Damn thieves at driving ranges!

[fairwaysRoverated]

Last Sunday I went to play in a tournament at a local golf course for a local school fund raiser. A friend of mine asked me to play on his team. He said it was free so no problem I said. I went out to the range and only brought my sand wedge and 7 iron as its an iron range only and I didnt feel like carrying my whole bag since the carts were all lined up with no keys in them. I walk up in between a few different guys on the range that are hitting and set my 7 iron down against the club holder. Start putting in some work hitting different distance shots with the sand wedge. After about 40 balls I turn around to grab my 7 iron and its gone. walked all around looking for it and talking with people, but it just vanished. Had to reorder the stupid thing and the 7 tmb with my shafts hit me for 264. So frustrating. I've been checking back with the club house but no one has returned it.

 

My guess is it was someone who doesn't play allot and grabbed the wrong club, but they should have realized by now that its not theirs as it is 1" over length and 2* upright. There was a callaway big bertha 7 iron left on the range. I turned that one in hopping the guy would come back.

[ryuartz]

Damn. Sorry to hear that. Probably took your club by mistake. Hope you get yours back soon.

[jdmorris1980]

Maybe an honest mistake. Check with your friend, there might have been an email list for the fundraiser and possibly mail out to check their bags for your iron and that a BB 7 iron was turned into the pro shop. You might get lucky as someone who doesn't play much may not look into their bag until the next time they play (possibly same tournament next year).

[thejuice]

Maybe an honest mistake. Check with your friend, there might have been an email list for the fundraiser and possibly mail out to check their bags for your iron and that a BB 7 iron was turned into the pro shop. You might get lucky as someone who doesn't play much may not look into their bag until the next time they play (possibly same tournament next year).

 

This! It happens....

[Milfordlefty]

Last Sunday I went to play in a tournament at a local golf course for a local school fund raiser. A friend of mine asked me to play on his team. He said it was free so no problem I said. I went out to the range and only brought my sand wedge and 7 iron as its an iron range only and I didnt feel like carrying my whole bag since the carts were all lined up with no keys in them. I walk up in between a few different guys on the range that are hitting and set my 7 iron down against the club holder. Start putting in some work hitting different distance shots with the sand wedge. After about 40 balls I turn around to grab my 7 iron and its gone. walked all around looking for it and talking with people, but it just vanished. Had to reorder the stupid thing and the 7 tmb with my shafts hit me for 264. So frustrating. I've been checking back with the club house but no one has returned it.

 

My guess is it was someone who doesn't play allot and grabbed the wrong club, but they should have realized by now that its not theirs as it is 1" over length and 2* upright. There was a callaway big bertha 7 iron left on the range. I turned that one in hopping the guy would come back.

 

So they didn't hit their 7i the whole outing?? TMB7i doesn't look anything like a CBB7i.

[9stick]

I had my entire bag stolen a few weeks ago from my vehicle. I cannot explain the feeling of black abyss when you lose an entire set mid-season. Having to start over sucks, not to mention the price tag associated with doing so. It took along time to get my bag the way I wanted it and I don't think I will ever fully recover from losing them.

[tiger1873]

I had my entire bag stolen a few weeks ago from my vehicle. I cannot explain the feeling of black abyss when you lose an entire set mid-season. Having to start over sucks, not to mention the price tag associated with doing so. It took along time to get my bag the way I wanted it and I don't think I will ever fully recover from losing them.

 

I know the feeling had my whole bag stolen. I am still not over it and it's been 2 years. The worst is need to replace everything you have including balls, ball markers, range finders and tee's. I had just brought a new driver and irons too at the time so it was hard to buy everything new again. The worst is you end up replacing everything but not really getting everything you want since stuff is no longer sold or just rushed to fill a whole bag with something.

[falken19150]

I don't ever do a bag drop or leave my clubs unattended. Way too many things stolen otherwise. Also if I travel I keep the driver heads and laser range finder in my checked in luggage. Had those stolen also.

[9stick]

I had my entire bag stolen a few weeks ago from my vehicle. I cannot explain the feeling of black abyss when you lose an entire set mid-season. Having to start over sucks, not to mention the price tag associated with doing so. It took along time to get my bag the way I wanted it and I don't think I will ever fully recover from losing them.

 

I know the feeling had my whole bag stolen. I am still not over it and it's been 2 years. The worst is need to replace everything you have including balls, ball markers, range finders and tee's. I had just brought a new driver and irons too at the time so it was hard to buy everything new again. The worst is you end up replacing everything but not really getting everything you want since stuff is no longer sold or just rushed to fill a whole bag with something.

 

Whats even worse is I had 2 drivers in the bag as I was doing some testing!

