Golf things that annoy you

prawnsambo

tropics001 wrote: »

nothing wrong with taking a few minutes to play a hole. if it's getting to the point where people playing through upsets you, why not just let them through, then relax and enjoy your round?

The problem is when it's marginal. Your pace of play is good and then one of your group loses a drive and has to take a provisional, look for the original and then play either that (if found) or the provo. Roughly five minutes lost, but the group behind instantly believe that you have to let them through, despite the fact that there are groups behind them and letting them through will only slow the whole thing down more. Had a situation like that this year and the group behind hit a ball over us and then (even though we'd got a good gap going) did it again six holes later.

blue note

People getting annoyed by the pace of play when it's fine. If you head out on a Sunday and can only spend 4 hours on the golf course you don't have time for 18. For 4balls that's roughly what 18 holes will take on a good day. You'll rarely get around in less than that in 4 balls and with bad conditions or a lunchtime tee time it could be closer to 4 and a half without people taking the p1ss. Playing with someone who moans for 18 holes about the pace of play is simply unpleasant.

And to take that up a notch - what's even worse is when they decide to go on a crusade and try to speed up the whole course. So the blockage is a few holes ahead, but they make sure to play speed golf so that they're up the holes of the group ahead of them. What's the point of racing so that you can get to the next tee to see the group ahead wait to tee off? I've played in front of these people and with them and they're ar$eholes. They don't even say anything when they get to the next tee other than have a quick pop at the group causing the blockage. What's the point in racing for that? The only result of it is you spend more time in your round waiting on tee boxes.

And faffing on a course. I wouldn't just say slow play, because beginners and a lot of older golfers will be a bit slow by virtue of the fact that they'll have to take an extra 20 shots and be in trouble more often, or because they move slower. But someone with a long pre shot routine can be head wrecking. Or someone who still isn't ready to hit on a tee when they're hitting 4th. Or someone who finishes a story before hitting. Please, just tell me when we're walking off the tee box. I'll enjoy it then, but if you tell me when you should be hitting all I'll be thinking about is that you should be hitting.

blackbox

The 95% handicap rule for singles.

DuckSlice

blue note wrote: »

Or someone who finishes a story before hitting.

Or people who have to finish a story or just talking about something and not stopping while someone else is taking a shot, that really annoys me. The story can wait 20 seconds!

People obsessed with being finished in under 4 hours.

People that are waiting to putt, but wont put their ball down on the green until the other ball is finished rolling. If I'm waiting on someone to put as soon as they hit the ball i will put my ball down ready to go, unless they are putting on the same line as me.

Handicap cheats.

The ridiculous price of lithium batteries.

prawnsambo

blackbox wrote: »

The 95% handicap rule for singles.

There's a good reason for that.

CorkBoyInDub

When you hit a good drive down the centre of the fairway only to land in an unrepaired divot.

srfc d16

prawnsambo wrote: »

There's a good reason for that.

I don't want to take this off topic but what is the reason?
I don't really understand the reasoning behind the different percentages.

On topic.
People taking too many practice swings annoys me far more than it should.
I also dislike people who insist on playing in a certain order with honor etc. instead of ready golf

Ivefoundgod

As someone returning to the game after not being a member for years I've just been happy enough to get back out there playing but one thing that is annoying though is the club not being clear about what I need to do to get a handicap. I've been told 3 different things by club staff and other members have told me different things as well. Its confusing and if I was really new to the game I'd probably find it more off-putting. Wish there was just a set of rules from Golf Ireland and that's it but it seems like clubs have their own interpretations too.

Some members attitudes to new members isn't great. Played with a couple of strangers for 9 holes, told them at the start I didn't know what my handicap was. One lad badgered me for a good few minutes saying 'ah you'd have a fair idea of your level' etc. but I genuinely don't. I used to be ok but that was 10+ years ago. I'm not really that bothered by my handicap this year though I'm aiming to be low double digits once it settles down, just want to be able to play in comps and enjoy 18 holes without worrying about it. Throughout the round he commented on my playing level, maybe it was just me but it sounded like he was insinuating that I was a bit of a bandit. I played well that round but have been shocking other times I've played. On the 9th hole the lad says to me something along the lines of 'looking forward to seeing you in the competitions when you've your handicap, hopefully it won't be much of a one based off today'. No idea what that meant but hoping I'm never paired with him again.

Other lad was sound out though and just happy to chat on the way around and to be fair that has mostly been my experience.

