Walk Off

Nozebleed

so i played an open today and it pissed down from about the 3rd hole on,being the first time id played the course and the fact that i shelled out 17quid i said id play it to the death regardless,anyway the two lads i was out with walked off..one left after 9 which was no bother as the other had agreed to play on,unfortunately he began the back 9 really bad and by 13 he had enough and headed off home aswell..but before heading off he signed my card..now i was on my todd with 5 holes to play one of which was a par 3 and i had paid into the two,s! now i missed the birdie putt but it got me thinking had i sunk the putt what would happen when i hand the card in? anyway i told the lad in the pro shop about my card and that i marked the last 5 holes myself..but he didnt seem bothered,kinda pissed me off a bit. should i take it further and send the secretary an email or something? could get a free 4 ball if im lucky!

Anatom

That's very bad form on the part of both of your playing partners. You had paid down your money and were entitled to be able to finish out your round properly. Unless the two lads had suddenly been struck down with a mystery illness or injury, it is inexcusable that they would simply walk off like that.

I would definitely put something in writing to the club. I'm not sure a free four-ball would satisfy me, but it would help a little alright. What club was it?

The Pro-Shop's attitude wouldn't necessarily bug me too much because they wouldn't have anything to do with the scoring so they won't really care about who marks what (You probably would have been annoyed at any reply you got from them - understandably!). However, given you marked the final five holes yourself, I'm not sure how valid the card can be. Certainly, if I heard that someone had won a prize and that he'd marked his own card for some of the round, I'd be asking questions (Not doubting your honesty at all, but I would object to anyone in that situation!).

What excuses did the two lads give? The second lad should have stayed out there for the last few holes, even if he'd stopped playing himself. That's bad form...

SnowDrifts

As the previous poster said, it was very bad form from your playing partners to leave you high and dry (or wet) regardless of the weather conditions.

Regarding the scorecard, I think that a player can actually mark his own card provided his playing partner/marker can attest for the scores but unfortunately, since your last 5 holes can't be verified by a playing partner/marker, I think your card should be disqualified.

FixdePitchmark

Could you haved joined group behind.

Nozebleed

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Could you haved joined group behind.

unfortunately no. there was no group behind and i only came upon a group half way through the 17th but at that stage i didng want to interupt their round.
i wont name the club at the moment,the lads didnt give any excuse other than the rain was down for the day and no break was gona come anytime soon. look to ne honest i can understand why they walked it was a horrible day,but i just feel a bit peeved that ive possibly paid to play null round of golf. i attached a note with my card in the hope that they at least call and clarify the situation.

neckedit

Why do you think you are entitled to compensation from the club?

FixdePitchmark

Bad form from lads . But a free four ball for a 17 quid round ?

Nozebleed

neckedit wrote: »

Why do you think you are entitled to compensation from the club?

The round is effectively void..you cant mark your own card. If members just walk off leaving visitors stranded I think the club should be held responsible..i think a four ball vouher would be a nice gesture. Id settle for my fee back though. Its not just about the fee..its the time wasted,petrol and fee.

Almaviva

Club is in no way responsble for what your playing partners do. If I were the club I certanly wouldnt gve you anything. Did you tell the second guy to play on whether he wanted to or not?

bustercherry

Nozebleed wrote: »

The round is effectively void..you cant mark your own card. If members just walk off leaving visitors stranded I think the club should be held responsible..i think a four ball vouher would be a nice gesture. Id settle for my fee back though. Its not just about the fee..its the time wasted,petrol and fee.

No one is disagreeing it being bad form but dry your eyes about compensation of petrol, time etc.... It's petty and pathetic as you finished out your round.

If they are members? Then let the committee deal with their bad etiquette. Also if it were me, I'd be more worried about the .1 coming back than looking for compensation :rolleyes:

PARlance

Nozebleed wrote: »

The round is effectively void..you cant mark your own card. If members just walk off leaving visitors stranded I think the club should be held responsible..i think a four ball vouher would be a nice gesture. Id settle for my fee back though. Its not just about the fee..its the time wasted,petrol and fee.

Contact someone senior in the club and let them know the situation.
At present, you are not giving the club a chance to respond.
I would be surprised if the club didn't offer some form of goodwill gesture even though they could have done very little/nothing to avoid this.

Did you phone the club when you were left stranded?
I would have given them a quick call, they could have sent a ranger/official out to mark your card or done something else at the time.
It's hard for them to do something if they were unaware

Ilik Urgee

I'd expect the two lads to be fined or suspended by the club if I were in your shoes OP.
Rain or no rain, they had an obligation to fulfill once they put their name down on the timesheet, namely complete the round and sign their competitors cards.

