people looking to complain

Hopefully the Club Captain will also remember the whingeing OFs as well - unless he's also one of them.

Just remember to be respectful to the course, its customs and other folk - of all types - and enjoy the game.
 
yesterday was playing with some friends and my friends rolled just into the edge of a bunker, being a fun round he just took the ball out of the bunker with his wedge making sure not to mess the bunker and he did so without leaving any sign of it being there. then four men shouted over from about 100 yards saying to rake the bunker my friend walk over and told them to keep there voices down and the bunker did not need raking, they then said they would be giving in a complaint for my partner having a "disrespectful attitude to senior members" (were 17) when we were walking off the next tee box we saw them walk over and check the bunker and they could see it was fine.. regardless they complained when they finished and the club captain was waiting for us in the club house. In the end the men didnt have proof and he just said to be careful but nevertheless the captain will remember us from this incident. anyone have a similar incident where people looked for a complaint and then are to stubborn to be proven wrong?

There are some of these guys in most clubs, particularly older style members clubs - "I didn't fight The Kaiser so these feral youths could leave our bunkers unraked".

They just have a thing about younger people, possibly because they are jealous that you will be at your peak of golf and chasing women when they are either 6 feet under or drooling into their porridge at the nursing home.

My advice to you is that providing you know you have acted correctly, not to give a toss what other people think. Stand up for yourselves if challenged but you are in the right, and if you are in the wrong, admit it and move on. The Captain probably knows the situation better than you think and was going through the motions because otherwise these guys would be a pain in his you-know-where.
 
I'm certainly old enough to be classed as an OF but I like to see youngsters on the course - and I've yet to see any of them behaving poorly. I wish I could say the same for some other OFs.
 
Reminds me of a time many years ago when I was a junior member and we weren't allowed to play at all at weekends although we could practice. One Sunday evening dad took me the club and after a bit of practice we played a few holes in the twilight on the deserted course. OK it was against the rules but we were doing no one any harm.

Unforunately it wasn't quite deserted enough and a crusty old member walked fully 200 yeards to tell me off, and threatened to report us to the secretary. Nothing came of it. Had hoped those days were past.

By the way people not raking bunkers really gets my goat but the incriminating footprints are never those of a junior. Classic case at the weekend. Huge foot prints, huge gouge of sand and the rake lying right next to them. Who are these people!
 
I've got to say that I was pleasantly surprised when I joined my club with how welcoming the more senior members were. I have since played with a few of them and they are great fun to play with, their banter and "gamesmanship" is excellent.

I haven't witnessed any cases like the OP and hope that this continues to be the case at my club.
 
this sort of attitude was what stopped me enjoying golf when i was younger. started again when i was 30 and love it now, but the attitude towards juniors when i was in my teens was more bother than it was worth.

always happy to see juniors on the course. 3/4 of our scratch team is under 17 (or something like that)
 
At the risk of getting all misty-eyed about my lost youth....

Junior golf is magical. Those of us that are/were lucky enough to start anywhere between the ages of 5-15 are blessed with one of the great sporting opportunities the world can offer. Playing 36 or 54 holes a day during school holidays is just the most fantastic thing. Your handicap tumbles, you spend all day outside, you meet a raft of different people in matches and comps, and learn a lot about life and how to interact with adults.

I will encourage my kids to play golf if only for the benefit it does them developing as people. Yes, you will meet some knobs who will try to put you down because your age or ability threatens them or makes them jealous. It is part of golf and part of life in some ways.

Back to the OP. You are in the right here so pay them no heed. The key thing if this sort of thing happens is to look at yourself and ask if you were right or wrong. If the former, hold your head high, defend your case politely and move on. Anyone who makes an issue when you have done nothing wrong is clearly projecting their own issues and insecurities onto you. It says a huge amount about their sad lives, and nothing about you. Remember that.

When I see juniors on the course, it makes me happy. Happy for them that they are enjoying this great game, and happy for the game that there will be another generation to take it forward. :thup:
 
At the risk of getting all misty-eyed about my lost youth....

