Your most unpopular Golf opinions?

[Divot License]

13 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

It's been several years since we've been allowed to putt with the flagstick in the hole. 

 

If you elect to take it out, fine, that's your choice. However, if you fail to put the flag back in the hole properly you should have your playing privilege suspended for a week. Can't understand what's so difficult about seating the end fully in the liner. 

 

If you fail to put the flag back at all, then you should be off the course for a month. Pfffttt. 

 

My gripe is how some people seem to damage the lip of the cup with the flag when either taking it out or putting it back. Often find flag pole size dents in the lips of courses. 

[HoosierHacker89]

Pace of play is the only thing that matters! 

[Argonne69]

6 hours ago, Divot License said:

My gripe is how some people seem to damage the lip of the cup with the flag when either taking it out or putting it back. Often find flag pole size dents in the lips of courses. 

 

Could be the players who can't be bothered to bend over and pick their ball out of the cup. They yank up on the flagstick to (try to) pop the ball out of the cup. Often times they have to do it several times. Amazingly, these players seem to be able to bend over to put a tee in the ground, or mark their ball on the green.

 

There should also be a special place in hell for the players who fish their ball out of the cup with their blade putters. This maneuver can also damage the edge of the hole.

 

[JimmyC59]

13 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Could be the players who can't be bothered to bend over and pick their ball out of the cup. They yank up on the flagstick to (try to) pop the ball out of the cup. Often times they have to do it several times. Amazingly, these players seem to be able to bend over to put a tee in the ground, or mark their ball on the green.

 

There should also be a special place in hell for the players who fish their ball out of the cup with their blade putters. This maneuver can also damage the edge of the hole.

 

Our Greenskeeper put rings, like the "basket" on a ski pole, on the bottom of the flagstick. You pull out the flag and the balls come with it

[Double Mocha Man]

1 hour ago, JimmyC59 said:

Our Greenskeeper put rings, like the "basket" on a ski pole, on the bottom of the flagstick. You pull out the flag and the balls come with it

 

And during the covid pandemic we had all sorts of devices that would raise the ball from the bottom of the hole without having to reach in to get it.

[Foxx]

If the ball moves a little when moving an impediment or addressing the ball it doesn't matter. Even in comps. 

[sheepdawg]

15 ain't 18.

[bobfoster]

On 6/13/2024 at 2:24 AM, Divot License said:

On 6/12/2024 at 1:06 PM, Argonne69 said:

It's been several years since we've been allowed to putt with the flagstick in the hole. 

 

If you elect to take it out, fine, that's your choice. However, if you fail to put the flag back in the hole properly you should have your playing privilege suspended for a week. Can't understand what's so difficult about seating the end fully in the liner. 

 

If you fail to put the flag back at all, then you should be off the course for a month. Pfffttt. 

 

My gripe is how some people seem to damage the lip of the cup with the flag when either taking it out or putting it back. Often find flag pole size dents in the lips of courses.

 

I loved that rule change. I never take the flag out. Always seemed like this needless ritual. 

 

I mean good grief. I get that the pros still do it (though the stats are still questionable about whether it has much effect one way or another.) But to me, this is just a game I play, I don't freaking to it for a living. 

 

Walked on as a single last weekend (as I often do). Playing with these guys that were really not that good. Guy is 20' from the hole. Makes a big deal out of lining up his putt. Looks at it from every angle. Walks over and takes the pin out (with a very serious look on his face). Then proceeds to miss by two feet left, and blows it 10 feet past the hole. In my head I'm totally doing a Picard facepalm, and thinking dang, good thing you took the flag out 🤣. Out loud I said "I think you needed one less club". He laughed. 

 

But this doesn't really irritate me too much. Just makes me giggle. Golf is fun. Golfers are even funnier. We are all crazy to play this game. 

[jda]

I have two from just today:

 

Don't play with a ball marker that means a lot to you.  A group ahead of us with a 06:00 tee time spent probably 45 minutes looking for a guy's Dad's lucky quarter from Vietnam.  They kinda let some groups move through, but it was a disaster and the course will be slow all day because of it.  Keep that stuff at home if it means that much to you and you cannot replace it.

 

All greens staff should be required to cut fresh cups for weekend play - none of these Thursday cups that are now only 3.75 inches across with soft edges and stuff.  Actually, this might be a pretty popular opinion.

Drove a 351 yard green today.  I am almost 50 and while this was in my past wheelhouse on occasion, this is not common today.  The ladies in front of us all smiled, waved and said nice shot.  Course cannot wait for every 350 yard par 4 green to clear.