SnowDrifts

bustercherry wrote: »

I'd be more worried about the .1 coming back than looking for compensation :rolleyes:

I don't think you get a .1 if your disqualified?

Nozebleed

bustercherry wrote: »

No one is disagreeing it being bad form but dry your eyes about compensation of petrol, time etc.... It's petty and pathetic as you finished out your round.

If they are members? Then let the committee deal with their bad etiquette. Also if it were me, I'd be more worried about the .1 coming back than looking for compensation :rolleyes:[/quote

The .1 is will be coming back if I get disqualified due to playing partners poor behaviour. Its not compensation im looking for its a refund. Mayne I should have just cheated and handed in a card with 5 birdies on last 5 holes..now would you want a refund that happened in a an open you paid to play?

PARlance

Ilik Urgee wrote: »

I'd expect the two lads to be fined or suspended by the club if I were in your shoes OP.
Rain or no rain, they had an obligation to fulfill once they put their name down on the timesheet, namely complete the round and sign their competitors cards.

In an ideal world that would be great Ilik, but if a club was to be so harsh on walk outs then lads would just get around it by saying "it's an emergency"
You cant keep someone on the course in an emergency.
And if they are they type of lad that leaves someone alone on the course to finish, then they'll have no problem lying about an emergency to get off the hook unfortunately.

You had a similar situation a while back with a no show at the first tee?
I was thinking about it yesterday.
We were a 2 ball going out in the second last slot of the comp.
I had spotted that there was a 3 ball due out behind us.
A lad approached us to join us on the tee, I asked him was he part of the 3 ball on the timesheet, he was.
I said no problem but asked him to go in and make sure that the other 2 lads out of the group were signed in first.
Turns out one of them was a no show!
Was extremely impressed with myself
But I wouldn't have thought about it if your experience of being left stranded stuck somewhere in the back of my head.

bustercherry

SnowDrifts wrote: »

I don't think you get a .1 if your disqualified?

Are you though? For stableford surely you just don't submit a score for the remaining holes?

Had to walk off after 7 in my last comp due to injury. Got .1 back for that as the card was signed for the 7 holes and I submitted at the request of the comp secretary. Otherwise would have been a Non Return.

John Divney

I wouldn't have done it myself but how bad was the weather, looked utterly brutal at one stage today.

A bit of drizzle and a guy playing poorly and walking is a different story. How many finished the competition behind you?

SnowDrifts

bustercherry wrote: »

Are you though? For stableford surely you just don't submit a score for the remaining holes?

Had to walk off after 7 in my last comp due to injury. Got .1 back for that as the card was signed for the 7 holes and I submitted at the request of the comp secretary. Otherwise would have been a Non Return.

Not sure - but it seems he signed for 18 scores (with the last 5 unverified by a marker) and not just 13 which is what should have been done. I think it's a DQ but I could be wrong.

bustercherry

Nozebleed wrote: »

The .1 is will be coming back if I get disqualified due to playing partners poor behaviour.

If it's stableford, I suspect you don't return a score on the 5 holes and unless your a complete bandit, your not in the buffer. I'd be speaking to the comp secretary to confirm.

Nozebleed wrote: »

Its not compensation im looking for its a refund.

Seriously, you have been bleating on about free 4 balls from the very first post.

Nozebleed wrote: »

Mayne I should have just cheated and handed in a card with 5 birdies on last 5 holes..now would you want a refund that happened in a an open you paid to play?

Actually I couldn't have give a fcuk, if you need to cheat to win some poxy prize then so be it. I would there playing against the course trying to lower my handicap.

bustercherry

SnowDrifts wrote: »

Not sure - but it seems he signed for 18 scores (with the last 5 unverified by a marker) and not just 13 which is what should have been done. I think it's a DQ but I could be wrong.

Hmmm he would have only filled in the 13, so could only sign for 13? Again I'm not sure as it's only happened once to myself and was not DQ'd.

SnowDrifts

bustercherry wrote: »

Hmmm he would have only filled in the 13, so could only sign for 13? Again I'm not sure as it's only happened once to myself and was not DQ'd.

What should have been done is both player and marker sign card for 13 holes leaving each of the last 5 as NRs.

Jimdagym

Ilik Urgee wrote: »

I'd expect the two lads to be fined or suspended by the club if I were in your shoes OP.
Rain or no rain, they had an obligation to fulfill once they put their name down on the timesheet, namely complete the round and sign their competitors cards.

