Very angry newbie

[1sttimelucky]

Firstly hello to everyone I have been a closet user of the forum for the past couple of years and really enjoy just reading up on all the various issues being discussed in both the golf world and real world. Always threatened to join but never got around to it until now as I wanted to share a horrible experience I had on course today in order to get other peoples opinions on whether I am over reacting or if I'm right to be angry!

So the story begins, teed off on 1st hole, blind dogleg right, with no sign of anyone in front of me. As I reached my ball I noticed 2 other gents on the putting green but they obviously didn't see me as they both putted out and then proceeded to take 3 further practice putts each, then discovering I was waiting they casually walked to 2nd tee. By time I finished 1 st hole and got to 2nd tee box the 2 gents had just started putting its a short par 3 so again they were extremely slow.

They clear green and I tee off, we have not been playing on main tee boxes for the past 41/2 months generally tee markers are set a good 20-30 yards up most fairways over winter, I notice 2 gents walking all the way back to the main tee box on 3rd hole ignoring tee markers directly behind the 2 green. This meant I was able to complete the 2nd hole and walk to the temp 3rd tee box just as the 2 gents are walking past and they totally blank me. I just laughed to myself and thought they would call me through when they got to their balls (no one in front of them the course is virtually empty)but how wrong was I. During winter months we have to use fairway mats or else lift our ball and drop in semi rough but again 2 gents ignored this rule and played from fairway taking big divots which they did not even bother replacing!

This set the tone for the next 3 holes me standing waiting to hit every shot while they tootered along taking lumps out of each fairway they hit and not once replace a divot. Things came to a head at the 6th which is a driveable par 4 from winter tee for me. There is a hidden dip about 150 yards from tee which 2 gents disappeared into for a good 5 minutes, not knowing what was going on I strolled out to the point I could see them in the cabbage looking for a lost ball, why not just wave me through ahh, on seeing me they head of towards green dropping 2 balls about 50 yards out and both chipping on again putt out and then take a couple more practice putts each,

I'm starting to boil up with rage at this stage. Eventually they leave green and I tee off, fairly good one 10 yards shy of green walk up chip on and 2 putt for a bad 4. 2 gents have just teed off as I make my way onto 7th tee box as they are walking away 1 gent says do you want to play a ball down with us to which I say yes but can I ask why use didn't just wave me through 5 holes back as I would have been gone out of your way within a couple of minutes. This sent both into 2 raging bulls, I was told to (Edit) off that a 1 ball had no standing on the course and any (edit) should know that, I was told they weren't out to be harassed or pushed around by a di@k like me and to stick their offer of playing down with them up my (edit) and I could just wait for the rest of the round. Not knowing either person I asked for their names and if they were members with the intention of reporting them to the club, again I was told to (edit) off and that they had been members for 30 years which was long before my kind was allowed to be members, what was meant by my kind I don't know but am assuming it wasn't meant to be a flattering remark.

Anyway at this point I tell them they are an embarrassment to be speaking to another member in that way politely pointed out that main tee boxes and fairways are out of play currently and that they didn't replace 1 divot between them during the 6 holes I was behind them and that their etiquette was horrible in general for holding me up for so long. I don't get many opportunities for an early afternoon round During the week very often so was gutted that this one ended up a total disaster I had enough at this point and just walked in.

If someone spoke to me like this away from the course I think I would find it very difficult to hold my head as well as I did today but in hindsight I'm glad I did as I feel I can now meet these gents again and not be embarrassed about my behaviour don't know if they can do likewise!

It's a very long winded story but just wanted to give as clear a background to the whole incident so people could give me there opinions on what happened and if they would be as angry about the entire episode as I am. Am seriously thinking of making a written complaint to the club about what happened but don't know if they can or would be willing to do anything about it.
hit me with your opinions please


Mod Edit and paragraphs added

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Difficult read. Might try using paragraphs! That aside I feel your pain. Sadly there are idiots like this in all clubs but there is no way I'd accept being spoken too like that. Had it been me I'd have taken a picture of the offenders on my smart phone and shown it to the pro or secretary when I got in and told then what had gone on. At least they would have known who it was but as you don't have their names I don't see how you can identify them

 

[virtuocity]

Welcome mate, get stuck in, enjoy but please use paragraphs!

To summarise:

- You were stuck behind a 2 ball
- They dropped balls everywhere, hitting practise shots despite seeing you behind them
- Despite winter rules, they used tee boxes and fairways
- They didn't replace divots
- When they finally let you through, you questioned what they had been doing and they threw all sorts of abuse at you

I would be straight to the Secretary with this one, tell him the FACTS and leave out what you 'felt'. Like dealing with bullies at school, this would have been better handled if you complained at the time.

Sorry to hear you had a stinking time.

 

[Stuey01]

What a pair of asshats.
You handled it well.

 

[groundskeeperwilly]

I feel for you - often I play on my own and often a pair of 'gents' will hold me up on every tee.

These guys sound like they have a bad attitude - you're a member but imagine if you had of been trying the course for the first time or thinking of joining.

