New Debate

[TomC]

For those who have not seen the latest issue of Golf Monthly (August) this months debate is all about whether Golf Clubs should relax their rules on mobile phones...

vote here!


http://www.golf-monthly.co.uk/polls.html

 

[Spoff]

Will be interesting to see how this one goes.

I always have mine with me on silet for emergencies, never needed it yet.

I have just changed phone and like a few people that post here now have a phone that can act as a Range Finder.

What are clubs policy on using phones as such? Assuming the 'phone' is on silent should be OK?

 

[Twire]

Just registered my vote Tom.......100% for not relaxing. I have a funny feeling that I'm the only one who's voted so far. Can you also publish how many votes were cast, as just posting the percentage doesn't mean an awful lot on it's own?

 

[freddielong]

I also voted not to -

I don't think anyone is so important that they can't play a round of golf without annoying everyone else.

Anyone who does think you are that important, trust me you are not.

 

[TomC]

good lads!

For those who don't know I am on the NO side of the argument this month.

 

[Brendan]

Anyone who does think you are that important, trust me you are not.

Maybe the person's families would beg to differ on that, what a childish thing to say.

If its comptition day then i agree. But on a day's practice i think it can be relaxed.


Edit: Apologies mate I have miss read your quote.

 

[freddielong]

Anyone who does think you are that important, trust me you are not.

Maybe the person's families would beg to differ on that, what a childish thing to say.

If its comptition day then i agree. But on a day's practice i think it can be relaxed.

If you start banning them on certain days it gets to messy what happens if you are playing on a comp day but not in the comp etc what happens if there if a midweek matchplay comp etc - it has to be banned on the course all the time. Anyone whose family cannot manage without them for four hours shouldn't be playing golf

 

[Brendan]

Anyone who does think you are that important, trust me you are not.

Maybe the person's families would beg to differ on that, what a childish thing to say.

If its comptition day then i agree. But on a day's practice i think it can be relaxed.

If you start banning them on certain days it gets to messy what happens if you are playing on a comp day but not in the comp etc what happens if there if a midweek matchplay comp etc - it has to be banned on the course all the time. Anyone whose family cannot manage without them for four hours shouldn't be playing golf

What if i was a firemen on call and your house was on fire???

 

[freddielong]

Anyone who does think you are that important, trust me you are not.

Maybe the person's families would beg to differ on that, what a childish thing to say.

If its comptition day then i agree. But on a day's practice i think it can be relaxed.

If you start banning them on certain days it gets to messy what happens if you are playing on a comp day but not in the comp etc what happens if there if a midweek matchplay comp etc - it has to be banned on the course all the time. Anyone whose family cannot manage without them for four hours shouldn't be playing golf

What if i was a firemen on call and your house was on fire???

He shouldn't be on the golf course if he's on call, he could be depending on the course 20-45 minutes from the car park

 

[MikeH]

Clarkey - this is a low tactic trying to drum up support for your vote!

On a more serious note regarding the issue of importance which was Tom's main point of argument in the piece - the most important job I do is being a dad not being editor of GM.

My Mrs works full time and if something crops up with her work or if she gets stuck on the train which means she can't collect my daughter from nursery then I need to drop what I'm doing and go and do the pick up. I'd very much doubt I was alone in this sort of scenario.

I don't see how having your phone on silent and checking your phone every 4 or 5 holes while walking in between shots or if you're waiting on a tee for the fairway to clear constitutes 'annoying someone'.

As I said in my piece there's never an excuse for your use of a mobile disrupting other golfers, but I do think golf clubs need to appreciate the demands of modern life and not expect golfers to be incomunicado the moment they drive in the gates.

Surely there's room for some common sense?

anyway, sure this one has plenty of legs

 

[viscount17]

I voted no.

Carry by all means - on vibrate.

If it's absolutely essential that you make/take a call then your whole group should step away from the tee/hole, and invite everyone through - you don't know how long the call will take

(Echt - this is one type of course hog)

 

[KeefG]

I'm firmly with Mike on this one and I voted to relax the rules.

Its a different story if some idiot has the Star Wars tune blaring out every 3 seconds and just as you're at the top of your backswing, but discretely checking your phone every now and again whilst its on silent is a completely different kettle of fish.

The mobile phone rules are ridiculous and need to be relaxed.

 

[TomC]

Clarkey - this is a low tactic trying to drum up support for your vote!

On a more serious note regarding the issue of importance which was Tom's main point of argument in the piece - the most important job I do is being a dad not being editor of GM.

My Mrs works full time and if something crops up with her work or if she gets stuck on the train which means she can't collect my daughter from nursery then I need to drop what I'm doing and go and do the pick up. I'd very much doubt I was alone in this sort of scenario.

I don't see how having your phone on silent and checking your phone every 4 or 5 holes while walking in between shots or if you're waiting on a tee for the fairway to clear constitutes 'annoying someone'.

