Things that annoy you most about golf...

What are your little gripes/frustrations with the game we all love...

I'll start with a few:

1. Serious golfers tend to be far too 'snooty' - it's a sport, you're no better than participants in any other sport, get over yourselves.
2. 18 holes is far too many - but at the same time 9 holes isn't enough, 12 holes would be the ideal number to save boredom/repetitiveness.
3. Rules and regulations of some of the clubs too excessive as I mentioned elsewhere i.e. tucking in of shirts.
4. People taking too many practice swings...get on with it man!!
5. People talking on the green after they've putted and replaced the flag, get out of my way!!
6. People teeing off when youre still in range...always have a good mind to throw their ball into the nearest hazard.

What gets on your wick about the game of golf???

Agree with 5 and 6, and 1 and 3 to a point. Last year I was told I couldn't play a team match at Southerndown GC because I, in the words of the Assistant pro "failed the sock test". In the end I had to wear waterproof trousers (as I refused to pay £5 for a pair of socks) on a warm summers evening.

Yeah, another thing that annoys me is people who look down on you because you're a junior. Bar stewards the lot of them

golf needs ridding of the old timers...move on for the next generation...nobody likes your ways any more...

shorts/long socks does my head in as does the fact clubs don't allow members to tee-off until a certain time in the morning. Don't see why you can't tee-off when you want but with the green staff having priority on the course until Xo'clock.

Competitions...groups of idiots taking minutes over each shot. Get on with it you boring toads.

Yorke - there seems to be so many things you dislike about golf I'm amazed you bother playing it, never mind talking about it!

Davie wrote:Yorke - there seems to be so many things you dislike about golf I'm amazed you bother playing it, never mind talking about it!

You could look at it that way. I am a casual player...but it drives me mad not being very good and so I get more frustrated by little things.

Prefer pitch and putt myself...

People dressing in their golfing gear to watch golf.

Sounds like an attitude thing. Some people are more comfortable with the shorter form of the game.

Have you considered some of the shorter courses out there? Places which have 18 holes but are heavily biased towards par 3/4 play at around 5000 yards or so?

LondonJonnyO wrote:Sounds like an attitude thing. Some people are more comfortable with the shorter form of the game.

Have you considered some of the shorter courses out there? Places which have 18 holes but are heavily biased towards par 3/4 play at around 5000 yards or so?

Ive not really looked into it but thats not a bad idea.

ChrisGG wrote:Yeah, another thing that annoys me is people who look down on you because you're a junior. Bar stewards the lot of them

Back to the OP ...

I have two kids (girl aged 14 & boy aged 12) who have only just finished their second season. I have lost count of the number of times a fourball has virtually run onto the first tee in front of us then proceeded to hold us up all the way round. If they say anything to me afterwards it is usually along the lines of they didn't think I would want to go through as I had 'beginners' with me. I confess that I tend to smile sweetly and walk off rather that pointing out that the two 'beginners' have handicaps far lower than theirs and hit a ball 100 yards further.

Jethro wrote:

ChrisGG wrote:Yeah, another thing that annoys me is people who look down on you because you're a junior. Bar stewards the lot of them

Back to the OP ...

I have two kids (girl aged 14 & boy aged 12) who have only just finished their second season. I have lost count of the number of times a fourball has virtually run onto the first tee in front of us then proceeded to hold us up all the way round. If they say anything to me afterwards it is usually along the lines of they didn't think I would want to go through as I had 'beginners' with me. I confess that I tend to smile sweetly and walk off rather that pointing out that the two 'beginners' have handicaps far lower than theirs and hit a ball 100 yards further.

Good shout - some people's attitudes to Juniors in golf or Kids in general stinks.

Jethro, I would like to think the majority of club members are welcoming towards juniors but there are always going to be a few who give the majority a collective bad name.

Good luck with your young'uns though. Learning the game at this age will allow them to acquire valuable skills which will stand them in good stead for the next half century or so.

Del_Boy wrote:

Jethro wrote:

ChrisGG wrote:Yeah, another thing that annoys me is people who look down on you because you're a junior. Bar stewards the lot of them

Back to the OP ...

