Your most unpopular Golf opinions?

[retch10]

59 minutes ago, NRJyzr said:

For what little it's worth...  most of the 20+ person email list we have for the weekend group of which I'm a part has been added after a random join with us.  <shrug>

 

One of my best friends was a rando situation at the local course, 18 years ago.

 

 

I've met some really good people who play some really good golf when joining up at the first tee.  Think about it...who else is going to the golf course alone other than people who are generally pretty decent, at least?

 

Its rare you ever see a solo who is hacking it up.

Edited July 9 by retch10

[Greenie]

20 hours ago, mongoosegolfer said:

That's the frustrating part. You used to be able to just play early and get finished before a lot of the nonsense started. Now I'll tee off at 7am or earlier and there's already people in front of us or people we get paired up with who look like it's the first time they ever stepped foot on a golf course. I'm talking about people that dont hit a single ball farther than 50 yards the entire day and are buying drinks at the turn when its not even 9am yet. If you're just there to goof around and drink, why are you teeing off at 6:30am on a sunday morning? 

I've never really experienced slow play too often before since 95% of the time I play super early but this year in particular even the early tee times have been invaded. You can't even tee off early to beat the slow play anymore. 

 

It's because people don't care about anyone but themselves now days. The entitlement of some people is a bit much.

 

We played a course last year and we had an 8:10 tee time. It took us 5:30 to finish our round. We would have packed it in but we had traveled 1 1/2 hrs. to get there.

 

The ranger told us the first group out had three people in the group that had never played before. The ranger said he had tried to move them a long and their reply was we payed our money and it takes as long as it takes because it was their first time playing.

 

There has to be something wrong with someone that would book the first time of the day with three first time golfers. 

 

When myself and my friends first started playing we always played late in the day and always let faster groups play through. 

[Robot_Dog]

Golf is a hard watch. I don't watch any youtube videos ie Good Good or BDS. I only will watch golf on Sundays if there are 2-4 people contending for the win. 

[MountainKing]

3 hours ago, Robot_Dog said:

Golf is a hard watch. I don't watch any youtube videos ie Good Good or BDS. I only will watch golf on Sundays if there are 2-4 people contending for the win. 

 

I'd agree with that.  It translates horribly to TV, in person you're often looking at the back of somebody's head etc.  It's overall not a great spectator sport be it TV or in person.   I don't mind the Youtube stuff to an extent, provided the golfer is somebody that could beat me.  I have no interest in watching weekend hacks.  I've tried Bobdoessports because those guys are funny, but I'd probably prefer it if they just let FP play and the other two just walked along with him for comedic relief. 

[MountainKing]

On 6/26/2025 at 5:59 PM, DavePelz4 said:

Anyone who takes a scramble as a serious golf competition is sadly mistaken.

 

I take one scramble a year seriously...because it's a big money scramble, unlike most of the other nonsense ones this one is run with markers so what's coming in is legit.   

 

Beyond that, you want me to play in your BS scramble, you're paying my way. 

[MountainKing]

23 hours ago, mongoosegolfer said:

That's the frustrating part. You used to be able to just play early and get finished before a lot of the nonsense started. Now I'll tee off at 7am or earlier and there's already people in front of us or people we get paired up with who look like it's the first time they ever stepped foot on a golf course. I'm talking about people that dont hit a single ball farther than 50 yards the entire day and are buying drinks at the turn when its not even 9am yet. If you're just there to goof around and drink, why are you teeing off at 6:30am on a sunday morning? 

I've never really experienced slow play too often before since 95% of the time I play super early but this year in particular even the early tee times have been invaded. You can't even tee off early to beat the slow play anymore. 

 

Earlier in the year we got paired up with two guys who fit what you described, at just after 6:30 none the less.   We just kept pushing them along hard and forced their hand a bit to keep up with the group in front of us.   After I told them if they can't keep up we're going to leave them behind, they started moving.   If I have to be prepared to be out there for 4 and half+ hours in the afternoon, then YOU need to be prepared to be out there for less than 4 hours if you're playing that early. 

