Music on the Course - When Did This Become a Thing?

[HJJ003]

Depends on the venue/occasion for me. When playing in a scramble with my buddies we will be playing some music. If it’s just a normal round I prefer no music, and just the sounds of the golf course (in most cases). 

[NJpatbee]

I have been fortunate not to run into music on the course, but I would not like it. I suppose it would be like going to read a book on the beach and the group several blankets down are blaring heavy metal. 

[jsgolfer]

31 minutes ago, NJpatbee said:

I have been fortunate not to run into music on the course, but I would not like it. I suppose it would be like going to read a book on the beach and the group several blankets down are blaring heavy metal. 

A little Iron Maiden never hurt anyone.  

 

 

[inthecup]

I'll confess to not reading every post.  In the past I did not like Music when I was playing.  Then we started playing indoors in the winter.  In that scenario there is more noise then just music.  I found it to be helpful, both the noise and music.  It taught me to tune out the outside noise, all of it.  I now enjoy music on the course.  It is not a must but I tend to like it.

When we are playing with others we ask if music will bother them, if they say yes we turn it up....kidding.  If they say yes we leave it off.  I play on a  course with few trees and it is difficult if not impossible to hear anyone else's music. 

If music is going to hurt someone from having a personal best in any way there is a problem.  It would never be a jarring sound.  If music is bad then talking is equally bad.  Do you talk on the course?

[1badbadger]

Today I worked a fairly large charity tournament in Frisco, TX, which is just north of Dallas.  I decided to keep track of how many groups were playing music that could be heard easily from at least 20-25' away.  I didn't count the number of carts that were playing music (some groups had different music in each cart)...I just counted how many groups had loud music.

I'll set the scene: basically every demographic was represented at this tourney except for juniors.  Men and women, twenty-somethings to senior citizens, quite a few couples, a handful of foursomes were all-female, the majority of foursomes were male, a good mix of blue collar and white collar types.  Despite the size of this tournament, alcohol consumption seemed very moderate compared to most of the other events I've worked this season.  The morning flight was a full field of 144 players (36 groups), the afternoon flight had 68 players (18 groups).

THE RESULTS:  In the morning flight, 31 of 36 groups were playing music in 1 or both carts.  In the afternoon, 13 of 18 groups were playing music.  I was surprised that there were this many groups who have jumped on this trend.  I didn't track the type of music that players were listening to other than making mental notes, and from what I noticed the majority were listening to hip-hop, country or classic rock.  I realize this was a social, fun, fundraising scramble and is a different atmosphere than a typical round or competitive tournament, but at least in this type of situation there are more people who have embraced this aspect of the "modern game" and consider it normal than not.

[Shorty]

On 6/6/2018 at 5:15 AM, inthecup said:

  If music is bad then talking is equally bad.  Do you talk on the course?

Er.... no. On what planet?

Making conversation is hardly the same as inflicting something upon others in an environment people choose to be in partly because they want to be away from such things. I can't think of anything more obnoxious.

[iacas]

2 hours ago, Shorty said:

I can't think of anything more obnoxious.

Well now that's just a flat out lie.

[Valleygolfer]

My new favorite beef... Music from another fairway and now the same guys have to yell to talk over it...

[fishgolf]

1 hour ago, Valleygolfer said:

My new favorite beef... Music from another fairway and now the same guys have to yell to talk over it...

The John Belushi stairway scene in Animal House just popped into my head.

[Slice of Life]

I'm sure it was mentioned already, but technically it's against the rules to play music during a round. 

My buddy does it in his Thursday league when I join. I'm not really a huge fan of music while I play, but it doesn't distract me or hamper my game in any way, so I let it go. It's never a serious round anyway, and he's nice enough to invite me to his league...so I'm cool with it. He's also one of the courteous ones that turns it pretty much all the way down when we're within 30 yards of another group.

[Jeremie Boop]

On 6/5/2018 at 3:15 PM, inthecup said:

I'll confess to not reading every post.  In the past I did not like Music when I was playing.  Then we started playing indoors in the winter.  In that scenario there is more noise then just music.  I found it to be helpful, both the noise and music.  It taught me to tune out the outside noise, all of it.  I now enjoy music on the course.  It is not a must but I tend to like it.

When we are playing with others we ask if music will bother them, if they say yes we turn it up....kidding.  If they say yes we leave it off.  I play on a  course with few trees and it is difficult if not impossible to hear anyone else's music. 

