Practising a no no?

[Durango]

Went down to the course this evening with a couple of wedges and a putter with the intention of working on my short game for a couple of hours. Did abit of putting and, as it was so quiet, went over for some chipping around the 9th green.
Immediately got told to stop by a couple of older members, apparently no practise whatsoever allowed on the course. Now my course has almost non-existant practise facilities and the one green they do have for pitching is so long and slow it has no resemblance to the course so is pretty useless for chipping.
Nearly everybody I know throws a few balls down and has abit of a practise when it's quiet. I did tell them I thought they were being slightly petty and went out of their sight to practise on the 6th. Finished up practising on the 3rd green with a couple of other 'naughty' members.

Does anybody else go out on their own and have a practise in the evening on the course? Anybody think I was actually in the wrong? My view is I pay £600 a year and if I want to improve my game by practising an important area like chipping out on the course when it is very quiet then I bleeding well will.

 

[TobyRich1928]

i do sometimes as our short game area is undergoing a massive redo! not many people care as long as you are out of sight

 

[brendy]

If everyone thought that it was their right, then your course would be a mess.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

If everyone practiced chipping on the real games there would soon be moans about the amount of pitchmarks and how poor the putting surface was. I'd be lobbying the club to get the existing facilities sorted

 

[Durango]

Well no I wouldn't dream of putting 20 balls down and hacking the fairways up or making pitch marks. Had 3 balls in the rough hitting low chip and runs a couple of yards off the green. Left the place the same as I found it. Nothing wrong with that in my mind and is one of the reasons how I managed to get my handicap down. You always get the odd pompous idiot though who think they own the place.

 

[Piece]

Tricky one this. Sounds like you are very respectful of the course during these practice sessions, but all it takes is a few less capable golfers to follow suit and there's going to be chunk marks left around the fringes and on the green.

 

[Durango]

Most people I know who go out on their own when the course is quiet will put a few balls down and try different things. It's the best way to improve and should be encouraged. Like you say, as long as you are respectful and take care of the course there should be no problem with it.

 

[CrapHacker]

I think the thing you did wrong was to make it so blatant.

If you had taken your bag out for 9 holes, and then practised a bit with half a dozen balls on several of the holes, whilst having a meander around, I don't suppose anyone would have commented.

 

[JT77]

we have pretty good facilities, so practice on the course is very much a no at our place, 1 man, 1 ball!

We get emails about it quite a bit, and get told anyone caught doing this will be asked to leave, people still do, but not to any great extent, maybe hit a second ball if first is off line or that.

 

[Andy]

If everyone thought that it was their right, then your course would be a mess.

It is my right as I pay my subs every year!

Practice doesn't mean hacking the course.

Andy

 

[brendy]

If everyone thought that it was their right, then your course would be a mess.

It is my right as I pay my subs every year!

Practice doesn't mean hacking the course.

Andy

As I said Andy, if "everyone", that included those that cannot chip without lifting a lump of sirloin out of the ground with every shot.
Luckily we have a practice putting green, practice chipping green and a 270 yard practice fairway (uphill with another green at the end and a bunker so noone should really feel the need to cause more wear to the course than necessary.

 

[RGDave]

I'm def' on the fence on this one. Given you are a good player, if I found you chipping at my course, I'd let you get on with it. (I'd trust you to use your own judgement, basically).
However, as a general course rule, I agree. It's a toughie.

We have "no chipping around the practice (putting) green" which I adhere to. If one of the assistants or pro or scratch team wants to to it, I'd keep schtum.

 

[trevor]

My short game practise is when it's quiet I have 1 off the tee then start walking to the green dropping another ball every so often and may end up on the green with about 6 or 7 balls. If no ones behind might throw them of the green and chip them all back on again.

 

[Durango]

Correct Trevor that is THE way to improve your short game.
I simply cannot comprehend that a golfer can pay several hundred pounds to be a member and be unable to use the course during quiet spells to improve their game. Only in golf! Not that it will be stopping me

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I tend to take my bag out and play a few holes and once I'm out of sight of the clubhouse and most others members (our 5th is ideal) then I'll hit some sand shots and chips (always from rough to protect the course in case I fat one).