Public golf course etiquette?

**FreezerBurns** · 07-21-2009, 08:32 PM

Folks, does traditional golf course etiquette apply to public courses anymore? I grew up playing golf, even competitively on my high school team. Where I live now, my porch overlooks a public golf course and since I've lived here, I've witnessed the following:

1. Dudes golfing wearing no shirt and athletic shorts.
2. People driving their cart across the green.
3. People taking practice swings in the trap before hitting their ball to the next fairway over (the hole they were playing at that time) and then failing to wrake the trap after that.
4. A father golfing with his young children in the middle of a lightning storm.
5. People walking their dog on the golf course allowing their pet to defficate on the green and then leave without cleaning it up.
6. Just today, a fellow instead of walking or using a cart was using a mountain bike as golf course transportation (of course riding across the green).

Anyway, am I out of the loop? Is etiquette is no longer necessary on public courses?

**Chicken Enchilada** · 07-21-2009, 08:38 PM

Wow! Sounds bad. I can't say I've ever witnessed anything like what you've seen. None of that would ever happen on my local course.

**Shane** · 07-21-2009, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by Chicken Enchilada

Wow! Sounds bad. I can't say I've ever witnessed anything like what you've seen. None of that would ever happen on my local course.

+1 I'd take measures with the management to have them told to leave. Around here, they'd be told never to come back.

**mmack66** · 07-21-2009, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by Shane

+1 I'd take measures with the management to have them told to leave. Around here, they'd be told never to come back.

+2. Camera time.

**TimmyBoston** · 07-21-2009, 08:45 PM

I would call and complain to the course every time you saw any of this.

**HankG** · 07-21-2009, 08:45 PM

Yeeeeehaw!

**ClubmanRob** · 07-21-2009, 08:46 PM

Sounds par for the course.

I don't play golf much. I pretend to caddy for my friends that like the game though. I notice public courses attract the type of behavior that you describe much more regularly than any of the private courses I've been to. We actually walked off the course one day when a bunch of drunken servicemen set fire to a bush. Not kidding. They thought it would be funny to set fire to a bush and run away. These weren't kids fresh out of Basic either. Public courses are like Second-Run theaters/dollar movie houses- they may be nice, but you have to put up with the other people that go there.

**mmack66** · 07-21-2009, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by ClubmanRob

Sounds par for the course.

I don't play golf much. I pretend to caddy for my friends that like the game though. I notice public courses attract the type of behavior that you describe much more regularly than any of the private courses I've been to. We actually walked off the course one day when a bunch of drunken servicemen set fire to a bush. Not kidding. They thought it would be funny to set fire to a bush and run away. These weren't kids fresh out of Basic either. Public courses are like Second-Run theaters/dollar movie houses- they may be nice, but you have to put up with the other people that go there.

I haven't been golfing for a while, but when I did, it was at public courses, and I never witnessed any of this behavior occurring. If this is now frequent behavior, I guess I haven't missed much.

**gollum83** · 07-21-2009, 09:49 PM

Number four is etiquette related? Sounds more like a lack of common sense. "Hey, son! Let's play golf during a thunderstorm!"

**nikkuchan** · 07-22-2009, 12:30 AM

When I played golf I was so concerned about being a bother to others that if anyone was behind me I'd wait for them to play through before continuing. I fixed my divits and raked my traps. I never saw anything worse than some people just being loud.

I did swing my club at a tree during a particularly bad game once, but I apologized to the tree.

gone down south · 07-22-2009, 04:19 AM

How much were the greens fees at said public course? That sounds like a cheapo "locals" course, where the rules are a little slacker. I go to a couple courses like that when I just want to hack around and get a few holes in for cheap. Dudes in jean shorts, kids smoking weed in the bushes, neighbors using the fairways to walk their dogs, for $25 I'm not complaining.

**mutedsound** · 07-22-2009, 04:34 AM

I've got to admit...the one city owned course here I would expect to see all of that and more. The other public courses not so much. But for any other public course around here I havent had much issue with anything like this.

**FreezerBurns** · 07-22-2009, 07:14 AM

Originally Posted by gollum83

Number four is etiquette related? Sounds more like a lack of common sense. "Hey, son! Let's play golf during a thunderstorm!"

You're right, I guess I shouldn't confuse the two (golf etiquette and common sense). Anyway, as far as I know they avoided having a "shocking experience" that day, if you will.

**ClubmanRob** · 07-22-2009, 07:22 AM

Originally Posted by mmack66

I haven't been golfing for a while, but when I did, it was at public courses, and I never witnessed any of this behavior occurring. If this is now frequent behavior, I guess I haven't missed much.

I think demographics have a lot to do with it too. Putt-Putt doesn't allow drinking, so these guys have to go somewhere.

It's not just younger guys either. I see a lot of retirees hitting the greens with Budweiser T-shirts, black socks/sandals, and sweatpants. That's something you wouldn't see at a private course. Something's amiss if I am overdressed for the occasion.

**Jethro1984** · 07-22-2009, 07:32 AM

I played college golf for 2 years and it really bring out the true meaning of the game.

That being said, now, when I play, I play on public courses and have witnessed a few....but not all.....of the actions you mentioned. It really is despicable. Dishonoring the game.

There was actually an article in today's South Florida Sun-Sentinel about the heavy increase in the use of golf carts in South Florida. I actually enjoy walking but it seems all of my friends (none of whom EVER played REAL golf (competitive)) ever want to walk.

**professorchaos** · 07-22-2009, 07:34 AM

Does any sort of etiquette apply anywhere public anymore? Some days, depending on where I am, I feel like I live among devolved savages.

**Tanksfurnutin** · 07-22-2009, 07:43 AM

I play on a County owned course that I only pay $27 for greens fee and have not seen any of what you describe. Granted I usually play first thing in the morning (off by 6 AM) so it is usually only us hardcore golfers at that hour. I would definitely be complaining and if that gets you nowhere I would play somewhere else.

I did yell at a couple of kids for trying to hit a swan with tee shots at the range the other day.

**SpyvSpy** · 07-22-2009, 07:47 AM

Geez you would think people wouldn't do that kind of crap. Golf is a gentlemans sport but not everyone agrees so it looks.

**tblech** · 07-22-2009, 08:01 AM

It is hard to compare a public course to Bushwood County Club without Judge Smails there to demand that every impropriety be admonished, yet I understand where you’re coming from. This isn't the public course with trailer court vistas either, I would assume. I've noticed things of question around public courses but nothing as bad as what you have described, although when I was last playing I did see several people walking on the course with animals. Where I work we have a guy that loves to play golf, he is a fanatic. Grew up in the Atlanta area and is the beer is wine type complete with chew wad. I have always envisioned him in cut off shorts, button down shirt, completely open with sleeves ripped off, and 9' lineman's boots playing golf while trailing a trailer for the beer...

**Monkeydad** · 07-22-2009, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by Chicken Enchilada

Wow! Sounds bad. I can't say I've ever witnessed anything like what you've seen. None of that would ever happen on my local course.

Same here. My local course will have employees running from the offices if you even turn the cart towards the fairway, threatening to ban you from the course.