I love this game ..................... but sometimes!

[Hammertoe]

Hey Guys

I'm fairly new to this forum but have been reading for quite a while and posting occasionally here and there. I know everyone who's here, is here because they love the game of golf, myself included, but I just wanted to start a thread asking is there anything you hate about the game? It could be anything, from constantly changing equipment, membership rates to the captains right of way, anything that winds you up?

The reason I am asking is down to a few experiences I have had over the years at golf clubs: I remember being a juvenile member at my local club and playing with my mate, as 2 teenagers do we were playing fairley quickley but as the course was busy we got held up on a tee by a fourball, there was a group of three older gentlemen behind us, we were still on the tee when they came over and without hesitation said 'your juveniles? we'll just play on through' and proceeded to tee up, we lifted our bags and walked straight off the course and made a complaint that we never heard any more about, this still grates me nearly 20 years later.

The second incident and the one that gets me the most was 4 years ago when I was a fully paid up member of another club, I had been there about 3 months, I had my handicap cards in and was playing off 16 at the time after a few years away from the game, I played every sat in the sweep and sunday casually and usually one evening during the week, just retuning my game and was getting back my swing after every outing. Captains Day was in mid July and everything just clicked, I shot a gross 75 on a par 70 course playing off 16 for a nett 59, thats how good I can be when playing consistantly, when I handed my card in I was promptly informed by some jumped up little prick who I had never met that I wouldnt be lifting the big prize as I was only a new member, I informed him I was a fully paid up member and had the same rights as every other member, but apparantly not, I never stayed for the prize presentation as I was boiling and probably would have said something during it, so thought it best to leave. Still to this day I refuse to collect the prize. Needless to say I left the course when my membership expired.

Now I understand that these instances may be put down to people rather than golf, but I have never come across people like this in any other aspect of my life, only in golf clubs. Thank god now I am a member of a fantastic course that respects juveniles and it's senior members and I am a happy golfer again.

So has anyone had a bad experience or is there an aspect of golf that you absolutely hate?

 

[Franco]

I took up golf last September, after three years playing bowls. During those three years, I encountered so many instances of ill-mannered behaviour that eventually I just gave up the game. What really surprised me was that other people who were around when this happened, just made excuses, 'Just ignore him, he's always like that' or 'Don't take any notice'. No one would challenge it.

When playing my first round of 18 holes, I met one fellow who criticised my game constantly, until I told him to stop. Since then, I have only encountered good humour, kindness and patience, both on the course and in the clubhouse. I think that there are ill-mannered, self-important people wherever you go and I certainly don't ignore their rudeness.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

So has anyone had a bad experience or is there an aspect of golf that you absolutely hate?

Putting - I've had many bad experiences!

 

[garyinderry]

juniors moving over and allowing others to over take is common place at my brothers club. they do it without hesitation or fuss which I was surprised at.

the reason for this is they get membership for £75. there is no other 9 hole for them to learn the game on so they have to use the big course. they club have put in orange tees that are forward of the reds.

the system seems to work quite well from what I can see. the juniors there will spend most of their days in the summer casually making their way around the course.

the course is quite tight and tough. a lot of them become low single figs men by the time they hit 16.

I can see your frustration though.

 

[garyinderry]

re: not being illegible for the big prizes.


I moved course last year and despite having 4 years handicap history with countless comps I was unable to lift the prizes for the majors at my new club. they have been bitten by bandits in the past so enforce a rule that you cant lift the prizes for a major for the first two years.

these are the rules and I have to accept that. not that i was in danger of winning one of these anyway.

as an aside, i have been allowed to enter and win these in my 2nd year. they mustn't see me as a threat!

you shouldn't let these things get to you. there is bigger things in life. handicap cuts and pride will do just fine :thup:

 

[One Planer]

So has anyone had a bad experience or is there an aspect of golf that you absolutely hate?

Yes, my mental attitude.

I'm a self confessed perfectionist. That and golf tend not to play well together

If I can alter my mental 'game' a little, I feel I'll be a much better player.

 

[patricks148]

Hey Guys

I'm fairly new to this forum but have been reading for quite a while and posting occasionally here and there. I know everyone who's here, is here because they love the game of golf, myself included, but I just wanted to start a thread asking is there anything you hate about the game? It could be anything, from constantly changing equipment, membership rates to the captains right of way, anything that winds you up?

