Chipping green etiquette

[gonoles46]

Newbie to here and the golf world, have a question on etiquette that came up today. I was at the local course on the chipping green. I had 5 range balls that I was practicing with. I've seen others use range balls and I didn't think anything of it. Along comes a guy who starts chipping to the same hole I am (there are two holes on the green). I was a little put off, as I had to wait to retrieve my balls while he was hitting his shots out of the trap. I decided to cut my session short and head to the putting green. On my way out I asked him if he wanted the range balls as I was leaving. He proceeds to lecture me that using range balls is bad etiquette on the chipping green. It was the first I'd heard that. What's the general feeling on this?

[iacas]

The guy sounds like a tool.

Who cares what golf balls you use to practice?

Maybe he thought you were taking them.

Either way I wouldn't worry about it.

[billchao]

22 minutes ago, gonoles46 said:

He proceeds to lecture me that using range balls is bad etiquette on the chipping green. It was the first I'd heard that. What's the general feeling on this?

I don't usually use range balls because they don't behave the same as my game balls but unless the course prohibits removing them from the range, I don't see anything wrong with using range balls to practice chipping. I've done it in the past.

[David in FL]

2 hours ago, iacas said:

The guy sounds like a tool.

Who cares what golf balls you use to practice?

Maybe he thought you were taking them.

Either way I wouldn't worry about it.

This.  Exactly.

[Buckeyebowman]

I'd have wanted to brain the guy on the spot with my wedge!

[Missouri Swede]

6 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

I'd have wanted to brain the guy on the spot with my wedge!

Well, now that would be bad etiquette.

[chilepepper]

Hahaha...what a maroon! 

[Shindig]

Yeah, unless your course explicitly disallows it, range balls are fine at the chipping green.  A few around here have a different vendor running the range versus the rest of the course (including chipping and putting areas) and they prohibit range balls on those... but that's a commercial issue, not an etiquette thing.

You were all good OP.  

[ssbn611]

17 hours ago, gonoles46 said:

Newbie to here and the golf world, have a question on etiquette that came up today. I was at the local course on the chipping green. I had 5 range balls that I was practicing with. I've seen others use range balls and I didn't think anything of it. Along comes a guy who starts chipping to the same hole I am (there are two holes on the green). I was a little put off, as I had to wait to retrieve my balls while he was hitting his shots out of the trap. I decided to cut my session short and head to the putting green. On my way out I asked him if he wanted the range balls as I was leaving. He proceeds to lecture me that using range balls is bad etiquette on the chipping green. It was the first I'd heard that. What's the general feeling on this?

That would be news to all the clubs I've played at where they put out range balls on all the practice areas.

I'll second chilipepper's what a maroon comment.