Clubs still in the Dark Ages

[SocketRocket]

So you've never been to - and had lunch and a second round at these local (bit of an assumption) ones:
Swinley Forest
The Berkshire
Sunningdale
Royal St Georges
Rye
Woburn (I think but may be wrong)

If not, you've missed out on some cracking courses and meals - for only a small inconvenience.

Absolutely agree with everything else in the post!

No, they are not in my patch. I am not talking about a competition and meal in the restaurant but a normal weekly game with a pint and sandwich in the bar. My reply was to someone suggesting that most clubs required you to change into a jacket and tie in these circumstances, which IMO is not the normal.

 

[MadAdey]

What a crock. If someone needs to be available for that amount of time then a golf course is the wrong place to be. NOONE is that important that they need to make/take a call whilst playing golf unless it is a life and death situation.

So lets take a look at how long it takes to play golf. tee off at 10.00 maybe have to leave home 9:15 to get to the course and get changed ready to play. Usual 4 hour round, so off the course at around 14:00, get changed have a drink and get home sometime after 15:00. What planet is it that you live on that you think that someone in business could be unreachable for over 6 hours in this fast moving age. Or are they not allowed to play golf? If he shows consideration with his phone and does not sit in the clubhouse using it, or if he needs to use it on the course goes away from other players and does not disturb anyone. Is it really a problem for him to have his phone on the course.

I think that people need to realise one thing and take their head out of their arses. This is the technology age and people expect to be dealt with instantly not the day after. Just because you do not have a job that requires you to sort things out instantly it does not mean that others around you are not in that position.

Should these people be banned from playing golf? Take a surgeon for instance that is not even on call. There might be someone requiring surgery as soon as possible. But no leave them there until he has finished playing his game of golf just to keep people like you happy..............

 

[chris661]

Should these people be banned from playing golf? Take a surgeon for instance that is not even on call. There might be someone requiring surgery as soon as possible. But no leave them there until he has finished playing his game of golf just to keep people like you happy..............

Read the last sentence in my post. Nothing in business is that important that you have to have a phone glued to you and if you do then a golf course isn't the place you should be. But then "people like me" understand that

 

[mareksoultrain]

Seen many incidents which have really got my goat. One recently. I was taking a very important call following a match whilst in the car park of a club in Sheffield. No signs anywhere regarding usage of phone in car park (After checking club rules, no mention of carpark) which was well away from any playing area or confines of club house. In fact I was speaking very quietly as conscious a couple of members around and I'm not showy in conversation. I was told very rudely "I don't want to hear that conversation" and to "Put the damm phone away". No excuse me, or can I have a quiet word please. Now to me that attitude is very off putting and not unique. Left a really bad taste considering I'd just seen them chatting with a friend who was now stood in the patio door between bar and terrace who was talking on his phone!! Did I just not look right? Thought of any membership out the window. Talk about leaving a bad taste. Another quick anecdote. Playing in the Scottish Borders with family tournament (16 + players) surprised to see locals teeing off in Shell Suits (Rangers aswell, noo) but no problems with us (They were crushing drives). Interestingly when my old man went into the clubhouse to settle up following the round plus buying food and drinks for all of us, this happened; In the clubhouse the locals were again sporting trackies and football shirts along with the chap who was running the show who was wearing a grease smeared pinny and baseball cap. My old man pops his hat on for a second as we're leaving and goes to hand over £400 cash to the chap who tells him to take his hat off or leave the club??? Double standards all around. Attracts some very rude people this game.

 

[chris661]

Seen many incidents which have really got my goat. One recently. I was taking a very important call following a match whilst in the car park of a club in Sheffield. No signs anywhere regarding usage of phone in car park (After checking club rules, no mention of carpark) which was well away from any playing area or confines of club house. In fact I was speaking very quietly as conscious a couple of members around and I'm not showy in conversation. I was told very rudely "I don't want to hear that conversation" and to "Put the damm phone away". No excuse me, or can I have a quiet word please. Now to me that attitude is very off putting and not unique. Left a really bad taste considering I'd just seen them chatting with a friend who was now stood in the patio door between bar and terrace who was talking on his phone!! Did I just not look right? Thought of any membership out the window. Talk about leaving a bad taste. Another quick anecdote. Playing in the Scottish Borders with family tournament (16 + players) surprised to see locals teeing off in Shell Suits (Rangers aswell, noo) but no problems with us (They were crushing drives). Interestingly when my old man went into the clubhouse to settle up following the round plus buying food and drinks for all of us, this happened; In the clubhouse the locals were again sporting trackies and football shirts along with the chap who was running the show who was wearing a grease smeared pinny and baseball cap. My old man pops his hat on for a second as we're leaving and goes to hand over £400 cash to the chap who tells him to take his hat off or leave the club??? Double standards all around. Attracts some very rude people this game.

