Americans Poor Etiquette?

[patricks148]

Getting a lot of American Visitors at my home course at the moment and what a noisy lot they are. All have caddies which I’m not knocking its good for the club and a few of the guys who do a bit of caddying earn a bit of cash.

Trouble is a lot of these guys have no consideration for other players on the course, it doesn’t usually bother me that much, but I was lucky enough to be invited to Carnoustie championship course on Sunday.
The course was full of Americans and every group out apart from us had caddies. Quite a few of the greens are close to the next tee all you could hear all the way around was them shouting calling to each other and generally making a lot of noise.

One of the guys I was playing with was appalled with the behaviour and he was an American. A few times groups on the green behind all shouted right in his downswing which caused him to lift his head and hit a bad shot and sort of ruined the game for him as he was so embarrassed.

Does anyone know why this is with our American Cousins lack of etiquette?

 

[StrangelyBrown]

I've only played with an American once and apart from being slow he was fine.

Maybe it's just an issue of people being on holiday, spirits being high etc..?

It's a shame it took the shine off what should have been a great day for you and your friends.

 

[One Planer]

You only have to compare the AT&T to the Irish Open.

Tee shots in Ireland we're followed by silence a smattering of applause. The same could be said for putts and approaches. Proper golf fans

Now look at the AT&T and you get:

"GET IN THE HOLE"

"YOU THA' MAN"

"MASHED POTATO"

"WASH MY CAR"


...........Need I go on?

 

[pbrown7582]

i'd say its more to do with high spirited holiday makers im sure similar occurences occur on the algrave when a group of brits go on tour?
That said its no excuse though you should always be aware of fellow players

 

[Val]

I have played golf with many Americans and although many are very forward and loud I find them very entertaining to play with and have never encountered bad etiquette.

 

[patricks148]

Not youngster either.

All over 50 at least.

The only group we passed on one of the faiways that were quite were a group of low (at least scratch) younge guys in there 20's.

 

[Hobbit]

Holiday high jinks. The American friends I have are just the same as you and I out on the course.

*cough* a bunch of us were shouted at whilst playing in the Algarve for being a bit noisy *cough* I guess nationality has little to do with it.

 

[patricks148]

Holiday high jinks. The American friends I have are just the same as you and I out on the course.

*cough* a bunch of us were shouted at whilst playing in the Algarve for being a bit noisy *cough* I guess nationality has little to do with it.

High jinks is one thing, but i find some of it just rude.

There was the final of the club champs out at the same time, i'm sure they though it was not funny.

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

I have been member of a course in the USA and regretably the problem is widespread, the majority of american golfers have zero consideration for anyone else.

We were playing The Old Course in May and on the 17th tee we had to have words with our American 'friends' on the 16th green 3 tiimes before the 1st in our group could tee off, as none of us had played the Old Course before it somewhat ruined our round to be constantly infected with gobshite 'golfers' the whole way round. You could hear them everywhere.

I believe the collective noun for 4 american golfers is an infestation.

 

[Scadge]

Played with lots of single and pair Americans at US resort courses and they have without exception been great company, different in that they have a beer (or in one case 8 or 9) first thing in the morning on the course and didn't use the bar afterwards, but good fun.

I have noticed that when in a group who obviously know each other the quiet sledging and fun poking that we do is exaggerated by our American friends and its still okay to pass comments (shout) across 50 yard gaps. Perhaps they're just more sociable than us

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Is it an inherent problem. Has anyone played top US courses and experienced them behaving the same way? Does it happen even at the local country club

 

[leaney]

Having just come back from playing golf in Jamaica, I can confirm that the Americans are quite loud and rude.

I also had a load of them stay at our resort (90% were American) and I found them even worse than they are on the course.

It turns out that Jamaica is a big destination for the Yanks, which is a shame because Jamaica is beautiful.

 

[OldMate]

Do they shout 'MASHED POTATOES' after each of their playing partners hits?

 

[USER1999]

I have played a lot of golf in Florida, and nearly always been paired up with locals. They have never been any thing but terrific company, and in the main, good golfers. I have also played with American tourists in Ireland, and have found the same to be true.

Equally, I have been embarrassed to play with guys in my golf society, and also with members of my club on tour.

For any one who has been on a large forum meet, is it really any different to what the op has described? Slow golf? Loud banter? When PNWokingham chipped in at the last at Blackmore, we could hear it two holes away!

The goswick eight?

The guys in the op were on holiday, cut them a bit of slack. Golf is meant to be a game. A bit of fun.

 

[Imurg]

The goswick eight?

Have they got parole yet?

I'd chuck away the key........

 

[CMAC]

Neds with money, you get them here and in America.

I've played many courses in the states from public to 'men's nights' posh and probably encountered only 1 or 2 like this.

I also have an American friend who is courteous but loud and Brits think him brash when he talks excitedly about a good shot.

 

[Foxholer]

Getting a lot of American Visitors at my home course at the moment and what a noisy lot they are. All have caddies which I’m not knocking its good for the club and a few of the guys who do a bit of caddying earn a bit of cash.

Trouble is a lot of these guys have no consideration for other players on the course, it doesn’t usually bother me that much, but I was lucky enough to be invited to Carnoustie championship course on Sunday.
The course was full of Americans and every group out apart from us had caddies. Quite a few of the greens are close to the next tee all you could hear all the way around was them shouting calling to each other and generally making a lot of noise.

One of the guys I was playing with was appalled with the behaviour and he was an American. A few times groups on the green behind all shouted right in his downswing which caused him to lift his head and hit a bad shot and sort of ruined the game for him as he was so embarrassed.

Does anyone know why this is with our American Cousins lack of etiquette?

It would seem your friend has become a bit 'Brit-ised'!

My experience is that if Americans get upset by someone/something, they tend to do something about it - like go and have a word with either the culprit or the group as a whole. It's seems to be British (stiff upper lip and all that) approach to mutter and complain to fellow victims, but not get into possible conflict with the culprits. As certainly used to happen with poor Restaurant food/service.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Unfortunately, as a nation they are just generally more 'outgoing' than we are. I've been to Myrtle Beach for the last 3 years and they are usually very polite people with the odd exception but their golfing standards don't really match ours.

 

[patricks148]

I have played a lot of golf in Florida, and nearly always been paired up with locals. They have never been any thing but terrific company, and in the main, good golfers. I have also played with American tourists in Ireland, and have found the same to be true.

Equally, I have been embarrassed to play with guys in my golf society, and also with members of my club on tour.

For any one who has been on a large forum meet, is it really any different to what the op has described? Slow golf? Loud banter? When PNWokingham chipped in at the last at Blackmore, we could hear it two holes away!

The goswick eight?

The guys in the op were on holiday, cut them a bit of slack. Golf is meant to be a game. A bit of fun.

I'm not saying they shouldn't enjoy themselves, but its the lack of consideration to other golfers and lack of etiquette.

for instance, if you were passing closely a green that people were putting out on or a tee where players teeing off. You would stop talking and in some cases stop and let them play, wouldn't you?

None of the americans did, just carried on loadly almost as if you were not there.

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

Is it an inherent problem. Has anyone played top US courses and experienced them behaving the same way? Does it happen even at the local country club

I was a member at quite an expensive Florida Country Club for several years, it was common practice to be shall we be generous and say 'loud', they are OK in small numbers but only seem to have consideration for themselves/their group.

Does it go on at top private clubs possibly not, I havnt played Pebble Beach but did have breakfast in the club house, and yes you could 'hear' the first tee from the balcony.