What do you do on the golf course that others may consider rude?

[John Kavanaugh]

I am a fat man in my 50's who occasionally wears shorts.  God forbid, and I am sorry for this, I even recently boarded an airplane in shorts.  I have an excuse, late for flight or extreme heat, but really it is based on me doing what is best for me.

I know many of you click your irons, hitch hike on carts and even sneak in your own food and beverage.  What rude behavior do you see or do on the course that may educate other golfers who don't even realize they are being offensive?

One other thing that I see many experienced golfers do is splat the pin onto the green.  How about placing it gently on the green or better yet, the fringe.  I can feel the grass dying every time a pin is felled like a giant oak.

I know many of you are good people and don't realize how rude your behavior may be, this thread is meant to teach not offend.

[Eric Smith]

I doubt you noticed because you constantly remind me of your forgetting even ever playing with me, but when I get a pin I drop it into the slot where my putter head meets the shaft and then ease the flagstick down onto the green. A habit I began probably 20 years ago.

[Paul Jones]

I will play out of turn on the tee box.  If someone looks at me funny, I usually say I play ready golf unless someone makes a birdie - then I have to honor the birdie.  Irony is, if someone does make a birdie, I will not hit first (even if they tell me too because of fear of bad voodoo :-)).

[Tim McManus]

Aside from slow play, the most annoying thing to me are people that stand directly behind me while playing a shot.

I generally do not wait to reach the rest rrom when nature calls.

[Rich Goodale]

I often snake in downhill sidehill 15 foot birdie putts when my partner is sitting in tap in range for his birdie.  I just can't help myself......

[Mark McKeever]

ready golf

Mark

[John Kavanaugh]

I doubt you noticed because you constantly remind me of your forgetting even ever playing with me, but when I get a pin I drop it into the slot where my putter head meets the shaft and then ease the flagstick down onto the green. A habit I began probably 20 years ago.

That I do not recall.  I of course have been accused of never getting a pin so the point for me is moot.  One thing I have corrected you on that I consider rude is playing with substandard clubs while bitching about how you can't play.  I don't care if you want to play with Hickories or other obsolete clubs...just don't whine about it.

[JC Jones]

Yes John, but don't you remember him saying that going back to the old clubs was going to improve his game?

[Jim Johnson]

Fart.

And I agree with Eric on his post, I do the exact same thing.
And then I pick up the flagstick by hooking the top of it with the back of my putterhead and pulling it up off the ground. Lazy maybe.

[Jeff Taylor]

Spitting on the green. Sometimes I don't even know I do it.
For me, spitting is like cracking my knuckles. It's automatic.
Time to start working on that.

[Bill_McBride]

Fart.

And I agree with Eric on his post, I do the exact same thing.
And then I pick up the flagstick by hooking the top of it with the back of my putterhead and pulling it up off the ground. Lazy maybe.

I do that too.   It saves people the pain of hearing my knees when I bend over.  Awful. 

[Brad Isaacs]

I tend to walk ahead and somehow wind up at the green while they are just getting ready to hit their approach shot. Sorry guys.

[Rich Goodale]

I tend to walk ahead and somehow wind up at the green while they are just getting ready to hit their approach shot. Sorry guys.

It must be a bitch being the perennial short-hitter in your group, Brad....

[Eric Smith]

I doubt you noticed because you constantly remind me of your forgetting even ever playing with me, but when I get a pin I drop it into the slot where my putter head meets the shaft and then ease the flagstick down onto the green. A habit I began probably 20 years ago.

That I do not recall.  I of course have been accused of never getting a pin so the point for me is moot.  One thing I have corrected you on that I consider rude is playing with substandard clubs while bitching about how you can't play.  I don't care if you want to play with Hickories or other obsolete clubs...just don't whine about it.

Wait'll you see the improvement. I've even put a driver in the bag!

[archie_struthers]

  :

Occasionally wear my I-Pod when playing !!!!   Sorry

[Jim_Kennedy]

Nothing. 

[John Kavanaugh]

I consider it rude to feel you are entitled to play through if you play inordinately fast because you do not play by the rules.  I know that I spent most of my youth playing faster and giving putts in an attempt to catch a group, usually on a tee of a par 3.  I have also been known to lay down in the fairway pretending to nap when behind a slow group, or using a ball washer for the first time all year or standing in a rude manner while emitting a hateful vibe.  In other words, it can be rude to play too fast.

On a side note, my group is often rude for playing 100% by the rules with a maximum score of 9.  We can not stay ahead of "friendly games".

[Pete_Pittock]

I ink a new cheater line for every putt.

[Scott Sander]

I rush.  Not in the "C'mon, lemme play through!" manner John describes.  I don't do it to hurry anyone along.

It's just that I'm completely devoid of anything resembling a pre-shot 'routine'.  Few if any practice swings and never a practice stoke on the green.  I'm often hitting while the guy before me is still sighing heavily.  It's very common for someone to realize they are talking in my follow-through, at which point they apologize and I have to assure them it didn't bother me a bit.

But the fact that I'm consistently having such conversations indicates to me that it's more 'me' than 'you' and therefore rude.

I think it was borne out of a youthful fear/dislike of slow play.
But even though I'm middle-aged and actually want to slow down and enjoy things, I fail to do actually do it.

Gotta keep working on that...

[Carl Nichols]

I make sarcastic/facetious/needling comments and jokes. 

Probably not a golf-course-only issue.

[Mark McKeever]

Give unfair rulings.   

Mark

[Criss Titschinger]

ready golf

This.

[John Kavanaugh]

I know it is rude to name drop, but...I was lucky enough to get invited to an annual tournament at Butler National so I bought a driver headcover with their fabulous logo.  Well, one day while play Whisper Rock one of their members asked me if I enjoyed being a member there.  It was embarrassing for both of us for me to admit that I was just a poseur.

It is rude to carry logo's on permanent fixtures of play where you are not a member.

I dropped the Butler headcover for the Pope logo one that was profiled on a GCA thread some time ago.  note:  It is rude to post ebay listings that drive up the price.  I really hate to have a lock on a nice item only to find some busy body advertising it to the world.

[Bill Crane]

Spit on my chix towel and use to wash my ball.

Have often wondered if dried spittle affects ball flight.

My son does not want me to wash his golf balls. He has noticed.

[Brian Hilko]

I may have snuck a few beers in my bag on mondays at my club.