The reason I am asking is down to a few experiences I have had over the years at golf clubs: I remember being a juvenile member at my local club and playing with my mate, as 2 teenagers do we were playing fairley quickley but as the course was busy we got held up on a tee by a fourball, there was a group of three older gentlemen behind us, we were still on the tee when they came over and without hesitation said 'your juveniles? we'll just play on through' and proceeded to tee up, we lifted our bags and walked straight off the course and made a complaint that we never heard any more about, this still grates me nearly 20 years later.

The second incident and the one that gets me the most was 4 years ago when I was a fully paid up member of another club, I had been there about 3 months, I had my handicap cards in and was playing off 16 at the time after a few years away from the game, I played every sat in the sweep and sunday casually and usually one evening during the week, just retuning my game and was getting back my swing after every outing. Captains Day was in mid July and everything just clicked, I shot a gross 75 on a par 70 course playing off 16 for a nett 59, thats how good I can be when playing consistantly, when I handed my card in I was promptly informed by some jumped up little prick who I had never met that I wouldnt be lifting the big prize as I was only a new member, I informed him I was a fully paid up member and had the same rights as every other member, but apparantly not, I never stayed for the prize presentation as I was boiling and probably would have said something during it, so thought it best to leave. Still to this day I refuse to collect the prize. Needless to say I left the course when my membership expired.

Now I understand that these instances may be put down to people rather than golf, but I have never come across people like this in any other aspect of my life, only in golf clubs. Thank god now I am a member of a fantastic course that respects juveniles and it's senior members and I am a happy golfer again.

So has anyone had a bad experience or is there an aspect of golf that you absolutely hate?

I Imagine this type of thing with the juniors happens less now, But it does not suppise me for 20 years ago, I've only payed for about 7 years and have no exp of what t is like to be a junior golfer. The other instance sounds feasible, Ive heard that some clubs you are not allowed to win anything untill you have spent X amount of time at a club and entered a certain amount of comps. Look at it this way, Some new guy turns up gets a new handicap, shoots the lights out with a score 11 shots under handicap (depending on CSS of course) look on the bright side you would have got a healthy cut out of it

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

folk being showy and braggy over equipment and clothing - dislike big (I don't hate anything about golf as I don't do hate as it undermines my spiritual well-being and there can be no good reason for me doing that to myself )

And I do not dislike DMDs btw

 

[need_my_wedge]

Just wait for DelC....... no need for any other replies

 

[standrew]

When i started at 9, my dad was like competitive dad from the Fast Show and would expect me play up to his standard. Used to send me to the car after 9 holes. Took me 15 years to get back into it, but now im good.

 

[Hacker Khan]

I think it's a wonderful game unfortunately held back by the attitudes of some of the people that run clubs and the ruling bodies. This then tends to manifest itself at times in the people that play the game. And whilst you will get idiots in all walks of life and sports, at times it seems golf has more than its fair share.

It's too often run as an exclusive game for a few as opposed to an inclusive game for all.

But thankfully a lot of that does not matter when you are out on a nice sunny day having hit a 6 iron to 5 feet. So I hear

 

[Fyldewhite]

If I hate one thing it's golf snobbery. The one thing that unites all golfers is the game itself and our love of it, whether played on a council muni, a goat-track or a championship links. When I hear it my first reaction is usually "there's just no need".....and there never is.

 

[MadAdey]

And I do not dislike DMDs btw

Really? I would never had known........

 

[MadAdey]

I think that most clubs apply a rule about new members coming in and sweeping up the major comps as they do have some big prizes attached to them. I had a lay off from golf for a couple of years due to injury and when I cam back I had to put cards in for handicap as mine had lapsed. Put them in and got a 10 handicap. It would not have been difficult to have rigged them and got a 20 handicap then proceeded to clean up all the big comps, basically stealing all those nice prizes.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Really? I would never had known........

They have their place in today's game.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I think that most clubs apply a rule about new members coming in and sweeping up the major comps as they do have some big prizes attached to them. I had a lay off from golf for a couple of years due to injury and when I cam back I had to put cards in for handicap as mine had lapsed. Put them in and got a 10 handicap. It would not have been difficult to have rigged them and got a 20 handicap then proceeded to clean up all the big comps, basically stealing all those nice prizes.

