rude, ignorant, noisy, incosiderate folks at the range...

[slugger]

3 visits ago, i had a guy in the bay next to me who thought it was alright to have his phone on and proceed to answer it and talk, well shout, away as if he was in a noisy room on his own.

2 visits ago, was a group of yooves, only one of which was hitting balls, all fannying around like they were in a play park.

Last visit was the worst of the lot though. All is well until a man and his wife walk in. Turns out the man is a pro, and so is the guy in the bay next to me, who until now had been nice and quiet. Shock horror, they knew each other... Stood right behind me and talked loudly and merrily away about the new (taped up) R9 driver and how rubbish the shaft was and then started going on about how difficult it was to get a job in the golf world at the moment. When either of them were taking their shots, the other was quiet, then wham - a full barrage of noise followed. Not once did they think of any one of the others using the range. I asked them to keep the noise down a wee bit but they ignored me. If anyone should know, it should be a golf pro!

Shame, it's a really nice wee range with very good facilities, but i'll not go back as this kind of thing happens all the time there and ruins any concentration that i may have had.

Sorry for the rant, but FFS, can people not realise that they are putting people off their shots?

 

[bobmac]

Re: rude, ignorant, noisy, incosiderate twats at the range...

Slugger,
Is the range manned, as in a shop with staff?
I take it it's in Scotland somewhere, judging from your e-accent
I would write to the owner and kick up merry hell and you are right, the pros should know better

 

[marmar]

Re: rude, ignorant, noisy, incosiderate twats at the range...

Experinced something similar last week - bunch of young uns with long hair and hoodies hacking away. The noise was incredible - hugely off putting when you're trying to sort your game out. Felt like giving them a tenner to go and but some smirnoff ice and hang around a sub way. what made it worse was that one of them clearly was serious about the game and had brought his mates along for a laugh - you'd think he'd have some ettiquette. I blame the parents...

 

[golf_bug]

Re: rude, ignorant, noisy, incosiderate twats at the range...

I had a similar problem yesterday. The bar overlooks the practise green at my club and it was a nice day so there were people sat outside. There was a group of blokes, probably in their 40s. One of them liked the sound of his own voice, and was cracking jokes before immediately laughing his head off. They weren't funny and he was generally obnoxious. His language was also of the 'fruity' variety, and there a lot of young kids around. His loudness must have also been a distraction for people on the tees, which are overlooked by the bar.
Not knowing what to do I said nothing for fear of having some 'fruity' language in my direction. Would it have been right for me to tell the starter/receptionist?

 

[bobmac]

Re: rude, ignorant, noisy, incosiderate twats at the range...

If there were kids around, absolutely !!!

 

[EchtLoon]

I must be a bit weird, because I can hear a gnat fart when I'm about to take a shot, but on the range nothing bothers me. Seeems like there's always noise and movement, so I just focaus on my own shots and plug away. That said however....

Stood right behind me and talked loudly and merrily away about the new (taped up) R9 driver and how rubbish the shaft was

...early last year I had similar, with two blokes behind me. One was the blowhard, waffling a lot of geeky stuff to his mate in a tell the world type way. His poor lad was on the toher sid to me, and being subjected to some really bad advice from blowhard dad.

Anyway, Dad has a new driver, with some fancy shaft. Proceeds to tell mate "great shaft this, etc etc", mate has a look (being another expert obviously) and concurs that yes "that's a great shaft that right enough".

Dad then carries on (having hit every shot I've seenm about 5 feet off the ground) "aye, can't hit it well at all, but it's a brilliant shaft!". I was glad I was facing away, as I may have been on the end of the shaft if he'd seen me struggle to contain myself.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

My nearest range is at Blue Mountain and only 5 minutes from my house. The problem is its a soulless place with few targets and is frequented by a mixture of enthusiastic golfers wanting to practice (good times) parents with their kids who are just starting (good times) but also by parents and kids thinking its Chessington World of Adventures with their brats shouting and running everywhere (bad times) and more often than not by gangs of teenagers in footie shirts or hoodies all talking on mobiles and trying to smash it miles and only toppoing it shorter than I can hit a LW. However the worst group are the groups of guys who either bring beers over from the clubhouse or their own cans and make loads of noise etc and get the right arse if you point out people are trying to practice. I've given up using it as I'm never in the right mood to practice before I've even hit a ball.

There is a range at Downshire I use which is much better in terms of targets etc an because it is attached to the shop doesn't tend to be as bad but you still get gangs of teenagers all trying to smash it and shouting to their mates 4 bays down.

