Etiquette .... Is it gone forever?

madandra

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Is golfing etiquette a thing of the past?

Could it be down to the fact that older members dont get a chance to interact with younger players? Or could it be that people are no longer able to accept criticism when 'guided' towards the proper way to play by others?

I see newbies of all ages doing things wrong but I know if I approach the subject I will get some sharp response from them so now I dont bother. As a new golfer I loved learning the way the game should be played and would say that etiquette lessons are more important than playing lessons.

I can see an annual decline in standards to the point that the old saying 'Drive for show .. Putt for dough' should be changed to 'Drive for show ... CHEAT for dough'.


Am I turning into a grumpy old man or does my point hold any water?
 

DCB

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I hope not !

I think it is up to us to make sure that this game that we play and love so much is indeed kept special. If that means we have to ruffle someones feathers by pointing out an item of etiquette then so be it.

If we can't play the game by the rules and etiquette of the game then we have no chance in keeping it alive.
 

haplesshacker

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Whilst playing on my tod today. I had a two ball in front of me that not only took ages to tee off, but were marking their cards on the damn green. They also refused to let me play through until one of them was so desperate to find his mishit drive as they were playing match play with each other.

I could have finished my 18 if it wasn't for them. Instead I had to finish at the 14th.

It's the same arrogence that we see on the roads I'm afraid. Life's about me now. No-one else, just me. I'm more important than you. My time is worth more than yours. My car is better than yours, so outta my way. My life is worth more than yours, so I'll drive through every red light going!

I hate to say it, but this is how we're all turning out. Very selfish small minded petty individuals. Sport is the one place to learn about what's right and what's wrong. What's fair and what's unfair play. How we treat others and ourselves. How we represent ourselves, our families, our club, our county, our country. It teaches us to play fairly, and within the rules of the game. It teaches us to be competitive, yet humble in victory, and gracious in defeat. It teaches us life skills that can be taken to the home or work place, to make our and others around us, lives better.

Instead, we get people bringing the work place ethic to sport. Liars, cheaters, corrupt, selfish, backstabbing, selfish, WIFMs, to%*ers.

Is there a way to correct this? Yes; there is. But no-one likes a dictator!

Sorry if my post looks like a political speech.
 

rgs

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I agree it is a lifestlye issue. The last 10 yrs or so has generated the "me culture".

In a strange way this world wide recession may be a good thing and the old values of manners, respect etc will re appear and people may become members of communities again and pull together for the benefit of all--our may i being too hopeful.

I have played with a number of young kids in our club and i can safely state if this is the calibre of young golfers worldwide then the game is in safe hands.
 

theeaglehunter

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Etiquette is one of the most appealing factors of the game to me and judging on my experiences at my club all junior golfers play with the utmost respect to the rules and etiquette of the game meaning it is not a thing about to die out. Also any elder more experienced golfer approaching someone with 'constructive criticism' whilst playing with them and noticing a flaw in their etiquette would be met with respect and consideration as opposed to an ignorant remark, provided the advice was delivered in a helpful manner. I was lucky when I first started that I had a good experienced golfer to take me round the course and I told him to tell me straight any playing rules / etiquette rules that I was breaking so I could learn from my mistakes, and this is what now enables me to play with other people without breaking the laws of the game. I certainly from my experiences think that golf etiquette is hear to stay- and long may it continue :D
 

HomerJSimpson

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I think some of it comes down to the older generation not instilling a sense of pride in the ourse, appearance and the traditions of the game into the youngsters and the same youngsters not being prepared to accept the necessity for the finer points. To them its about the biggest driver, hitting it the furthest and being the lowest in their clique.

I was fortunate that we had Dan Maskell (the old BBC tennis commentator) at my club. He was very much the archetypal British gent and his clipped tones you heard every summer were exactly the same in real life. He took it upon himself to make sure all the juniors in the club knew the need for etiqutte and what the word meant. Wo betide anyone he found standing with their shadow over the line of a putt etc.

I think a lot of new members just don't get shown what is expected and so either pick bits and pieces up as they go or do what they consider to be the right thing. I don't think clubs do enough to promote playing the game in the right way so they don't really have any cause for complaints when members complain about not being let through etc.
 

bobmac

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A friend of mine (off 1) applied to join a club in Belgium.
Before he was accepted for membership, he had to play 18 holes with a committee member to prove he knew all the stuff.
He had a hole in one and broke the course record.
Funnily enough, he was accepted.
In Germany, some courses have 18 holes and a 9 hole training course. Your not allowed on the big course unless you have passed the test and you were then given a bag tag which proved you could play the big course.
Is that over the top?
 

mansell

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played today with a gentleman that I have never met before. he's the same as me, learning the game, anyhow there was a single player behind us, we offered to let him through but he refused saying he had only just taken up the game, cut a long story short we were on the 12th green and I was just about to take my stroke, when all of a sudden the gentleman I was playing with was Struck on the back of the leg, the guy didn't even know he had reached the green we were playing on
needless to say he was told never to play a shot while others are on the green.
 