[PedronNiall]

I do miss the days when at most courses you could actually take a break at the turn to enjoy some good food and company and then slot back in without issue. Way too crowded for that even at some private and higher end courses these days. Also never had a problem playing quickly as needed or simply enjoying a full day of golf one way or another.

 

Now doing either can be problematic because marshals do nada and no one lets anyone else through or picks up the pace when they're behind. 

[FuzzyDunlop69]

8 hours ago, parbung said:

i've gotten so used to at this point, i don't even think twice about it. If there's an opening, im playing. 

Probably says more about me than others, but I worry more about a 2 man opening and whatever company I bring.  Two of my regular partners, no worries...one, he's an acquired taste!

[DavePelz4]

1 hour ago, PedronNiall said:

I do miss the days when at most courses you could actually take a break at the turn to enjoy some good food and company and then slot back in without issue. Way too crowded for that even at some private and higher end courses these days. Also never had a problem playing quickly as needed or simply enjoying a full day of golf one way or another.

 

Now doing either can be problematic because marshals do nada and no one lets anyone else through or picks up the pace when they're behind. 

 

Respectfully golf courses are focused on a profit. Pretty sure a private club would let you do exactly what you want.

[dekez]

On 7/6/2025 at 8:29 AM, Shallowface said:

Online tee time system etiquette.

 

If you are a twosome looking for a tee time and there are open tee times available, don't book over top of someone who got there first.

 

And if there are no open times available, play someplace else.  Don't inflict yourselves upon someone and ruin their day in the process.

 

You really don't want to play with them.  And they really don't want to play with you.  Be considerate.  

 

I get where you are coming from. I'd argue the rule applies more to a single joining a booked threesome but clearly its a bad argument.

 

Here's the thing, restaurants also make less money when a party of two or three sit at a bigger table.  But most of us would be shocked if the host sat a single at with us for dinner.  Why is that OK for golf?

 

Perhaps the solution here is to set aside tee times for singles to ban together.

[bcjim]

39 minutes ago, dekez said:

 

I get where you are coming from. I'd argue the rule applies more to a single joining a booked threesome but clearly its a bad argument.

 

Here's the thing, restaurants also make less money when a party of two or three sit at a bigger table.  But most of us would be shocked if the host sat a single at with us for dinner.  Why is that OK for golf?

 

Perhaps the solution here is to set aside tee times for singles to ban together.

You want "your own" group? Great. Bring 4 people. End of story at any public, semi private, and a large fraction of private clubs.

 

Now, if the argument is 11:00 has a 2some booked and 10:50 and 11:10 are open so you should book 10:50 or 11:10?  OK. Maybe, but where I play, I wouldn't know unless I first tried to book 3 or 4 in that slot at 11:00. And, in any event, it will be 4 by that day anyway for all tee times basically.  One (very nice) place I play even says for 2 or less you are subject to being told to tee off +/- 20min from when you book.

[dekez]

12 minutes ago, bcjim said:

You want "your own" group? Great. Bring 4 people. End of story at any public, semi private, and a large fraction of private clubs.

 

Now, if the argument is 11:00 has a 2some booked and 10:50 and 11:10 are open so you should book 10:50 or 11:10?  OK. Maybe, but where I play, I wouldn't know unless I first tried to book 3 or 4 in that slot at 11:00. And, in any event, it will be 4 by that day anyway for all tee times basically.  One (very nice) place I play even says for 2 or less you are subject to being told to tee off +/- 20min from when you book.

I understand your perspective. I don't play unless I have a foursome. Sometimes a threesome. Never as a single. I would feel like I am imposing on others. That's just me.

[bcjim]

21 minutes ago, dekez said:

I understand your perspective. I don't play unless I have a foursome. Sometimes a threesome. Never as a single. I would feel like I am imposing on others. That's just me.