 

[User62651]

We've all been there, 2 in question are probably in office at the club, seriously wouldn't surprise me. Well done for being reasonable in the face of such abuse. In my experience writing to the club will do no good at all especially as you've no witnesses, most clubs look after their own and these 2 will be well connected in the club.
Just be the bigger man, keep your cool and hopefully karma will catch up with these 2.
I would have just jumped holes in your position, not worth the aggro. Defeatist? Yes but experience tells me its not worth the hassle. Golf clubs are not the fair democracies we're led to believe.
Put it behind you and move on.

 

[NorfolkShaun]

Difficult read. Might try using paragraphs! That aside I feel your pain. Sadly there are idiots like this in all clubs but there is no way I'd accept being spoken too like that. Had it been me I'd have taken a picture of the offenders on my smart phone and shown it to the pro or secretary when I got in and told then what had gone on. At least they would have known who it was but as you don't have their names I don't see how you can identify them

Welcome to the forum.

Completely agree with Homer here difficult to complain about someone when you do not know their name. I have to agree their behavior sounds very selfish and they need to learn some manors.

The single player having no standing is not true either.

Also paragraphs really help reading a long thread like this.

Were they seniors by any chance.........

 

[1sttimelucky]

Apologies for poor grammar should have set it out better for sure!

Forgot to add that when I was walking in I had to go past our 18th where I met another couple of lads I know and told them what had just happened, my other 2 friends appeared into sight on the 8th tee at this stage and were named and shamed to me.

 

[rosecott]

Were they seniors by any chance.........

Don't you dare, I'm watching you.

 

[louise_a]

Terrible behaviour (from them), very restrained from you.

I play on my own a lot and normally get waved through or join the ones in front, if I feel I m being held up and not waved through I will usually ask to be let through.

By the way if you see them again point out that the singles now have as much standing as any others on the course, oh and definitely make your complaint.

 

[jimbob.someroo]

Yup, handled it well and they were eejits.

If everything is exactly as described, for me you have to put something in writing. No point getting angry and thinking about it and letting it ruin your golf, but something should be said to the club now, rather than it being brought up casually in a few months time.

Also, that rule about one balls is outdated now, I think it's actually been replaced in the R&A book. Not sure I'd be wanting to stick around at the club if that's indicative of the general attitude of the members.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

You might have left this a bit late, maybe should have reported it as soon as you came off the course so you could point them out as you don't know their names. Very poor show on their part, if they had spoken to me like that I would probably have wrapped my 3 iron round their necks.

I think you did well to keep your cool :thup:

 

[CMAC]

We've all been there, 2 in question are probably in office at the club, seriously wouldn't surprise me. Well done for being reasonable in the face of such abuse. In my experience writing to the club will do no good at all especially as you've no witnesses, most clubs look after their own and these 2 will be well connected in the club.
Just be the bigger man, keep your cool and hopefully karma will catch up with these 2.
I would have just jumped holes in your position, not worth the aggro. Defeatist? Yes but experience tells me its not worth the hassle. Golf clubs are not the fair democracies we're led to believe.
Put it behind you and move on.

your not one of the guys are you?


Do nothing and these two uncouth idiots will do it again and again. Report it in writing and action will have to be taken.

If they are like this based on your one incident it's a fair assumption to think they are 'well known' for this behaviour

 

[NorfolkShaun]

Don't you dare, I'm watching you.

Hehe

To be fair it does not matter if the were seniors, lady's, men or juniors this type of behavior to me is abhorrent and has no place in society, people should have respect for one another.

I think the op done very well to keep his cool when faced with people like this.

 

[richart]

Report it in writing, and ask for a full investigation. You were verbally abused, which is not acceptable. I can't believe you will be the first person to report these two if they have been members for 30 years.

 

[Crow]

Priority on the course is an etiquette thing, which these two were clearly lacking, and even though the R&A consider a single to be equal to a group, it's a club's call as to whether or not they give a single player the same rights as a group.

At my course I don't think a single has any rights, although when I'm playing alone I'm often called through.

 

[Swingalot]

The single player having no standing is not true :

Depends on club rules. We officially have this rule, although most members would let a player on his own tee off or play through as most are sensible enough to know that he will not be hanging about once done.

 

[NorfolkShaun]

Depends on club rules. We officially have this rule, although most members would let a player on his own tee off or play through as most are sensible enough to know that he will not be hanging about once done.

Ahh fair enough, I know when I have played as a single I have never had trouble with people not letting me through, again if i'm ina group and a single golfer comes up I would always let him through. As you say he will always get away.

 

[User62651]

your not one of the guys are you?


Do nothing and these two uncouth idiots will do it again and again. Report it in writing and action will have to be taken.

If they are like this based on your one incident it's a fair assumption to think they are 'well known' for this behaviour

Not me honest!
If they've been there 30 years upsetting the applecart will do the OP no good, an undercurrent of resentment will spread and the OP's experience of the golf club could be seriously diminished and possibly ruined. Balance that against a brief sense of justice from grassing them up, the 2 getting a likely jokey dont do that again boys off their buddy the captain and nothing more.
You need witnesses and without that you've nothing and perhaps become a pariah once the inevitable gossip gets spread.
Thick skin needed.
This is how it often is, not how it should be I'm afraid.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Ive edited your post and put in some paragraphs and altered a couple of "fruity expressions"

Might be worth looking at the forum rules at the top of OOB

Agree with the other comments that these idiots need reporting, but it has to be at the time, after the event is too late really.