As I said in my piece there's never an excuse for your use of a mobile disrupting other golfers, but I do think golf clubs need to appreciate the demands of modern life and not expect golfers to be incomunicado the moment they drive in the gates.

Surely there's room for some common sense?

anyway, sure this one has plenty of legs

No low tactics from me on here.. just advertising the poll of course!

but in reply to your point Mike, golf has been played without the need to have mobiles for a hell of a long time. No need to ruin it now!

Common sense is also a tough one, because some people have a lot more than others!!!!

 

[kid2]

Just voted NO there myself.... ileave mine in the car... its the only time people get a bit of piece and quite to themselves for 3 to 4 hours...plus if you were needed thet urgently whats wrong with ringing the golf club directly.....What would have been done in the days without the mobile phones....

 

[theeaglehunter]

Clarkey - this is a low tactic trying to drum up support for your vote!

On a more serious note regarding the issue of importance which was Tom's main point of argument in the piece - the most important job I do is being a dad not being editor of GM.

My Mrs works full time and if something crops up with her work or if she gets stuck on the train which means she can't collect my daughter from nursery then I need to drop what I'm doing and go and do the pick up. I'd very much doubt I was alone in this sort of scenario.

I don't see how having your phone on silent and checking your phone every 4 or 5 holes while walking in between shots or if you're waiting on a tee for the fairway to clear constitutes 'annoying someone'.

As I said in my piece there's never an excuse for your use of a mobile disrupting other golfers, but I do think golf clubs need to appreciate the demands of modern life and not expect golfers to be incomunicado the moment they drive in the gates.

Surely there's room for some common sense?

anyway, sure this one has plenty of legs

I'm 100% in agreement with this. Provided necessary precautions are taken to ensure that partners / opponents are not distracted there really should not be a mobile phone ban.

I would also further this argument by saying that I would have no problem with a playing partner talking on their phone whilst walking to their ball on the fairway. It is no different to talking amongst the group in terms of distracting other players, and therefore if something important crops up players should definitely be free to use their phone.

I do accept however that I wouldn't want this to become a frequent occurrence (phoning people walking to your ball) and I would limit it to only 'important' circumstances. I just don;t see the need for someone to sneak off into a corner if they do have an important call to make.

In case you are wondering, I voted that rules should be relaxed.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I always carry it with me. I'll have it on silent whenever I'm in the clubhouse or its in my bag and I'll just check it between shots or walking down a fairway maybe once on each nine. I can't think of an occasion where I've needed to stop and make a call or reply to a message (maybe I'm nobby no mates or just not important to anyone).

I play with a guy (usually midweek competitions) who works from home on Fridays (comp day) but is supposedly available. He does get annoying as he keeps checking the phone everyhole and stops to make calls. No wonder he never does well in the mideweeks as it must be impossible to concentrate. We've asked him to leave the phone on silent or only check it once per nine but I actually think he's one of these guys that panics if he doesn't reply to a mail/message/call immediately.

Personally I'm a no - thing are ok as they are.

 

[centuryg5]

I voted No, some of the ringtones you get nowadays. i.e. the old Zcars thing, the one, the bluenoses at goodison park tip run out to, i rest my case.

 

[haplesshacker]

Tom. You just had too, didn't you!

I use my phone constantly on the golf course, it is silent, and my playing partners appreciate the fact that I do use my phone constantly.

As a lot on here know. I run a GPS software on my phone and the guys I play with love it.

The phone part of it, is turned off whilst on the course. However, in the last stages of my wife's pregnancy, it was on. With the agreement of the guys I'm playing with.

Common sense!

The problem is when Mr. *** uses his phone on the course to organise which pub he's meeting his mates at later on!

Mr. *** will always use his phone, will always ignore the rules, will always ignore the requests of others, and will always be Mr. ***. He'll also never ever posess any common sense!

Rules or no rules. Mr. *** will always exist. And for that reason I don't see the point in voting.

PS Having re-read my piece, trust me, it comes across more aggresive than is intended.

 

[EchtLoon]

Anyone who does think you are that important, trust me you are not.

Maybe the person's families would beg to differ on that, what a childish thing to say.

If its comptition day then i agree. But on a day's practice i think it can be relaxed.

If you start banning them on certain days it gets to messy what happens if you are playing on a comp day but not in the comp etc what happens if there if a midweek matchplay comp etc - it has to be banned on the course all the time. Anyone whose family cannot manage without them for four hours shouldn't be playing golf

What if i was a firemen on call and your house was on fire???

The only firemen who are on call, are part timers, and they have beepers for just such a situation.

We managed plenty fine before mobiles came along. For that once in a lifetime emergency (and I've yet to see one occur at any club I've been at) then family/friends/whoever can call the pro shop/clubhouse and someone can be sent out to get you.

It is a huge NO from me.

 

[Espada]

Personally I have no isssue with people using phones so long as

A) they keep the noise down i.e. silent and if you must speak on it don't shout.

B)Don't hold up play.