Virtually all of the guys I regularly play with I met either by them being a single or me being a single. Or both.  

[WesternRacing]

4 hours ago, dekez said:

 

I get where you are coming from. I'd argue the rule applies more to a single joining a booked threesome but clearly its a bad argument.

 

Here's the thing, restaurants also make less money when a party of two or three sit at a bigger table.  But most of us would be shocked if the host sat a single at with us for dinner.  Why is that OK for golf?

 

 

Because restaurants don’t charge by the seat or the size of the table.  Golf courses do.  Most golf courses would go out of business if they didn’t allow singles to fill out foursomes.

[WesternRacing]

2 hours ago, bcjim said:

Virtually all of the guys I regularly play with I met either by them being a single or me being a single. Or both.  

 

Same.

 

I’ve joined existing twosomes and threesomes probably hundreds of times in my life and I’ve never once gotten the vibe from the group I joined that I was imposing on them or that they were unhappy that a single joined.  Anyone who has played golf long enough knows that singles are part of golf.  If people don’t like it, they can just buy the spot.

 

People that don’t think singles should join are probably the same people who expect to ride up the ski lift alone even when the lift lines are packed.

 

Edited July 10 by WesternRacing

[Double Mocha Man]

16 minutes ago, WesternRacing said:

People that don’t think singles should join are probably the same people who expect to ride up the ski lift alone even when the lift lines are packed.

 

And in golf you don't even have to sit next to these other people with your hips touching.

[Argonne69]

10 hours ago, bcjim said:

You want "your own" group? Great. Bring 4 people. End of story at any public, semi private, and a large fraction of private clubs.

 

Now, if the argument is 11:00 has a 2some booked and 10:50 and 11:10 are open so you should book 10:50 or 11:10?  OK. Maybe, but where I play, I wouldn't know unless I first tried to book 3 or 4 in that slot at 11:00. And, in any event, it will be 4 by that day anyway for all tee times basically.  One (very nice) place I play even says for 2 or less you are subject to being told to tee off +/- 20min from when you book.

 

Unfortunately many courses do not allow singles to book in an open 4slot. If they do, and the teesheet is fairly wide open, then I'll book as a single in an open slot. If it looks like the teesheet will be pretty full, I'll book with the threesome as to not "steal" an open slot for a late-booking foursome.

 

In any case I typically show up early and work things out with the starter and/or groups. Some groups welcome a random single. Others would rather play with less than four. If the course is packed, then they really have no choice but to have me tag along. 

 

[dekez]

7 hours ago, WesternRacing said:

 

Because restaurants don’t charge by the seat or the size of the table.  Golf courses do.  Most golf courses would go out of business if they didn’t allow singles to fill out foursomes.

That's not the point, though. If they did, would you impose yourself on another table?

[SnowbirdTom]

Got one rule for people in the foursome. Play good, play fast or play poorly, play fast. I will not dawdle on a course.  Left a first out threesome booked with me as a single that had four groups backed up by the 3rd hole last weekend. Picked up, went to the next tee and went from a 5+ hour 18 to a 3 hour thoroughly enjoyable round. It would have been 2.5, but I wasted 20 minutes waiting on the group.

[SnowbirdTom]

52 minutes ago, dekez said:

That's not the point, though. If they did, would you impose yourself on another table?

 

Two totally different social events, boss.  It's a given that people will be paired up on a golf course because there are limited slots available. I worked as a starter for several years and put it to the intransigent twosomes that insisted they owned the entire tee slot by simply telling them they needed to pay for four to have a foursome slot.

[Double Mocha Man]

1 hour ago, SnowbirdTom said:

 

Two totally different social events, boss.  It's a given that people will be paired up on a golf course because there are limited slots available. I worked as a starter for several years and put it to the intransigent twosomes that insisted they owned the entire tee slot by simply telling them they needed to pay for four to have a foursome slot.

