Did I make a faux pas? Another etiquette question

[jkelley9]

Yesterday I forgot to bring my push cart to the course so I had to rent a golf cart. Not a big deal, but I walk so frequently that driving a golf cart to play golf is odd to me.

Anyways, I finished up 9 holes and whipped around to #10 because I was finally allowed to play through a slow (new golfers) 2-some on #9. I have played the front 9 at least 20x more than the back 9 of my home course mainly because of time, but I left work early yesterday and since I had a cart and the course wasn't busy I was able to fit in 18.

I get to #10 straight par 4 but has a big will in the middle and green sits low. I don't see anybody but since I know I can carry the hill I drive up and sure enough there's a guy on the other side of the hill waiting for some folks on the green to finish up. So I wait up there a minute and when he hits I turn around and head back to the tee box.

I turn the cart around to face the correct direction of my play but the cart is on the grass. I had all 4 wheels on the grass but the outside wheels (in relation to the tee box area) were edging the cart path. The "tee box area" was at least 6-7 yards from the cart path. I consider this the area that the tee markers are moved around in. There's obviously adjacent grass to those areas where they will never put tee markers. The area where my cart was (and conditions were very dry, the wheels were not doing any damage to the grass). 

I get out of the cart and have a guy drive from #18 green all the way over to me and heckle me about, and I quote, "driving onto the tee box." I politely said I am sorry, and quickly moved it to the cart path. And then he goes on and repeats himself... (as if I didn't hear him the first time... one of those people... puffed chest and all). 

Do I not understand the "driving on the tee box rule?" I felt like I wasn't anywhere near an actual tee box. And I COMPLETELY understand the rule not to drive a cart within 20 yards of a green since that's an obvious chipping area. But this area of grass sees no play, period. Not even a wanky shot would be played from here. And conditions were very dry (there was no cart-path-only or 90-degree rule yesterday, I checked).

What's the deal? Am I missing something?

[David in FL]

 Some courses do post that carts should remain on the cart path at each green and tee box and on all par-3 holes.

But failing that, if you were adjacent to the tee box, not on it, and that you didn't drive over any other tee boxes on the way back, I can't understand what his complaint could have been.  

[Jeremie Boop]

I see people drive in the grass up to tee boxes all the time. Especially if one side is shaded on a hot day. For the most part, as long as there's no side stipulating staying on the path then there's nothing wrong with it, IMO. Hell, I literally watched an older guy drive across a tee, like directly over it. I was pretty much at a loss for words because he knew exactly what he was doing and he turned off of a turn around to do it. As for the guy in your post, he just sounds like one of those self-important people who feel the need to act like a person of authority for no reason other than to make himself feel important.

[Valleygolfer]

Tell him to get his eyes checked and if he doesn't know where the tee box is, he shouldn't be playing golf. Unless you are at some high end CC I don't see an issue other than this guy spraining his arm, patting himself on the back.

[dave s]

common cart rules - Always keep carts away from tee and greens areas.  Most courses have paths leading up to tee boxes - keep the cart well away from tee box areas.  You'll also see signage directing cart traffic away from greens and approach areas.  Some courses have signs that say 'carts on path only' on par 3 holes.

The other common rule is common sense.  Don't 'be that guy' who doesn't follow the rules.

dave

[rehmwa]

54 minutes ago, jkelley9 said:

 I politely said I am sorry, and quickly moved it to the cart path. And then he goes on and repeats himself...

Nope - at this point, I'm laying into him.  Up to that, fine, not a biggie, even if his eyes are bad.  But when they repeat, that's a peeve of mine.  To the point that if I saw this happening, I'd likely come over and gripe at him

(thus not helping and making everyone's day just that much worse)

when someone doesn't know when to lay off, that's when you know it's not just the issue at hand - he had something else going on

[jkelley9]

29 minutes ago, Valleygolfer said:

Tell him to get his eyes checked and if he doesn't know where the tee box is, he shouldn't be playing golf. Unless you are at some high end CC I don't see an issue other than this guy spraining his arm, patting himself on the back.

Yea, this as a very low-level muni out in the boonies. It's my "home course" because I pay ~$500/yr for "free" greens for the year and it's on my way back from work. It's not even considered semi-private. Not a very good course by most people's standards.

I understand rules are rules. But gimme a break on this one. The grass is bone dry, the turf is hard as a rock, and not only am I no where NEAR the tee markers... I'm nowhere near even the whole tee box area. And my right wheels were touching the cart path so I'm not even parked out in la-la land. 

I didn't let the guy bother my round. I got all tense the first time he said something but when he repeated himself... I virtually wrote him off and just relaxed - since he was obviously just trying to get a rise out of me and puff his chest.

[mcanadiens]

@jkelley9 is very nicely tempered individual to have handled it as he did. In the same spot, I would have been a lot less graceful.