[Atley]

Pace of play is typically not as bad as people think it is on most occasions and people’s expectations are a little out of touch with reality for most courses.

 

And walking is just better.

[akronswitness]

Saw a post on a different message board asking why its not acceptable to wear gym shorts on a golf course with dozens of people responding that it was perfectly okay and fine along with wearing tee shirts. Sensing this is a younger generation/newer golfer subset of players.

 

I have found a new unpopular opinion apparently.....Put on a polo and golf shorts if your going to a golf course.

 

I am far from being a old timer/traditionalist by any stretch, but.....cmon. I know its a unwritten rule and not mandated at many muni courses, but have some level of give a crap.

 

 

[vandyfan]

Staff bags are completely unnecessary except as a billboard for more advertising. They look ridiculous out there. 

[Argonne69]

1 minute ago, vandyfan said:

Staff bags are completely unnecessary except as a billboard for more advertising. They look ridiculous out there. 

 

Yeah, but the ones with the built in wheels and pull handle look awesome. Lol. 

 

 

[Double Mocha Man]

10 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Yeah, but the ones with the built in wheels and pull handle look awesome. Lol. 

 

 

 

Please, don't let that be your bag!

[Argonne69]

1 hour ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

Please, don't let that be your bag!

 

Lol. No, I have a fairly large Ping Hoofer Tour. I ditched the Hoofer Lite because the club tangle was so bad that I nearly tossed the bag in a pond. 

 

 

The staff bags with wheels and pull handles appear to be quite popular in LA with the riders. 

 

[Double Mocha Man]

7 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Lol. No, I have a fairly large Ping Hoofer Tour. I ditched the Hoofer Lite because the club tangle was so bad that I nearly tossed the bag in a pond. 

 

 

 

Ah, my faith in you has been restored...

[TiScape]

5 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Yeah, but the ones with the built in wheels and pull handle look awesome. Lol. 

 

 

Just noticed the dogs butt holes are flowers and bow ties… Ya don’t see that every day 😊

[knock it close]

21 hours ago, akronswitness said:

Saw a post on a different message board asking why its not acceptable to wear gym shorts on a golf course with dozens of people responding that it was perfectly okay and fine along with wearing tee shirts. Sensing this is a younger generation/newer golfer subset of players.

 

I have found a new unpopular opinion apparently.....Put on a polo and golf shorts if your going to a golf course.

 

I am far from being a old timer/traditionalist by any stretch, but.....cmon. I know its a unwritten rule and not mandated at many muni courses, but have some level of give a crap.

 

 

My gripe is they act like its such a big to-do and the clothes are so uncomfortable. My Lulu and uniqlo golf shorts are just as comfortable as my gym shorts from the same brand and my polos are just as comfy as my t-shirts. 

[Volnut]

4 hours ago, knock it close said:

My gripe is they act like its such a big to-do and the clothes are so uncomfortable. My Lulu and uniqlo golf shorts are just as comfortable as my gym shorts from the same brand and my polos are just as comfy as my t-shirts. 

Agree with this. It's not like our only options are pleated cotton slacks and baggy cotton polos from the 90s. Hell, I wear mostly  "golf clothes" off the course too as they're as comfortable as anything else in the closet. 

[dubbelbogey]

Funny how standards in dress change. Not that long ago (within most of our lifetime's here) - tennis wear was pretty much like golf wear is now. Polo/collared shirt, bermuda-ish shorts (or at least, dressier shorts). Definitely not the case now in the pro ranks, and frankly, it's better off for it. Wear that old stuff now on a court and you'd stick out like a sore thumb.

 

Golf dress norms have, and always will change, but perhaps more slowly. I'll gladly welcome the day when golf dress stops looking like the sales department from a tech company. (I've worked with many such sales staffs and don't even think about claiming there's a correlation between their dress and how well they perform. Barking up the wrong tree on that one.)

[PedronNiall]

2 hours ago, dubbelbogey said:

Funny how standards in dress change. Not that long ago (within most of our lifetime's here) - tennis wear was pretty much like golf wear is now. Polo/collared shirt, bermuda-ish shorts (or at least, dressier shorts). Definitely not the case now in the pro ranks, and frankly, it's better off for it. Wear that old stuff now on a court and you'd stick out like a sore thumb.

 

Golf dress norms have, and always will change, but perhaps more slowly. I'll gladly welcome the day when golf dress stops looking like the sales department from a tech company. (I've worked with many such sales staffs and don't even think about claiming there's a correlation between their dress and how well they perform. Barking up the wrong tree on that one.)