Out of interest, what sort of fine would you think appropriate?

Cannot see any grounds for compensation myself here either.

Ilik Urgee

Jimdagym wrote: »

Out of interest, what sort of fine would you think appropriate?

Cannot see any grounds for compensation myself here either.

I dunno, 20 quid towards the next 2's competition or first twenty coffees after a round to members on comp day. So long as it would stop lads in the future fromn walking off and making it public knowledge someone had walked off.

Nozebleed

I dont know where the animosity is coming from lads...i paid to play a full round of golf which was an open..th objective to was to lower/maintain my handicap and hopefully win a prize but I was denied the chance of both by the actions of playing partners affiliated with club in question. Im now more than likely goin to get .1 back a disqualification and im also 17e out of pocket and none of this was down to my actions. I think a refund or voucher of some sort would be a nice gesture by the club.

Jimdagym

Nozebleed wrote: »

I dont know where the animosity is coming from lads...i paid to play a full round of golf which was an open..th objective to was to lower/maintain my handicap and hopefully win a prize but I was denied the chance of both by the actions of playing partners affiliated with club in question. Im now more than likely goin to get .1 back a disqualification and im also 17e out of pocket and none of this was down to my actions. I think a refund or voucher of some sort would be a nice gesture by the club.

You still got to play the course that you had not played before. How much is a green fee normally? Is it more than 17?
Plenty of clubs need to work on their PR but this is not a time when they fell down. Your issue is bad luck with partners. Sure if you took the bad luck out of golf we would all be playing off scratch

All only IMO, of course.

Ilik Urgee

Nozebleed wrote: »

I dont know where the animosity is coming from lads...i paid to play a full round of golf which was an open..th objective to was to lower/maintain my handicap and hopefully win a prize but I was denied the chance of both by the actions of playing partners affiliated with club in question. Im now more than likely goin to get .1 back a disqualification and im also 17e out of pocket and none of this was down to my actions. I think a refund or voucher of some sort would be a nice gesture by the club.

I don't agree with the reimbursement angle. Yes, the club need to approach the offenfers but I wouldn't say they're obligated to you. It would be good ettiquette, but I wouldn't expect it tbh.
I'd be more annoyed they gave you a freebie and not apprehended the offenders.

Almaviva

Nozebleed wrote: »

I dont know where the animosity is coming from lads...i paid to play a full round of golf which was an open..th objective to was to lower/maintain my handicap and hopefully win a prize but I was denied the chance of both by the actions of playing partners affiliated with club in question. Im now more than likely goin to get .1 back a disqualification and im also 17e out of pocket and none of this was down to my actions. I think a refund or voucher of some sort would be a nice gesture by the club.

You still played 18 holes. So the card element was robbed from you by two other guys. Get over it.

Keano

What score were you when the guy left?

Nozebleed

I think I had 24pts at that stage..its true I got to play 18 holes but I didnt get to play them as they were advertised as in an open competition. It makes a mockery of the competition. Very disappointing. Basically you people are saying I should have thrown my card away and walked off with the other two lads.

PhlegmyMoses

I can't find the point where the OP said that he expects a free round. He says that he may get a free round "if I'm lucky!" or that it would be "a nice gesture". Everyone's being a bit heavy handed with him here.

It would be a nice gesture from the club to give him a free round or free entry to another comp or something. The likelihood of the OP ever returning to this club or ever speaking positively about it again to people he knows and meets will be very slim after this, regardless of it not being the club's fault. "Ever played such and such?" "Ah it's a rubbish club, the members are cúnts, you'll never guess what happened to me out there....."

Taking a hard line towards sorting someone out for a bad experience, even if it has nothing to do with the club itself per se, for the sake of the price of entry into a comp is madness from a customer service point of view.

As for those players who walked off, I was out for a round this morning and it was grim. Myself and one of the guys that posts here as well walked off after around 13 holes, even though we were playing decent stuff. Had I needed to stay out to sign someone's card, though, I would have in a heartbeat. It was hardly the worst I have ever seen.

Nozebleed

PhlegmyMoses wrote: »

I can't find the point where the OP said that he expects a free round. He says that he may get a free round "if I'm lucky!" or that it would be "a nice gesture". Everyone's being a bit heavy handed with him here.

