bladeplayer
Money List Winner
Did you read ALL of the op ?
'Interesting' Email conversation. Warning - long 'rant'!
- Thread starter Foxholer
- Start date
Did you read ALL of the op ?
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
Why did Wayne and Simon not approach the group; explain the situation (and that it was embarrassing for them as members as they had a guest); and ask if it was OK to play through? Lack of response would then have made complaint absolutely reasonable and indeed necessary.
Marshy77
Journeyman Pro
4 hours at a fairly busy time isn't too bad really.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
4 hours at a fairly busy time isn't too bad really.
I think OP is saying that they played at near 5hr pace for 9 holes - and as we know it is pace of play that is a killer in these situations and as the night falls. A brisk back 9 doesn't always make up for the frustration and irritation of a grim front 9.
Foxholer
Blackballed
If you knew the layout of the course, you would know that there are very few places to actually approach a group in front. It was at one of those, when the reaction was to completely blank us, that it became obvious that they were not going to let us through. To subsequently approach them would have involved a 150yd walk up and then back again.
@Marshy The quick 2nd half was because there was no-one holding us up. It would normally be that pace all the way around.
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woody69
Journeyman Pro
If your group was that quick and they were that slow there would have been a time when you finished on one green and approached the tee box for the next hole with them either still on it or just walking off? When you say, they blanked you. Did you try to speak to them at that point, or was them blanking you them not offering to allow you to play through?
Foxholer
Blackballed
There was a single opportunity, but it was early in the 'encounter' and we hadn't really determined that they were sooo slow. As a visitor, I left it to the members to broach the subject. I got the impression they were expecting the ones in front to offer (that is, after all what Etiquette states should happen), but they scampered away with no glance to/at us. That seemed to be the quickest they moved!
C
c1973
Guest
OTT imo. Each to their own when it comes to complaining though.
Did you get the 2 members permission to drop their names btw? If not, poor show on your part. ( I have read correctly that you joined up with 2 members, yeah?)
Also, I wouldn't be happy with anyone splashing my e-mail content over the net; I consider that to be private. Not sure of the law in relation to what you have done in that respect, but if I was the sec I'd be considering contacting a lawyer to find out.
How many courtesy rounds do you get in an average year btw?
Did you get the 2 members permission to drop their names btw? If not, poor show on your part. ( I have read correctly that you joined up with 2 members, yeah?)
Also, I wouldn't be happy with anyone splashing my e-mail content over the net; I consider that to be private. Not sure of the law in relation to what you have done in that respect, but if I was the sec I'd be considering contacting a lawyer to find out.
How many courtesy rounds do you get in an average year btw?
S
Snelly
Guest
Why didn't you just go down the fairway and ask in the politest terms possible to be let through? That is what I would have done.
Foxholer
Blackballed
As I understand it, the law is the same as for letters and there's case law about that - once sent(without 'Private'/'Confidential' or the like), the recipient has ownership, so can (generally) do what they like. I did notify him of what I was intending, so he had the opportunity to object.
How many courtesy rounds do you get in an average year btw?
What are you implying?
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londonlewis
Tour Rookie
I feel inclined to agree with a number of replies on here that the emails to Sutton GC were over the top and quite aggressive in nature.
Maybe go in with the compliment sandwich approach next time. Say something nice about the course, make your complaint, finish with something nice.
eg. Hi,
I played in a 3 ball this weekend at your course and have to say that your greens keepers should be commended on the work they have continued to do. The tee boxes were impeccable and the greens run true.
The downside was that we were stuck behind a slow 3-ball of members (confirmed by X and Y who are members at your course and who were my playing partners for the day). Unfortunately the group ahead never once acknowledged us or even considered letting us play through, which culminated in the back 9 taking 2hours 20 minutes to complete.
I've played your course on a number of occasions and really enjoy the layout and challenge, keep up the good work.
It would be great if something could be done about the pace of play though.
Kind regards,
...
if you go in too hard, you will get a poor response and unfortunately you went in too hard.
Maybe go in with the compliment sandwich approach next time. Say something nice about the course, make your complaint, finish with something nice.
eg. Hi,
I played in a 3 ball this weekend at your course and have to say that your greens keepers should be commended on the work they have continued to do. The tee boxes were impeccable and the greens run true.