 

Tennis can get a bit silly with all the moaning and such a few pros were putting out there, but one thing with tennis is general decorum is mostly still intact. No bababooeys and orgasmic call outs at tourneys that I've heard. One of the benefits of holding onto the dress code at courses is to keep some semblance of that going. Already enough foolishness as is, can only imagine how much worse it would get if that went completely by the wayside.

 

Putting on golf attire does help people keep the expectations related to where they are in mind, just a facet of how the brain works. Same way gym clothes tend to keep people in a mindset for that golf clothes keep people in a golfing state of mind.

 

Dressing similarly also helps invoke feelings of connection, empathy, and all that jazz, and keeps a lot of foolishness off the course. At worst someone's wearing a polo or hat with a logo of their favorite team or whatever else that's relatively tame as opposed to a t-shirt with it emblazoned so large it can be seen from two fairways over, thus avoiding most drunken throw downs over whose team is really the best. It also keeps people from getting the stink eye because they aren't "dressing the part" and are standing out in their cutoff jorts and ripped tank top instead of the expected attire.

 

There are essays and research papers out there that go obscenely deep into all the aspects of what's conveyed by how one dresses and how it affects the way others treat you, but the short version is golf courses are better off in general with that kind of conformity than without. Even at many tournaments there's a dress code enforced for those attending and in general you find better overall behavior at public events with enforced dressed codes than those without.

 

Fully get that it was often more about keeping "certain types" out and making those who couldn't afford the right attire feel lesser in many cases in the past, but there's a lot to be said for the benefits of golf dress codes remaining in place, at least until we evolve into enlightened beings above petty squabbles and partial to the logo-free, monochrome duds that are popular in sci-fi.

[Warrior42111]

13 hours ago, dubbelbogey said:

Funny how standards in dress change. Not that long ago (within most of our lifetime's here) - tennis wear was pretty much like golf wear is now. Polo/collared shirt, bermuda-ish shorts (or at least, dressier shorts). Definitely not the case now in the pro ranks, and frankly, it's better off for it. Wear that old stuff now on a court and you'd stick out like a sore thumb.

 

Golf dress norms have, and always will change, but perhaps more slowly. I'll gladly welcome the day when golf dress stops looking like the sales department from a tech company. (I've worked with many such sales staffs and don't even think about claiming there's a correlation between their dress and how well they perform. Barking up the wrong tree on that one.)

I agree with standards changing, I see the vast majority of styles in the workplace. Everything from full sport coat and tie to jeans and a cap.  In my mid 30s I have had to retrain my brain a little to make sure I don't judge based on appearance. Oddly enough, well probably not, it seems the older workers in the full outfit judging others are usually the shi&&ier workers.

 

As for the course I adhere to whatever there policy is. If they have a code I'll follow it, if not I might be in a fishing sun shirt, I have enough problems in my own game to give a hoot about someone's attire. 

[PedronNiall]

5 hours ago, Warrior42111 said:

I agree with standards changing, I see the vast majority of styles in the workplace. Everything from full sport coat and tie to jeans and a cap.  In my mid 30s I have had to retrain my brain a little to make sure I don't judge based on appearance. Oddly enough, well probably not, it seems the older workers in the full outfit judging others are usually the shi&&ier workers.

 

As for the course I adhere to whatever there policy is. If they have a code I'll follow it, if not I might be in a fishing sun shirt, I have enough problems in my own game to give a hoot about someone's attire. 

 

It's a cool academic exercise to pretend attire doesn't matter but it's simply fact that to most people in most situations it does. You can go anywhere in the world to any society and people draw conclusions and change how they act towards each other based on clothing, hair, and everything else. For an easy extreme example, do you want your pilot showing up to fly your cross country flight in shorts and a tee or the expected uniform? Each look instantly conveys something about their perceived preparedness for what's to come and how they view themselves as well, no? 

 

Beyond that, a course that expects people to adhere to a dress code implies it will expect people to adhere to the posted rules as well. It'd be brilliant if it laxness in dress didn't lead laxness elsewhere but it often does. Making people dress to a standard means in general they'll behave to the standard that nicer clothing calls for in most situations. It would be grand if everyone were like you and didn't judge while maintaining best behavior regardless of what they or others are wearing but it's just not how it goes in general, especially as the population involved increases and the likelihood of feeling empathy for any given person encountered goes down. 

 

Not even touching on how wild people go with the things they wear to hit or play at ranges/courses that don't have requirements.