Those two stories have ZERO to do with any rules that are in place and more to do with pig ignorant people. If there were no rules in place then these folk would still find something to moan about.

 

[Dodger]

Seen many incidents which have really got my goat. One recently. I was taking a very important call following a match whilst in the car park of a club in Sheffield. No signs anywhere regarding usage of phone in car park (After checking club rules, no mention of carpark) which was well away from any playing area or confines of club house. In fact I was speaking very quietly as conscious a couple of members around and I'm not showy in conversation. I was told very rudely "I don't want to hear that conversation" and to "Put the damm phone away". No excuse me, or can I have a quiet word please. Now to me that attitude is very off putting and not unique. Left a really bad taste considering I'd just seen them chatting with a friend who was now stood in the patio door between bar and terrace who was talking on his phone!! Did I just not look right? Thought of any membership out the window. Talk about leaving a bad taste. Another quick anecdote. Playing in the Scottish Borders with family tournament (16 + players) surprised to see locals teeing off in Shell Suits (Rangers aswell, noo) but no problems with us (They were crushing drives). Interestingly when my old man went into the clubhouse to settle up following the round plus buying food and drinks for all of us, this happened; In the clubhouse the locals were again sporting trackies and football shirts along with the chap who was running the show who was wearing a grease smeared pinny and baseball cap. My old man pops his hat on for a second as we're leaving and goes to hand over £400 cash to the chap who tells him to take his hat off or leave the club??? Double standards all around. Attracts some very rude people this game.

Name and shame the Scottish Borders club.............as long as it wasn't in Coldstream!

 

[Fish]

So lets take a look at how long it takes to play golf. tee off at 10.00 maybe have to leave home 9:15 to get to the course and get changed ready to play. Usual 4 hour round, so off the course at around 14:00, get changed have a drink and get home sometime after 15:00. What planet is it that you live on that you think that someone in business could be unreachable for over 6 hours in this fast moving age. Or are they not allowed to play golf? If he shows consideration with his phone and does not sit in the clubhouse using it, or if he needs to use it on the course goes away from other players and does not disturb anyone. Is it really a problem for him to have his phone on the course.

I think that people need to realise one thing and take their head out of their arses. This is the technology age and people expect to be dealt with instantly not the day after. Just because you do not have a job that requires you to sort things out instantly it does not mean that others around you are not in that position.

Should these people be banned from playing golf? Take a surgeon for instance that is not even on call. There might be someone requiring surgery as soon as possible. But no leave them there until he has finished playing his game of golf just to keep people like you happy..............

What you are now advocating above is phones can be switched on whilst playing incase these businessmen need to answer them to clinch a deal or answer a customer immediately because their whole life depends on their phone being on and accessible 24/7! Sorry but that's a complete no no and I'm sure if you saw someone in front of you on the fairway answer their phone you would be complaining about slow play!

If their in business and can't give themselves a part-day off for a social game of golf and leave a message on their phone that they will be available again later that day from 4pm so please leave a message, then there doing something wrong and are not very good businessmen and if they are waiting for news on a business deal that day they shouldn't be on the golf course and should play at weekends.

If my business or family need me in an emergency then they will call the club, as they have done once before, and someone comes and alerts me.

...and a phone on silent in your bag is as much use as a choclate ashtry, unless there going to keep looking at it every 5 minutes which is annoying in its own right.

 

[MadAdey]

Ok then Chris before this turns into handbags at 10 paces..:thup: I will ask you one question. I have said why I do not see a problem with people having mobile phones with them at the golf club, but only if they use them with the up most consideration towards other golfers. What is the reason for you having a problem with people having them at the golf club and not just because no one is that important that they need to have it with them. Because to be honest this has come up many times on this forum, but I am still yet to see a valid argument to ban people from having them with them , but only if they are not causing a problem to others.

 

[Fish]

Ok then Chris before this turns into handbags at 10 paces..:thup: I will ask you one question. I have said why I do not see a problem with people having mobile phones with them at the golf club, but only if they use them with the up most consideration towards other golfers. What is the reason for you having a problem with people having them at the golf club and not just because no one is that important that they need to have it with them. Because to be honest this has come up many times on this forum, but I am still yet to see a valid argument to ban people from having them with them , but only if they are not causing a problem to others.

Because you can't differentiate what is an important call or not and as such you could be answering multiple calls all around the course affecting not only people your playing with but other nearby players on neighbouring fairways or when greens are close to other tee boxes.

If you can't be away from your work or phone for 4 hours on a specific day then don't play that day.

