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Jim Tang

  • Karma: +0/-0
Best Traditions of the Game
« on: May 26, 2014, 02:23:21 PM »
What are the best traditions in the game that enhance the playing experience?  When I was at Dornoch last summer, the starter told me they hoist national flags of visiting players up above the club sign that is right next to the first tee.  I thought that was a cool idea and felt like it added to the charm of Dornoch.

What other traditons are out there that you've experienced and felt like it added to the enjoyment of your day?

BCowan

Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2014, 02:41:58 PM »
Kingsley Clubs no hat policy in the clubhouse.  Nice to see low key places enforce honored traditions.  Really adds to the experience imho. 

Rich Goodale

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2014, 04:17:30 PM »
There used to be a great tradition at Dornoch in the Carnegie Shield (their top Open competition), where players who lost in match play rounds would caddie for the person who beat them in the next round.  It was never a universal tradition, but and great one for those of us who followed it when appropriate.
Life is good.

Any afterlife is unlikely and/or dodgy.

Jean-Paul Parodi

Josh Stevens

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2014, 02:56:30 AM »
No hat in inside is pretty much universal in every club in Australia and the UK at pain of having to shout the bar. Its not a tradition its just good manners.

Traditions however are tricky, it is important they do not seem contrived - being seen to try too hard to appear traditional is so middle class.

Mark Pearce

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2014, 03:33:57 AM »
Kingsley Clubs no hat policy in the clubhouse.  Nice to see low key places enforce honored traditions.  Really adds to the experience imho. 
That's a tradition?  Over here we call it good manners.
In June I will be riding the first three stages of this year's Tour de France route for charity.  630km (394 miles) in three days, with 7800m (25,600 feet) of climbing for the William Wates Memorial Trust (https://rideleloop.org/the-charity/) which supports underprivileged young people.

Josh Stevens

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2014, 05:06:40 AM »
Kissing the captains balls
Wearing ugly clothes
Discriminating against the ladies
Sneering at public course golfers
Blaming the super for bad lies
Blaming the course designer for bad bounces
Red Wine

Ronald Montesano

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2014, 05:50:54 AM »
push carts
Coming in 2024
~Elmira Country Club
~Soaring Eagles
~Bonavista
~Indian Hills
~Maybe some more!!

Jud_T

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2014, 06:39:06 AM »
Single caddies
Golf is a game. We play it. Somewhere along the way we took the fun out of it and charged a premium to be punished.- - Ron Sirak

Mark Pearce

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #8 on: May 27, 2014, 06:44:18 AM »
I like the 2 ball tradition at my current club. Means a quick round and I'm not standing around all day. Also means I chat to my partner properly. Or, better still, 36 hole clubs that have one course as 2 ball and the other 3/4. That's a great English tradition at some clubs and I hope it's held on to. But I can see it dying away...

I also like the tradition at a small handful clubs where a jacket and tie dress code is enforced and lunch is considered a natural part of the day out. It makes for a really nice day, in my opinion and doesn't have to be stuffy and boring if you're with the right people.
Agree with all of this...
In June I will be riding the first three stages of this year's Tour de France route for charity.  630km (394 miles) in three days, with 7800m (25,600 feet) of climbing for the William Wates Memorial Trust (https://rideleloop.org/the-charity/) which supports underprivileged young people.

Mark Pearce

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #9 on: May 27, 2014, 06:44:47 AM »
One "tradition" which seems to have arisen in the last 20 years or so is the notion of taking off your hat when shaking hands afterwards. I agree if you've never met someone before and are being introduced, take off your hat and sunglasses so they can see who they're saying hello to, but at the end of a game? It's a total chore and also pointless.
But not this!  Taking your hat off is a chore?  Really?
In June I will be riding the first three stages of this year's Tour de France route for charity.  630km (394 miles) in three days, with 7800m (25,600 feet) of climbing for the William Wates Memorial Trust (https://rideleloop.org/the-charity/) which supports underprivileged young people.

Josh Stevens

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #10 on: May 27, 2014, 07:42:40 AM »
Interestingly we did away with ties in  the members  bar a few years ago (but still require a jacket) and there is now a swell of younger members ( under 40 yrs old) pushing to bring them back. I get all teary, there is hope for the world yet.

Golf should be an occasion. Embrace the traditions and the kids do seem to be getting it.

Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #11 on: May 27, 2014, 07:48:35 AM »
Club ties.  I still have the one I bought at Painswick. 

Colin Macqueen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #12 on: May 27, 2014, 07:57:45 AM »
Gentlemen,
I have read somewhere,but cannot find the reference, that in days of yore golfers would be greeted, on the 16th or 17th fairways as they concluded their rounds, by a vassal bearing, on a silver tray, tassies and a claret jug. Celebrations if your winning the match, a drowning of sorrows by the loser. A win-win situation and a bellyful of port to boot. I can envisage this scenario as one wrapped up a round on the green of Royal Musselburgh Golf Club on a raw autumn afternoon! Now that sounds like a fine tradition to me and easily revived!

