Well behaved Dogs on the course??

[Deleted member 16999]

Dogs being allowed on the course is usually one of the classic signs that you are at a very good golf club.

The rules governing dogs at such clubs: Sunningdale, The Berkshire, Hankley Common, West Hill, Swinley, Piltdown, Crowborough etc. etc. tend to be as follows: Dogs not allowed on the course during a competition, your playing partners must be okay with your dog accompanying the game and dogs must be under control at all times. The latter doesn't necessitate a lead. Lots of dogs are under control without one, mine included. It is also considered a members privilege with club visitors needing to seek permission if they want to do the same.

I love being able to take a dog with me when I play in a friendly game and it is certainly a criteria I would strongly value when looking for a club to join.

I consider clubs that don't allow dogs as unquestionably flawed. I would also find any potential playing partner very odd if they had an issue with dogs on the course in line with the rules as stated above. Both would be clubs and golfers that were not the right sort for me.

Other than that, the most amazing and frankly hilarious revelation that this thread has provided is that there are golfers in the UK who carry sanitising hand gel in their golf bag to ensure that they have a bacteria free handshake at the end of the match. :rofl:This is absolutely fantastic and made me laugh out loud in the office. If I ever played with someone like this then I would without doubt as they offered their sparkling germ-free paw, shove my hand in my pants and rearrange the furniture before offering mine. Either that or give my Lurcher a dog treat and ensure I got a decent coating of canine drool before firmly shaking theirs and thanking them for the game.

Good wind up, nice try

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I remember reading a piece by Paul McGinley about his dog, I think a lab, who he would take when he played at his home course, Sunningdale from memory. His dog had died recently and he was in the process of explaining how he was training his new one. Very much like a gun dog in how he trained him and courtesy to others was at the forefront of the training. If the Ryder Cup overlord takes his dog on a golf course............

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I remember reading a piece by Paul McGinley about his dog, I think a lab, who he would take when he played at his home course, Sunningdale from memory. His dog had died recently and he was in the process of explaining how he was training his new one. Very much like a gun dog in how he trained him and courtesy to others was at the forefront of the training. If the Ryder Cup overlord takes his dog on a golf course............

Why though? Just comes across to me as, ooooh look how well trained my dog is, how clever am I, what does the dog get out of it? he's not exactly running around having fun, it's walking a maximum of 200-250 yds before sitting down and repeat!! and if your giving the dog attention then that's just adding to slow play and yes I hear the "I take my mine when it's quiet", again that's not for the dogs benefit it's aruse for some extra Golf

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Clubs flawed for not allowing dogs ? Can't see the thinking behind that

Can you take a dog round County Down ?

How many of the top 100 in the world don't allow dogs ? Are they flawed

 

[Lord Tyrion]

It's as good a walk for the dog as us golfers. They get a chance to wander off lead but come to heel, sit or lie down when asked by the owner. They get to sniff a thousand different smells, see different sights to a normal on lead walk. They have freedom which they often are not able to get on a normal walk as so many rural walks are near farm land and you have to be careful around livestock. It is not a run on a beach but far more fun for the dog than a two mile, on lead walk.

 

[Snelly]

Why though? Just comes across to me as, ooooh look how well trained my dog is, how clever am I, what does the dog get out of it? he's not exactly running around having fun, it's walking a maximum of 200-250 yds before sitting down and repeat!! and if your giving the dog attention then that's just adding to slow play and yes I hear the "I take my mine when it's quiet", again that's not for the dogs benefit it's aruse for some extra Golf

You don't know much about dogs do you? Dogs are at their happiest when out in the fresh air and with their owner - simple as that.

I have trained 3 dogs to date to behave properly on the golf course. All of them learned that they weren't allowed to walk on the greens just by the fact that they were told to sit or lie down on the fringes. I still have one of them - a big Lurcher - and he'd love to come every week to the golf course, I am certain of that. A greenskeeper at West Hill once stopped to give him a cuddle on the 5th tee. By coincidence, a grey squirrel started across the path in front of us and the greenskeeper expressed his displeasure at the number they had on the course and the damage they did. I asked if he would like one less and he said absolutely yes. A quick word and Woody took three rapid strides across the heather followed by a precise snap of the jaws to send the squirrel over the rainbow bridge! It was an awesome display and made the greenskeepers day.

