In what way are you a golf snob?

[Mark Bourgeois]

Actually, being serious a moment, I do have a strange dislike of people who use plastic rather than wooden tees.

Then you'd best prepare for playing alone should you travel to drought-stricken Oz, my friend! (And well you know those Aussies are only too happy to oblige an Englishman on that count...)

[C. Squier]

The post round bag drop kid.  

Do yourself a favor and take that crusty, muddy towel laced with pebbles away from my already clean clubs.  Grab that roll of paper towels, windex and my keychain.  If the lights blink when you hit the unlock button, that's the car who's windows need washing.

If you're going to beg for a tip, go old school.

CPS

[Daryl David]

I'm a snob in terms of people who don't know at least a decent bit of history of the game.

If somebody doesn't know the following, I know that's somebody I don't want to play golf with:

-- What is the R & A and what does it stand for?

-- Who was Bobby Jones?

-- What is a stymie?

-- Why does a golf course have 18 holes?

...basically, really, really basic stuff stuff like that.  I'm never going to have a decent golf conversation with that as a starting point, so I don't even bother...

I guess the round with Boo Weekly is our for you.  

[Shane Sullivan]

I don't like (am a snob about) people who don't know how the match stands or don't understand stableford scoring.

I am also a snob about people who incorrectly say that they sliced a ball when they pulled it, pushed a putt when then pulled it etc.

Shane

[Dan Herrmann]

Here's another one - I hate courses that allow gentlemen to play shirtless.  It's actually very common in the Pacific Northwest at public courses.

[Jason McNamara]

Anyone who plays with blades when he/she is not a legit single digit handicapper (not fudgicap) is just silly.

There was an excellent line in one of the annual club reviews in one of the big golf mags a couple years back.  Essentially, it was "You should never buy blades.  Those who are really good enough to play blades will have people giving them clubs."

Sure that overstates it, but not much.

[Joe Hancock]

I won't play golf alone because I'm a bad conversationalist on the course.....

Joe

[Gerry B]

slow play - the ready golf dvd needs to be produced
no walking
long way between greens and tees - see no walking above

members of clubs who have no sense of their club's history - I visited a club in detroit for the the 1st time a few years ago (fairly prominent place with 2 courses - old and new) and was in the grill room after the round - and asked some of the members who  was the architect of the old course and the first 10 members i asked did not know - unbelievable!

my favorite Boo line of the year -the golf channel did some sound bites  - he was paired up with Paul Lawrie at Carnoustie during a practice round or saw him on the range  and asked him how he qualified for The Open - classic!

[Mike_Young]

I have quit playing with people that rub vaseline on their  clubfaces.....or wear sleeveless golf shirts.....

[JSlonis]

I have quit playing with people that rub vaseline on their  clubfaces.....or wear sleeveless golf shirts.....

So...you'll never play with a woman with chapped lips?

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I enjoy all courses no matter the design and general conditioning if the greens are well maintained. Ergo my snob point. I also do not enjoy bad manners  on the course.

[Mike_Young]

I have quit playing with people that rub vaseline on their  clubfaces.....or wear sleeveless golf shirts.....

So...you'll never play with a woman with chapped lips?

hmm

[JSlonis]

I am major ANTI-iron covers, ball retrievers and amateurs with big staff bags, especially ones with their names on them.

[JR Potts]

1. I not keen on those that do not dress appropriately at the golf course.  Public/private/ultra-private...have some respect and put on a golf shirt, shorts, a belt and wear golf shoes with golf socks.  Take some pride!  I'm above those that dress in such a manner.  

2. I don't like any (non-resort) golf course that has GPS in the cart.  It's tacky and I'm above it.

3. Multiple bag tags...if you've been to that many great courses, you should have nothing to prove...I'm above flaunting my trips by leaving all of the tags on my bag.  

4. Blades...they are okay if you are old school and are playing original Staffs despite what you shoot....if you have the new ones and suck, I'm above you.  

5. Caddies that swing my clubs when I'm playing.  Sorry, I'm paying you to carry my bag and have a nice conversation.  If I want you to swing my clubs I'll invite you to do so by asking if you would like to hit a shot on this hole.  I'm above you swining my clubs at every break in the action.  

6. Old 1970's leather bags with big 2007 drivers stuffed inside.  Make up your mind...you are either keeping it real but sporting that old bag or not.  If you are going to pony up 500 for a driver, please spend 100 bucks and get a respectible bag.  I'm above that.  

7. Reverse Sandbaggers.  You ruin friendly bets by keeping your handicap way lower than it belongs.  There is no shame in being a 10-20-30 as long as you keep up and keep it real.  You aren't fooling anyone with your faux-3 hadicap.  We are all above that.  

All in all, I'm a golf snob...and not really ashamed of it.

[Doug Bolls]

I am a snob about walking - I joined the USGA "Walking Section" because I believe golf is a walking game.
It was 101 here in TX today and I walked and carried my bag - not a big deal if you are used to walking.
Doing away with golf carts would be an improvement to the game.
DB

[David Stamm]

Jeez, to some, every way.