More broadly, golf is an intimidating hobby to try pick up later in life. Theres so many unwritten rules/etiquette that seasoned players just expect new people to know and can be rude in informing new people. Clubs should do a lot more than take the subs and send out a letter with the GUI card and then leave people to it. If I was new to the game I would probably have given up at this stage as you're given no welcome or guidance on how to get a tee time/handicap/playing partners etc. That sort of thing needs to be improved.

youcancallmeal

Most of my golf complaints are with the way my club is run by older people in a cliquey way. Other than that the main thing is angry golfers. I used to be like this myself when I got into golf properly a few years ago, cursing, banging clubs on the ground, muttering about a bad hole for a few holes afterwards etc. Then one day I was playing with a guy who put me to shame with his anger and I realised how uncomfortable I felt and was embarrassed for him. Ever since I completely changed my approach to mistakes, laugh it off, joke about it, concentrate on salvaging something from the hole even if it's 1 point.

newport2

People who won't stay quiet when someone else is taking a shot. Or even more annoying, thinking that whispering when 8 feet away from a person who is about to start their backswing isn't going to distract them. Anything else I can live with, just STFU when I'm taking my shot and we'll get on fine. Rant over.

artanevilla

Slow play.

Grey Fox

People

jcon1913

tropics001 wrote: »

nothing wrong with taking a few minutes to play a hole. if it's getting to the point where people playing through upsets you, why not just let them through, then relax and enjoy your round?

Well I was never at Augusta and never played on the same course as McIlroy so why can’t everyone just take a few minutes and chill.

it’s golf. If you want to play quickly go out when nobody else is on the course like on a Monday

Pdoghue

Love this thread!

I remember a few years ago playing with a high handicapper and he used to whip out the rangefinder on nearly every shot, even down to 20 yards from the green. Used to drive me mad!

What I find funny is the oul lads who used to give out when GPS devices came out - now they're all using them of course, but sometimes it takes an age for them to figure out their distance, plenty of fustering is what goes on.

Another thing that annoys me is when my playing partners walk off the green after putting out, but before I've finished. Just because the pros do it doesn't make it right - poor etiquette.

boardise

Finlay Harp wrote: »

Club councils that run the club like part of North Korea and wonder why nobody wants to join the committee.

This phenomenon probably not unique to golf tbf.

tropics001

jcon1913 wrote: »

Well I was never at Augusta

i went to watch a practice round in 2018, beautiful spot. still waiting for the invite to come back with my clubs!

Dtoffee

Motivator wrote: »

The worst for me is playing in a competition and someone spots a rule infringement and doesn’t say anything at the time but waits until the end of the round to bring it up. One particular incident I’ll always remember was a Sunday competition where one guy asked the other that we were playing with to move his marker one putter head either side. He did so, the guy putted and hit it 6 feet past. He took another 3 putts and then took the flag off the other guy while he put down his ball and took his marker up. He saw what happened and said nothing. He waited until the cards were being signed after the round and brought it up in the most sneaky and condescending way possible. “That’s not your score. Think about why it isn’t”. The poor fella nearly died when he said he never moved his marker back to its original spot. He saw it at the time and never said a word.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think you are obliged to call a foul on the spot if you see it ......... playing on whilst knowing of an infringment is breaking the rules. Legend is, that in a team game, player A witnessed his opponent break the rules, but as he was ahead and obviously going to win the game he said nothing. His team won and his match was the key game, then during the dinner mentioned it to his opponent by way of 'for future reference'. The next day the losing team successfully appealed the result as player A had broken the rules of the game by knowingly not calling a foul. I'm sure some of the more knowledgable golfers on here could clarify this point.

callaway92

Dtoffee wrote: »

Legend is, that in a team game, player A witnessed his opponent break the rules, but as he was ahead and obviously going to win the game he said nothing. His team won and his match was the key game, then during the dinner mentioned it to his opponent by way of 'for future reference'. The next day the losing team successfully appealed the result as player A had broken the rules of the game by knowingly not calling a foul. I'm sure some of the more knowledgable golfers on here could clarify this point.

That can't be true surely. Would be too much of a case of 'your word against mine'...

'Uhmmm..I didn't say that' would suffice.

thewobbler

I would agree with the posters who get irked by people who get frustrated by 4 hour rounds at the weekend. Same people are sure to drive alone in a giant SUV at rush hour each morning and evening, complaining bitterly about why everyone else to be driving.

But, that said, my pet hate in golf is slow groups of players booking up the early weekend slots. They essentially dictate the pace for the rest of the day. It’s just selfish.

DuckSlice

Dtoffee wrote: »

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think you are obliged to call a foul on the spot if you see it ......... playing on whilst knowing of an infringment is breaking the rules. Legend is, that in a team game, player A witnessed his opponent break the rules, but as he was ahead and obviously going to win the game he said nothing. His team won and his match was the key game, then during the dinner mentioned it to his opponent by way of 'for future reference'. The next day the losing team successfully appealed the result as player A had broken the rules of the game by knowingly not calling a foul. I'm sure some of the more knowledgable golfers on here could clarify this point.