I've now found a haven of tranquility. Its about 20 minutes in the car at Maidenhead Golf Centre but because of its secluded location you only get people there who want to prractice. You occassionally get parents and kids who want to shout and run around but the owner is pretty on the ball and will have a quiet word. It also has a dedicated range marshall which I think puts any would be rowdies off. Excellent facilities (especially the Srixon range balls) and somewhere you can really work on your came in peace.

 

[stevek1969]

Use the one at St Andrews its a 20 minute drive but worth it they have first class facilities ,it can be a bit touristy because it St Andrews but its a real golfers practise facility , no chavs . Quality Callway balls and a short game area with is superb

 

[theeaglehunter]

I agree this is highly frustrating. It is always people that don't play the game who are so ignorant in my experience, but I have come to expect this at public ranges now, unfortunately.

I just try and use my clubs practice ground now as everyone is respectful, courteous and can actually hit the ball! Obviously I had to visit the range in the winter when it is dark early but from now on I won't be.

 

[HartleyHare]

I drive an extra 20 mins to the range at the trafford centre because the nearest one to me only a 15 minute drive away does my head in.
always full of idiots, old and young.
but the one thing more than anything else that stops me going there is (ready for this) golf bags are banned!!
apparently some moron took his kids with him a while back and while he was hitting balls let them run around, one of them knocked a bag over and it fell on him and this balloon tried to sue the owner of the range!!
so everytime i go i've got to get what ever clubs I want to take and put them in the car loose.
they get scratched up when you lean them up against the side of the bay, however careful you try to be.

 

[AlchemyGolf]

I hate driving ranges in general for all reasons already mentioned above and never go to them these days!!

 

[nulassilb]

Since getting a Callaway F5 - I worry about the noise pollution I am making on the range. I don't dare hit it when other people arrive next to me on the range! B

 

[andiritchie]

Welcome to my world my local range is terrible.

Kids running out onto the grass picking up stray balls,its quite narrow so when they are running up and down the range my driver could hit them.

None golfing parents taking there kids why they have a couple of Stellas

I now go Sat morning 8.30 ish there is a religious following a regular golfers who like a bit of peace and quiet

 

[fastmover2]

My local range is excellent compared to what you guys have to put up with. We do get the odd group of lads that are a bit noisy but they are quickly controlled by the staff.

The one that gets me is the noob in the next bay who has the teee as high as possible to hit a 3 wood then skys the ball stright up into the roof and then getting it ricochetting around my head!

 

[medwayjon]

We have a to$$er at the range who stands behind you and then starts trying to coach you.

He really annoys people but no-one told him really.

One Sunday I was in with a hangover, I addressed the ball, this guy walked up and physically tried to move my shoulders, bear in mind I dont know him from Adam, I just told him to 4&3, bluntly and loudly. He stropped off and about 10 guys wet themselves at him.

He has been better since.

 

[Herbie]

I almost never use ranges unless at the course I play at or others I am about to play. Past experiences have made these places described in here a waste of time and poor value for money.

 

[slugger]

We have a to$$er at the range who stands behind you and then starts trying to coach you.

He really annoys people but no-one told him really.

One Sunday I was in with a hangover, I addressed the ball, this guy walked up and physically tried to move my shoulders, bear in mind I dont know him from Adam, I just told him to 4&3, bluntly and loudly. He stropped off and about 10 guys wet themselves at him.

He has been better since.

ha ha ha... that sound like a comedy sketch crying out for the likes of John Cleese playing the aggravated golfer! he he.

 

[Spoff]

The couple of range's I go to are generally alright.

Only time kids really bother me was when I first starte playing and they were sending the irons further than my drives!!!

I have taken my 4 year old a couple of times and he loves it. I was very conceous to tell him he had to be 'grown up' and it was improtant to be quiet.

He is generally a good kid but is brilliant, including walking to the empty bays and collecting the baskets and stacking them up!!!

 

[TonyN]

My local range isnt that bad to be fair, its generally used by people who are there working on their game.

We do get the occasional loud ones but at the end of the day, it is a public range so its to be expected.

As for the mobile phones, I have mine on at the range as do most others, its on quiet and when it rings, I walk away from the bays to talk as do others. I have no problem with this at all, its not the course, I am not waiting on anyone else to take shots so dont see a problem it.

The noise of drivers echoing around the bays is normally louder than anything else.

I see the range as a relaxed environment so not much bothers me.

 

[slugger]

Mobile phones should be on silent or switched off at the range. If you're next or withing listening distance from the bays, then i reckon they shouldn't be used. It's just totally off-putting (no pun intended!). If your call is that important, go outside or into the shop/cafe... It's plain and simple good manners.

When i gave the guy talking on the phone a death stare, he quipped back "What... you want me to stop talking?", like i was the one in the wrong. He knew he was wrong to be talking loudly on his phone but thought he was above any etiquette that may (or may not coming to think of it) exist.