Doesn't anyone still turn in clubs or equipment anymore?

[RickK]

I have had mixed experience.  Used to play at a club that was private and had virtually no outside play.  If you lost something and someone found it, you could pretty much bet on it being turned in.  That same club fell on hard times and eventually became a very popular public course.  Since that time, it is rare that people turn in anything of value.  Club covers, yes.  Towels, probably.  Clubs, almost never.

I had one experience that really left me with mixed feelings about a different course.  I played at a course that I rarely ever play at.  I left my GPS in the cart (I really wish golf related devices would come with a case color other than black.  Black just blends in completely with the pockets you find in golf carts.  Black case, black liner in the golf cart compartment.  Just did not realize I had left it.  When I got home (75 miles away) I realized I had left it.  I called the golf course and they told me nothing had been turned in.  They took my name and phone number.  The next day, the golf course calls me and tells me the GPS was turned in by one of the cart boys.  I drove back that afternoon to pick it up.  I thanked the guy in the pro shop and told him if the young man was there, I would give him a tip for doing the right thing.  He told me the cart boy had lost his job because he took the GPS home and then turned it in when he came to work the next day.  I felt really bad about the whole situation.  Guy in pro shop told me all the cart guys had been warned about doing such. Still does not sit right with me today.

[Wisguy]

I've turned in at least 5 wedges I've found near greens over the years and a 7-iron I found in the fairway, as well as several headcovers and two jackets.

I lost a headcover twice last year (damn Nickent hybrid cover that was too short and kept working its way off with the clubs jostling around).  The first time was on vacation and I went back for it the next morning because I was still nearby.  The second time I never bothered, as the course was over an hour away, the gas would have cost more than the cover was worth, and I picked up a used one from the misc. headcover bin at my local golf store for about what it would have cost to ship my old one back to me, if someone had turned it in.

One of the first things I've taught the several new golfers I've taken out on their first rounds on a real course is always lay their wedge on the green (not just near the green), between the hole and his/her bag so that he/she will practically have to step on it to get off the green and it will not get forgotten on the side.

[stealthduffer]

I'll turn in whatever I find - if the owner hasn't come back for it by the time I get to the pro-shop.  Last time I left a club was 10+ years ago and it was turned in.  Paid the course (it was in Myrtle Beach) to ship it back and it arrived fine.

Last year I did find a 7 iron - had initials stamped into it.  Took it to the pro shop and it was actually the pro's.  He had lent his clubs as a demo set and someone had left it.

My big fear is leaving my GPS - and to echo a prior comment - can't they make things in another color than black?

[Spyder]

Originally Posted by stealthduffer

I'll turn in whatever I find - if the owner hasn't come back for it by the time I get to the pro-shop.  Last time I left a club was 10+ years ago and it was turned in.  Paid the course (it was in Myrtle Beach) to ship it back and it arrived fine.

Last year I did find a 7 iron - had initials stamped into it.  Took it to the pro shop and it was actually the pro's.  He had lent his clubs as a demo set and someone had left it.

My big fear is leaving my GPS - and to echo a prior comment - can't they make things in another color than black?

That's why Callaway started that wacky Diablo GPS line of neon yellow range finders! But, they weren't selling because of the wacky yellow color!

You people.... I swear. Just can't please anyone these days.... lol Just kidding.

[phan52]

I've lost clubs multiple times and have always had them returned. One time I lost a 7-iron on a golf trip to Myrtle Beach at Tidewater Golf Club and they UPS'd it to my home club (my name and home club are on all my clubs).

I've even had balls returned to me the year my wife gave me personalized Titleists for Christmas. I told her not to do that again.

[hendog]

I turn in everything and I mean everything. If its not mine and its not part of the course its goes in. I've lost nice head covers before and never found them. The kind you get as gifts from your kids and it just sickens me so I turn it all in so no one has to go through that same thing.

[2ironfrenzy]

Originally Posted by AmazingWhacker

The few times I have found a club next to the green I have just left it there - assuming whoever lost it would come back looking for it or the maintenance crew would pick it up the next morning.

I actually did have a rangefinder fall off my cart - the plastic clip broke. The group behind us saw it, picked it up and drove up to give it back to me. I thought that was awfully nice. So at least some people are decent :)

As good as this sounds, I believe it is a better idea to grab it and take it into the clubhouse, so that you don't have to trust the 10-100 people playing behind you to act the same.  In my experience, I have lost, and was able to get back after the round a callaway 56* wedge, and a scotty putter. I did however never get back my x-forged 2 iron...  the times i got my clubs back the group behind me brought them to me on the tee box before finishing their hole.

[Mac62]

I turn in everything I find on the course.  Regardless of the value, I would never consider keeping anything that's not mine - it's just not in my makeup.  Besides, I'd like to hope that maybe the karma will pay me back someday.  On the courses I play most often, it's been my experience that golfers are very conscientious about either tracking you down on the course or turning in lost items at the pro shop.  A friend of mine has a headcover that doesn't stay on well, and a couple weeks ago we had the group behind us return it to him three times.  Their only comment (after the third time) was "Next one will cost you a beer!".

In the group I normally play with, we've developed a habit of calling out "Clubs!" as we walk off the green, as a reminder to everybody in case they left a wedge on the far side or out of sight somewhere.  I've forgotten clubs in the past, but have gotten in the habit of placing them just off the green between us and the cart so they'll be obvious when we walk off.  I'd hope that they would be returned if I forgot, but I've always stood by the motto, "If you never trust people, you'll never be disappointed".

As far as rangefinders go - my Tour v2 came with a blue silicone sleeve which is great for making it more visible.  I don't worry so much about losing it on the course - my bigger worry is that I'll accidentally leave it in the cart once it's back in its (bulky, but much less visible) black case.