I have two kids (girl aged 14 & boy aged 12) who have only just finished their second season. I have lost count of the number of times a fourball has virtually run onto the first tee in front of us then proceeded to hold us up all the way round. If they say anything to me afterwards it is usually along the lines of they didn't think I would want to go through as I had 'beginners' with me. I confess that I tend to smile sweetly and walk off rather that pointing out that the two 'beginners' have handicaps far lower than theirs and hit a ball 100 yards further.

Good shout - some people's attitudes to Juniors in golf or Kids in general stinks.

Me and 3 mates won the Captains day shot gun start earlier this year. Age wise 2 of us are 18 one is 17, one is 14, and we all play off single figures. As we were receiving our prize some guy apparently said to my dad and his mate who were at the bar "No way did those boys score that" bit awkward when my dad told him who he was! Apparently he hasn't been seen around since....

gaelgowfer wrote:Jethro, I would like to think the majority of club members are welcoming towards juniors but there are always going to be a few who give the majority a collective bad name.

Good luck with your young'uns though. Learning the game at this age will allow them to acquire valuable skills which will stand them in good stead for the next half century or so.

The overwhelming majority are Gael and you are right it is easy to let a minority get to you. To be honest the kids tend now just to look at me and say "Slow round today then Dad!"

Good point about life skills as well. I know I'm biased but I am dead proud of the way they both conduct themselves in adult company and I do put a lot of that to having been around the Golf Club regularly since they were 7 or 8.

Jethro ... I was actually referring to golfing skills but you are correct of course in that they will learn valuable life skills too.

Perhaps the fuddy duddy attitude isn't such a bad thing after all with ... the exception of the sock rule. Now that is reeeeediculous!

I've never really understood this attitude to juniors, without them coming through the ranks most clubs would go down the pan or have to increase their fees significantly.
And most of the juniors I've played with (with only the odd exception) have been very pleasant kids. Clubs should be doing more to encourage them.

For a club to survive, there has to be a solid mix of all ages, in both sexes (hard one that for young girls) and handicaps. The attitude of some members towards juniors just stinks and should be eradicated. But likewise, the attitude of 30-40 year olds towards the older members of the club stinks as well. Have a bit of respect there, those older members have kept that course afloat and in good condition for you for the last 50+years.

Lets have tolerance to all please, mind you, speaking as an older golfer, I do agree with most of your gripes.

I've played with a fair few juniors and most of them are good golfers and good company (respectful of old ladies and all that) but I have to say that one or two are so far up their own backsides and think they are the next big thing in golf (when they are only average if you compre them to top amateurs). They refuse to stoop to playing with higher handicappers (in drawn events like Captain's Drive-In or Christmas Shotgun) and certainly wouldn't play with a woman. Thankfully, they are very much in the minority - but they do exist, as I speak from personal experience.

where did my comments go earlier??

LadyPutt wrote:I've played with a fair few juniors and most of them are good golfers and good company (respectful of old ladies and all that) but I have to say that one or two are so far up their own backsides and think they are the next big thing in golf (when they are only average if you compre them to top amateurs). They refuse to stoop to playing with higher handicappers (in drawn events like Captain's Drive-In or Christmas Shotgun) and certainly wouldn't play with a woman. Thankfully, they are very much in the minority - but they do exist, as I speak from personal experience.

If your avatar is anything to go by, I'll have a round with you....

ChrisGG wrote:

LadyPutt wrote:I've played with a fair few juniors and most of them are good golfers and good company (respectful of old ladies and all that) but I have to say that one or two are so far up their own backsides and think they are the next big thing in golf (when they are only average if you compre them to top amateurs). They refuse to stoop to playing with higher handicappers (in drawn events like Captain's Drive-In or Christmas Shotgun) and certainly wouldn't play with a woman. Thankfully, they are very much in the minority - but they do exist, as I speak from personal experience.

If your avatar is anything to go by, I'll have a round with you....

Chris...that picture doesn't do her justice

drive4show wrote:

ChrisGG wrote:

LadyPutt wrote:I've played with a fair few juniors and most of them are good golfers and good company (respectful of old ladies and all that) but I have to say that one or two are so far up their own backsides and think they are the next big thing in golf (when they are only average if you compre them to top amateurs). They refuse to stoop to playing with higher handicappers (in drawn events like Captain's Drive-In or Christmas Shotgun) and certainly wouldn't play with a woman. Thankfully, they are very much in the minority - but they do exist, as I speak from personal experience.