In Matchplay you can ignore a rule infringement, so if I was playing someone and they put the ball back down an inch ahead of where it should be on the putting green i can ignore this and that is no issue, i don't need to announce I'm ignoring it. You can't agree to ignore a rule though prior to a round or the rule breach happening.

Rule 1.3b

Your story doesn't sound right to me, unless I'm reading it wrong.

jcon1913

thewobbler wrote: »

I would agree with the posters who get irked by people who get frustrated by 4 hour rounds at the weekend. Same people are sure to drive alone in a giant SUV at rush hour each morning and evening, complaining bitterly about why everyone else to be driving. I

But, that said, my pet hate in golf is slow groups of players booking up the early weekend slots. They essentially dictate the pace for the rest of the day. It’s just selfish.

Well I agree if someone is playing off no handicap IE useless and is not basically picking up the ball on their 10th shot for that hole- that’s a pain too. Those guys often have the rangefinder too like it’s going to make a difference whether they fluff a shot with a 5 or a 7 iron

Kiith

Plugged golf balls.

That's it. Its the only think i've gotten really annoyed at lately.

billy3sheets

Ducks, geese, swans, sheep, goats and any other creatures that sh1t on the greens!

Sir montygom

Xander10 wrote: »

That's one thing I won't get bothered about. It won't make much difference on a 400 yard hole etc

It’s nothing to do with distance... it’s breaking a rule of golf that irks me ... I know it’s unintentional but it bugs me ! Doing it on a 120yrd par 3 annoys me the same as 550yrd par 5...... Anyway I’ll keep saying it when I feel they past the markers as It for their benefit !

The_Kew_Tour

People who think they own the golf club.

I can get over Slow Play to a degree but I find the slow players are my club are the biggest dicks at the club.

People who look down on young boys/girls playing. Just let them play. Jesus we were all young once. Let them enjoy it. Most of them are quick anyway.

BENDYBINN

Playing partners calling you a bandit when you play a good round got the first time in six months........

coillcam

People who moan to your group about slow play and say to move it along when the problem is visibly 2-3 groups ahead sitting on the green/tee-box. Had this happen a couple of times last year. The most annoying time was when I was playing in a three-ball with a couple of lads in their mid-teens. An older gentleman from a four-ball approached the two lads to complain that they were playing too slow with 3.5 holes left to play. He wouldn't come near me for some reason :rolleyes:

I wouldn't mind but the two lads are very tidy golfers playing off 12-15 (iirc) and we weren't fluting around by any means. The group behind us were all mid to high handicappers who wouldn't check for lost balls and looked to be picking up anything from 10ft. Pointless to be racing around the course whinging to people when you clearly can't play through.

daithi7

Things that I like about golf:

-The walk in nature & the country side
- The fresh air and exercise
- The company if good, positive, outgoing, interesting, with a bit of fun, sport & banter thrown in
- putting
- The ability to play almost anywhere in the world, at almost any age & see great parts of the countryside in the places visited
- a good sociable, enjoyable Clubhouse, a nice steak sandwich after golf & the 19th

Things that annoy me about golf sometimes:

- The 'anal'ity of many players
- people talking or moving closeby while you're trying to play
- raking bunkers in amateur golf - like why?! (lock down rule of simply placing the ball in the bunker & fixing sand with your feet afterwards is far better imho)
- the length of a round of golf - about 12 or 14 holes is loads

That's about it. Golf is a really good game, but it's vital to play with good company, preferably on a nice course, not to be taken too seriously, to have fun & banter and to be out there for not too long. A 3 hour (so 12-14 hole 4 ball) is tops for me. That's ideal for me.

P.s. I think the main factors people play 18 hole these days are legacy reasons and cos the pro game pushes long rounds to sell more TV advertising & content, etc I mean they play 5& 1/2 hour 2 balls ffs!?!

P.p.s. most courses should offer a 12/14 hole rate for lightweights like me. That would be perfect imho, and I believe would be the more popular option amongst most golfers.

P.p.p.s. why courses might not do this- they've laid out 18, they wish to justify higher green fees, legacy reasons & the layout of the course may not be conducive to it. (9 holes is probably too short for most)

Salvadoor

Not repairing plugmarks: drives me up the wall.

newport2

thewobbler wrote: »

But, that said, my pet hate in golf is slow groups of players booking up the early weekend slots. They essentially dictate the pace for the rest of the day. It’s just selfish.

This.

Also, there's different types of slow. Someone who is methodical doesn't bother me too much. But the one who consistently leaves their bag on the wrong side of the green, takes practice putts to retry the one they've just missed while people are waiting on the fairway, waits for green to clear on par 5 before hitting his 280yrd approach after his drive went 220, etc are annoying. It's their lack of consideration for anyone else on the course that miffs me.