Cartboy

My lack of presence here in this thread (that I started) should suggest that generally-speaking, pace is not as much of a problem at our very-challenging-for-a-tourist-area course. Our course is really too much of a course for many/most "resort" golfers. But . . . last week another course sent us a bunch of very-slow ---holes, retired cops if that matters. Our GM/PGA Pro is the most diplomatic person I've met in my 50 years of golf, and he did his best to coax them along, with a full tee sheet of golfers behind them, bitching and moaning about slow play. Every cart went out that day . . . lots of golfers. He was about ready to call the cops on the cops, because they told him to f-off, they paid their money and they would do whatever they wanted. Our GM/Pro told the beverage cart to not stop for them any more, and he worked the rest of the golfers behind them, offering rain checks or whatever it would take to avoid negative reviews on the Internet (since everyone, everywhere is now a critic of everything). One couple just gave up on 11, and told him they had to leave, probably for a timeshare tour 😎. He wound up booking them for rounds on two more days while they were here, at discounts, not rain checks. While we were bringing up carts yesterday morning, he and the Pro were talking about what they can do about slow groups because a slow, 3-tee time group was scheduled for their third day. They were going to talk to therm about playing a faster game. (and that group did!!!!) We've been booked pretty full recently with older golf-junket groups, and he was out there marshaling early, and I was putting eyes on groups for him when I was on the course, during gaps on the tee sheet, after 11:00 AM, and things were moving pretty well. When the tee sheet is full, asking slow groups to let faster groups play through is not a realistic option. Play faster or leave are. I don't think there is an answer for groups that play in 3 hours when the tee sheet is full and you have groups that play in 3 hours and groups that play in 5 hours. Well, other than to play at a lesser course that isn't busy.

Kinda funny, the group was having an email discussion about our quota game this morning, and it turns out that the person to whom I have been been referring, and who corrected my scoring at the end of the round yesterday, giving him the point that he needed to win, admitted that he made an error, and my scoring was correct, and that he had made it even with the other two winners.

I used to run an ongoing Quota game for this group, and they bugged me to start it up again. I did yesterday. Guess who I got paired with? Guess who beat his target? Guess who did not? When you live in area that is 99% politically-incorrect Old Farts, and you like to play golf, and you don't like to play alone, like so much in life, it is what it is. In my 70 years I have learned that the -------s are not in power for long. The pendulum swings. 👽

I found reason not to play with that group (about a dozen guys) the rest of last season, but this year they have been bugging me to play with them. Guess they want my dollars. Last week I did and had a great time. Yesterday, the offender was back from his European vacation, and was telling offensive political jokes on the putting clock before we even went out. Then, in a fitting irony, it was Captain's pick day, and we wound up in the same 3-some. He started as we were standing on the first tee, "See anyone in that big group of candidates that you like?" I did not want to spend the next three hours (we play quickly), so put an end to it as best I could. "Yeah, anyone of them." It's a shame he just doesn't get it, but he's got that reputation.

The Winter of '12-'13, I supervised and trained the outside staff at a semi-private club in SW FL. Every Thursday at 3:00 they played a 9-hole quota game, which I like playing. Of course, they did not know me, so there was an element of trust. I told them what my handicap was, around 18 at the time. Then I shot 39, and won the entire pot. So much for my credibility!!!!

I bought a set of used Square Two irons at Hilton Head a long time ago. Since then I have been replacing them, one-by-one, with mostly stuff from lost and found, or demos, since I work at a golf course. I take clubs to the range and hit them, then take them out a couple rounds, before I replace one in my bag. So, when someone asks if I hit a particular brand, say Titelist, or Callaway, or Cleveland, or Nike, or Square Two . . . I normally answer yes.

I get an email from them and nearby Kissimmee Bay almost every day, with specials, if anyone's interested.

After a round a couple of Autumns, I asked my old guys if anyone would be interested in going to/coming to Florida that Winter, and play TPC Sawgrass. I got delegated to set it up. The greens fee was over $500, and then you chose your 'Level of Service", at an additional charge. Let's face it . . . to play one hole. We didn't do it.

Good luck with that . . . but it makes me happy my older brother does not play golf. 🤣

I meant who set off the dynamite. 😎

Hmmmm! Bill Murray. 😎

Remington

Like a lot of people, I knocked around a golf ball, sandlot style, just like I knocked around a baseball, or shot hoops, growing up. Golf got serious when it was the alternative to Track as a Spring sport in high school. I made that decision after the first (indoor) track meet. It POed the football coach, but I lettered in golf three years. If I stayed in track, I still probably would not have finished the 440.

One of my most memorable days was in league at the country club about ten years ago. The game was a two-some game, and I was paired with a really nice, older, seriously-ailing guy, now deceased. The other 2-some in our group was two really nice older guys, one of them also now deceased. I can picture it like it just happened, but on our second shot on the 9th hole, my partner played the other 2-some's ball. My partner did not know it, but the other three of us did. The other 2-some motioned to me to just forget about it, finish the hole, and not make my partner feel bad about it. At lunch, when the places were announced, we took the last paying one, one stroke over the 2-some we had played with. My partner was tickled, and I made a motion/look to the other 2-some, to take our place. They motioned back No, just let it be. Those are the things the stick with me.

My 11th year at this course starts in 2 weeks.

Y'all will be happy to know that pace is not much of a problem any more. We just pretty much ignore it. 😎

Speaking of wifes, a guy came home from golf four hours late, and his wife was waiting for him at the front door, arms crossed. "Well," he said, "when I got done, I went into the bar, and struck up a conversation with a good looking lady. One thing led to another, and next thing you know, we got a motel room. Sorry I'm late." His wife said, "Played another 18 didn't you?"

All You Can Eat, All You Can Hit, All You Can Play Know where that's at . . or was?

Where in FL is David in FL?

People say we're all connected somehow. "Six Degrees of Separation." How many times has a complete stranger said something that rings a bell? A fraternity brother of mine founded the restaurant that became the framework for Hooters . . . 1983, I believe. We're both from Iowa and we both live in Florida now, him in Clearwater, up the road a bit. PS: I've never eaten at Hooters.

My best day when I played competitive . . .. high school conference tournament 52 years ago . . . was the worst weather I've ever played in. Iowa, March, snowy, rainy yucky day. I was 9 over after two, and pretty much just wanted it over with. The last hole was a par 3, and we were the last group, but everyone else was gathered around the back of the green, so I figured they were all crazier than me. I par-ed it, and coach said I was medalist and we won by one stroke. That's when I peaked . . . very early.

Sweet! A guy in my group saw a guy in his group hit a hole-in-one, and said, "I've seen better." 😁

Yeah, that was not lost on me. What I was describing was pre-1968. Remember then?

Men's Day was/is a shotgun start. We could have started anywhere. What was your best day?

What's yours? Mine? Oh, thanks for asking. 😁 12 years ago I started working as a "cartboy" at a mostly-retiree country club, and an employee perk was being allowed to play in Men's Day (league). There is a bit of pressure involved in country club league play, especially for someone who had just taken the game up again after 40 years off. There was one guy who was a total, condescending jerk from the very first time I met him, and was consistent at that. We played different formats in league, and one day we played match play. He was my match because he was a 21 and I was a 20, and we were paired with two of his condescending buddies, them paired against each other. The only hole he won was 16, the one he got a stroke on. That was also the only hole I missed a putt on, because I drained all the rest of them. When I was 6 up with 5 to go, he went home. I'd never seen anyone not finish their round on Men's Day.