Shame I wasn't playing with you on that occasion. The look on your face as I offered a handshake covered in squirrel claret would've been a priceless memento of an excellent day of golf.

I would live and let live on this issue if I was you. It isn't going to be something that you ever have to worry about I don't think as the clubs that allow dogs are probably not the ones where you would want to be a member, not least because they allow dogs!

By the way, have you tried golf games on the Xbox? Possibly a better fit for you than actually playing on a course, surrounded by all those germs and viruses. You could play in a clinically sterile room at home and even clean the controller with a sanitising wipe.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

It's as good a walk for the dog as us golfers. They get a chance to wander off lead but come to heel, sit or lie down when asked by the owner. They get to sniff a thousand different smells, see different sights to a normal on lead walk. They have freedom which they often are not able to get on a normal walk as so many rural walks are near farm land and you have to be careful around livestock. It is not a run on a beach but far more fun for the dog than a two mile, on lead walk.

Which all sounds lovely but is the opposite of what some do and have been seen, the above only applies when it's quiet, otherwise they walk next to the trolley, sit at the side of the green etc, no wandering and discovering!

 

[Snelly]

Clubs flawed for not allowing dogs ? Can't see the thinking behind that

Can you take a dog round County Down ?

How many of the top 100 in the world don't allow dogs ? Are they flawed

Your questions are irrelevant as I was stating my opinion and I am not open to changing it on this question.

The only valid statement in your post is that you "cannot see the thinking....." This is a recurring theme that shines through most of your 26,000+ posts I am afraid.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

You don't know much about dogs do you? Dogs are at their happiest when out in the fresh air and with their owner - simple as that.

I have trained 3 dogs to date to behave properly on the golf course. All of them learned that they weren't allowed to walk on the greens just by the fact that they were told to sit or lie down on the fringes. I still have one of them - a big Lurcher - and he'd love to come every week to the golf course, I am certain of that. A greenskeeper at West Hill once stopped to give him a cuddle on the 5th tee. By coincidence, a grey squirrel started across the path in front of us and the greenskeeper expressed his displeasure at the number they had on the course and the damage they did. I asked if he would like one less and he said absolutely yes. A quick word and Woody took three rapid strides across the heather followed by a precise snap of the jaws to send the squirrel over the rainbow bridge! It was an awesome display and made the greenskeepers day.

Shame I wasn't playing with you on that occasion. The look on your face as I offered a handshake covered in squirrel claret would've been a priceless memento of an excellent day of golf.

I would live and let live on this issue if I was you. It isn't going to be something that you ever have to worry about I don't think as the clubs that allow dogs are probably not the ones where you would want to be a member, not least because they allow dogs!

By the way, have you tried golf games on the Xbox? Possibly a better fit for you than actually playing on a course, surrounded by all those germs and viruses. You could play in a clinically sterile room at home and even clean the controller with a sanitising wipe.

Unfortunately you have no idea about me either and you're so far up yourself you might just disappear. judgemental to say the least, how clever are you at training your dog to kill that squirrel. You know nothing about my circumstances upbringing or lifestyle and it's the attitude and perception of people like yourself that is stopping the game from growing.

You sum up the fact that it's not the dogs that are the issue but the pompous, borish owners.

Thank god we have decent dog owners and not all are like you.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Which all sounds lovely but is the opposite of what some do and have been seen, the above only applies when it's quiet, otherwise they walk next to the trolley, sit at the side of the green etc, no wandering and discovering!

I take your point but even then there are loads of smells which the dog will love. Courses at some point will be covered in rabbits, foxes, badgers, pheasants, squirrels etc and dogs love the smells from these animals. That makes the walk interesting for them. They love different smells rather than humans who like visuals.

 

[FairwayDodger]

I'm not a dog lover, by any means. In fact, I'm allergic to them and also a little bit scared of them.

