drunken fishermen on the course...

[mickytwodesks]

Ok does anyone else have problems with non-members on the course?

A couple of nights ago i went out for a round after work, lovely sunny evening. As i walked up the 15th fairway i noticed a guy dressed all in white with a fishing hat, fishing rod and a huge bottle of ice white lightening cider walking across the front of the green i was about to play too. He stopped to let me play but i waved him across. Strange i thought, took my shot which landed in the front bunker. i then look up and the guys stood (wobbling) on the next tee. Anyway i played the hole and walked up to the next tee where drunk fisherman guy decided he wanted to chat to me about, my swing, him meeting Seve and the £2,000+ golf gear he has (mmm). Then he wanted to play a shot with my club and ball!

After i told him to do one i proceeded to fat my tee shot 90 yards in front of me. He wondered off to do some fishing in the river which runs through the course.

I have also noticed some little scamps use the course as a short cut. bloody annoying seeing kids rush out of the rough like a startled hare when your about to tee off!

 

[andycap]

Course i play in Rayleigh Essex has 36 holes , 18 are pay and play and are not very well controlled . In the last year i have seen a father with his 2 young sons fishing in the pond on the 2nd which we have to play directly over , a drunk asleep in the bunker who i think used the course as a short cut ,but didn't make it, and about 6 months ago on a solo round after light rain a 4 ball in 2 buggies were charging around on the wet grass trying to do 360's when they used the bank on the side of the green and almost turned it over i phoned the club ,they were removed but as i was the only other on the course i was expecting a wellcome party in the car park .

 

[forefortheday]

Classy Mickey!

Play a muni in Liverpool quite often and there is generally someone fishing in at least one of the ponds.

Not so long ago a mate of mine hooked one into the bushes to hear a shout of "Oy you copulating idiot" to which my mate pointed out that fishing behind some bushes on a par 3 isn't probably the best idea (as well as some creative uses of the english language).

Once stood on the 16th tee about to take my swing when some kids started shouting expletives from behind a bush but part of me thought it was quite amusing, hit a cracker gave them the two's and heard a big "Whoooooooooooo" from the bush couldn't help but smile as I walked away

In the summer lager can be the on-course drink of choice but it's in decent nick and just around the corner

Mind you it costs £12 for a weekend round so I guess you get what you pay for!

 

[blindpete]

I have the same problen on my two local munis, both in really good nick and cheap to play but plagued with idiots and little scrotes with nothing better to do.

 

[cm_qs]

We get kids on motorbikes.

It's an ongoing problem but about four weeks age some little toerag saw fit to ride his dirt bike right across the 17th green at high speed leaving a four inch wide furrow which (to the credit of the greenkeepers) is only barely visible now.

 

[Cernunnos]

Get dog walkers & people walking accross the course from the river footpath, who have a tendancy to get in the way occasionally, no amount of waving whistling or a shout of "Shift, thist is a golf course not a bloomin' dog walking sancturary" seems to have any effect.

Worst of all some of the holes along the edge of the course are rife with people scrounging for lost balls, so you have to be pretty sharpish if you want to locate a ball you've just hit into teddy bear picnic land when those scroungers are about.

 

[USER1999]

Lots of dog walkers who can't read signs about sticking to the path, pykies on motorbikes late at night, one burnt out Volks beetle, one set of picnicing indians on the 17th fairway who refused to move, and one naked couple going at it hammer and tongs in the rough beside the 11th fairway.

Usual stuff really.

 

[viscount17]

We were playing at a course for the first time. I was about to tee-off (and my driving was very erratic that day) when I caught a movement out the corner of my eye. A woman was walking her dog (which was at least on a lead) up the edge of the adjacent fairway, which is separated by a thin hedge screen.
I had room and time so played my shot, which inevitably went across onto the other fairway.
She blithely carried on up the hedgerow, ignoring the four-ball playing down it. When I caught up with her I asked (politely I thought) if she realised just how dangerous it was. The phrase 'if looks could kill' was never more ably demonstrated as she said 'this is a public footpath and I live here.'

 

[cm_qs]

At the 9 Hole course which is on the site where I keep my caravan the 4th and 5th hole ( as well as a footpath)run along the side of the river and on the 5th there is a wooden shelter with a bench which faces out on to the river and backs onto the fairway. It's a popular place for people who are out walking to stop and take in the nice views and maybe feed the ducks.
Unfortunately it's at the exact position where a well struck drive will land if it's got a bit of a slice on it.
I've lost count of the number of times that I've hit it and quite often it's occupied at the time.
It's strangely satisfying to see someone jump out of the hut like a scalded cat when the `ball hits the back of the shed.
Serves 'em right I say!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

As someone who spent years playing on Wimbledon Common on which the public have right of way over golfers I've become immune to the perils of Joe Public. I think the best one was the family having a picnic on the 230 odd par 3 1st to which people were playing anything from 9 irons to SW if they didn't hit it directly. Despite the incomng barrage they just sat on the banking as the kids ran around the green.

When pointed out they were on a golf course they said it was the only bit of decent grass for the kids to kick their ball on. When told to move or be forcibly moved by the police the guy got quite aggresive with my fourball until I pointed out the clubhouse 200 yards away and advised him it was a big competition and there were 50 or so others far less polite or patient than us who we could get to discuss the situation. Strangely enough they packed up and wandered off to become a nuisance elsewhere.

The only other problem was that because people knew they had right of way they would inevitable walk all the way down the fairways knowing you couldn't (well shouldn't) play. Have to say I have let the odd one fly in frustration