Walking the Dog on the Course

[colintrav]

Was out last night and to my disbelief I seen a dog walker normally I would expect this to be frowned upon even though the dog was kept on the lead .
Still he increased his chances of being struck by a stray ball .. now if that had happend he wouldn't have a leg to stand on ..
For me it creates the wrong impression that any person can openly walk about the course with or without a dog which then could give rise to possible problems .

 

[CrapHacker]

You should talk to JoUK. He gets mad about dogs round his place.

A while back I was playing his course with him, we're on the 5th tee, which is near the 8th green as well as the 4th, when suddenly a dog goes charging across the 8th fairway from out of the trees. Followed by an old bint screaming her head off for Lambykins to come to mummy. You could hear her about 1/2 a mile away.

No consideration that she may be interupting someones swing, or putting herself or her dog at risk by charging across a fairway without looking.

After about 5 minutes of top volume screaming the dog strolls back to her grinning all over it's face having deposited half a ton of crap on the fairway, which she doesn't pick up. She still doesn't bother putting the dog on a lead, and just wanders off back into the trees without so much as a by your leave.

I made double bogey on the hole.

 

[RichardC]

I would have "tried" to hit my best slice and scare the life out of her (with the loudest FORE shout I could muster)

 

[Imurg]

We have a footpath running through our course so we get lots of Dogs - and their pets too!

Don't mind much as long as they respect the fact that's it a Golf Course and stop or keep quiet when shots are being played and clean up after the animals ablutions! Last year I drove into the rough and found my ball neatly teed up on a pile of fresh dog turd! Didn't try to pick that one up!

 

[HTL]

I walk the dogs and Mrs around Wentworth nearly every night. The club has no problem with it, obviously we don’t walk up the fairways in the middle of the day like I think you saying this person was, that’s just daft. In the evenings when there are no Golfers we do. Its Great fun, I think I know the 3 courses around Wentworth better than Ascot the amount walk around them.

 

[Imurg]

I walk the dogs and Mrs around Wentworth nearly every night.

I hope you keep her on a tight leash Hywel!

 

[Redwood]

I walk my dog on Bude golf course sometimes in the evening, when the sun is setting nicley, but as HTL said, would obviously never do that when golfers were playing, and I always clear up after my dog, regardless of where it is they have decided to relieve themselves.

I think some members of the public, and we have about 2 or 3 public footpaths running through our course, aren't aware of the way to behave when golfers are playing near them.

 

[HTL]

I walk the dogs and Mrs around Wentworth nearly every night.

I hope you keep her on a tight leash Hywel!

Thought someone would enjoy that.

On a side note, there were a few members at Leatherhead who would take their dogs with them when playing Golf on weeknight evenings. Who said men cant multi task

 

[Twire]

We have a fair few footpaths running through the course, so there's plenty of dog walkers about.

We also have a few members who take their dogs out while playing golf, this is not allowed in competition though.

 

[thecraw]

I take my faithful mut out onto the course with me while I'm playing.

 

[slugger]

I've been out for a few rounds of golf with playing partners who bring their dogs along. I quite enjoy it. They have all been collies and trained to sit still and not move while the players are playing their shots. They're always on a lead tied to a trolley as well so they can't run off.

Don't have problem with it at all. There's obviously an issue with random dog walkers who don't understand the game though and walk willy nilly anywhere they feel like on a course.

In Scotland (not sure about any other country), people have the right to roam where they want to. People were walking dogs before golf came along, so why shouldn't they?

One course i really want to play is Brora. They have electric fences up around each green to keep the sheep/cows off. Other than that, the animals are free to go where they want and do a great job of keeping the rough short(ish).

 

[JustOne]

All dogs should be shot - that's where I stand. I'd not let my child run wild around a golf course, let him crap in the bunkers or on the fairway... run up to you and try to lick your face. Dogs are a frikkin' disgrace and their owners are generally worse.

People who play golf whilst walking their dogs should be banned from the game.

 

[RichardC]

 

[DCB]

Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 opened up a huge can of worms in all sorts of areas as far as public access is concerned. The perception is that there is general freedom to ram virtually anywhere in scotland now. That is not actually the case and the Act is not the easiest to read and comprehend properly.

Suffice to say, if the dog walker was crossing the course, then he was within his rights. If he was generally wandering around the course, then, he was not.

I'd not like to be in the situation, but, if the walker was struck with a ball, then I do think the onus would be on the golfer I'm afraid.

 

[GasMan]

Unfortunately the onus is 100% on the golfer even if it's private land and the dog walker is technically trespassing. It's the 1 reason I have golf insurance.

1 of the major reasons I left my old club and joined my current 1 at the start of this month was that having 3 public footpaths/bridleways crossing my old club's course, plus having 2 more run along the perimeter ,ade for a lot of idiots being where they shouldn't be.

We regularly saw kids in the summer holidays appear off the footpaths and brazenly start fishing the lake (carp stocked) on the 11th which to me is bang on slightly wayward drive distance and the tee shot is blind.

That and the amount of times you'd get to the top of your backswing and some stupid **** dog walker shouts at there mutt running off the leash just about pushed me over the edge. The incredulous looks and the mouthfuls of abuse you'd receive off've 50+ year old women when you politely ask them to think before they shout was unbelievable! The 1 time I bit back and told 1 what for she promptly phoned the club up and complained leading to me getting a warning.

Thankfully where I play now has no such issues and god forbid a dog walker coming down the 1 footpath that bounds the course does decide to annoy you, there is a lake that is at least 30 feet deep to drown them and their dog in very close to hand

 

[USER1999]

We get quite a few dog walkers, both during the day, and also in the evenings. They are a pain, walking about like they own the place.

They come from over the canal, where there is a big park. Over there, dogs have to be on a lead. On the golf course (private property), they don't. It is odd that none of the owners has any control at all over their animal. I thought that training a dog was the whole point in having one.

Simple solution: All dogs have to be on a lead. Everywhere.

 

[viscount17]

fortunately we have few dogs over the course, the greenkeepers lab, but she's as good as gold. We do have our share of idiots so we needn't feel left out.
The course is adjacent to the residential training centre/hotel so, despite signs, we often get a few ' just going for a walk in the park'. Oh and the indian family picnicking on the 18th - in full view of the proshop!
then we have the healthy types - make good looking corpses if a few don't learn to read! Started with one, turned up every year and ran backwards round the course - so he appeared from blind corners <u>after</u> you teed off. politely warn him of the danger and you get a mouthful in return, how 'us golfers' are selfish, don't want anyone else to use the land. He brought a girlfriend last year - double the targets.

 

[Hattersuk]

Started with one, turned up every year and ran backwards round the course - so he appeared from blind corners <u>after</u> you teed off. politely warn him of the danger and you get a mouthful in return, how 'us golfers' are selfish, don't want anyone else to use the land. He brought a girlfriend last year - double the targets.

I'd politely inform the individual that i would not turn up to a running track and start firing balls at the start line. This in my view is the same thing in reverse.

I would also not turn up for a days putting practice at Crufts.

 

[bernix]

dogs on lead are allowed at our golf course weekdays only. I can only remember one occasion that I saw a golfer actually taking his dog with him but admittedly I do not play weekdays very often.

 

[viscount17]

someone suggested (come to think of it, it could be me) that a golfer having a well-trained, well-behaved dog on the course is showing himself to be a poor golfer.

the dog has no more idea where you hit it than do you, <u>he's</u> just got more brains than to run after it.