Spent the day today working on my game on the driving range today at my home course. Beutiful sunny day with no humidity, so I just wanted to get some "work" in on my game. I decided I was hungry and wanted to grab a bite, so on the way back from the shack I stopped to talk to the starter a bit. He was on the walkie-talkie with the on course ranger and they were discussing an incident on course.
We have a member who is a Korean War veteran, and plays with 1 leg, as his is gone to the waist. He is a very good golfer and can play quite well in spite of literally hopping on 1 leg to hit a shot. He play with the same group several days per week. Today it seems that the group playing behind him, a group of visitors, started to complain that they were being held up. This group called the pro shop and said the group was slow and there "were open holes ahead..."
Anyway, the ranger went out to see what was up. Our member group, the one with "the veteran," was a 4-some and was playing behind a couple 3-somes. The ranger checked the time sheets and everyone was on pace and there really wasn't any "play gaps" other than a space if the 3-somes got a bit ahead, but they were not going too far as they were behind multiple 4's.
Once Joe (the ranger) got a handle on all this he went to the complaining group to fill them in. The complainer went nuts. He started yelling and saying stuff like he didn't care about the groups being on pace. If his group was waiting it meant that the group in front was slow and he wanted to play through on the 10th hole. The ranger informed him that wasn't going to happen, and to just calm down and enjot his round. This gentleman told the ranger if he didn't let his group play through, they were just going to do it anyway, and it was though.
Joe was shocked. He told this guy that there was nowhere to go, even if he played through. It was then that he also said, "you know, the guys in front of you are members here. And one of them only has one leg." Joe said if you feel man enough to go tell a Korean War veteran with one leg that he was playing too slow, then the repercussions were his own.
Unbelieveably, this guy said he didn't care, and if the guy only has 1 leg it's his problem! He needs to keep up. It was at this point that the owner went out and told this group that if they had a problem they could simply go home, as there was nothing really that could be done.
I can not believe this behavior at all. We have discussed slow play before, and there are lots of views on what pace of play is. Clearly on the weekends there can be slower than average times. Our course is 2 hours 10 minutes for each nine. If people are on that pace for 4-somes, then there isn't anything to crab about on a busy day. But when you start mouthing off about someone who has a disability, but plays as good as any of us, and is on pace.... well that's flat out wrong. Man was I mad about this, and it still riles me because it clearly shows no respect in any way.
We simply have no place for people to act this way, in golf or in life.
It's a shame that truly classless people do shameful acts like this. Instead of enjoying the freedoms that veterans helped to give us, these jerks complain about getting 10 minutes faster on the course.
I really hope they just were kicked off the course. I could see if they were being held up in some fashion that maybe the offer of playing through would be suggested, but if they are on time and playing at that pace you mention, these people have to understand that they are a 3 some and will in general play faster and just have to accept they may have to wait...
But the rudeness is unacceptable and I hope they are never invited back to the club.
I wish I was there, because I would've said something to them. I've played golf with severely injured Iraq/Afghanistan veterans and I have nothing but respect for them. Even if they were playing slower than normal, the least you can do is have a little patience. Luckily people like that are the exception, not the rule.
Regardless of the people invoved, the complainer was definitely wrong and I agree with you 100 percent. Unfortunately there are those few in life that just don't get it. We have to be tolerant of them, but they also have to be told that they are in the wrong and made to understand that there are others in this world that we need to be thankful for and your vet is one of them. We might not be playing golf if it were not for him and others like him. There is a saying that comes to mind; Many have given some and some have given all. Your negative golfer needs to remember that he is not the only player in this world and what has he given to secure our land to retain our freedoms.
I too am upset that there are those like him around, but maybe he will wake up some day and find that he is alone in his little world with no one to play with.
I agree with you both. It's a shame that people like that exist on the planet.Perhaps we should feel sorry for such a self entitled misguided soul...............Naaaaaaaaa,he's just another jerk who has no respect for the game,or others.
I had something similar happen when I played at a course in Cincinnati but the ranger let a complaining group play through a group containing an Iraq vet who was playing with one arm. I did not see him hit but one drive but he hit it about 220 with his driver, and thats pretty impressive. No need to be a jerk and complain about someone who put their life on the line for you. I understand the game can be slow but I never play a round rushed, and I never have plans after I play because a round can take longer than expected.
If I was around that guy Tar Heel I may have deposited my driver into his chest for being a jerk.
The focus here is not the veteran, it is the inappropriate behavior of the individual in the following foursome. As a starter/marshal, I've experienced this on course before. As in this case, you need management to stand up for you. The owner was completely within his rights to explain to the individual what the situation was. He also was well within his rights to simply remove that individual, if not the group, from the course for their atrocious attitude. That's the only way to wake some of these folks up.
Wow, Tar Heel, that is simply incredible. It is hard to believe grown-ups behave that way. I hope your club owner never allows the guy back.
incredible. I'm surprised this guy even plays golf - he obviously does not enjoy himself on the course, being so miserable with having to wait a moment or two. Maybe he needs to lay off the caffeine and stop and smell the roses once in a while!
People have no respect anymore. I'm ashamed of people like that, it's golf, a gentleman's sport. Show some class and be patient.
I played 9 holes in 3 hours and 10 minutes and didn't complain even though we were waiting on every hole and tee box with definitely no one in front of the group that was slow. When I play a public course, I expect waiting and (unfortunately) less common courtesy.
The concept of Gentlemen's game is not on several folks mind anymore, very sad but true. I have seen a trend in the new generation of golfers that turn my stomach and this guy matches up well with many of the debacles playing the game.
Hopefully this guy will never play that course again. Maybe he will quit the game all together. That would truly be a great day.
Amazing! That guy just needs to give up the game because he really does not get the key point that golf is a game to ENJOY! People like that just need a serious a*^ kicking.
It is guys like your story that give the game of golf a bad rep for being for the privalegded. I hope the owner of your club took down his name and the names of the guys in his group to add them to a "no play list"
Shaun
They should have thrown them off the course for acting like that. That type of behavior is just not acceptable .....
This is a horrible story to read, especially on a Monday. What a lack of class and respect exhibited by the complaining foursome. If he acts like that in public, you have to wonder what that guy does in the privacy of his own home. I have a ton of respect for military vets, as well as police, fire and any other public servants who put their lives on the line for our freedom and safety. And, not to mention, all the groups were on pace for 18. You have to think that karma catches up with people.