[tomvk77]

I've never kept a thing i find on the course. If it is clubs, gps, or what ever i just return them.

I never lost something also. I use a carry bag that is always with me so if i hit a chip the club goes straight back in the bag.

I don't want to be bad over a few bucks.

[sker]

Golfing Dad. Good to hear you had the rangefinder returned. Shame that we all have to feel grateful for someone doing that isn't it?

Strange one for you. A friend lost a Vokey wedge on a recent round. He realised when we got home and asked for a notice to be put up on the board. Went back the following week and hadn't been handed in.

As we're walking up to the hole where he lost it we are obviously talking about it. - he knows where it was lost because he only uses it about once every 4 rounds! I see something glisten in the woods and someone has found the club on the fringe and decided to neither take it or hand it in, but throw it into the trees.

I just don't get it.

And he still doesn't use it so may offer to take it off his hands.

[NuclearMike]

I have lost a gap wedge and a Nickent Evolver diver head cover.  Neither was turned in.  I can't imagine not doing the right thing, but for some people their own sense of entitlement prohibits them from considering golf as a "gentleman's game".

[JonMA1]

Originally Posted by NuclearMike

I have lost a gap wedge and a Nickent Evolver diver head cover.  Neither was turned in.  I can't imagine not doing the right thing, but for some people their own sense of entitlement prohibits them from considering golf as a "gentleman's game".

Sorry to hear about the lost wedge..

In the last two weeks, I've found two head covers, both of which I turned in to the clubhouse (even though I need one for my 5 wood). It's no different than finding a wallet on the street. There is the absolute right thing to do and the opportunistic option. As indicated in the above posts, for the most part people do the right thing.

The only exception is that I've retrieved golf balls out of the woods or swamps that were not mine. Unfortunately, they usually end up back in there.

"Gentleman's game"? I would like to see more of that.

[stealthduffer]

Originally Posted by Spyder

That's why Callaway started that wacky Diablo GPS line of neon yellow range finders! But, they weren't selling because of the wacky yellow color!

You people.... I swear. Just can't please anyone these days.... lol Just kidding.

Point taken.  But I'm a GPS guy myself and mine came in black.  Of course it's not just my GPS - my (black) phone on black interior of a car, calculator (with black cover) inside my (black lined) computer bag, etc. etc.  Maybe just a sign of getting old?

[rwfastrax]

The other side of this equation. I found a wedge at the practice green before a round at my home course recently and when I turned it in before I tee'd off...the course owner showed me 2 barrels full of clubs that have been turned in and never claimed. From this year alone.

[jetsknicks1]

Golfing Dad. Good to hear you had the rangefinder returned. Shame that we all have to feel grateful for someone doing that isn't it? Strange one for you. A friend lost a Vokey wedge on a recent round. He realised when we got home and asked for a notice to be put up on the board. Went back the following week and hadn't been handed in. As we're walking up to the hole where he lost it we are obviously talking about it. - he knows where it was lost because he only uses it about once every 4 rounds! I see something glisten in the woods and someone has found the club on the fringe and decided to neither take it or hand it in, but throw it into the trees. I just don't get it. And he still doesn't use it so may offer to take it off his hands.

Yea that doesn't make any sense. Why throw it in the woods? Some people are just jerks I guess. I've found a few clubs in the past. I just pit them in my bag until either, I caught up to the group ahead and returned it or the guy who left it came back and asked, I've never had to bring it to the club house because I was always able to return it on the course. Wish somebody would've done that when they picked up my 9 iron :(

[hacker101]

My son always leave a wedge next to a green every round it seems. First time was his X20 SW that was never turned in at David Baker in OC. Last couple of rounds was his Volky wedge that as soon as he noticed he went back to the group behind each time they had it. Not sure if they would have turned it in I want to think they would!

I could never keep anything that was not mine and don't play with people that would, we always catch up to a group that we find an item and ask if they lost something. We will not give it to them unless they can tell us what it is, if they cant we turn it in.

Pretty jacked up that keep what some one forgot!

[BostonBrew]

I've only come across a few wedges left near the greens and it always belonged to the group ahead of me. Always caught up with them and returned it.

On a sidenote, I used to work as a cartboy and the things we'd find in the carts were surprising. Unopened beers, cigarettes, bags of weed, rangefinders, headcovers, car keys, wallets, sunglasses. We kept a special spot in the cart barn for those things. The more important items, such as keys and wallets, were always claimed. But there were a handful of Maui Jim, Ray-Ban, and Oakley sunglasses that went unclaimed. Clubs were held in a closet in the pro shop. Often grabbed one or two of them and cut the shafts off to use for instructional purposes. The general rule was, we wrote down the day it was found, if 30 days went by without it being claimed, one of us could take it. I never took anything, but a friend scored an awesome pair of Maui Jim sunglasses. (he also took the bag of weed but he didn't wait 30 days on that one)

[robrey85]

I just recently lost my headcover on what I believe to be the 10th tee of Rhodes Ranch and some awesome samaritan turned it in to the golf shop, thank god. It has more sentimental value than anything else. With that being said there is etiquette out there, I just think it's rare.

I came across half a shaft 2 weeks ago on the 14th hole of RRCC; Arroyo course. It was stuck in the tee box, my brother picked it up looked at it and then threw it in the trash. A few holes later, on the 17th hole, we found the other half was stuck in the tee box the same way. It was a Cobra 2i.

It was in much better shape then my 1.99 2i that my dad bought me from Goodwill so I kept it.

Was I wrong to assume the person snapped his club and clearly didn't want it anymore? I don't think I was in the wrong for doing this but others may differ.