"Tough, I'm a member!!!"

[Rich66]

I visited my Dad and younger brother this week and we had a very strange experience at their club. We only play golf together a couple of times a year as I live away from them but I am also a member at a club. They had booked a tee time for us and we arrived looking forward to our round.

Whilst still in the car park a man came up to us and told us he had put himself down to play with us as there were no other tee times available for him. There was no introduction just a presumption he was joining our group. I explained to him that we wanted to play together as we dont see much of each other and I didnt want to be funny but he hadnt even asked us if he could join us.

The reply was "Tough, I'm a member and I'm playing with you" in a very aggressive tone through gritted teeth.

Needless to say I sent him away and told him we wouldnt be playing with him as we walked to the first tee and started our round.

Is this a unique experience?

 

[beggsy]

i would have told him a bit straighter than that because 1 thing i hate is ignorant people that tell people what they are doing

 

[drawboy]

Don't worry mate he'll get used to it. if he was popular he wouldn't have to play with 3 strangers..he's probably a knob.

 

[Rich66]

Ha! good one fellas, thanks. I cant bloody stand people who make a song and dance about 'being a member'. Its like they are royalty or something.

 

[rob_golf1]

I have experienced something similar at a local municipal course where they do have a society present.

Me and a friend were told by the course pro to start on the back nine as there was a bit of a que at the first.

We advanced to the 10th only to be rudely humiliated by a group of so called 'society members', who went on to ask what on earth we thought we were playing at, and do we know the layout of the course!?

Its a shame that some people have to resort to such rudeness, in a sport that is meant to played with etiquette and morals.

 

[ScienceBoy]

We have a system at our club where singles can get put with groups.

I frequently roll up to the club alone and the shop put me down with other members. Unless the group has specified otherwise groups with visitors do not get members added!

I always check its OK with a group before I tee off, 99.9% of groups let me join in, either I have played with one of them before or they are just very friendly, nice people.

 

[RichardC]

Thats why I love not having to book. I think I would have told him politely to jog on

 

[Matty]

For a sport that prides itself on etiquette there really are some pillocks out there.

I'll be willing to bet that if he'd approached the OP and asked if the group of three would mind him joining them so that he could get a round in this weekend but that if it was a problem he'd ask another group he might have gotten a positive response!

 

[hangover]

I can't stand idiots like that. You should of wrapped your putter round his neck.

 

[sJoe]

You did the right thing..I'm in a similar situation to you..I have a son who's as keen on golf as I am, but we only get to play together a couple/three times a year..I would have told the guy to get lost...Cheers

 

[trevor]

I can't stand idiots like that. You should of wrapped your putter round his neck.

"Proper etiquette" LOL

 

[sweatysock41]

I have asked if it was OK for me to join a 3 ball at our place. The member who had two guests explained that they were going to be discussing some confidential business while playing so would I mind if they declined - but he did ask if I wanted to tee off in front of them so they didn't hold me up. Perfectly acceptable response to my question I think.

With regards to the comment about the 'society' and starting on the tenth - I hope you didn't just cut in in front of them. I for one would object if I was just finishing the 9th and you strolled onto the 10th and teed off rather than waiting till I had.

Recently had a 2 ball cut in infront of us at a private club we were visiting, where we were putting out on the 17th just as they came off the adjacent 13th green they picked up in order to beat us to the tee - rudeness personified!

 

[SwingSlow]

I can't stand idiots like that. You should of wrapped your putter round his neck.

"Proper etiquette" LOL

Depends which knot he used to tie the putter round the neck - a half Windsor would be appropriate for a formal arrangement, unless it was a weekend, when cravat style would probably suffice.

 

[DCB]

What kind of club/course are you talking about here, private members club or a commercial/pay&play type ?

If it's the later, then I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to fill every tee time to it's full potential

maximises income for the operator

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think you did the right thing but the guy didn't really help himself with that approach. If I am playing on my own in the evenings I don't usually want to joing anyone else as I'm probably playing a few holes and just workng on my game. However if I'm not and someone else wanders out I'm usually glad to pair up for the company. I think the club were wrong to try and force this guy on you anyway unless there was something to say that two and three balls may be required to accommodate single players as many pay and plays do

 

[Shaunmg]

My club doesn’t have a tee time booking system, as long as you check board for comps or societies it works fine. I go often on my own, but usually I don’t play on my own. It seems an unwritten rule to join up. But own my rule is never to ask if I can join, but wait to be invited, or I do the inviting to those behind waiting to tee off after me.

I got a little miffed last week when I turned up on the first tee alone, with a ladies 4 ball waiting to tee off. I stood right next to them smiling and waiting for the invite to go ahead of them. It didn’t come. Luckily after they teed off a two ball came on the tee behind me and I invited them to join me

 

[Alex1975]

Wow, I am so glad that your told him you would not play with him, for a sec I thought it was going to be a story about you having too.

I think I would have told him about my new found, less than platonic relationship with his mother.

"tough I am a member" with chat like that he would have had to be a member of the SAS to force me to play with him.