What is the single worst common on-course breach of etiquette?

[Chilli Dipper]

I played a round today where one of the par-4 holes has a putting surface that can't be seen from the fairway. After I hit my drive, I couldn't figure out where to aim, because I didn't see the flagstick. I drove up to the green with my cart, and the flag is lying on the green fifteen feet from the hole. Whoever was in front of me didn't replace the pin after he holed out.

I had never encountered that on the course before, but it must rank highly on the list of etiquette no-nos.

[9wood]

playing from tees that don't match the players ability and slowing other golfers down

Edited May 25, 2016 by 9wood

[No Mulligans]

44 minutes ago, 9wood said:

playing from tees that don't match the players ability and slowing other golfers down

Yep, or just slow play for any reason.

[GOLFER 77]

WE now have the younger generation drinking all around the 18 holes, and they have radios playing MUSIC or a Baseball Game on, or FOOTBALL...DAH!

[boogielicious]

9 hours ago, GOLFER 77 said:

WE now have the younger generation drinking all around the 18 holes, and they have radios playing MUSIC or a Baseball Game on, or FOOTBALL...DAH!

I've seen drinking, from all ages. But thankfully I have never heard someone playing music. That would be disturbing.

[9wood]

2 hours ago, boogielicious said:

I've seen drinking, from all ages. But thankfully I have never heard someone playing music. That would be disturbing.

I once saw a two-some with their own personal golf cart on the course, and they were blasting Led Zepplin music from what looked like 12" speakers which were mounted on top the roof of their cart. The music didn't last too long however before the ranger came out and put an end to that nonsense.

[Groucho Valentine]

I actually don't mind if somebody is streaming music. I kinda like it. Especially if its funky. Like Parliament or James Brown. Its a good beat to play golf to. 

[tdiii]

I consider slow play a breach of etiquette.

As others have mentioned, failure to repair pitch marks as well as careless bunker raking (if at all). 

As far as talking during my stroke, doesn't bother me at all SO LONG AS it doesn't start right in the middle of my swing.  If a conversation is going on it just becomes white noise.  It is when there is silence, I start my swing, and someone blurts something out.  That gets to me.  But it is pretty rare and usuallly accompanied by an immediate apology. 

Edited May 26, 2016 by tdiii

[Groucho Valentine]

2 minutes ago, tdiii said:

I consider slow play a breach of etiquette.

As others have mentioned, failure to repair pitch marks as well as careless bunker raking (if at all). 

Oh yeah, i forgot about people not taking care of bunkers. That pisses me off. 

 

[tdiii]

On 5/23/2016 at 0:45 PM, Groucho Valentine said:

The only one of golfs big etiquette practices that bothers me if broken is when players walk away from the green before everyone is done. I don't know why, it just does.  Sometimes people walking on my line bothers me if we are playing on soft greens, but usually that doesn't bother me too much. 99.9% of the time, its accidental. Talking during a stroke, playing out of turn, etc normally doesnt bother me at all. 

It kind of bothers me, but when I can tell someone is about to go in meltdown mode because of the 8 he just posted on the hole, I tend to give him a pass.

[tigerrag]

Since fixing ball marks has already been discussed, I am going to go with not showing up at least 15-20 minutes before your tee time.

 

This really irks me.  I have some friends that think if we have a 10am tee time then they can show up 5 mins til and be fine.  What this causes is me to have to sit there and listen to the starter ask where you are and if you are showing up, while we have a line of carts behind us.  It's just a complete disregard for your playing partner(s).

3 hours ago, boogielicious said:

I've seen drinking, from all ages. But thankfully I have never heard someone playing music. That would be disturbing.

I don't really mind music on the course, so long as it is at a reasonable level that doesn't disturb other groups and everyone in your group is on board with it.  I tend to play better when I have a little Bob Marley soothing me and creating good vibes when I get back to my car fuming after making a double bogey.

[Groucho Valentine]

16 minutes ago, tdiii said:

It kind of bothers me, but when I can tell someone is about to go in meltdown mode because of the 8 he just posted on the hole, I tend to give him a pass.

True. But it sort of annoys me when players impart their own frustration onto the whole group. 

[DaveP043]

Music at a moderate volume doesn't bother me at all.  Moderate drinking is fine, getting drunk and obnoxious is definitely not fine. Excessively loud music is rude.  Slow play is rude, showing up late, or even at the last minute, is rude.  I still say leaving your trash out there, especially your nasty cigarette and cigar butts is the thing that bothers me the most.  

[tigerrag]

11 minutes ago, Groucho Valentine said:

True. But it sort of annoys me when players impart their own frustration onto the whole group. 

Are you OK with players walking towards the edge of the green towards the carts, but not fully off the green?  I tend to do that so that I can A) gather my own thoughts and B) try to give them space to clean up their putts.  I always figured as long as I stayed on the green or the fringe, though, that it wouldn't be seen as being too rude, esp not as rude as storming off to the cart.

[Groucho Valentine]

3 minutes ago, tigerrag said:

Are you OK with players walking towards the edge of the green towards the carts, but not fully off the green?  I tend to do that so that I can A) gather my own thoughts and B) try to give them space to clean up their putts.  I always figured as long as I stayed on the green or the fringe, though, that it wouldn't be seen as being too rude, esp not as rude as storming off to the cart.

Nah, I've never been annoyed by that. But when i see people leaving and walking to the next tee before everyone is done has always bothered me. 

[Fourputt]

Listening to music is not just a breach of etiquette, it's a breach of Rule 14-3.

Quote

14-3/17

 

Player Listens to Music or Broadcast During Round

Q.A player uses a device to listen to music, a radio broadcast or any other type of broadcast during a stipulated round. What is the ruling?

A.Under Rule 14-3a, a player may not use any artificial device or unusual equipment that "might assist him in making a stroke or in his play." Listening to music or a broadcast while making a stroke or for a prolonged period might assist the player in his play, for example, by eliminating distractions or promoting a good tempo. Therefore, the use of an artificial device to listen to music or a broadcast, whether or not through headphones, while making a stroke or for a prolonged period of time during a stipulated round is a breach of Rule 14-3. However, it would not be a breach of Rule 14-3 for a player to listen to a device briefly, for example, to obtain the results of another sporting event or traffic information, while walking between the putting green of one hole and the teeing ground of the next hole.

A Committee will have to consider all available facts and circumstances in determining whether a player using an artificial device to listen to music or a broadcast has done so for a prolonged period such that the action might have assisted the player in his play.

There is no restriction on listening to music or other broadcasts while practicing (whether on the practice ground or on the golf course, and whether by oneself or while playing with others), although club rules and disciplinary codes could apply in such circumstances.

 

[Gator Hazard]

8 minutes ago, Fourputt said:

Listening to music is not just a breach of etiquette, it's a breach of Rule 14-3.

 

Why would anyone want to drowned out all the cries of sorrow and frustration from other players on course?  Nothing makes me feel better than the well timed self chastising or talk with a vulgar word or two thrown in or the F bomb you hear from the green over. (Just kidding, sort of). I don't mind other people playing music so long as they are not blasting it. A few rounds ago my buddy pulled up some old school NWA on his IPhone and played it between holes and we had a good laugh and enjoyed it. If we pair up with you and your partner (generic "you" of course) though and you think your music is so awesome you have to share it with everyone around you, I am probably not going to like you.