 

Wish I could have been there to hear that specious  argument they made.

[SnowbirdTom]

37 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

Wish I could have been there to hear that specious  argument they made.

 

They had none. "But we don't want to play with strangers!" Our tee time reservation that gets emailed has that expect to be paired up if not a foursome disclaimer in print.  Several have tried, none won the discussion with me. Firm, but polite. After they were off the tee, I'd let the ranger know to keep an eye on them in his wanders. 😉

Edited July 10 by SnowbirdTom

[WesternRacing]

3 hours ago, dekez said:

That's not the point, though. If they did, would you impose yourself on another table?

 

If they did, restaurants would fill that spot.  So, yes, I would ‘impose myself’ on that table, because the restaurant would require it if I wanted to eat there.

 

Are you new to golf?

 

You do understand that the empty spot in your group is lost revenue to the golf course, right?  Just like most anything else in life, you get what you pay for.  If you want the spot empty, just pay for it in the pro shop.  You seem to think that you’re paying for a tee time, rather than one of four spots in a tee time.

 

Edited July 10 by WesternRacing

[PedronNiall]

16 hours ago, DavePelz4 said:

 

Respectfully golf courses are focused on a profit. Pretty sure a private club would let you do exactly what you want.

 

I mentioned that it's a thing at all levels of courses these days. It comes up in many different sections on here how bad it is almost everywhere. 

[Argonne69]

During my first visit to San Francisco I stopped in a small restaurant in Chinatown. Got seated at a large round "community" table with several locals. I remember it well because one of the older gentlemen complimented me on my use of chopsticks. Lol. 

 

[DavePelz4]

41 minutes ago, PedronNiall said:

 

I mentioned that it's a thing at all levels of courses these days. It comes up in many different sections on here how bad it is almost everywhere. 

 

You can certainly stop to have lunch, just don't expect to jump on the 10th tee whenever you feel like it. 

[david.c.w]

1 hour ago, Argonne69 said:

During my first visit to San Francisco I stopped in a small restaurant in Chinatown. Got seated at a large round "community" table with several locals. I remember it well because one of the older gentlemen complimented me on my use of chopsticks. Lol. 

 

 

There is a BBQ restaurant in Atlanta that is famous for both limited seating and people staying too long to listen to the band playing.  Almost guaranteed that you will be sitting with some new friends when you dine in.

 

Fatt Matt's Rib Shack.

 

 

[PedronNiall]

1 hour ago, DavePelz4 said:

 

You can certainly stop to have lunch, just don't expect to jump on the 10th tee whenever you feel like it. 

 

And again, it didn't used to be the case that every course was so packed there was no breathing room. Not sure why you want to do the back and forth. Things have changed, I acknowledged that in what I said to begin with. No different than traffic being garbage because everyone in the house has their own car now or stores being crowded because there are more people overall and more have moved into metro areas.

 

There's also a difference between making reasonable revenue and the current absolute profit maximization focus, being paired with courses closing because the prior course boom outpaced demand and left revenue spread out over too many courses in some cases, intersecting with courses being sold to retail and commercial entities because there's a big check to be made. Lots of things went into it, doesn't change that it was nicer on all fronts for most players when we weren't being herded like cattle with 8 minutes between tee times many places now. 

[Pepperturbo]

There's a segment of people that thinks they know what's best for everyone else.

 

Whether right or wrong, I do NOT allow anyone to tell me what's best for me. I'd rather face the consequences for being wrong than let some know-it-all control fanatic dictate what's good for me.

[Double Mocha Man]

1 hour ago, Pepperturbo said:

There's a segment of people that thinks they know what's best for everyone else.

 

Whether right or wrong, I do NOT allow anyone to tell me what's best for me. I'd rather face the consequences for being wrong than let some know-it-all control fanatic dictate what's good for me.

 

I think it would be best if you weren't so forthright.