In more modern times, the late 1920's, The Craw's Nest Tassie or "The Tassie" as it is commonly referred to began to be played for at Carnoustie Golf Club. The Tassie itself is in this case a solid silver drinking bowl decorated with a Celtic motif …very snappy.

In a time-honoured manner and with a tip of the hat my good self and a golfing pal used to play for our own "Tassie" over the course of a year. Our "Tassie" was an old pewter pint mug, circa 1910, that I lugged out to Australia with me. We would share many a pint of good Aussie ale at year's end and never for a moment considered the gloriously high levels of lead we were consuming!

Bottoms up!

Colin
"Golf, thou art a gentle sprite, I owe thee much"
The Hielander

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #13 on: May 27, 2014, 08:05:52 AM »
Colin has inadvertently hit on the best tradition of golf, the 19th hole.

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

archie_struthers

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #14 on: May 27, 2014, 08:07:12 AM »
 ;D :D

Self policing of rules.  Pure sport like pick up basketball call your own .  Nothing like it

Ben Kodadek

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #15 on: May 27, 2014, 08:08:05 AM »
Kingsley Clubs no hat policy in the clubhouse.  Nice to see low key places enforce honored traditions.  Really adds to the experience imho. 
That's a tradition?  Over here we call it good manners.
The Kingsley clubhouse is essentially a double wide trailer and people still remove their caps.  I think that's what Ben is referring to.  

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #16 on: May 27, 2014, 08:10:30 AM »
Kingsley Clubs no hat policy in the clubhouse.  Nice to see low key places enforce honored traditions.  Really adds to the experience imho. 
That's a tradition?  Over here we call it good manners.
The Kingsley clubhouse is essentially a double wide trailer and people still remove their caps.  I think that's what Ben is referring to.  

No problem at all with taking off hats indoors...if the building is kept at a decent temperature.  If I am cold, I take measures to get warm and the best measure is to wear cover.  Sometimes people take hair for granted  :D

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Patrick_Mucci

Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #17 on: May 27, 2014, 08:14:36 AM »
Kingsley Clubs no hat policy in the clubhouse.  Nice to see low key places enforce honored traditions.  Really adds to the experience imho. 
That's a tradition?  Over here we call it good manners.

So do we.
And most private clubs reinforce it except in the locker room.


Patrick_Mucci

Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #18 on: May 27, 2014, 08:16:05 AM »
;D :D

Self policing of rules.  Pure sport like pick up basketball call your own .  Nothing like it


Agree on both counts


BCowan

Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #19 on: May 27, 2014, 08:46:46 AM »
foursome's, no more.  "The ME Generation is taking over''


''No hat in inside is pretty much universal in every club in Australia and the UK at pain of having to shout the bar. Its not a tradition its just good manners.'' --  Josh, the manners book is out of print!  Removing hats isn't as common over here as 20+ years ago and back. 

Josh Stevens

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #20 on: May 27, 2014, 09:04:45 AM »
Which only makes them all the more precious. Hats off inside, completely non negotiable in any building other than a texan saloon.

John Crowley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #21 on: May 27, 2014, 09:13:41 AM »
One "tradition" which seems to have arisen in the last 20 years or so is the notion of taking off your hat when shaking hands afterwards. I agree if you've never met someone before and are being introduced, take off your hat and sunglasses so they can see who they're saying hello to, but at the end of a game? It's a total chore and also pointless.
But not this!  Taking your hat off is a chore?  Really?
Maybe not a chore but, finding enough hands to hold your putter, the ball you just pulled out of the hole, your hat and sunglasses and shake hands is a challenge. Multiply this by the number of fellow players in your group and some times caddies. The following players are cooling their heels while the dance is done. I prefer to simply shake hands and exit the green promptly.

Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #22 on: May 27, 2014, 09:28:46 AM »
One "tradition" which seems to have arisen in the last 20 years or so is the notion of taking off your hat when shaking hands afterwards. I agree if you've never met someone before and are being introduced, take off your hat and sunglasses so they can see who they're saying hello to, but at the end of a game? It's a total chore and also pointless.
But not this!  Taking your hat off is a chore?  Really?
Maybe not a chore but, finding enough hands to hold your putter, the ball you just pulled out of the hole, your hat and sunglasses and shake hands is a challenge. Multiply this by the number of fellow players in your group and some times caddies. The following players are cooling their heels while the dance is done. I prefer to simply shake hands and exit the green promptly.

Plus bro hugs.  I prefer the LPGA's approach. 

Mark Smolens

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #23 on: May 27, 2014, 09:52:39 AM »
John, +1 on shaking and getting off the damn green. Nothing worse than our game at Balmoral last Saturday. Two young guys thought they were playing the U.S. Open (gotta mark that 2 footer and clean your ball with a towel before tapping it in!). After waiting all damn day, I don't want to watch you walking over to the guys you're with so that you can shake your hands while the gallery is applauding your efforts -- there is no gallery. Buy them a drink in the bar but get the *&^+ off the green so that I can hit.

Will MacEwen

Re: Best Traditions of the Game
« Reply #24 on: May 27, 2014, 10:56:21 AM »
Is taking your hat off indoors really a golf-specific tradition?