[2putttom]

I'll play devils advocate...it was on purpose! they're called "range hawks". One club or the whole bag, they are there for a purpose, to steal. Some already have a standing order/request. When my second set of clubs were located (minus driver, wood & hybrid) the detective told me that it was a ring that was under investigation, and my set of irons was a "requested set", and that by the end of the week they would of been gone, off the radar screen. Now o p in your case I hope I'm wrong , but.........

[fairwaysRoverated]

I had my entire bag stolen a few weeks ago from my vehicle. I cannot explain the feeling of black abyss when you lose an entire set mid-season. Having to start over sucks, not to mention the price tag associated with doing so. It took along time to get my bag the way I wanted it and I don't think I will ever fully recover from losing them.

Oh man, sorry to hear that. I can't imagine having to do that. Hope you get everything back soon the way you like it and with minimum cost.

[fairwaysRoverated]

I'll play devils advocate...it was on purpose! they're called "range hawks". One club or the whole bag, they are there for a purpose, to steal. Some already have a standing order/request. When my second set of clubs were located (minus driver, wood & hybrid) the detective told me that it was a ring that was under investigation, and my set of irons was a "requested set", and that by the end of the week they would of been gone, off the radar screen. Now o p in your case I hope I'm wrong , but.........

Unfortunately its hard to trust people now a days. I'm on the west bank of new orleans, so theres that too..... Bunch a hoodlums around here. i know cause I used to be one of them. lol

 

Not stealing, just in general.

[Ri_Redneck]

Sorry for your loss!

 

I don't do the club drop either. When at the range, my bag is in vision all the time. After I hit a ball, I step back a bit so that my bag is in my peripheral vision. It's a habit I've gotten into from using public ranges a lot. If anyone gets anywhere near me, I stop what I'm doing and ask what they want. Yeah, some folks think I'm a jerk, but I really don't care. I want to keep my clubs and I do whatever I have to to make sure that happens.

 

BT

[The General]

$264 for one iron? diamond crusted ferrule and grip? :)

 

Yeah unfortunately you can't trust anyone these days. One must always look over ones shoulder at public courses. Sad but true. I will always cover up my putter and woods when I walk away from my cart (I have walked around with my putter in hand, it's a CT). Yours was probably picked up by mistake. It'd be SUPER ballsy to walk up behind someone hitting on the range and swipe a club that's 6 feet away from the player.

[2putttom]

I'll play devils advocate...it was on purpose! they're called "range hawks". One club or the whole bag, they are there for a purpose, to steal. Some already have a standing order/request. When my second set of clubs were located (minus driver, wood & hybrid) the detective told me that it was a ring that was under investigation, and my set of irons was a "requested set", and that by the end of the week they would of been gone, off the radar screen. Now o p in your case I hope I'm wrong , but.........

Unfortunately its hard to trust people now a days. I'm on the west bank of new orleans, so theres that too..... Bunch a hoodlums around here. i know cause I used to be one of them. lol

 

Not stealing, just in general.

I Looooooove New Orleans! :air_kiss: Always have had a great time in that city.

[e-man]

I did this last summer. I was at the range with a friend. We were sharing a spot. We wanted to get two adjacent spots so he went to the other side of the range to scope it out. He found two spots so he waved me to come down. I grabbed my bag, his 2-3 clubs that were resting against a bag stand, and went down to meet him. After about 10 minutes, the guy who was in the spot next to me at the first location came by and asked me if I saw his clubs because they were missing. At that point, I realized that my friend had grabbed his own clubs when he went to scope out new spots and I had grabbed this guys clubs. Truly an honest mistake.

[Caddykev]

A buddy of mine went inside to grab a bucket, there was a group being checked in so he looked around for a couple of minutes in the shop, bought his bucket and went out to missing clubs. It's crazy how quick it can happen. Sorry for your loss op, that blows.

[Caddykev]

I'll play devils advocate...it was on purpose! they're called "range hawks". One club or the whole bag, they are there for a purpose, to steal. Some already have a standing order/request. When my second set of clubs were located (minus driver, wood & hybrid) the detective told me that it was a ring that was under investigation, and my set of irons was a "requested set", and that by the end of the week they would of been gone, off the radar screen. Now o p in your case I hope I'm wrong , but.........

We busted a guy from a group when I worked at shandin hills way back in 2000. We went to the cameras after a customer said his clubs were missing, we had the guy on camera, and even his plate number in the lot and called the cops. When the cops came to talk to my manager later on in the investigation We found out their mo was outings, a foursome would show up with their bag of junk clubs, and walk off with another that was generally left around during all the pre outing stuff. This guy was flying solo that day. They said they had hit courses all around so cal and were selling the clubs on eBay.

