Thought I was being helpful it seems not #MrCaptain

[OnTour]

I hit the range 20 mins chipping and then 10 drivers, few balls in the heavy rough so with nobody on the range at all I chipped them over on the cut #Helping the ball collecting machine pick then up, I continued for 15 balls practice a gentle chip back to the CUT STUFF.

Then the LAW arrived on the 16th green right next to the range and storms over to me, telling me its not allowed!!! you need to pay for your balls?? my bag and basket of balls is sitting 30 yrds away. my words I'm just chipping them over so its easier for the staff to collect them, its not allowed.

I ended my helpful quest and commented back who put you in charge today, I'm the club captain if you were a member blah blah blah. he ends his round and storms back to the pro shop to STITCH me in.

I'm hoping he's more wound up as I finished my 5-6 drivers and walk back to my car and drove home.

Glad it's my OLD club sadly captancity or sun stroke has gone to his head !!! so much for a good deed.

 

[Orikoru]

He was seemingly being stupidly officious, but also, don't pretend you were only chipping those balls back to help them out, lol. :lol:

 

[OnTour]

He was seemingly being stupidly officious, but also, don't pretend you were only chipping those balls back to help them out, lol. :lol:

Helping me and them then community spirit and all. glad he had a nice day.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Are you not a member there then?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We have changed our policy on the range. We are no longer allowed to hit our own balls and retrieve them. We have to get Srixon reduced distance range balls via the pro shop and there is now a gravel line over which golfers aren't permitted to cross to retrieve balls. I wanted to do some pitching, to a target at about 40 and another at 50. I spoke to the pro who said if no-one was out there (there wasn't) simply put two alignment sticks in the ground (crossing the line).

I did that without incident. After a while I wanted to change distances and went out to get the sticks. Still no-one there so no danger from health and safety aspect (part of the reasons for the changes) and while I was there, used my pick up tube to simply pick up the balls I'd hit. Cue meltdown and apparently the shop got 5-6 complaints that I was out there collecting balls despite having already agreed with the pro that I would as I'd run out of balls before I had a chance to complete my practice.

In the end he got a buggy and drove out to mention it with a huge smile on his face. He couldn't believe how officious and pedantic some members could be and how they almost thrive on moaning. He suggested pitching back towards the bunker (therefore not hitting the balls across the gravel threshold) to allow me to carry on, vary my distances and still be able to pick the balls up. He had no issues as he was aware of what I was doing, had told everyone I'd cleared it and most went next door into the office and simply complained again. What a bunch of knobs we really have. Funny enough, the captain, who collared me in the bar after, was totally cool especially as I'd discussed it, there was no-one out there and to be fair, was already cheesed off early into his tenure with the amount of crap members moan about

 

[Robster59]

So do I understand this correctly OnTour? You went to use the range of a club you're not a member of, didn't pay for use of the range facilities and then wonder why people get miffed?

 

[jamielaing]

We have changed our policy on the range. We are no longer allowed to hit our own balls and retrieve them. We have to get Srixon reduced distance range balls via the pro shop and there is now a gravel line over which golfers aren't permitted to cross to retrieve balls. I wanted to do some pitching, to a target at about 40 and another at 50. I spoke to the pro who said if no-one was out there (there wasn't) simply put two alignment sticks in the ground (crossing the line).

I did that without incident. After a while I wanted to change distances and went out to get the sticks. Still no-one there so no danger from health and safety aspect (part of the reasons for the changes) and while I was there, used my pick up tube to simply pick up the balls I'd hit. Cue meltdown and apparently the shop got 5-6 complaints that I was out there collecting balls despite having already agreed with the pro that I would as I'd run out of balls before I had a chance to complete my practice.

In the end he got a buggy and drove out to mention it with a huge smile on his face. He couldn't believe how officious and pedantic some members could be and how they almost thrive on moaning. He suggested pitching back towards the bunker (therefore not hitting the balls across the gravel threshold) to allow me to carry on, vary my distances and still be able to pick the balls up. He had no issues as he was aware of what I was doing, had told everyone I'd cleared it and most went next door into the office and simply complained again. What a bunch of knobs we really have. Funny enough, the captain, who collared me in the bar after, was totally cool especially as I'd discussed it, there was no-one out there and to be fair, was already cheesed off early into his tenure with the amount of crap members moan about

While I agree with what you are saying Homer this is the problem with any rules that get introduced at golf clubs. There is a reaction to something which introduces a poorly thought out rule that doesn't catch all. Members speak to the pro who says ok, you can do it this way if x,y,z then everyone else gets angry as it seems you are just ignoring the rule.

Common sense is difficult to apply to 800 members unfortunately.

 

[Marshy77]

So do I understand this correctly OnTour? You went to use the range of a club you're not a member of, didn't pay for use of the range facilities and then wonder why people get miffed?

He did pay for the balls. He was hitting the balls he bought back into the range for them to be able to pick up.

 

[OnTour]

So do I understand this correctly OnTour? You went to use the range of a club you're not a member of, didn't pay for use of the range facilities and then wonder why people get miffed?

I have a 800 ball range card and i was hitting drivers, but as said two balls sat 10 yrds away in the light rough so I chipped them back into the CUT range strip. then saw a few more chipped them back over and just walked 40-50 yrds up the side of the range, gently chipping balls back to the CUT area. crime of the century I'll hand myself in to the local police before crimewatch is back on TV.

The staff shut the range and do the same as the ball collector cannot pick them up. freshly mowed down FESCUE hay everywhere I'll add not pristine fairway taking chunks !!!

The power of being captain at a hotel course.

 

[Hobbit]

Maybe the rough he was chipping the balls from is actually part of the course, not the driving range? Maybe taking divots/chunks of rough out of the course when you’re not playing the course isn’t appreciated? Maybe being on the course without paying a green fee means there’s no insurance in place?

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Perhaps it’s not what the OP may have done or not done, but what others may do in the future who have seen someone chipping back from the course onto the range and with do it less care to the course or anyone else.

 

[CliveW]

Perhaps it’s not what the OP may have done or not done, but what others may do in the future who have seen someone chipping back from the course onto the range and with do it less care to the course or anyone else.

^ This ^ We get this a lot on our range. One person will nip out and pick up a few balls and then others see them do it and they think it's OK. What would happen if they were hit by an errant ball? Who would be liable? Also, after the range has closed for the day folk will turn up, walk on to the range and collect balls to hit because it's free. When challenged they claim they aren't doing anything wrong and as they have picked the balls themselves why can't they? One night recently two cars with six people came up and started doing this. They were quite offended when they were asked to leave before they finished hitting the hundred or so balls each had collected. Perhaps we should just allow anyone free balls anytime of the day!

 

[OnTour]

Maybe the rough he was chipping the balls from is actually part of the course, not the driving range? Maybe taking divots/chunks of rough out of the course when you’re not playing the course isn’t appreciated? Maybe being on the course without paying a green fee means there’s no insurance in place?

White stakes about 15 yrds further back so still range and free balls sounds a great idea WELL PLAYED (wouldn't need my digi card any longer)


Your insured through the club on the course through a green fee, where can I claim re all my lost items over the years #Balls and a sand wedge that found the lake @ Hinckleys 10th 20 yrs back .


I'll not be doing such naughty bad behaviour again.

 

[trevor]

I once had a chipping lesson with the pro and when the half hour was finished he took the bucket of balls of balls he had brought with him and scattered them all round the outside of the green and told me to carry on practicing chipping them on. 30 seconds after he had gone the green keeper came storming over giving me a right mouthful about not chipping onto the green.