Etiquette

stevelev

stevelev

Journeyman Pro
Joined
Oct 4, 2009
Messages
1,607
Location
Merseyside
www.ecclestonparkgolf.co.uk
Hi

This is just a quick one to see if I am totally unreasonable.

When I play I give others total silence, ensure that myself or shadows are not in a partners peripheral vision. In return I have always thought this reasonable for others to do for me, but recently a cople of guys I have played with said I need to get rid of that idea and learn to deal with the noises they make as people all make noise, and its part of the game.

Is it me being unreasonable or not????

Also does everyone have to comment on every shot other people make, I have up to now only met a few players who allow me to play a round without saying a wayward shot was casued by something or other. I prefer to be able to just play the round, have a good banter on the way round but not told cures to bad shots, during the round, I find it really off putting for partners to say oh, you came up on that, or you where aiming off then. I accept that help is good, but maybe asked if I would like feedback before offering it. Or am I just too touchy.

What are your thoughts, or irritations???
 
Hi Steve

For me, noises are a no no. There is no reason that your playing partners can't stay quiet for the 60 seconds it takes to play your shot.

Players will always comment, I just nod in the right places and say thanks - it usually shuts them up. Unless it comes from someone who knows my swing well, then I listen

Chris
 
I agree with your first point. I always ensure I'm not standing on through lines around the green, my shadow isn't in the way and that I'm not in a peripheral line of sight and I'd expect the same basic courtesy in return. To be fair 99% of the guys I play with are spot on and I never have problem and theremainder have usually wandered into view by accident and are apologetic and move. I've never had a problem with noise. I wouldn't dream of jingling tees or ball markers when others are plying and wouldn't expect them to either. I'm always silent until after the shot has been played and again my partners return that basic courtesy too. If the people you are playing with are making noise when you play it is they that are in the wrong and you need to remind them of the eitquette.

I would never offer advice on the golf course unless directly asked and again wouldn't expect to be offered any. Speak to your partners and thank them but point out that you don't think it is helping your game (or in fact that they are in a position to offer advice) and ask them to refrain.

However I do think you may be reading too much into it and may be getting a little precious. If there is noise and they don't stop either step off the shot and tell them why or make the best of it and commit to your shot. It's your choice.
 
Had a chuckle when Smiffy was playing the other week, right at the top of his backswing his opponent rang the 'all clear' bell that was halfway down the fairway... he nearly took his foot off with the swing!

I don't really care if people talk whilst I'm swinging, worst thing is when someone makes me laugh before I tee off as I can never concentrate. I can deal with shadows, mobile phones and normally I couldn't care less even if someone stood on my line, I just hit it at the hole and be done with it. Most of the games I play AREN'T the Ryder Cup :)

However... if it was in a medal game? Different kettle of fish.
 
Im one of these players that dont mind noise as im usually in some sort of zone and concentrating hard.I dont mind players giving me tips if there better than me,however if there worse i take no notice.I dont think your being unreasonable to ask for absolute silence whilst taking a shot either,everyone has a different way of dealing with distractions.
 
Thanks for the feedback thus far, does anybody have any tips to try to block out distractions.

I've only been playing for a year, and those i play with have played for anything from 5 - 40 years, and most are fine, just the odd few. The best thing anyone has said to me when playing, was "Would you be alright if I tell you what I saw in yuor last swing". I then was told how open my club was at the top, but nice to be asked before offering advice.
 
DO NOT give advice to anyone on the course unless they're having a complete mare and it's just friendly knock.
Any advice should be kept for the range after the game.
As for noisey people on the course, it's just not good manners. :mad:
 
we have one guy at our club who feels off a very ordinary handicap of 15 himself thinks he can comment on any bad shot you play and diagnose the fault, I would never play a social round with him and only do so when drawn in competitons. I play off the same 15 handicap and would never offer advice unless particulary asked if I had noticed a recurring fault as I know my own skills are limited. He also continues to talk to playing partners while others are taking their shots and doesn't appear to care. Last week I told him outright about his lack of respect for other players in the clubhouse as his conversation with others turned to me not liking his attitude.

These players that offer any sort of advice during a competiton round should also be advised that they could be penalised or even disqualified.
 
I would expect people to stand still, out of my eyeline and keep quite once I've started getting ready to hit the ball. It's what the etiquette of the game demands. I'm easily distracted and hate it when people fiddle with their bags in my eyeline or walk past behind me with their clubs clinking when I'm over the ball.

