New member what to do

[G1z1]

I made a post the other week about two problems with my new club. So I emailed the club on the 16th of April so a little over two weeks, I was very polite just saying I had two concerns 1 being people skipping on the course and 2 people starting on the 10th and asking what is the rules regarding where you can tee off from and do I have the right away if I get held up. I didn’t get any reply and wondering if I should go in on Monday and ask what’s going on.
I did notice the last two weeks a marshal has been out on the course but finishes at 6pm when I usually finish my round about 7:30/8pm theres always multiple people on the first few holes. So the marshal doesn’t work as I’m guessing most people skip on between 6 and 8pm.
Other problem about people teeing off from the 10th is now worst that I thought because the 10th is a blind tee shot, on the 10th last week I topped my driver just made it over the hill and guy in front was taking ages. Someone must of walked onto the 10th tees off and ball goes right over my head because they can’t see me so it’s extremely dangerous and surprised if no one has actually been hit before because of this.
I am annoyed they haven’t bothered to reply to my email and not sure what to do next, clubs by far best in my area so don’t want to leave but these two problems are annoying with one of them being quite dangerous.

 

[rudebhoy]

If you are stood in a spot which is blind from the tee, and can't play, I'd say, if possible, you should move to a spot which is visible from the tee for your own safety until it's clear ahead of you.

 

[srixon 1]

If you are stood in a spot which is blind from the tee, and can't play, I'd say, if possible, you should move to a spot which is visible from the tee for your own safety until it's clear ahead of you.

……or leave your bag where it can be seen from the tee.

 

[Jimaroid]

I think you’re (OP) on a hiding to nothing. Writing emails/letters about established member behaviour and with your handicap in a new club you’re going to get yourself a great and difficult reputation. ?

Seriously I’d give it time, some club committees meet once a month and won’t respond to letters until they are discussed.
Others might respond immediately.

Unfortunately this is another case of it being down to individual club matters and every club being different. I strongly suspect you’re picking a fight with long established members and that’ll get you nowhere.

I’d find someone to talk to about it in person before writing. Have you asked the Marshall what he thinks the problem is?

 

[G1z1]

I think you’re (OP) on a hiding to nothing. Writing emails/letters about established member behaviour and with your handicap in a new club you’re going to get yourself a great and difficult reputation. ?

Seriously I’d give it time, some club committees meet once a month and won’t respond to letters until they are discussed.
Others might respond immediately.

Unfortunately this is another case of it being down to individual club matters and every club being different. I strongly suspect you’re picking a fight with long established members and that’ll get you nowhere.

I’d find someone to talk to about it in person before writing. Have you asked the Marshall what he thinks the problem is?

Yes had a talk with the marshal the past two weekends very nice guy and he tells me the people he’s been catching. Problem is he starts in the afternoon when no one skips on then finishes early. He would be far more effective if he started around 5 till 8 but suppose me being a new member and suggesting that probably won’t go down too well along with allowing people to tee off from the 10th on a blind hole lol so probably best just to learn to live with it. Problem is as well most people don’t ring the bell on the 10th so if someone jumps on at the 10th and I don’t see them I could possibly kill someone because the hills only 100 yards away if I hit my drive well it’s flys down there at some speed.

 

[IanM]

When you say "skipping on," do you mean members starting on layer holes or non members nipping on without paying?

 

[G1z1]

When you say "skipping on," do you mean members starting on layer holes or non members nipping on without paying?

I mean non members skipping on without paying apparently it’s a real problem at my club at the weekend.
The second problem is people that are members who tee off midweek from the 10th on a blind hole and it’s always older people who play slower. So at first I was annoyed about getting held up but now it’s actually dangerous for me getting held up on the 10th and possibly getting hit by a ball or else me possibly hitting someone with a ball because I’ve not seen they have jumped on. It’s just a bad setup in my opinion and I know older people sometimes like to just play 9 holes, I get it but it’s just a bad hole to allow it.

Also forgot to add last week got held up by an older guy who jumped on at the 10th no joke the slowest player I’ve seen yet. So on the 12th hole im waiting for ages to tee off and there’s another two ball waiting behind me on the tee box. We decided to play as a 3 ball because the guy in front is just not letting anyone past. Play the last 7 holes with these two older men, one of them can’t even bend down to pick up his ball he has some sort of device on his putter that picks the ball up for him. The two old guy didn’t repair one divot on any green and they told me how great the club was and they had been members for 40 years all while damaging the greens lol

 

[rulefan]

Make yourself known to the Captain and have a word with him at the bar.

 

[Jimaroid]

Is the Marshall a volunteer or an employee?

I think expectations of what a Marshall can or should do depends on factors such as that.

And I agree in principal with rulefan as it’s only the club themselves that can help. All you’ll get from this place is unhelpful opinion.

 

[G1z1]

Is the Marshall a volunteer or an employee?

