GolfDigest Editor Goes Undercover as a Cart Girl

[3putter]

I see this all the time, and I can't tell you how gross it is. I agree with the middle aged dudes being the worst, the lines some of these dudes use are as lame as they come. Guys my age (late 20s) can be pretty horrible too....

[isukgolf]

I treat all the cart ladies with respect, but I do enjoy the ones that like a little banter But for anyone that golfs in the Phx area ... NO the cart girls can not turn on the sir conditioner ... for the love of god if I hear that one more time!!!

[cubdog]

I too read the article. It seemed pretty much spot on.

[oregongolfguy]

I read the article.  Not anything really earth shattering there.  Cart girl wears tight fitting shorts or short skirt and tight fitting shirt and often times is at least slightly flirty to garner more money in tips from the men playing.  A certain percentage of the men in turn take flirting back or comments past the line of being respectful and decent, partially because of the "pack" mentality of the group, partially because they are just crude, partially because they feel egged on by the provocative nature of some of the cart girls themselves.   And the cycle goes on.......

Personally I pack my own water and usually a snack, I have little to no interaction with cart girls.  I am only a man and will "admire the view" at times.  But my conversation usually is a polite thanks for checking but I don't need anything.  I have been in groups before where I felt that the other guys crossed the line.  I have verbally brought this up twice to other people.

Where I used to live the two cart girls after that got to "know" me if I was playing as single which happened often just waved as they went by,  maybe driving close enough by to ask how my round was going as they buzzed by.

[Gboroman]

[imsys0042]

I just turned 40 so I guess I'm starting to get into the middle aged category.   I'd peg the middle aged as the most vile of any demographic.  Where I play I don't see much direct flirting or attempts at pelvic sorcery when the cart girls are there.   But the comments after they leave are pretty rude sometimes.   A lot of people don't say anything, but some people need to get a grip (pun probably intended).

Nothing wrong with appreciating a nice looking lady, but disrespecting her to her face, or when she leaves, is not cool.  And it says more about you than you want people to know.   And once you hit a certain age, it's time to stop checking women out that young.   It's creeps-ville...

[dave s]

Read the article and was not surprised at all.  The lechers that I play with on Thursday nights are always hitting on the poor cart girl.  Nothing vulgar, but my thoughts are 'what if that was YOUR daughter?'

What they can make in a day is not exaggerated either.  When in HI two years ago, a mom and daughter teamed up at Wailea.  Mom said on good days, they bring home about $600 between the two of them.  Now that's a good day gig!

dave

[rkim291968]

I just turned 40 so I guess I'm starting to get into the middle aged category.   I'd peg the middle aged as the most vile of any demographic.  Where I play I don't see much direct flirting or attempts at pelvic sorcery when the cart girls are there.   But the comments after they leave are pretty rude sometimes.   A lot of people don't say anything, but some people need to get a grip (pun probably intended).

Nothing wrong with appreciating a nice looking lady, but disrespecting her to her face, or when she leaves, is not cool.  And it says more about you than you want people to know.   And once you hit a certain age, it's time to stop checking women out that young.   It's creeps-ville...

I am afraid, you are already in the middle aged category .   At age 53, I am out of it.  And I don't believe today's 50s is like yesterday 40s crap.  I feel old.  Anyway, my son is older than every cart girl my club hires.  So, I agree with the bold above.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by imsys0042

I just turned 40 so I guess I'm starting to get into the middle aged category.   I'd peg the middle aged as the most vile of any demographic.  Where I play I don't see much direct flirting or attempts at pelvic sorcery when the cart girls are there.   But the comments after they leave are pretty rude sometimes.   A lot of people don't say anything, but some people need to get a grip (pun probably intended).

Nothing wrong with appreciating a nice looking lady, but disrespecting her to her face, or when she leaves, is not cool.  And it says more about you than you want people to know.   And once you hit a certain age, it's time to stop checking women out that young.   It's creeps-ville...

I am afraid, you are already in the middle aged category .   At age 53, I am out of it.  And I don't believe today's 50s is like yesterday 40s crap.  I feel old.  Anyway, my son is older than every cart girl my club hires.  So, I agree with the bold above.

The article was well written, but not surprising. I've played with random groups and definitely felt a little uncomfortable with some of the situations. The fact that their kids are probably older than the cart girls just makes my skin crawl even more, but I suppose that's part of the culture with cart girls?

[Fairway_CY]

I see it too often.  I joined a club when I was about 25 years old.  The club would play some nicer courses throughout the area, and being one of the younger guys in the club, I'd always seem to get paired with guys who were about 45 years old or so.  The cart girls were usually close to my age and I'd usually get a Gatorade or something when they'd come around.  I always felt bad for them when the guys in my group would start making comments.

To this day, at 36 years old, I'm disgusted by some of the things the guys I get paired with say or do.  I find myself shaking my head when they make their comments, and if I get an opportunity, I'll usually apologize to the ladies for the actions of the guys in my group if I see them after the round.

The article is not exaggerated.  It's a sad, pathetic reality.