Junior golf is magical. Those of us that are/were lucky enough to start anywhere between the ages of 5-15 are blessed with one of the great sporting opportunities the world can offer. Playing 36 or 54 holes a day during school holidays is just the most fantastic thing. Your handicap tumbles, you spend all day outside, you meet a raft of different people in matches and comps, and learn a lot about life and how to interact with adults.

I will encourage my kids to play golf if only for the benefit it does them developing as people. Yes, you will meet some knobs who will try to put you down because your age or ability threatens them or makes them jealous. It is part of golf and part of life in some ways.

Back to the OP. You are in the right here so pay them no heed. The key thing if this sort of thing happens is to look at yourself and ask if you were right or wrong. If the former, hold your head high, defend your case politely and move on. Anyone who makes an issue when you have done nothing wrong is clearly projecting their own issues and insecurities onto you. It says a huge amount about their sad lives, and nothing about you. Remember that.

When I see juniors on the course, it makes me happy. Happy for them that they are enjoying this great game, and happy for the game that there will be another generation to take it forward. :thup:

Bravo Monty, couldn't agree more :whoo:
 
Not to ruin the parade but as with all age groups there's good and bad, in the comp last Sunday my playing partner and I (both early 30s) were putting on the 8th green while a group of 3 juniors teed off on the 6th about 20 yards away. We were very careful not to make any noise, not even pick up our bags until all had driven. One was errant, so took a provisional. All of this took a few minutes but as there was no one behind us we weren't holding anyone up by backing off and staying still. By the time we were passing the tee box they had all picked up their bags and marched past us without even looking in our direction let alone the customary "thanks" you would expect for being considerate golfers.

Just saying.

:)
 
When I see juniors on the course, it makes me happy. Happy for them that they are enjoying this great game, and happy for the game that there will be another generation to take it forward. :thup:

Totally agree. I was lucky enough to start playing as a 10 year old and love seeing the kids out on the course.
 
Not to ruin the parade but as with all age groups there's good and bad, in the comp last Sunday my playing partner and I (both early 30s) were putting on the 8th green while a group of 3 juniors teed off on the 6th about 20 yards away. We were very careful not to make any noise, not even pick up our bags until all had driven. One was errant, so took a provisional. All of this took a few minutes but as there was no one behind us we weren't holding anyone up by backing off and staying still. By the time we were passing the tee box they had all picked up their bags and marched past us without even looking in our direction let alone the customary "thanks" you would expect for being considerate golfers.

Just saying.

:)


There are examples of good and bad conduct in every age group, gender and ability level in golf. I think that much is accepted.

What I don't like is prejudice based on generalisations. As long as people are judging people on their individual behaviour, then that's fine.
 
Remind me never to move a ball from a tree cos I cant be a**ed to play properly for one shot....

The lad sounds very respectable where in hit post did he or his mates ar*e about

When he didn't play his shot but picked it out of the bunker. Ball in tree - penalty drop. :ears:

All Juniors* should be banned.:o

* -non SAGA member.:p
 
I remember my time as a junior and it seemed to be a constant battle to keep out of "trouble" even though we were actually observing the rules, weren't in parts of the clubhouse we shouldn't have been and weren't causing a nuisance in there or on the course. Some members just have/had it in for juniors.

Now I've gotten to the other side of the fence I do try and encourage them at our place as much as I can. However sometimes they don't help themselves. We've a couple of protected environmental areas and you are porhibited from entering them. Its a rule of the club, banged into you from day one but I do still see some juniors go in there after their ball. I feel obliged to go over and point it out, not to be some fusspot, as personally I don't really care, but because there are some members who would go out of their way to cause serious trouble and such a breach may get them banned or chucked out.

In the case of the OP I'd just write it off as one of those things and wouldn't let it put me off. If he's still concerned about it, perhaps try and grab the captain to one side and just explain it again from your perspective offer a polite apology but you didn't think you were doing anything wrong and let it go. I dare say he'd appreciate the honesty and taking the time to resolve it for good
 
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