[andrieddle]

That really sucks, I hope you get them back

[Boricua Golf]

I am so sorry and I feel your pain, I had my 9i stolen the first time, then they just took the entire bag "AT THE COURSE"!!!!!!, luckily for me, their insurance and the fact that I am friends with the owner and head pro made it easy for me to get me a check for a substantial amount, still the emotional connection to the old clubs cannot be replaced...why would people do this!?!?!?, I am not sure...

[Fubuman]

About 6-7 years back I was playing FT9 tour/ Diamana WB & BB Diablo 13n / Fubuki tour 73.

Just got into the 19th after my best round that season so far, left after 30min, got to my closed bag & could see the cover sitting lower than normal.

Opened up & found my driver & 3w were gone, as can be expected, not a sole saw a thing.

A month or so later, a caddy at a course 30 miles away asks me just before my round if I'm interested in a Callaway driver & 3w.

Yep you guessed it!

Exactly as they were, when I showed him identification & asked him to accompany me to the pro shop and blow the grips off to reveal my initials, he drops them & runs!!

Got my clubs back & the GC put up a wanted poster! ?

Not sure if anything ever came of it!

 

[brkuck]

Only takes once. I learned to put my clubs immediately in the trunk while I was in high school. Got done playing a very nice course in Ohio and left my bag outside to sign my card. About 10 mins later, I came out and the driver and Cameron were gone. To this day I use an old crappy Odyssey headcover to protect the SC hiding below it. But I will never leave my bag without me seeing it. I can see how someone may have grabbed it by accident, but too many stories out there of some shady people even in the nicest and most exclusive courses.

[fairwaysRoverated]

I am so sorry and I feel your pain, I had my 9i stolen the first time, then they just took the entire bag "AT THE COURSE"!!!!!!, luckily for me, their insurance and the fact that I am friends with the owner and head pro made it easy for me to get me a check for a substantial amount, still the emotional connection to the old clubs cannot be replaced...why would people do this!?!?!?, I am not sure...

Man, that sucks. Cool that they did that for you though, but still sucks having to get used to new gear again.

[fairwaysRoverated]

I'll play devils advocate...it was on purpose! they're called "range hawks". One club or the whole bag, they are there for a purpose, to steal. Some already have a standing order/request. When my second set of clubs were located (minus driver, wood & hybrid) the detective told me that it was a ring that was under investigation, and my set of irons was a "requested set", and that by the end of the week they would of been gone, off the radar screen. Now o p in your case I hope I'm wrong , but.........

We busted a guy from a group when I worked at shandin hills way back in 2000. We went to the cameras after a customer said his clubs were missing, we had the guy on camera, and even his plate number in the lot and called the cops. When the cops came to talk to my manager later on in the investigation We found out their mo was outings, a foursome would show up with their bag of junk clubs, and walk off with another that was generally left around during all the pre outing stuff. This guy was flying solo that day. They said they had hit courses all around so cal and were selling the clubs on eBay.

Freakin scum bags huh, People never stop surprising me these days.

[Medic]

Sad but true; cannot take your eyes off of anything these days. Whereas I used to just wonder on it and get a dog and soda at the turn, hit the restroom, and it didn't matter if anyone from my group remained with the sticks, now we all make certain we leave behind a watchman. We sort of rotate going inside.

 

Once, our carts were parked about 20 feet apart or so and I was sitting in my cart but could see the other one. A guy wonders up and starts looking at my buddy's bag. I ask him if I can help him and he says for me to mind my own business. When I told him those clubs are my business he continued looking through them and, with perfect timing, my buddy comes out. I said "Hey Mike, this guy is sniffing your clubs. Do ya know him?"

The guy practically ran away and was headed not towards the course but towards the parking lot. No telling what might have happened had we not had someone staged outside babysitting the sticks.

 

Sad times folks.

 

Hopefully it turns out some rookie accidentally grabbed it and an email from your buddy who got you to play nets a return. (But not sure what you'll do with the one you purchased to replace it)

[onlyomar]

I take my bag into the bathroom with me at the range.

[huskerturf]

What ever happened to honor and honesty? Best thing I've done is move to Japan...

[wobgon]

What ever happened to honor and honesty? Best thing I've done is move to Japan...

Yea......No thieves in Japan.....

[dunn]

He knew exactly what he was doing and you'll never see that club again.......people have this self entitlement thing goin which I don't remember when I was younger....least not like it is now

[pmata814]

Man these stories have really opened my eyes. I picked up golf almost 2 yrs ago and go to my local range almost every day. I always leave my golf bag alone while i go back into the shop for another bucket, or to go to the restroom. Never had anything stolen luckily.

 

Then again, aside from my ping driver, my bag consists of some scrappy Wilson Staff D100 irons and some adams hybrids. So it may just be no one's interested. Lol