As for advice during a round, with mates in a friendly it's ok, usually along the lines of "you seem to be swinging a bit quick today Mike" if things aren't going well. But in a comp no, no, no, not ever, ever. Afterwards in the bar maybe but not on the course.
 
The only time I ever offer advice is if someone hits a bad shot and says something like "what's it gone over there for?", then, assuming I know why of course, I'll mention what I've seen. It depends very much on the person in question.

I don't know if I get distracted by noise, I suspect not but I definitely don't get bothered by people in my eyeline, I'm too focused on the ball.
 
I must say my Etiquette is about passable, being still quite new to being at a club (over 7 years since I was a junior member at a club)I know it needs brushing up.

I do my best but sometimes I do not always get it right, today that made me very nervous!

I found out, as I picked the clubs out the car, that I was in a singles match against the club captain in the winter team league.

I was so nervous through the whole match, I felt nervously sick a few times and sadly my game reflected. Less than 24 hours after playing the front 9 in just 4 over gross (the afternoon before) every time I looked like I could win a hole I hooked wildly anything over a 6 iron (the rest were fine).

Somehow my putting and chipping saved me and I ground out a half, one I feel I did not deserve.

I kept thinking I was going to or had or was doing something that was poor etiquette, that really doesn't help the game!
 
My usual advice to Fragger when he plays a bum shot is:-

"No-one likes to see that...."

I can get in the zone as well although sometimes - normally when I'm having a bad game - anything puts me off.
You should try to keep quiet but try to let it affect you if someone else can't.
 
I must be quite strange, compared to the rest of you.

If I push a shot right into the rough or trees, and someone I'm playing with suggests that I should have a look at my alignment, because I didn't push my shot at all, it went straight where I was aiming. Then I couldn't give two hoots if he's a Pro or a 25 handicapper. They could well have a valid point, and all it takes is to place the club across my hips and then sight down it to my knees and toes. It takes two seconds.

I appreciate feedback. I always did in sailboat racing, and I do in golf.

However I wouldn't dream of asking someone why my shot was 'pushed' on the tee. As I'd think that my playing partners weren't out here to give lessons and 'help' me. We are of course talking about friendlies, and not comps.

I have no problem with observations from other players, re above. But what I do have a problem with is when someone says 'great shot', and it wasn't. But that's as much to do with my expectations of my abilities, and not nessecarily the result of the shot.

I do wonder if perhaps we need a little joviality on the course. If you send it banana'ing right, then quite honestly we should have a laugh about it. After all, the Pros don't hit 100% of fairways or GIR. Some folks get so riled by one bad shot, it effects every shot for the next two holes. Come on. It's only golf, and we do it for fun.
 
Moving or talking when someone else is playing is rude pure and simple.

I dont mind people giving me advice and I would only offer advice in a friendly (for obvious reasons) and it also depends who I am playing with.
 
I dont really mind people making noises....
It'll happen...People sneeze, Fart, cough,whisper, not necessarily in that order :eek: but it dose happen....
3 weeks ago at our course there was a hunt on (I thought this was banned) :( maybe not...It was on in the countryside surrounding the course....mostly bogland....But there were hounds everywhere on the course...They were on tee box's, greens, fairways,Barking,whining whelping....I found it qiute funny.....

But what i do hate is someone cracking a joke before we reach the tee box or whatever shot im about to play....

Take yesterday for instance.....My playing partner was laughing at the size of the divots i was taking....His reply was "And you wanna get Blades, Those things are so deep that i can see a fellow climbing out of one with a surf board under his arm"
I laughed far ages afterwards...Of course there was deadly banter then :D :D :D :D
 
I dont mind noise if its a constant noise but if its something that goes off during the swing then it annoys me :mad:.

Getting advise off people is great i think. If you listen and you hear the same problem being said you know something is wrong. You might even find something so simple might change your game completely :D. If its wrong you can always change back. Simples :rolleyes:
 
I think playing partners should be still (unless they're not in the players vision) and quiet when one of the group is taking a shot.

I don't care about someone shouting on the next fairway or a dog running across the fairway, but I just think it's rude for members of my own group to keep walking or chatting when someone is playing a shot.

We often stand behind the line on each others tee shots purely because it's not possible to watch the ball all the way from off to the side.
Again that doesn't bother me as long as they don't move as I swing.

Probably just how I was brought up.
 
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