It would be a nice gesture from the club to give him a free round or free entry to another comp or something. The likelihood of the OP ever returning to this club or ever speaking positively about it again to people he knows and meets will be very slim after this, regardless of it not being the club's fault, is slim to none. "Ever played such and such?" "Ah it's a rubbish club, the members are cúnts, you'll never guess what happened to me out there....."

Taking a hard line towards sorting someone out for a bad experience, even if it has nothing to do with the club itself per se, for the sake of the price of entry into a comp is madness from a customer service point of view.

As for those players who walked off, I was out for a round this morning and it was grim. Myself and one of the guys that posts here as well walked off after around 13 holes, even though we were playing decent stuff. Had I needed to stay out to sign someone's card, though, I would have in a heartbeat. It was hardly the worst I have ever seen.

Thank you. Well said.

PARlance

Nozebleed wrote: »

I think I had 24pts at that stage..its true I got to play 18 holes but I didnt get to play them as they were advertised as in an open competition. It makes a mockery of the competition. Very disappointing. Basically you people are saying I should have thrown my card away and walked off with the other two lads.

Why didn't you call the club and ask them to send out a marker for the last 5 holes?

I'd hope the club would throw you a green fee at least.

Keano

Nozebleed wrote: »

I think I had 24pts at that stage..its true I got to play 18 holes but I didnt get to play them as they were advertised as in an open competition. It makes a mockery of the competition. Very disappointing. Basically you people are saying I should have thrown my card away and walked off with the other two lads.

Did they ask you what score you were on before they left?

I ask because if I'm being honest with myself had you told me you were on that score I would have said, listen I'm soaked right through and I don't think we are going to be winning today so I'm calling it a day.

Almaviva

Nozebleed wrote: »

Basically you people are saying I should have thrown my card away and walked off with the other two lads.

They arent. That would be a silly thing to do.

They are saying you should have :

a) gone to/phoned the club or pro explaining you were left alone and was there anybody about who was willing to play the last few holes with you

or

b) made the point to the second to leave you that he had an obligation as a golfer and as a decent human being to play the last holes with you whether he wanted to or not

or

c) played on the last few holes and sucked it up as a bad day at the office and moved on without holding any grudge or expecting anything from the club

Nozebleed

ajcurry123 wrote: »

Why didn't you call the club and ask them to send out a marker for the last 5 holes?

I'd hope the club would throw you a green fee at least.

To be honest I didnt know you could do that..ive never had this scenario happen before. Also when the lads aaid they were walking I shouldnt have to plead with them to stay..that would just create a bad atmosphere y,know. Anyway its done wirh now. If I hear anything from the club ill post again but until then ill say no more.

Mr. Larson

Some of the hostility on this thread towards the OP is weird. Of course its not the responsibility of the club, the management or the competitions committee to compensate for 2 members walking off during a comp leaving a visitor high and (wet). But if it happened at my club Id want to know about it, not necessarily to take action against the walker offers but to offer some gesture of goodwill to a visitor as way of an apology "on behalf of the club". A club to me is more than a series of committees, sub committees, staff, officers etc. The reputation of the club and any experience had inside the gates should be of interest to everyone associated in any capacity. Any club who takes a silo'd view of "its not our problem" or "take it up with the competitions committee" should get their head outta their arse in my opinion. There are assholes in all walks of life and at every club. Nobody can change that but the club could do something about it if they were a place worth visiting again or telling your mates about in a positive light.

John Divney

But are we saying this guy was an asshole for not sticking around for 9 holes of utter misery, I just came in from a few holes there, and it was a wall of water, I was drenched, my glove was so wet gripping the club was a joke..

9 holes of that is not only foolish, but if I paid I'd reason with my partner it was ridiculous and we should head in.

This isn't just a bit of rain, it's pointless playing golf in it, there is standing water on the fairways and hollows and ayou feel like you weigh a tone swining in it.

I commend the OP's commitment, but you have to be reasonable to others too, the guy should in no way be sanctioned or chastised for leaving politely, if that was the case.

Mr. Larson

Well I'd at least walk around and mark his card if he wanted to play on. Ditch the clubs maybe if near clubhouse and get the brolly and walk with him. All of this would come after I questioned whether or not there was a point in continuing. I wouldn't try and guilt him into it tho. Not labelling anyone who walks an arsehole but its bad form at the least.

John Divney

Mr. Larson wrote: »

Well I'd at least walk around and mark his card if he wanted to play on. Ditch the clubs maybe if near clubhouse and get the brolly and walk with him. All of this would come after I questioned whether or not there was a point in continuing. I wouldn't try and guilt him into it tho. Not labelling anyone who walks an arsehole but its bad form at the least.