I agree with a lot of those who posted before me saying that, at a certain point, this shouldn't even be a thought for guys.  When I look at some of these girls and realize they're closer to my son's age (15) than mine... I assume they already think I'm one of 'those creepy older guys' and I don't need to give them anything further to make them believe that.

CY

[rkim291968]

The article was well written, but not surprising. I've played with random groups and definitely felt a little uncomfortable with some of the situations. The fact that their kids are probably older than the cart girls just makes my skin crawl even more, but I suppose that's part of the culture with cart girls?

I am not so sure in this day and age, especially, in CA.   I noticed that very few cart girls work more than 6 months at my club.   If they get paid well (it's an upscale golf club), that's not stopping them from leaving after a short stint.  The job's not probably worth the abuse, good money or not.

[imsys0042]

I am afraid, you are already in the middle aged category :-) .   At age 53, I am out of it.  And I don't believe today's 50s is like yesterday 40s crap.  I feel old.  Anyway, my son is older than every cart girl my club hires.  So, I agree with the bold above.

Aw crap! Now I got to pay AARP dues as well?! Geez, next week I'll be yellin at kids to get off my lawn. next time anyone finds themselves with guys leering at the cart girl when it's not age appropriate just remind them that instead of ogling a woman that is less than half your age, find yourself a nice looking cougar and be respectable. :)

[dkolo]

Aw crap! Now I got to pay AARP dues as well?! Geez, next week I'll be yellin at kids to get off my lawn.

next time anyone finds themselves with guys leering at the cart girl when it's not age appropriate just remind them that instead of ogling a woman that is less than half your age, find yourself a nice looking cougar and be respectable. :)

AARP membership should come with a free GHIN handicap index, haha

[newtogolf]

While I find the manner that most men speak to cart girls to be embarrassing I also assign some blame to the golf course and cart girls.

Cart girls are a derivative of bartenders, waitresses and Hooter girls.  Most cart girls I've seen wore provocative outfits intended to titillate men for the purpose of increasing their tips.  If cart girls do not want to be objectified they could wear normal golf clothing (it is a golf course) and act in a friendly but non-flirting manner.  Right or wrong, cart girls know that at least some of the guys they encounter will be obnoxious creeps and that dealing with their pathetic banter is part of the job.  If they want to deal with drunk sleazy idiots they might want to consider a different vocation.

Golf courses could easily eliminate the problem as well by making a policy that those who harass the cart girl will be kicked off the course and banned.  They could also require the girls to wear less revealing outfits or even hire guys to drive the carts as one of the clubs I belonged to did.

[dkolo]

While I find the manner that most men speak to cart girls to be embarrassing I also assign some blame to the golf course and cart girls. Cart girls are a derivative of bartenders, waitresses and Hooter girls.  Most cart girls I've seen wore provocative outfits intended to titillate men for the purpose of increasing their tips.  If cart girls do not want to be objectified they could wear normal golf clothing (it is a golf course) and act in a friendly but non-flirting manner.  Right or wrong, cart girls know that at least some of the guys they encounter will be obnoxious creeps and that dealing with their pathetic banter is part of the job.  If they want to deal with drunk sleazy idiots they might want to consider a different vocation. Golf courses could easily eliminate the problem as well by making a policy that those who harass the cart girl will be kicked off the course and banned.  They could also require the girls to wear less revealing outfits or even hire guys to drive the carts as one of the clubs I belonged to did.

Let's not ascribe the moral failings of men to the women they act untoward to. Regardless of what women wear, it's not like men don't have the cognitive capacity to repress their more primal instincts.

[newtogolf]

Let's not ascribe the moral failings of men to the women they act untoward to. Regardless of what women wear, it's not like men don't have the cognitive capacity to repress their more primal instincts.

I agree to some extent which is why I only assign partial blame to the cart girls and golf courses.  We know tigers and lions can be violent wild animals so if you had to work with them, you wouldn't walk into their cage draped in fresh deer meat, would you?

[dkolo]

I agree to some extent which is why I only assign partial blame to the cart girls and golf courses.  We know tigers and lions can be violent wild animals so if you had to work with them, you wouldn't walk into their cage draped in fresh deer meat, would you?

I know, and I didn't mean to get into a thing here, but we don't expect lions and tigers to have cognitive control over their urges like we expect humans to have. I think you and I as reasonable people can agree to hold people to higher standards than zoo animals. Especially when we're talking in the context of a game that holds personal integrity in such high esteem.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkolo

Let's not ascribe the moral failings of men to the women they act untoward to. Regardless of what women wear, it's not like men don't have the cognitive capacity to repress their more primal instincts.

I agree to some extent which is why I only assign partial blame to the cart girls and golf courses.  We know tigers and lions can be violent wild animals so if you had to work with them, you wouldn't walk into their cage draped in fresh deer meat, would you?

I agree that it is somewhat normal for men to like looking at attractive young ladies, but the ones who asked the cart girls to bare their chests for money was way over the top. It's not like the golf club or the cart girl did anything that warrants that kind behavior. That should probably be subject to disciplinary action of some kind to the offender.