It sounds like we play the same kind of courses. It wouldn't occur to anyone to stay off the grass between the cart path and the tee box. Hell, I hope we some day get to the point where half of em fix ball marks.

[3PuttKing]

I'd shrug it off and go about business as usual (as it seems like you did). Sounds like the guy in question here must have some issues that he needs to sort out. Never a good thing to walk around with that much pent up aggression. 

[No Mulligans]

@jkelley9 kudos for not escalating the situation.  As @rehmwa said it could make matters worse and make everyone's day, you included, that much worse.  Pretty much every time I get fired up and give it back to someone I regret it.  

[chilepepper]

You made a minor oopsee, the guy that drove over from 18 to admonish you was a jerk. Don't sweat it

[natureboy]

I think that functionally avoiding the tee box area - not just the teeing ground itself is a maintenance thing.

Tee boxes are often 'built up' in some way and physical damage around the margins can make them prone to more rapidly erode / destabliize. They are not cheap to repair or regrade properly, but I wouldn't lose sleep over it.

[Gator Hazard]

Yeah, he was a little too vigilant and sounds like you were just fine. 

 I have seen a lot of people on my home course drive the carts way too close to the greens. It irks me. But only once have I ever said something and that is when I was in backyard and watched two dumb punk ass kids (teenagers) barrel into a deep area when wet, stick the cart, push it out and barrel into someone's private property lawn and then turn around and go right back through area they got stuck in. But that's not why or when I yelled at them. I yelled when the one shirtless redneck wonder drove his cart onto the green to pull the pin. I yelled for them to get that thing the hell off the green. They grabbed their balls and scrambled like roaches when the lights are turned on. They knew they were way way wrong to do what they did. That made me even more upset because it means it was not an honest mistake. 

Edited June 23, 2016 by Gator Hazard

[sjduffers]

21 hours ago, natureboy said:

I think that functionally avoiding the tee box area - not just the teeing ground itself is a maintenance thing.

Tee boxes are often 'built up' in some way and physical damage around the margins can make them prone to more rapidly erode / destabliize. They are not cheap to repair or regrade properly, but I wouldn't lose sleep over it.

This.

In general, avoid riding on hills when you can easily ride elsewhere, on flatter ground. The same applies to hills formed by bunkers. You see plenty of folks drive their cart right up to maybe 3 feet from where the sand is, not realizing that they are affecting the whole hill and over time altering the shape of the bunker (or its backside).  

And when riding, don't be the lazy guy that can't possibly walk 20 or 30 feet to his ball. Some people can't easily walk, I realize, but they are normally given a blue handicapped flag and are allowed to go closer.  There is no reason to park a cart right next to a green (not the OP case, I know), but it is seen way too often...

[jkelley9]

19 hours ago, sjduffers said:

This.

In general, avoid riding on hills when you can easily ride elsewhere, on flatter ground. The same applies to hills formed by bunkers. You see plenty of folks drive their cart right up to maybe 3 feet from where the sand is, not realizing that they are affecting the whole hill and over time altering the shape of the bunker (or its backside).  

And when riding, don't be the lazy guy that can't possibly walk 20 or 30 feet to his ball. Some people can't easily walk, I realize, but they are normally given a blue handicapped flag and are allowed to go closer.  There is no reason to park a cart right next to a green (not the OP case, I know), but it is seen way too often...

I completely understand. Any hill will erode with grippy weight on it. I'm not as good as some when it comes to riding a cart on hills in the fairway (but I rarely ride so...) but I will always avoid edges of greens and any bunkers.

This instance I was a few yards from the tee box but in a completely flat area. The only reason I was there in the first place was because I tried to make a tight turn in the cart when coming back from looking ahead (making sure not to hit into anyone since I just jumped [was allowed to play through] a 2-some on #9), and good thing I did. So usually I would have remained on the path anyways... I don't need an extra 3 feet closer to the tee box lol. 

I won't let it get to me, of course. Since the holes in the cheese lined up just right for this guy to come over and puff his chest. 

[Riders343]

The only point I'd like to add is that we should all stay totally on the cart path when near tee boxes even if 2 wheels off gets you into shade. Why? Repeated traffic anywhere leaves a trail. Trails get packed and nothing grows. It IS aggravating to see a cart path with a dead patch right next to it where carts constantly stray.  "Scatter" signs are often found at end of cart paths just for the reason to spread out the wear and tear. 

Turning around at a tee box does need to be done sometimes - I have done it lots.  Obviously, one needs to go a bit off the cart path to do so. As this hopefully is not oft repeated, the repeat damage is minimal.  To admonish someone "repeatedly" is not cool, especially to continue once they have apologized.  Enjoy your golf and forget about this instance. 

[xcott]

generally i think you should keep carts away from the tee box. 

Generally if you want to tell someone about something they shouldn't do, you need only do it one time.

[Aflighter]

Wth is faux pas?