It's bad form not to try and sort the guy out,, I'd have stayed around out of my responsibility to the guy, but I'd be thinking, fuc**k this nonsense.

Being reasonable cuts both ways. You wouldn't ask a friend to stay out in that, why expect a stranger to want to do it?

Mr. Larson

John Divney wrote: »

It's bad form not to try and sort the guy out,, I'd have stayed around out of my responsibility to the guy, but I'd be thinking, fuc**k this nonsense.

Being reasonable cuts both ways. You wouldn't ask a friend to stay out in that, why expect a stranger to want to do it?

It comes with the territory when you sign up to a time on the timesheet and show up. Its not like you have to be somewhere else, coz uve essentially signed up to playing 18 holes. If someone wants to play on in a bit of rain... them the breaks. Man up.

John Divney

Mr. Larson wrote: »

It comes with the territory when you sign up to a time on the timesheet and show up. Its not like you have to be somewhere else, coz uve essentially signed up to playing 18 holes. If someone wants to play on in a bit of rain... them the breaks. Man up.

When the whole course leaves, as they did this evening, fairways are flooded, can't see the ball through the rain, I think it's daft to be the only two soldiers muddling through for the sake of a competition.

The weather is part of golf and it's also fair to lose some. I'm not advocating leaving anyone high and dry, but there's a point where it becomes ridiculous to playt golf, and tonight was like that.

People do have places to be, just playing in these competitions is time away from families work etc, why turn it into torture and farce?

shaneon77

You know that its fairly likely your two walk in partners got vouchers for being unable to finish their rounds due to poor weather!!

TheDoc

I've walked of plenty of times, and will do it plenty of more times. I've been berated a little in other threads for my viewpoint. But I'm one of those people that if I'm not enjoying my round I'm not going to waste my time. Granted out course has a decent layout that I can ****off after 9, or 13.

It normally has to be pretty bad in terms of my game to walk off, or the weather to be atrocious. I "normally" play with friends and my father, so it's never an issue as I'm not leaving someone solo. I do remember that once I was left on my own after 13. Two guys had enough, were playing rubbish and wanted to leave. No problems, and let them go. I was scoring well at the time and just waited for another group to arrive on the teebox with a slot.

TBH what exactly can you do ? If someone is not enjoying the round, and they want to go home, what, threaten them with a "letter" to the committee, that they have to hang around and mark your card?

When these threads start to pop up you notice there is two completely different worlds where golfers live, those that would gladly have a reputation of being a cretin to uphold the moral high ground for golfers accross the world, and then those that go out to play golf for some enjoyment, be a bit social and not feel the need to be a PGA Referee every moment on the course.

Just find it weird.

Rikand

^^ this guy....

Ilik Urgee

I don't even.....:eek:

TheDoc

I've never left leaving someone in the lurch, anytime I've left it's normally being with the Da and his mates in the group, so there is 3 lads to go on. As someone else mentioned, if I was in a two ball with a guy I'd just carry on and practice, if the weather was cat I'd just drop the clubs in and carry on with the brolly.

I'm not defending the guys who left the OP on his tod, that's not ideal especially with them being members and him a visitor. Sometimes I just question the snotty nose attitude taken to people who walk off before 18 holes. I've been in plenty of two balls where someone is insistent on staying out in the absolute torrential rain and I've had to trapse around with them marking their card. I wouldn't mind if its a good score, but when these lads are shooting in the 90's it is somewhat baffling.

I don't think there is any justification for just leaving someone on their own, to be honest their is not, I'm just addressing the somewhat eye rolling attitude of people walking of a golf course

As for the hostility the OP has gotten (for something others have taken out of context) everyone needs to chill out.

If I paid money, regardless of the quantity, for an event, its under the pretence I;m paying to complete a competitive round of golf. There is a situation there outside of his control that prohibited him from completing the round. Don't see the problem with him looking for some compensation, regardless of his score etc. Bit of double standards going on here over a few threads. Some high morality when it comes to rules and wlaking of a course, yet when someone has shared that he paid for a service he did not received, the response is "get over it"....Wow

OilBeefHooked2

Ya wha?.... gas man.

bustercherry

shaneon77 wrote: »

You know that its fairly likely your two walk in partners got vouchers for being unable to finish their rounds due to poor weather!!

I though they were members :rolleyes:

slave1

If it was p1ssing I'd walk but I'd never leave someone who wanted to play on no matter how bad the weather was, poor show leaving OP like that.