If your avatar is anything to go by, I'll have a round with you....

Chris...that picture doesn't do her justice

yorke10 wrote:where did my comments go earlier??

The comments were split of and archived forever into the darkness.

We have very few rules here as we believe posters can police themselves and there is no need for any heavy moderation as this is a grown up world we live and post in. However some comments not only by yourself seemed more aimed at each other as personal insults/digs and that is something we are looking to avoid so for peace keeping sake were split from the main thread.

There was no requirement for further course to be taken as I say were all adults but to help grow the forum we want to be seen as a place for golf, sport and banter. That said if anyone feels the need to take a pop at each other go for it but via PM.

And harmony returns.......

Back to the OP

Mavette has been subject to the junior issue a few times but the looks she gets when the men/ladies stating they shouldn"t be stuck behind and 11year old hack when they find out she has a 10 handicap and is still getting stronger and better are a picture as she sails her drives passed the guys complaining!

I think the one single aspect that annoys the Be-Jesus out of me on the golf course is an individual (or individuals) who have no awareness (or even worse don't care) about other players on the course. It's not just the 'Slow Play' chestnut which is a perenniel challenge, but the fact that they talk (when they shouldn't), walk (where they shouldn't) and generally seem oblivious to all that's going on around them. They are so lacking in self-awareness, that they will walk off the course at the end as calm as you like, while leaving a seething following pack in their wake.....

Noshanks, yes we all see it and live it, but also seem to put up with it ... strange that it makes little difference how many complaints go in about certain individuals, but nothing happens. Could be clubs like revenue and members ....

Mine's similar to Noshanks.

Really don't like ignorant 'know all' golfers that have no respect for the course or other players. Thankfully, we don't have many of these types. Also, speaking as a former dreaded Committee member, I have no time for the ones that steadfastly stick to some of the most ridiculous 'club rules' like insisting on handicap requirements in Charity events especially when the winnings are always donated back to the Charity.

I don't get this junior slating either....... I used to be the junior organiser at our club and I can say that I've never had any big problems. Yes they have done the odd daft thing (haven't we all) but without exception they've all turned out to be a credit to their parents and our club and they now, more often than not, end up looking after me......... that includes two current welsh internationals!

Meverick thats fine but if mercurio stayed off my article in the first place (unless he had something useful to say) then we wouldnt have had a problem....

yorke10 wrote:Meverick thats fine but if mercurio stayed off my article in the first place (unless he had something useful to say) then we wouldnt have had a problem....

Yorke

This is an open forum so we can pick and choose what threads we comment on but not choose on comments on those we create. It could also be said that personally throwing insults his way there would also not have been a problem. It takes 2 sides to have an argument.

My pet hates are golfers and golf clubs who are up themselves. The kind that like the exclusivity element of the game and really would rather nobody but their mates got to enjoy a course.

Diggers - 100% agree with that dislike/pet hate

In past I've posted a few instances where I've been made feel unwelcome as an outsider by the snob brigade! Sadly there seems to be an element of this creeping into my club and I'm toying with the idea of only after a year here moving on as I am not a fan of that atmosphere

diggers wrote:My pet hates are golfers and golf clubs who are up themselves. The kind that like the exclusivity element of the game and really would rather nobody but their mates got to enjoy a course.

Totally agree with you. Visited Cornwall with (WingMan) JAS in October and there was a marked difference between the reception and general demeanour of members and visitors at St Enedoc compared to Trevose. St Enedoc was (imho) Snootsville. Bunch of old farts in the bar afterwards all wearing the ubiquitous loafers and 'Man at Gant' look with the stuck-up women looking like they shopped at Jaeger. Not very welcoming. Whereas Trevose; (which is still a damn good course) was thriving. People were even allowed in the bar with jeans on, children were allowed - what a difference

Think JD mentioned Rockcliffe Hall on another thread. That to me is an example of a club Id love to be a member of. Great course and staff who fall over you to make you feel welcome.
Friendly members and a nice clubhouse where kids and jeans are not an issue. Makes all the difference to me.

Noshanks, Mav, Diggers 100% in agreement