Imurg

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A friend of mine (off 1) applied to join a club in Belgium.
Before he was accepted for membership, he had to play 18 holes with a committee member to prove he knew all the stuff.
He had a hole in one and broke the course record.
Funnily enough, he was accepted.
In Germany, some courses have 18 holes and a 9 hole training course. Your not allowed on the big course unless you have passed the test and you were then given a bag tag which proved you could play the big course.
Is that over the top?

Personally I don't think so but it couldn't work at the majority of clubs as they don't have decent enough practice facilities to enable that sort of pre-play training.
 

forefortheday

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Some people are just idiots simple as that!

I play with my Uncle and two cousins quite regularly, the Uncle and Cousin 1 are great for etiquette, Cousin 2 not so good (I have wrote on here before about him taking a chunk out of a green in anger)

I guess we all get that there is more to this game than low scorecards and booming drives (good as they are).

It's made me a better person that's for sure!
 

viscount17

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I know the juniors are taught the etiquette at my club, the pro's drum it into them right from the start. Of course, as soon as they are out on their own a lot goes out the window but most aren't bad at accepting a gentle reminder - never known it to need more.

The difficulties lie with some of the more experienced members (and not necessarily seniors), they can't be told, and the societies - not all by any means, but there are those that bring absolute beginners with them, claiming they all have at least 28 h/caps. Strange how these characters get grouped together, last off, so the rest can play in peace.
 

Teeshot

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Whilst playing on my tod today. I had a two ball in front of me that not only took ages to tee off, but were marking their cards on the damn green. They also refused to let me play through until one of them was so desperate to find his mishit drive as they were playing match play with each other.

I could have finished my 18 if it wasn't for them. Instead I had to finish at the 14th.

It's the same arrogence that we see on the roads I'm afraid. Life's about me now. No-one else, just me. I'm more important than you. My time is worth more than yours. My car is better than yours, so outta my way. My life is worth more than yours, so I'll drive through every red light going!

I hate to say it, but this is how we're all turning out. Very selfish small minded petty individuals. Sport is the one place to learn about what's right and what's wrong. What's fair and what's unfair play. How we treat others and ourselves. How we represent ourselves, our families, our club, our county, our country. It teaches us to play fairly, and within the rules of the game. It teaches us to be competitive, yet humble in victory, and gracious in defeat. It teaches us life skills that can be taken to the home or work place, to make our and others around us, lives better.

Instead, we get people bringing the work place ethic to sport. Liars, cheaters, corrupt, selfish, backstabbing, selfish, WIFMs, to%*ers.

Is there a way to correct this? Yes; there is. But no-one likes a dictator!

Sorry if my post looks like a political speech.

Well I'd vote for you!

I am very new to the game, and I'm afraid nobody has shown me the rules- That said, I am a 33 year old man and quite capable of adhering to the respect of other players, and the club when out on the track. Common sense really- The worst offenders I have seen have always been the older "I've played here for years so I make the rules" types. The juniors are much better mannered.
 

ricardodaintino

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I think its OK to call people up on ettiquette, but usually the delivery of it will provoke the response. If you are critical it will probably be greetted with abuse but unless it is a faceless muni course a quiet word should do the trick!
 

TonyN

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I played at my club last week, My first round as a member. As I got to the tee, 3 groups of 4ball went out infront. The group infront of me, was a 2 dads, 2 lads group. All 4 tee shots were awfull and I knew it would be a long day. Still its only 13:30 i thought, Plenty of time.

I paired up with another gent who had sat waiting on the first. It took us almost 25 mins to get to our approach shots on the second hole, waiting for them in front. At this point they had clearly lost a hole on those infront. Think the kids were giving the dads a lesson.

At this point another gent caught us and we asked him to join us. I think it took us almost 2 hours to play 6 holes. It was painful, we kept trying to catch there attention but never got a decent chance to speak to them. As we got to a par 3, two senior chaps coming down the other way had noticed what was happening and one of them crossed his fairway and our fairway to have a word. Great we thought, we'll be through next hole, not a chance. Plenty more of the same. Eventually they skipped holes at 12 over to 16. We rocketed round and just got back in before the light at half 5. 4 hours for a 3 ball, and my new course is fairly short.

I think pride got in the way, still people refuse to accept the fact that A) they are s**t and B) Letting someone through won't shrink the size of your manhood.
 

Parmo

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Only really come across this with older members who think the R&A don't change rules and if they do know they are ignorant to the updates.

Problems like these are one of the reasons I play first thing in the morning and first out, you don't get OTT toffs, louts, all the gear.., slow play, fast play and it’s the most beautiful part of the day until I do the second loop of the 18 ;-) but generally its fine, the only downside is that I finish about 1030 and too early for a beverage but I can always pop back up once the days jobs have been done.
 

minty18

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One of the problems with the older members is the aggresive manor they go about telling people rather than advising them. My etiquette has always been spot on as i played with my father in law before i played any club comps, he gets offended if your anywhere in his sight when having a shot.

I've witnessed seniors talking down to new members on the golf course and it's not pleasant and probly makes newbies want to rebel.
 

toonarmy

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As was allegedly said by Edmund Burke "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing", so if we want to see the etiquette, we need to make sure we pass it on.

If it is ignored then at least it is not through lack of awareness.
 
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