[jda]

Most of the best cultures in companies allow any type of dress - the dress code was an embodiment of self expression and acceptance.  Valley companies culture is a good example of this compared to most Wall St type of companies.  When I was at Google, the main guys wore jeans and plain T shirts but some of the employees would want to wear a coat and tie and everybody respected everybody.  Maybe the people who care about attire are not attracted to these jobs, but there is little doubt that the people who do want these jobs are VERY good at what they do and attire does not matter to them.

 

Don't forget that golf was upended when people stopped wearing ties and cufflinks to play.  Heathens just with tucked in shirts with collars.  The game obviously was a tool of the devil after this, right?  Members kicked out other members and stuff.  All in all, golf has not been a game that has cared much for anything progressive or people who are different than the status quo.  Anybody remember the uproar about athletic style shoes showing up over wing tips and oxfords?

 

Changing attire is nothing new in golf, or the world really.

 

The pilot example is a good one, but not for that reason stated.  I just flew yesterday and was observing that the pilots were dressed very poorly.  Yes, they had on slacks and a button up shirt with some badges and pins, but the slacks were worn dockers that did not fit well, the shirts were cheap and also not made well.  Shoes were worn out sketchers for people who stand all day.  Most might not notice this, but they were obviously dressed for comfort and to sit all day.  At deeper look, they were sloppy.  At a glance, they were fine.  Some nice shorts and an athletic T shirt with a company logo would be OK with me.

[Warrior42111]

25 minutes ago, PedronNiall said:

 

It's a cool academic exercise to pretend attire doesn't matter but it's simply fact that to most people in most situations it does. You can go anywhere in the world to any society and people draw conclusions and change how they act towards each other based on clothing, hair, and everything else. For an easy extreme example, do you want your pilot showing up to fly your cross country flight in shorts and a tee or the expected uniform? Each look instantly conveys something about their perceived preparedness for what's to come and how they view themselves as well, no? 

 

Beyond that, a course that expects people to adhere to a dress code implies it will expect people to adhere to the posted rules as well. It'd be brilliant if it laxness in dress didn't lead laxness elsewhere but it often does. Making people dress to a standard means in general they'll behave to the standard that nicer clothing calls for in most situations. It would be grand if everyone were like you and didn't judge while maintaining best behavior regardless of what they or others are wearing but it's just not how it goes in general, especially as the population involved increases and the likelihood of feeling empathy for any given person encountered goes down. 

 

Not even touching on how wild people go with the things they wear to hit or play at ranges/courses that don't have requirements.

Yes, you are right many cultures and societies, and persons are judgmental in some way or another. But overall, there has been change over the past years, decades etc. My point is most of the world is getting better at judging people based on actions and not how they look, what they drive etc. etc. Just like on the golf course I've seen idiots driving up to greens, getting hammered in polos and pants as well as jeans and a T. Also seen both demographics take care of the course.

 

I like the pilot analogy, and even I still have some bias in particular on a professional in public eye field like that. But it would be troubling if someone saw me as a better or worse engineer based on my attire of the day. 

 

 

[Tpfol]

If you fall a hole behind the group in front of you due to the slow play of the twosome you are paired with, there should be no issue with splitting up and leaving the slow twosome behind

[Argonne69]

39 minutes ago, Tpfol said:

If you fall a hole behind the group in front of you due to the slow play of the twosome you are paired with, there should be no issue with splitting up and leaving the slow twosome behind

 

Done it many times unfortunately. If they catch up, great. If not, too bad. Keep pace. 

 

[PedronNiall]

On 6/19/2024 at 3:16 PM, jda said:

Most of the best cultures in companies allow any type of dress - the dress code was an embodiment of self expression and acceptance.  Valley companies culture is a good example of this compared to most Wall St type of companies.  When I was at Google, the main guys wore jeans and plain T shirts but some of the employees would want to wear a coat and tie and everybody respected everybody.  Maybe the people who care about attire are not attracted to these jobs, but there is little doubt that the people who do want these jobs are VERY good at what they do and attire does not matter to them.

 

Don't forget that golf was upended when people stopped wearing ties and cufflinks to play.  Heathens just with tucked in shirts with collars.  The game obviously was a tool of the devil after this, right?  Members kicked out other members and stuff.  All in all, golf has not been a game that has cared much for anything progressive or people who are different than the status quo.  Anybody remember the uproar about athletic style shoes showing up over wing tips and oxfords?

 

Changing attire is nothing new in golf, or the world really.