The downside was that we were stuck behind a slow 3-ball of members (confirmed by X and Y who are members at your course and who were my playing partners for the day). Unfortunately the group ahead never once acknowledged us or even considered letting us play through, which culminated in the back 9 taking 2hours 20 minutes to complete.
I've played your course on a number of occasions and really enjoy the layout and challenge, keep up the good work.
It would be great if something could be done about the pace of play though.
Kind regards,
...
if you go in too hard, you will get a poor response and unfortunately you went in too hard.
jp5
Q-School Graduate
Think you've unfortunately had the opposite effect of what you intended and in fact made yourself look a bit of a plonker by "loading bodies of our correspondence onto a couple of Golf forums".
If you'd like everything to be done exactly your way best to start saving for your own course.
Just appreciate being able to be out and playing with friends on a beautiful day. :thup:
If you'd like everything to be done exactly your way best to start saving for your own course.
Just appreciate being able to be out and playing with friends on a beautiful day. :thup:
C
c1973
Guest
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
Over the top from the start in my own humble opinion and so I'm not surprised you put the secretary's back up with the tone. As others have said, I would have thought the members would have had the common sense to take matters into their own hands at some point in proceedings and deal wtih it appropriately on the course at the time.
I don't necessarily agree with airing the dirty laundry in public even if you did give him fair warning. HOWEVER, I do agree that both the members and the secretary could both have acted in a more responsible fashion (although I can see the secretary's stand). At the end of the day though, neither he or the pro shop can really be held accountable of the course is busy when you arrive and so the onus falls on the members to do the right thing and isn't something that can be policed unless the course has marshalls patrolling. I'd put it down to a bad day and then it's up to you to decide if you want to give them your custom in the future
I don't necessarily agree with airing the dirty laundry in public even if you did give him fair warning. HOWEVER, I do agree that both the members and the secretary could both have acted in a more responsible fashion (although I can see the secretary's stand). At the end of the day though, neither he or the pro shop can really be held accountable of the course is busy when you arrive and so the onus falls on the members to do the right thing and isn't something that can be policed unless the course has marshalls patrolling. I'd put it down to a bad day and then it's up to you to decide if you want to give them your custom in the future
Foxholer
Blackballed
Nothing at all. Just a light hearted joke.
I most certainly wouldn't attempt to use a complaint for gain! That's like cheating at Golf imo.
If you read the text, I am really simply trying to ensure that it doesn't happen again - to anyone. Though, naturally, with emphasis on me!
G
guest100718
Guest
you sound like a grumpy old man....
Ethan
Money List Winner
Well even if the original message was one which could be seen as getting the clubs back up, it is still unwise for them to respond that way. A reply along the lines of "sorry to hear, that isn't how we ask members to behave and will look to ways of reinforcing etiquette advice and hope to see you back soon", even if no intent to do so, might have been more sensible. Instead matey boy got drawn into an inevitable and avoidable response cycle.
C
c1973
Guest
As I said, that comment was intended as a light hearted joke, no real offence was intended.
If they responded with an apology and a comp round would you have said no?
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
This is exactly what I would have also done
Agree with the reasons for the email and some of the content but the tone was going to immediately but someone's back up hence the short replies you got
Think both of you should never work in customer services
Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
I think using the word ‘ignorant’ is always risky in written communication and in this case partly the cause of the nature of the reply
While its defined meaning of a ‘lack of knowledge/understanding’ may be what one party intends and may describe the situation accurately, the recipient could take the more informal & insulting meaning of ‘being rude/don’t care’, which is now being used by a visitor to describe 4 of his members
You see it getting used on forums etc occasionally too (I think sometimes intentionally to incite but that’s another matter)
I like londonlewis’s approach
Just a thought... maybe Bernard was playing that evening with his wife & a couple of mates!
While its defined meaning of a ‘lack of knowledge/understanding’ may be what one party intends and may describe the situation accurately, the recipient could take the more informal & insulting meaning of ‘being rude/don’t care’, which is now being used by a visitor to describe 4 of his members
You see it getting used on forums etc occasionally too (I think sometimes intentionally to incite but that’s another matter)
I like londonlewis’s approach
Just a thought... maybe Bernard was playing that evening with his wife & a couple of mates!