I think expectations of what a Marshall can or should do depends on factors such as that.

And I agree in principal with rulefan as it’s only the club themselves that can help. All you’ll get from this place is unhelpful opinion.

I am not sure to be honest, I’ll ask him next time I see him. It’s that bad I wouldn’t mind volunteering maybe one weekend a month just to help out.

 

[jim8flog]

We have a Captain's committee meeting once a month and all correspondence is dealt with at that meeting unless considered very urgent to be dealt with by the manager.

I would class your email as the former and not expect a reply until after the next meeting.

 

[Banchory Buddha]

Seriously I’d give it time, some club committees meet once a month and won’t respond to letters until they are discussed.

This. You're being totally unrealistic to expect a reply in such short order

 

[G1z1]

This. You're being totally unrealistic to expect a reply in such short order

I don’t think so, I think they should of replied by now. I made two points and one of them being a question about the rules and where I stand. So I think it’s poor form that my email wasn’t even acknowledged .

 

[Neilds]

Just to make sure I understand your issue, you join a new club and because you want to play either really early or late and the club isn’t running how you want to suit your needs you are firing off emails of complaint after two weeks? I understand you may be a bit miffed with people getting in the way during your own private round and maybe delaying you a bit but there needs to be a bit of give and take. If you carry on with this attitude i suspect you will become very unpopular very quickly. The golf club rumour grapevine works very quickly

 

[G1z1]

Just to make sure I understand your issue, you join a new club and because you want to play either really early or late and the club isn’t running how you want to suit your needs you are firing off emails of complaint after two weeks? I understand you may be a bit miffed with people getting in the way during your own private round and maybe delaying you a bit but there needs to be a bit of give and take. If you carry on with this attitude i suspect you will become very unpopular very quickly. The golf club rumour grapevine works very quickly

Well the way I’m seeing it is i have paid for a full membership with joining fee and people are skipping on for free, so yes I’m 100% annoyed with this.
The people that start from the 10th don’t actually bother me, it’s more the point it’s dangerous because it’s a blind hole. I left east ren last year and it’s a lovely course in the summer but I would never in a million years dream of skipping on and find it bizarre that members of any club would not be annoyed by this.

 

[Banchory Buddha]

I don’t think so, I think they should of replied by now. I made two points and one of them being a question about the rules and where I stand. So I think it’s poor form that my email wasn’t even acknowledged .

It's not. Most golf clubs are run by volunteers, you're not getting a reply to what would be a huge change to way of working without it being fully discussed by committee. fwiw i'd be prepared to be disappointed if I were you

 

[Deleted member 23270]

Well the way I’m seeing it is i have paid for a full membership with joining fee and people are skipping on for free, so yes I’m 100% annoyed with this.
The people that start from the 10th don’t actually bother me, it’s more the point it’s dangerous because it’s a blind hole. I left east ren last year and it’s a lovely course in the summer but I would never in a million years dream of skipping on and find it bizarre that members of any club would not be annoyed by this.

1. Have you challenged these people to find out if they are members?

2. If they aren't tell them you are playing through.

3. If they are members, ask them politely if you can play through.

 

[Harry Putter]

The people that start from the 10th don’t actually bother me, it’s more the point it’s dangerous because it’s a blind hole.

Surely the fact that it's a blind hole doesn't just apply to you, and it must be a hazard all the time, not just when people are skipping on the course.

One this is for sure, they aren't going to redesign the hole for you so you have to use a bit of common sense.. as mentioned earlier either stand on the brow of the hill until it's clear to play ahead, or leave your bag there. Maybe write another email to the club suggesting a bell for when you are clear.

 

[G1z1]

Surely the fact that it's a blind hole doesn't just apply to you, and it must be a hazard all the time, not just when people are skipping on the course.

One this is for sure, they aren't going to redesign the hole for you so you have to use a bit of common sense.. as mentioned earlier either stand on the brow of the hill until it's clear to play ahead, or leave your bag there. Maybe write another email to the club suggesting a bell for when you are clear.

Yes I agree nothing can or will change regarding this but my email to the club on this point was only to ask where I stand. If I have the right to play through or do I just need to wait it out. Also if there was no jumping on at the 10th then you would know for sure if anyone was in front of you, so then I wouldn’t see how it could be a hazard.

 

[jim8flog]

I don’t think so, I think they should of replied by now. I made two points and one of them being a question about the rules and where I stand. So I think it’s poor form that my email wasn’t even acknowledged .

I think this just shows your lack of knowledge of how most golf clubs are run.

Most committees are made up of ordinary members who are willing to give up a certain amount of their time to help run the club. They are not there to be at the beck and call of all the members when they want them to be.

Having served on committees for the last 12 years it is amazing how even long term members do not appreciate this and a lot of my replies have been put it in the suggestion book and it will be discussed at the next meeting.