3 ways things can get ugly on the course!
3 ways things can get ugly on the course!
Hi, I’m Mel Sole, Director of Instruction at the Mel Sole Golf School, headquartered at Pawleys Plantation Golf and Country Club in Pawleys Island, SC. We conduct 1, 2 and 3-day golf schools, hourly golf lessons, and senior golf schools—any golf instruction program your heart desires. Give us a call at 800-624-4653 or 843-237-4993. We will be happy to book a commuter school or a package that contains accommodations, golf, and golf school.
Golf Blog by the Mel Sole Golf School.
One Ugly Situation I experienced.
I have only been in only one situation that could have been really ugly on the course. We had a group of 4 young lads playing behind us who were obviously drunk, judging by the loud bad language. There was a holdup on the 9th tee, and when these guys drove up to us, they immediately accused us of pushing in front of them. We first calmly told them that no, we had been in front of them the whole round.
They disputed the fact and started getting out of their carts, looking for a fight. Our foursome all stood together and dared them to start, suggesting that we would call the police if they did. Finally, realizing that alcohol was involved and the police were not a good idea, they backed off. We reported them to the Pro Shop at the turn, but they drove their cart to their car and hightailed it out of there. Good riddance!
Getting involved in an argument on the course is not fun.
I’ve never seen anyone go full-on fisticuffs at the golf course, but I’ve witnessed a few close calls (most of which happened following one of the 5 events below). You wouldn’t think the course would be a setting for a throw-down, but when tempers flare, anything is possible.
And in golf, tempers most certainly can flare. Imagine this: You have a bad round; 4-putted for a triple bogey on the previous hole; hooked your drive OB on the current hole, and then…Here are 3 ways things can get ugly on the course!
#1 – Someone hits into your group.
I actually hit into the group ahead of me last week. Now in my defense, I wasn’t trying to hasten their pace. Rather I didn’t see them in the woods on the left. After a quick shout-out down the fairway, they forgave me. But it could have easily gone the other way. Hitting into the group ahead of you can definitely send the wrong message. I remember once we had mistakenly hit into the same group twice.
Though a mistake, I can understand why they took offense. It had been a long, slow round and tempers were short. So when we roped one by them for the second time, the shouting began. We apologized; they didn’t really accept it, and when we drove up behind them to wait on the next tee, there was an exchange of words. Though tempers eventually cooled, hitting into the group ahead of you is perhaps the easiest way to start a brawl on the course.
#2 – Someone steals your ball (or purposely misplaces it).
We’ve all claimed to have this happen to us at one point or another; “I swear it was right here…did someone pick it up?” Perhaps, or perhaps your drive wasn’t as good as you thought. But when you actually witness the thief in the act, that’s another story completely. You see them heading to your ball from 200 yards away, and you immediately know they are going to take it – “Hey!” you yell, “That’s my ball!”
What’s worse, they flagrantly steal your ball because you’ve hit them! I’ve witnessed this on multiple occasions. I’ve seen people kick balls into the woods or a sand trap for being hit. And when things like that happen, you’re one step away from a melee.
#3 – Someone steals your club.
A couple of rounds ago, I found an 8-iron on the tee box of a par 3. Obviously, someone brought two clubs with them to tee-off and left behind the one they didn’t use to hit. Now, I did the proper thing. I approached the group ahead of us to ask if the club was theirs. And when it wasn’t them, I left it with the clubhouse manager after our round. But what if I didn’t do the “proper thing?” What if I needed an 8-iron and decided to claim that club as my own? Well, one time, I witnessed a confrontation in the course parking lot where one guy spotted his club in another guy’s bag.
Clearly, you can assume the guy with the club planned on taking it (after all, he was already at his vehicle with his trunk open). Instead, there was an exchange of words with the accused, using the excuse that he “forgot” to leave it at the clubhouse. (which was possibly true). But I remember thinking, “this could get ugly.” He then did proceed to hand the club over to its rightful owner. Who then, after a few more choice words, heads back to his car. Remember, if you find a club, do the right thing.
Although I have listed 3 ways, things can get ugly on the course! I know that there are a lot more. If one party is not happy, prepare to back down, chivalry is the best part of valor. Please get in the cart, turn around, golf back to the Pro Shop, and have the police waiting there when they finish their round.
Source: Mel Sole Golf School.
Thanks for reading - 3 ways things can get ugly on the course! Always let cooler heads prevail!
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