 

The pilot example is a good one, but not for that reason stated.  I just flew yesterday and was observing that the pilots were dressed very poorly.  Yes, they had on slacks and a button up shirt with some badges and pins, but the slacks were worn dockers that did not fit well, the shirts were cheap and also not made well.  Shoes were worn out sketchers for people who stand all day.  Most might not notice this, but they were obviously dressed for comfort and to sit all day.  At deeper look, they were sloppy.  At a glance, they were fine.  Some nice shorts and an athletic T shirt with a company logo would be OK with me.

 

Mostly agree, and having pretty much been in tech in some way or another most of my time working it's not unusual in professional settings to see a plain tee of some kind or jeans everywhere from the office to meetings to conferences regardless of how senior someone is. In tech, though, your reputation butters your bread and everyone has six-plus figures of reasons to behave appropriately regardless of what they're wearing. Even then, there are some who are oblivious to their behavior but so skilled at what they do it supercedes any expected norms. 

 

On the golf course the only consequence most times these days is a marshal riding up and buzzing in your ear. Rarely do you see people asked to leave, banned, or anything else--for various reasons--but big picture is that there's little outside of whatever is in people's heads in the moment and their own tendencies keeping them on their best behavior so eliminating any dress code kills off one of the few things influencing that. Work: salary at risk, supervisors/HR to call out behavioral issues, usually no alcohol involved, lots of eyes on a person at any given moment, dress code is lower on the totem pole. Golf: few real consequences, mostly inconsequential marshals, a bit too often alcohol involved, few eyes watching any given action or interaction, so a few signs and whatever being even somewhat more formally dressed is about all there is acting as a reminder of where they are and the expected behavior.

 

The slovenly appearance of the pilots being off translates as well. I'd bet in most cases someone taking the time to put on clean, ironed clothes for the course is going to behave better than someone who grabs whatever wrinkled stuff at the last minute, and so on. However progressive societies might get there are always going to be conclusions drawn immediately about people based on how well they take care of themselves and whether or not they present themselves in a way that says they care about how they're perceived. Even the majority of silicon valley types I've met who go more causal still make sure everything is clean and sorted; can't say that's so much the case for those showing up at courses with no dress code who take that as license to wear anything and everything.  

Edited June 20, 2024 by PedronNiall

[mshills]

Unpopular opinion: golf is a sport. 
 

Unpopular opinion 2: golfers spend far too much time worrying about what someone else is wearing to play the sport. 

[Double Mocha Man]

4 hours ago, PedronNiall said:

 

Mostly agree, and having pretty much been in tech in some way or another most of my time working it's not unusual in professional settings to see a plain tee of some kind or jeans everywhere from the office to meetings to conferences regardless of how senior someone is. In tech, though, your reputation butters your bread and everyone has six-plus figures of reasons to behave appropriately regardless of what they're wearing. Even then, there are some who are oblivious to their behavior but so skilled at what they do it supercedes any expected norms. 

 

On the golf course the only consequence most times these days is a marshal riding up and buzzing in your ear. Rarely do you see people asked to leave, banned, or anything else--for various reasons--but big picture is that there's little outside of whatever is in people's heads in the moment and their own tendencies keeping them on their best behavior so eliminating any dress code kills off one of the few things influencing that. Work: salary at risk, supervisors/HR to call out behavioral issues, usually no alcohol involved, lots of eyes on a person at any given moment, dress code is lower on the totem pole. Golf: few real consequences, mostly inconsequential marshals, a bit too often alcohol involved, few eyes watching any given action or interaction, so a few signs and whatever being even somewhat more formally dressed is about all there is acting as a reminder of where they are and the expected behavior.

 

The slovenly appearance of the pilots being off translates as well. I'd bet in most cases someone taking the time to put on clean, ironed clothes for the course is going to behave better than someone who grabs whatever wrinkled stuff at the last minute, and so on. However progressive societies might get there are always going to be conclusions drawn immediately about people based on how well they take care of themselves and whether or not they present themselves in a way that says they care about how they're perceived. Even the majority of silicon valley types I've met who go more causal still make sure everything is clean and sorted; can't say that's so much the case for those showing up at courses with no dress code who take that as license to wear anything and everything.  

 

As a late teen in St. Louis I used to sneak onto private, elite country club golf courses... because they were there and I wanted to play them.  Rule #1 was "Dress the part".  T-shirt and jeans and we would have never gotten beyond the first tee.  As it turned out, we usually got in a full 18 holes, just by walking up to an empty first tee and hitting our drives.