Despite that, I wouldn't object to playing with someone with a dog in a social round provided it really was well behaved and it's owner picked up and bagged any mess. However, it would be my definition of well-behaved and not the owner's although I'd have give the benefit of the doubt first time.

A couple of my hill walking pals have a German Shepherd that goes on most walks that are suitable for dogs (he's bagged more munros than most humans). I was very wary at first but gradually came to see the appeal. I now quite enjoy being one of "his pack" out on the hills. They have him very well trained, more so than I previously would have thought possible with my limited experience of dogs, so I appreciate it can be done.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I take your point but even then there are loads of smells which the dog will love. Courses at some point will be covered in rabbits, foxes, badgers, pheasants, squirrels etc and dogs love the smells from these animals. That makes the walk interesting for them. They love different smells rather than humans who like visuals.

Martin, I have no issue with the dogs themselves, in fact as I sit typing this there is a dog in the office with me and I often taking it running at lunchtime and a few times I've had to clean up it's mess and it's not my dog.!! Unfortunately the ones I have seen on my working class council run courses when I have bunked on without paying, look absolutely miserable as sin walking tied to the trolley or along side, it doesn't look like they are having any fun to me.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Your questions are irrelevant as I was stating my opinion and I am not open to changing it on this question.

The only valid statement in your post is that you "cannot see the thinking....." This is a recurring theme that shines through most of your 26,000+ posts I am afraid.

It's a shame that when you do post some good stuff you follow it up with judgemental arrogance with all the qualities that give golfers a bad name -

You say golf courses are flawed for not allowed dogs - I would ask you to provide reasons for that but I expect your obnoxious attitude of feeling your above would deny you the ability to reason

 

[Snelly]

It's a shame that when you do post some good stuff you follow it up with judgemental arrogance with all the qualities that give golfers a bad name -

You say golf courses are flawed for not allowed dogs - I would ask you to provide reasons for that but I expect your obnoxious attitude of feeling your above would deny you the ability to reason

Judgemental arrogance? Moi? Surely not poppet.....

P.S. It is "you're above" not "your above."

 

[Snelly]

Unfortunately you have no idea about me .

Hmmmmm. I know that you carry sanitising hand gel in preparation for post-round handshakes. This means we cannot be friends - sorry.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Hmmmmm. I know that you carry sanitising hand gel in preparation for post-round handshakes. This means we cannot be friends - sorry.

Being an adult I will in this one case explain, no reason to but bigots like yourself annoy me, My wife is disabled and has a severe immune illness, i carry it and have done for years and actually started when the course put out warnings about chemical spraying and me carrying said chemicals home, I have also played when people have been caught short on a course for both No1 and No2, why does it matter if I offer them hand sanitiser or use it myself, you maybe happy to risk cross infection, no matter how remote the risk, I prefer not to, by the way it's winter and thinks like the norovirus can be spread.

 

[Piece]

I really don't like dogs, all stemming from being brought up as a vet's son where all I saw were large dogs! However, the times I've seen dogs on the course have been at places such as Hindhead, Hankley and Delamere Forest. They seemed to be well behaved, and as long as they are excellently controlled, then I'm fine. Just don't bark closely to me or slobber!

 

[USER1999]

Just don't bark closely to me or slobber!

Or try to hump my leg.

 

[Fyldewhite]

Dirty, horrible crapping machines. Like having a baby for a dozen years or more - no thanks.

As for golf courses.....depends on the area. On ours it would just encourage all and sundry on to the course so wouldn't be in favour of changing our "Players only" policy. The main problem would be that they would keep to the edge (ie in the rough, trees etc), exactly the sort of ground where a large proportion of dog owners who are usually diligent think it's harmless and out of the way and don't clean up. Except it's not "out of the way" on a golf course.

 

[Snelly]

So far on this thread, I have been called an obnoxious, judgemental, pompous, boorish, arrogant, up myself bigot who is stopping the game from growing and giving golfers a bad name.

All true of course but slightly over the top in a polite discussion on canine companionship perhaps?

Must dash, dogs need a walk and the local squirrels won't catch themselves......