 

[chris661]

Ok then Chris before this turns into handbags at 10 paces..:thup: I will ask you one question. I have said why I do not see a problem with people having mobile phones with them at the golf club, but only if they use them with the up most consideration towards other golfers. What is the reason for you having a problem with people having them at the golf club and not just because no one is that important that they need to have it with them. Because to be honest this has come up many times on this forum, but I am still yet to see a valid argument to ban people from having them with them , but only if they are not causing a problem to others.

I never said I had a problem with them. Do you read my posts? I said if you have to have a phone glued to you for 6 hours in case you miss the "deal" of a lifetime then you shouldn't be on a golf course. How hard is that to understand?

And can you explain your "people like me comment"?

 

[Ethan]

If you are a transplant surgeon on 24/7 call (some of them are) or a secret agent who may be called at any time to defeat an evil megalomaniac bent on world destruction, then fine, on the course have your phone in your pocket on vibrate. For all others, switch it off.

I don't give a toss if you set up an office in the car park, though. You can take a call, send a fax and print off some documents there for all I care.

 

[Hobbit]

I dare say we could all think of a scenario that would fit the phones are essential argument. "Your wife/child have been involved in a serious accident..." is one that would fit for me. But in reality 99.99% of people don't carry a phone for that reason.

"Business men need a phone for that ultra urgent call..." If I'm in an all day meeting my phone is off, and gets switched on a lunchtime and at the end of the meeting. Further to that, business men have holidays and on occasion take ill - and strangely enough someone else makes the decision, or is empowered to make that decision.

"A surgeon..." Acute Care is undertaken in major centres not cottage hospitals, and there are a number of Senior Consultant Surgeons in every large hospital. If a Consultant isn't available the Senior Registrar takes the call.

I can't see anything wrong with a phone being on silent, and the recipient of the call uses discretion. And just like at the Open, an area is designated for their use - it might be a corridor or locker room. But out on the course, whether making or receiving, emergencies only.

 

[Dodger]

I made a phone call out on the course yesterday to book my time in today's medal.

Bad me.

It was an emergency though.

 

[Ethan]

"A surgeon..." Acute Care is undertaken in major centres not cottage hospitals, and there are a number of Senior Consultant Surgeons in every large hospital. If a Consultant isn't available the Senior Registrar takes the call.

There are surgeons and doctors who need to be available 24/7, and they don't take part in a conventional on-call rota.

Transplant surgeons are one example I cited, although there are others, where organs become available and need to be used immediately by the most experienced person.

 

[Foxholer]

No, they are not in my patch. I am not talking about a competition and meal in the restaurant but a normal weekly game with a pint and sandwich in the bar. My reply was to someone suggesting that most clubs required you to change into a jacket and tie in these circumstances, which IMO is not the normal.

Fair enough. I would also expect there to be a 'Spike Bar', or equivalent, to cater for this fairly normal post-round activity, though at least one of those I mentioned only have the one style, but is 'small' and has only a single bar/dining.relaxation area, so I can excuse it.

WRT phones on the course. i have occasionally been 'on-call' for (weekend/holiday) IT Support, so have had the phone on 'loud' on the course. However, I've always sought (and been granted) permission from the club and anyone I'm playing with - as I may need to stop and/or return to the club for additional support.

 

[MadAdey]

I never said I had a problem with them. Do you read my posts? I said if you have to have a phone glued to you for 6 hours in case you miss the "deal" of a lifetime then you shouldn't be on a golf course. How hard is that to understand?

And can you explain your "people like me comment"?

Getting a little bit confused with your posts now mate. Either you have a problem with them or not. Your posts read like you do have a problem with people having them at the golf club. Nice to see someone else (ethan) has put the argument that some people need to be in contact with the outside world at all times. Really does it matter if someone has a phone with them, if it does not affect anyone else and their enjoyment of a game of golf? That is all I am asking. I agree if I saw someone stood in the fairway chatting away when I am waiting to play a shot I would be going mental, but that is only the same as people who look for balls and do not let the group behind them play through. If someone has a phone with them and goes to one side to use it and lets the group behind play through then what does it matter? Are they affecting your game?

 

[chris661]

So if in a drawn comp someone in your 4ball gets a call or two as its "very important" and you have to let two or three groups through extending your round to over six hours you are happy with that?

Like I say if something is that important that you "have" to take a call then maybe the golf course isn't the place you should be.

 

[chris661]

Anyway it's all immaterial if a club has the rule then tough. If you don't like it raise it at the agm if to are a member or don't give them the greenfee if you are a visitor.

 

[Hobbit]

So if in a drawn comp someone in your 4ball gets a call or two as its "very important" and you have to let two or three groups through extending your round to over six hours you are happy with that?

Like I say if something is that important that you "have" to take a call then maybe the golf course isn't the place you should be.

Its already covered in the Rule of Golf... playing without undue delay.

 

[chris661]

Its already covered in the Rule of Golf... playing without undue delay.

But Madadey seems to think it doesn't matter