If music is going to hurt someone from having a personal best in any way there is a problem.  It would never be a jarring sound.  If music is bad then talking is equally bad.  Do you talk on the course?

There's a difference, the music could be used to invalidate the round, so even if it were their personal best it would be an unofficial score. I've become more tolerant of people playing music, because I really can't do anything about it. I could ask them to turn it off, but then I become "that guy" so it's just not worth it. Plus, lately, I haven't even been golfing much anyway.

[Sidehatch]

IDK when it became a thing, but the most memorable music moments for me are:

• Playing the last few holes of a nice country club with the mansion up above playing Sinatra full blast every Sunday. Not a big Frank fan, but it's a pretty cool vibe.
• Playing at a public course next to a Jewish festival with lots of Israeli hardcore techno. Most people didn't seem to mind, found it funny. It probably cost all of us a few shots though.
• Playing at another muni across from a big event, with DJ Cash Mooooooney on the mike. He was so bad it was hilarious. I can't imagine he gets many gigs.

[Shorty]

9 hours ago, iacas said:

Well now that's just a flat out lie.

Possibly an exaggeration.....How about inconsiderate and rude?

[Buckeyebowman]

8 hours ago, Slice of Life said:

I'm sure it was mentioned already, but technically it's against the rules to play music during a round. 

My buddy does it in his Thursday league when I join. I'm not really a huge fan of music while I play, but it doesn't distract me or hamper my game in any way, so I let it go. It's never a serious round anyway, and he's nice enough to invite me to his league...so I'm cool with it. He's also one of the courteous ones that turns it pretty much all the way down when we're within 30 yards of another group.

Good for your buddy. I've had round where people playing music kept it blasting the entire time they were on the course. Nothing more needs to be said in that it's all about them!

4 hours ago, Shorty said:

Possibly an exaggeration.....How about inconsiderate and rude?

Inconsideration and rudeness are both outside the bounds of the rules! Whether the player subjected to those wishes to report these are up to them. Most don't.

Golf is supposed to be a gentlemanly and ladylike form of competition. If you cannot conduct yourself thus, perhaps you should be denied the field of play!

[Slice of Life]

On 6/24/2018 at 9:32 PM, Buckeyebowman said:

I've had round where people playing music kept it blasting the entire time they were on the course. Nothing more needs to be said in that it's all about them!

Yeah, that's really inconsiderate. 

I try to be considerate about everything I do on the course. I like my cigars, but if I'm with someone who's not a fan, I'll keep them in the bag for the round. Should be the same for music or any other non-golf related "activity" on the course.

[ScouseJohnny]

I guess golf is many things to many people.

Personally, in a world full of human-made noise, a big part of golf for me is the fact that is played in an (admittedly, adapted), natural environment - but that's still outdoors in what amounts to a huge park. I want to hear birdsong and not much else.

[Buckeyebowman]

10 hours ago, ScouseJohnny said:

I guess golf is many things to many people.

Personally, in a world full of human-made noise, a big part of golf for me is the fact that is played in an (admittedly, adapted), natural environment - but that's still outdoors in what amounts to a huge park. I want to hear birdsong and not much else.

I like this. For those who just can't get along without their music, get an app on your cell phone, stick some earbuds in your ears, and you can have all the music you want. Just leave me out of it!

I also have an issue with the guys who are just wedded to their cell phones on the course! They are on it constantly, texting or responding to Facebook or Twitter! And they wonder why they can't play decent golf.

I played with a friend who's girlfriend was giving him grief about him playing golf that day. He got increasingly aggravated as the round went along. I finally told him that if he knew the next text would piss him off, why not shut the damned phone off until the round was through!

He looked at me like I was crazy! He had to fight it out in real time!

FWIW, I leave my phone in the car when I play. If anything goes down, I can deal with it after the round. This constant "connectedness" does not appeal to me. I like my time away!

 

[iSank]

Last weekend we got a good deal at Manele Bay, Lanai. It was an all you can play for 1 price. Anyway, the carts were nice and came with built in speakers that bt connect to your phone. They were about the nicest carts I’ve driven. We played 36 holes and never got around to testing them out. Never heard anyone else either. 

Now if the deal stays when we go back in the fall, we might play a tune or 2.

Aloha,

iSank