Shouldn't happen if handicap sec is on top of his job. My first ever handicap off three cards was 16. Couple of months later I won a board comp and was cut 3 shots. Over next few years I won a few more - and soon found myself off 8 - mostly through winners cuts - not a lot of medal play in there.

 

[MadAdey]

They have their place in today's game.

Never thought you would say that. But then again you are not saying you agree with them....

OMG, LOL, IMO, all have a place in our society apparently, does not mean you have to embrace them...........pmsl

 

[MadAdey]

Shouldn't happen if handicap sec is on top of his job. My first ever handicap off three cards was 16. Couple of months later I won a board comp and was cut 3 shots. Over next few years I won a few more - and soon found myself off 8 - mostly through winners cuts - not a lot of medal play in there.

I would never do that, but with the way handicaps are run it would be very easy to do it nowadays. All you would have to do is play a few medals early on and play within your handicap buffer to prevent any cuts. I then go out and shoot a -8 to win Captains day, they will then cut me going on CSS being par 2.4 shots. I am now off 17.4. I go into The next major comp I go out and play to me 10 handicap and pick up yet another one with a -7. They will now cut me down to 15.3. That would still give me chance to play another one and maybe have another good round and shoot -7 again. I am now going to be off 13.1. At the same time I am playing in the club singles and find myself through to the semi finals. By now though they have probably gone and caught me on general play and cut me down to 10. So finally I am at the correct handicap but I have picked up 3 major comps and the lovely prizes that go with them and got myself into the semi-finals of the club singles knockout.

I would not be happy someone doing that at my club and that is why they have a ban on new members playing in major comps.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I would never do that, but with the way handicaps are run it would be very easy to do it nowadays. All you would have to do is play a few medals early on and play within your handicap buffer to prevent any cuts. I then go out and shoot a -8 to win Captains day, they will then cut me going on CSS being par 2.4 shots. I am now off 17.4. I go into The next major comp I go out and play to me 10 handicap and pick up yet another one with a -7. They will now cut me down to 15.3. That would still give me chance to play another one and maybe have another good round and shoot -7 again. I am now going to be off 13.1. At the same time I am playing in the club singles and find myself through to the semi finals. By now though they have probably gone and caught me on general play and cut me down to 10. So finally I am at the correct handicap but I have picked up 3 major comps and the lovely prizes that go with them and got myself into the semi-finals of the club singles knockout.

I would not be happy someone doing that at my club and that is why they have a ban on new members playing in major comps.

To be clear about what I meant - I played every bleedin' medal but rarely did very well. Most of my handicap reduction over the years came about through winning comps. My general play improved so I managed to keep a wee bit ahead of the handicapper - and I was an excellent match play golfer - but rubbish at putting a good medal card together - but boy did I try - probably too hard. And the same applies today

 

[Hacker Khan]

I would never do that, but with the way handicaps are run it would be very easy to do it nowadays. All you would have to do is play a few medals early on and play within your handicap buffer to prevent any cuts. I then go out and shoot a -8 to win Captains day, they will then cut me going on CSS being par 2.4 shots. I am now off 17.4. I go into The next major comp I go out and play to me 10 handicap and pick up yet another one with a -7. They will now cut me down to 15.3. That would still give me chance to play another one and maybe have another good round and shoot -7 again. I am now going to be off 13.1. At the same time I am playing in the club singles and find myself through to the semi finals. By now though they have probably gone and caught me on general play and cut me down to 10. So finally I am at the correct handicap but I have picked up 3 major comps and the lovely prizes that go with them and got myself into the semi-finals of the club singles knockout.

I would not be happy someone doing that at my club and that is why they have a ban on new members playing in major comps.

I can kind of understand why. But going back to the whole 'welcoming new people into the game', having a rule that says anyone new can't play in the major comps for a bit is hardly sending out a welcoming message.

Just because you might get someone who may be desperate to win some tin pot amateur competition (and that's not really meant to be an insult, but in the grand scheme of things that is what they are) by deliberately playing within their handicap.