When I say to some I play with from time to time that aren't arch guys that I won't play some place because "it's offensive" (sorry Jon, that's your line), I get some awfully strange stares. Life's too short to play lousy courses. I can't play just to play. If I was an accomplished player, maybe I would see things differently.

[Adam Clayman]

Ryan, I actually agree with all of yours (except #1 on a muni) and I am pleasently surprised about that.

The majority of you really need professional help  

Peter, I don't know whether I should cry but for some reason your answer is absolutely refreshing

Thanks everyone for sharing. There's alot of common ground and my only suggestion would be the next time you see someone who is need of proper schooling, take a deep breath and excuse yourself for wanting to share some tip, history or lore.

I started this thread and then went off to the local ma & pop for a pre league night 18. Our group finally decided the teams and I was opposite a friend who I've been coaching. He's a 16.3 index and he was even par through 10. After finding another fairway on the 11th he bumps his ball off some discolored grass. I went near ballistic. First off, we were down 30+ units and he was freaking even par. It wasn't so much the bet I was upset about as it was the inevitable breach in his impending Karma. The excuse was of course "that's how we play it here" and I again went off on how it is August 14th and winter rules do not apply.

I suppose I will never be normal when it pertains to the rules and to Caddies.

Thanks Wayne for that History. Sounds similar to the fate of the word Aweful.

[Ken Moum]

I am a snob about walking - I joined the USGA "Walking Section" because I believe golf is a walking game.
It was 101 here in TX today and I walked and carried my bag - not a big deal if you are used to walking. DB

Wearing a Tilley?

FWIW, I agree. re. walking. It was about 100 here when I walked nine after work. Of course, my clubs were being hauled around by my Clubrunner...

K

[Rick Shefchik]

I had a great snob moment earlier today. My wife and I were about to tee off at our new club (joined in March) with a packed course in front of us, and two teens waiting to play behind us. I would have asked the two teens to join us under any other circumstances, but one of them was wearing basketball shorts and a Justin Morneau Twins jersey.

Sorry, I just couldn't look at that. If it had been the public course across the road, no problem. But I want people at my club to respect golf tradition enough to wear something decent. No jeans, no cargo shorts, and for God's sake, no baseball jerseys with somebody else's name and number on your back.

I'm a snob.

[Scott Stambaugh]

Things I am skeptical of which may classify as snobbery-

1.  The new trend in golf fashion that makes the practice tee on a Saturday morning look like the Tour de France.

2.  Ballwashers

3.  Those brightly colored neon-like golf balls that seem to be popular with the juniors and women.  When someone is on the practice green with them, I feel like I need to be gathering them up in an Easter basket.

4.  The term 'three-par' or 'four par' or 'five par' (?)

5.  Joeys

6.  Designer bag tags

7.  A pyramid of golf balls on a practice tee

8.  The fact that you can pull a rikshaw across the greens at Bandon Dunes.

[ed_getka]

Hmm... this is turning into a "Pet Peeve" thread more than a snob thread. Fine by me, I'll add my pet peeve to the fray.

Anyone who plays with blades when he/she is not a legit single digit handicapper (not fudgicap) is just silly.

Why? I am an 11 handicap and I play blades. I don't take myself too seriously, and I don't make my living playing golf. I think how good or bad the shot is should be a result of my swing, not game-improvement clubs. Although I must admit when my persimmon wood started to show signs of cracking I finally relented and bought a Titleist 975D.

[James Bennett]

4. Blades...they are okay if you are old school and are playing original Staffs despite what you shoot....if you have the new ones and suck, I'm above you.  

Ed

Ryan seems likely to like you though.

For me, I guess my snobbery comes from the chapeaus (hats), blousons (shirts) and (can't remember the french for jumper) jumpers that I buy and seem to wear to golf.  I suspect some of my golfing friends regard me as a bit of a snob or show-off, although I'l buy these things from any place I have a high regard and/or love for.

James B

[JR Potts]

Ryan, I actually agree with all of yours (except #1 on a muni) and I am pleasently surprised about that.

Everyone should duck and cover....the apocalypse is upon us.

[John Keenan]

In general it takes a lot to upset me on a golf course. In general I enjoy the experience of being out there and try to find the good in each course and overlook or ignore its weaker points.  

The one thing that does upset me is a high handicapper who MUST play from the back tees. I am an 18 and am quite happy to play from the white tees as they best fit my game. Nothing is worse to me that having to stand there and watch some one not clear the red tees. Then have the audacity to tee up again and get the same results or come up painfully short of the fairway. Amazing to me why but sadly I see it at many courses. Footnote price of the course does not really seem to matter but I have a sense that it does occur more at high end daily fee courses. Just a hunch  

[Dan Herrmann]

John - well said...  I play to about a 12, and played at a fine local public course, Glen Mills, on Monday.   I was paired with two wonderful guys that were playing the white tees, which made the course play just a bit over 6000.

What a nice surprise - I felt what a guy on TOUR must feel.   Shot an embarrasingly low score on the back nine, but it was a pretty cool experience.

0000000000000000
Back to golf snobbery - I also disike those golf TV commentators that call a  3-wood a '3-metal'.    If you want to be fancy, start calling the fairway woods a spoon, cleek, or baffy!