc..  if you're keeping up with the group in front of you,  I certainly wouldn't say anything,  but playing 2 balls on a packed course is just asking for trouble.

And I don't care if he's a +2  or a -20   playing 2 balls shouldn't happen.   If he's getting ready for a tourney,  he should just play the course twice then.

[WhackAndHack]

Originally Posted by Fore Left

A guy in your group was playing two balls.    I think that's the most important element of the story...   If I were behind you etc..  if you're keeping up with the group in front of you,  I certainly wouldn't say anything,  but playing 2 balls on a packed course is just asking for trouble.

And I don't care if he's a +2  or a -20   playing 2 balls shouldn't happen.   If he's getting ready for a tourney,  he should just play the course twice then.

But up until then, we had an entire hole lead, but we had to wait for the group in front to take their third shots on a par 5 so they caught up to us.

[Goonsidious]

There needs to be screen-testing for golf.

[Fore Left]

Originally Posted by WhackAndHack

But up until then, we had an entire hole lead, but we had to wait for the group in front to take their third shots on a par 5 so they caught up to us.

I would say my point is,  it doesn't really matter if you were still playing at a good pace or not.    Again,  I wouldn't have said anything,  but really it should be common sense that you go out there and play one ball.

[Goonsidious]

So your friend basically got a free round of golf.

[WhackAndHack]

I guess, but I just met him so obviously I wasn't going to say anything to him. But by the time me and my friend walked to our balls, he had already played his next shot on his 1st ball, and was about to his his 2nd when we hit our 1st

[Chris Stewart]

So your friend basically got a free round of golf.

Eh, I wouldn't go that far. A lot of people play multiple balls when they are playing a practice round. Granted it's not generally when the course is crowded, but that's not relevant to your point.

[Paradox]

only verbal spat I've had on a course is when a foursome of Australian guys were playing in front of my twosome.  We had been behind them all day and they would CONSTANTLY drag butt on the green after finishing and THEN go sit in their cart for another 30 seconds to a minute writing their scores down and chatting before moving on to the next tee.  After 16 holes, I had enough so when they got their carts on a par 3, I hit.  The ball never got anywhere close to them but for some reason one of them felt the need to pick up my ball and say "NOT AGAIN!" and some other stuff before driving off.

[Goonsidious]

Originally Posted by Chris Stewart

Eh, I wouldn't go that far. A lot of people play multiple balls when they are playing a practice round. Granted it's not generally when the course is crowded, but that's not relevant to your point.

Multiple balls as in, hit a second shot after a poor one every once in a while? Or legit play 2 different scores at once?

I don't know anyone who plays two balls, two scores, the entire 18..

[newtogolf]

If I understand it correctly he was playing two balls the entire 18 holes, one from the white tee's and one from the blue tee's.

Originally Posted by Goonsidious

Multiple balls as in, hit a second shot after a poor one every once in a while? Or legit play 2 different scores at once?

I don't know anyone who plays two balls, two scores, the entire 18..

[Goonsidious]

I'm aware of that. 2 rounds of golf in 1.

A free round.

[newtogolf]

Oh, sorry didn't realize it was a follow up.  I'd agree that's it's effectively a free round.

Originally Posted by Goonsidious

I'm aware of that. 2 rounds of golf in 1.

A free round.

[WhackAndHack]

FWIW he wouldn't putt out the one from the blues, just drive and approach shot.

[Goonsidious]

Completely off-topic, how do you like your Burner 1's? Do you plan on upgrading anytime soon?

[CraiginKSA]

Free round?  THat's a stretch.  By that logic, the mulligan man who tops his drive into the water or hits every ball OB is also getting a free round.  If he's not holding up the other golfers, I wouldn't care if he hit 5 balls.  Although the marshalls may not agree.